Dane Stokinger Joins Village Theatre's MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS; Jason Kappus Leaves for 1st National Tour of LEGALLY BLONDE

Village Theatre's Jason Kappus (John Truitt in Meet Me in St. Louis) has been cast in the 1st National Tour of the musical Legally Blonde. January 17, 2010 marks the final performance for Kappus before Seattle favorite Dane Stokinger comes in to finish out the run.

Stokinger was last seen at Village Theatre as Arthur Brisbane in Stunt Girl, and more recently was seen in The 5th Avenue Theatre's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor© Dreamcoat. Other Village Theatre Mainstage credits include Little Women, Million Dollar Quartet, and Once Upon A Time in New Jersey. Other regional credits include the Miss Saigon National Tour and Jesus Christ Superstar European Tour. Stokinger's first performance will be the evening of January 20, and he will be on stage through January 31, 2010.

Village Theatre will produce MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS in Issaquah November 11, 2009-January 3, 2010 and in Everett January 8-31, 2010. Featuring an array of Seattle talent, both young and old, Village Theatre is excited to announce the full cast of this heartwarming musical treasure.

KIDSTAGE alum, Ryah Nixon returns to the Mainstage in the "Judy Garland" role, Esther Smith. A recent Carnegie Mellon University graduate, Ryah is now based in New York City and has recently completed Fat Camp at The New York Musical Theatre Festival, as well as the world premiere of Bubble Boy: the Musical. Ryah last appeared on Village Theatre's Mainstage as Princess Amneris in AIDA during the 2007-2008 Season, and in the Village Originals 2007 Festival reading of The Gypsy King.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith will be played by Seattle greats John Patrick Lowrie and Frances Leah King, respectively. John was last seen at Village Theatre as Pulitzer in Stunt Girl and Victor Velasco in Barefoot in the Park. He is an accomplished composer, musician, conductor, author, actor, and director with additional credits in the world of video games such as MatrixOnLine, NOLF 1 & 2, and Half-Life 2. Frances was last seen on Village Theatre's Mainstage in Little Women, Bye Bye Birdie, Man of La Mancha, and many more. A performer and teacher of musical theatre for over 15 years, Frances' work has also been seen at Seattle Children's Theatre and Seattle Musical Theatre.

Returning to Village Theatre's Mainstage is Jason Kappus as Esther's love interest, John Truitt. Jason recently appeared in Catch Me if You Can at The 5th Avenue Theatre; he was last seen at Village Theatre in Stunt Girl and EVITA. Additional credits include work at Seattle Children's Theatre in The Wizard of Oz and High School Musical

Making up the remainder of the Smith family are John David Scott (Le Fou in Village Theatre's Disney's Beauty and the Beast) as Lon Smith, BRyan Tramontana (National tour of Camelot and American Family Theatre's Cinderella) making her Village Theatre debut as Rose Smith, KIDSTAGE student Keaton Whittaker (5th Avenue: Shrek, Sunday in the Park with George) as Anges Smith, and Analiese Emerson (5th Avenue: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor© Dreamcoat) as Tootie Smith.

Additional cast members include Bobbi Kotula as Katie, Larry Albert as Grandpa Prophater, Ian Lindsay as Warren Sheffield, and John X. Deveney as Motorman and Postman. The Ensemble members are: Carissa Campbell, Elise Campello, Casey Craig, Kristen Culp, Eric Engelhard, Carly Squires Hutchinson, Cassidy Katims, CameRon Lewis, Mary McIntosh, Henry Nettleton, Mara Solar, Adam Somers, Justine Rose Stillwell, and Bill Williams.

Village Theatre's production of MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS is directed by Steve Tomkins (Village Theatre Artistic Director); scenic design by Steven Capone (Barefoot in the Park); lighting design by Aaron Copp (The King and I); and costume design by Cynthia Savage (Saint Heaven). Pre-production photos will be available online after October 29, 2009. For more information or to schedule individual interviews, please contact Michelle Sanders, Public Relations Manager at (425) 392-1942 x124 or msanders@villagetheatre.org.

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS Synopsis:

Adapted from the beloved film, Meet Me in St. Louis is a heartwarming American classic that tells a story of happiness and family love that all ages will enjoy. As the curtain rises on the famous World's Fair in 1904, this extraordinary musical follows the Smith family and the move that threatens to change their lives forever. Memorable tunes like "The Trolley Song," "Meet Me in St. Louis," and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" will have you singing along in no time.

Where: In Issaquah: Francis J. Gaudette Theatre

303 Front Street North

Issaquah, WA 98027

In Everett: Everett Performing Arts Center

2710 Wetmore Avenue

Everett, WA 98201

When: Issaquah Dates: November 11, 2009 - January 3, 2010 - ON SALE NOW
Wednesdays through Saturdays: 8:00 PM

Sundays and selected Saturdays: 2:00 PM

Selected Tuesdays: 7:30 PM

Selected Sundays: 7:00 PM

Everett Dates: January 8 - January 31, 2010 - ON SALE: 12/2/09

Wednesdays through Saturdays: 8:00 PM

Saturdays and Sundays: 2:00 PM

Selected Sundays: 7:00 PM

Tickets: Issaquah:

$19-$59, Box Office (425) 392-2202 or (866) 688-8049

Everett:

$17-$52, Box Office (425) 257-8600 or (888) 257-3722

www.villagetheatre.org

Student & Military Rush: ½ price 30 minutes prior to curtain for any available seat. Group discounts available for groups of 10 or more.

About Village Theatre

Based in Issaquah, WA, with operations in Everett, Village Theatre is a leading producer of musical theatre in the Pacific Northwest. Producing entertaining quality productions for the entire family since 1979, Village Theatre has grown into one of the region's best-attended Equity theatres, with over 18,000 Subscribers and 170,000 projected total attendance each season. Through its Village Originals program, Village Theatre is nationally recognized for its contribution to the development of new musicals, having launched over 85 new works to date. Village Theatre also takes pride in nurturing tomorrow's audiences through its youth education programs, Pied Piper and KIDSTAGE, serving over 54,000 young people, families, and schools annually.

Pictured: Dane Stokinger