Photo Flash: PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES Opens at Theatre at the Center

It was a full house on Sunday, September 18, for the opening night of Pump Boys and Dinettes at Theatre at the Center in Munster. The audience was treated to a little slice of Americana with this upbeat roadside musical. Scroll down for photos from the opening night festivities!

Five Chicago actor-musicians made their Theatre at the Center debut in this production. Christine Mild as Rhetta Cupp, Shaun Whitley as Jim, Matt Holzfeind as Jackson, Matt Edmonds as L.M. and Cody Siragusa as Eddie are joined by Veronica Garza, who returns to the TATC stage to play Rhetta's sister Prudie Cupp. Directed by Brian Russell with musical direction by William Underwood, Pump Boys and Dinettes will continue through October 16.

Set on Highway 57, somewhere between Frog Level and Smyrna, in the folksy, fun style of Grand Old Opry memories, this countrified musical is a tribute to life along the open road. The story celebrates life's simple pleasures and the value of friendship between four gas station attendants and two waitresses at the Double Cupp Diner. Together, they perform a menu of country and western songs that have received rave reviews beginning with its Broadway debut in 1982 and continuing for many years in Chicago.

Director Brian Russell's credits include Ring of Fire, a successful musical review that opened at TATC in 2014 and moved to Chicago's Mercury Theater in 2015 where it enjoyed a six-month run. Ring of Fire recently completed performances with members of the original cast at the Wyoming Theater Festival. William Underwood is TATC's resident music director. John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel and Jim Wann wrote the Book, Lyrics and Music for PumpBoys and Dinettes and starred in the original 1982 hit musical on Broadway.

Christine Mild (Fiddler on the Roof at Paramount and Always: Patsy Cline at Peninsula Players) makes her TATC debut as Rhetta Cupp and Veronica Garza (Ring of Fire at TATC & Mercury and Sideshow at Porchlight Music Theatre) returns to TATC as Prudie Cupp. Shaun Whitley (Million Dollar Quartet at Apollo Theater) plays Jim, Matt Holzfeind (Oklahoma at Paramount and Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson at Bailiwick Chicago) plays Jackson, Matt Edmonds (Rent at Theo Ubique and All-American at Redtwist Theatre) plays L.M. and Cody Siragusa (Buddy:The Buddy Holly Story at Drury Lane) plays Eddie.

The Pump Boys and Dinettes production team includes set design by Angie Miller, costume design by Brenda Winstead, lighting design by Shelley Strasser-Holland, props design by Brittney O'Keefe and sound design by Barry Funderburg. The production manager is Ann Davis with Dennis Galbreath as assistant technical director. Matt McMullen is the stage manager. Richard Friedman is general manager and Linda Fortunato is Theatre at the Center's artistic director.

For more information, visit www.TheatreAtTheCenter.com.