SRO Theatre Company to Stage Dare to Defy's Regional Premiere of Pasek & Paul's DOGFIGHT: A LOVE STORY

SRO Theatre Company will present Dare to Defy's regional premiere of Pasek and Paul's Dogfight: A Love Story for a one night only event in the Shedd Theatre within the Columbus Performing Arts Center located at 549 Franklin Avenue in Columbus at 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 9, 2017.

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are the team behind the music in the Oscar-winning film La La Land as well as the current Broadway hit Dear Evan Hansen. This marks the first collaboration between SRO Theatre Company and Dayton-based Dare to Defy Productions.

"I've been a fan of Dare to Defy's work for years, and I'm so glad that our two theatre companies could work together to bring their beautiful production of Pasek and Paul's Dogfight: A Love Story to Columbus audiences," says Chuck Pennington, SRO's President. "This will give Columbus audiences a chance to check out Dare to Defy's work without having to drive to Dayton, plus they'll get to see and hear a show that has never played Columbus before! The composers have a high profile what with the recent film La La Land and Broadway's Dear Evan Hansen, and Columbus Children's Theatre is producing their James and the Giant Peach in May; this seems to be the perfect time to bring this work to Columbus."

"We're a fairly new company," says Dare to Defy's Executive Director Becki Norgaard, "so having the support of a company as established as SRO really means a lot. I hope that this is the start of a great partnership, and my cast and crew are thrilled to be able to bring the show to Columbus, even for just one night."

It's November 21, 1963. On the eve of their deployment to a small but growing conflict in Southeast Asia, three young Marines set out for one final boys' night of debauchery, partying and maybe a little trouble. But when Corporal Eddie Birdlace meets Rose, an awkward and idealistic waitress, she rewrites the rules of the game.

Based on the 1991 Warner Brothers film, and studded with impressive songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, Dear Evan Hansen, James and the Giant Peach, Edges, and A Christmas Story), Dogfight offers audiences the winning combination of a great musical score, an unexpected love affair and a genuine soul. This romantic and heartbreaking theatrical journey stays with you long after the performance.

Cast includes Father: Eddie Birdlace: Ray Zupp, Rose Fenny: Mackensie King, Berstein: Bobby Mitchum, Boland: Layne Roate, Marcy: Tia Seay, Mama: Danielle Delorme, Fector/Eddie Understudy: Jesse Trieger, Stevens: David Baker, Gibbs: Brett Norgaard, Ruth Two Bears: Samantha Creech, Lounge Singer: Skyler McNeely, Swing: TC Schreier

Directed by Angie Thacker, with music direction by Lorri Topping, choreography by Lisa Glover, stage manager Natalie Sanders, costumes by Olivia Dakin and Amy Dakin, and lighting design by Derryck Menard.

Tickets to the event may be purchased through Vendini.

For more information on Dare to Defy Productions, visit www.d2defy.com. For more information on SRO Theatre Company, visit www.srotheatre.org.

Dare to Defy Productions, Inc. is a non-profit corporation created to support local non-union professional talent. Our mission is to present consistent, high-quality entertainment that is accessible, relatable and affordable.

Founded in 1984 by OSU professor Joy Reilly and known previously as Grandparents Living Theatre and Senior Repertory of Ohio, SRO Theatre Company is a non-profit committed to producing both classic and contemporary works that break cultural and generational boundaries. Originally a theatre company for seniors, SRO has expanded its mission to produce works with intergenerational appeal in casting and story. The company has performed in Las Vegas, Nevada; Orlando, Florida; and Cologne, Germany, as well as toured throughout Ohio, garnering international acclaim for the quality of its productions as well as its mission to dispel myths about aging.

SRO Theatre Company's 32nd season continues with the Columbus premiere of Jason Robert Brown's musical The Bridges of Madison County (April 28-May 7) and concludes with the hilarious The 39 Steps (June 9-18), both at the Columbus Performing Arts Center.

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