Beck Center Kicks Off New Season with The Marvelous Wonderettes 9/16

Beck Center for the Arts will present its production of the Off-Broadway hit, The Marvelous Wonderettes on the Mackey Main Stage, September 16 through October 16, 2011. Show times are 8:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3:00 p.m. Sundays, except September 18. There is an additional 3:00 p.m. matinee performance on Saturday, October 15.

Written and created by Roger Bean, The Marvelous Wonderettes is a cotton-candy colored, non-stop pop musical blast from the past and winner of the 2007 LA Ovation Award for Best Musical. Meet the Wonderettes at their 1958 high school prom, four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts and voices to match. Learn about their lives and loves as they perform your favorite ‘50s and ‘60s tunes including "Mr. Sandman," "It's In His Kiss" (The Shoop Shoop song), "It's My Party," "Rescue Me," and many more. Fast-forward to their 10-year reunion where this dynamic group performs once again and see how their lives and friendships have changed and endured.

Beck Center's former artistic director, William Roudebush, returns to direct this must-take musical trip down memory lane. "If you grew up with these songs then you know they are forever a part of your life" remarked Roudebush. "In The Marvelous Wonderettes, we use these songs to create four distinctly different, but equally charming characters, who will each steal your heart away." The Wonderettes bring back many fond memories - first loves, prom dates, and high school reunions - for audiences of all ages.

With musical direction by Larry Goodpaster, The Marvelous Wonderettes is choreographed by Caitlin Elizabeth Riley, who also stars in the role of Suzy, along with Amiee Collier as Betty Jean, Nikki Curmaci as Cindy Lou, and Theresa Kloos as Missy. Equity actors Riley and Curmaci appear courtesy of the Actors' Equity Association (AEA), the union of actors and stage managers.

Tickets are $28 for adults, $25 for seniors (65 and older), $17 for students (with valid ID), and $10 for children (12 and under). An additional $3 service fee per ticket is applied at the time of purchase. Preview Night on Thursday, September 15, is $10 with general admission seating. Group discounts are available for parties of 13 or more. Purchase tickets online 24/7 at beckcenter.org or call Customer Service at 216.521.2540, ext. 10. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just ten minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

Beck Center's production of The Marvelous Wonderettes is presented through special arrangement with Steele Spring Theatrical Licensing and is sponsored by Cox Communications, Ohio Arts Council and Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

The Marvelous Wonderettes opens Beck Center's 2011/2012 Professional Theater season which also includes an encore production of last season's smash holiday musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and the Tony Award-winning hits, Spring Awakening and Legally Blonde The Musical on the Mackey Main Stage; and David Mamet's Race, Eric Coble's The Velocity of Autumn, and the recent Tony-nominated Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson in the Studio Theater. "As is our tradition, our 2011/2012 theater season offers an eclectic mix of shows." said Beck's Artistic Director Scott Spence. "I am especially excited to bring six regional premieres, offering so many new productions to Northeast Ohio audiences."

Beck Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that offers professional Theater Productions, arts education programming in dance, music, theater, visual arts, early childhood, and creative arts therapies for special needs students, and gallery exhibits featuring regional artists.

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