BROADWAY BABIES: A SONDHEIM BIRTHDAY BASH Announced At USM

Showcasing the sensational talents of our musical theater majors & friends, this birthday party for Stephen Sondheim features a selection of smart, sassy and scintillating songs written by one of American Musical Theater's foremost composers as we celebrate his 90th birthday!

The program will include selections from some of Sondheim's biggest musicals including Into the Woods, Company, Sunday in the Park with Goerge, Follies, A Funny Thing Happened..., and more.

The format is part concert, part review, and part party. Vanessa Beyland, dance faculty in the Department of Theatre, is providing exciting choreography. Mesa Schubeck, graduate student in the School of Music will be playing dueling grand pianos with Ed Reichert all evening as they accompany the songs.

And the marvelous cast includes seniors: Megan Mayfield from Marlborough, Mass, Katie Oberholtzer from Cape Elizabeth and Ben Walker-Dubay from Kennebunkport, juniors: Mikayla Clifford from Gray, Miles Obrey from Gorham, and Victoria Stackpole from Biddeford, sophomores: Abram Dwyer from North Yarmouth, Noli French from Gray, Aaron Kircheis from Bucksport, Katie Lind from Standish, Caitlin McGonigle from Brentwood, Ayanna Stover from Wiscasset, Nash Tasker from Berwick, Meg Walz from Portland and Brandon Wong from York, and freshmen: Julia Badaraco from Waterville, emily Bartley from Clinton, Madeleine Blakemore from Brunswick, Kallie Brown from North Yarmouth, Dylan Cao from Sanford, Aliza Dwyer from Ellsworth, Isaac Martel from Gorham, Ciara Neidlinger from Hiram, Molly Scott from Biddeford, Chana Wingard from Orono, and Caroline Woods from New York, NY.

Musical Director Ed Reichert says that A Sondheim Birthday Bash! was created as a way to not only celebrate Stephen Sondheim's upcoming 90th birthday (March 22), but to showcase the talents of our musical theatre majors and other students interested in musical theatre at USM. The cast size is 26, one of the largest groups that we've had for the fall musical theatre workshop production.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and USM alumni, and $5 for students available online, by phone and at the door. Reservations and advance ticket sales are much appreciated.

Purchase your ticket online at i??usm.maine.edu/music/boxoffice, or by calling 207-780-5555. See the complete School of Music calendar of performances at: www.usm.maine.edu/music/events. Buy tickets now.