Musicals Tonight! to Stage LITTLE MARY SUNSHINE, 3/4-16
By: Tyler Peterson
Musicals Tonight!, the Obie-winning company dedicated to the revival of neglected musicals, under the leadership of Mel Miller, presents the Obie-winning musical Little Mary Sunshine, with performances March 4 through 16 at the Lion Theatre (410 W 42nd Street) on Theatre Row.
With book, music, and lyrics by Rick Besoyan, and billed as "a musical about an old operetta"- Little Mary Sunshine gently spoofs such old-time favorites like Rose Marie and Naughty Marietta - but has a personality all its own. The plot is a little bit of everything: Colorado Rangers led by stalwart Captain Jim (Jacob L. Smith); the lovely Mary Sunshine (Sarah Ziegler), her 'naughty' maid Nancy (Savannah Frazier); a chorus of giggling schoolgirls and the ominous but benevolent Indian chief (Ryan Hilliard).
Directed by Thomas Sabella-Mills, with music direction by James Stenborg, the cast also includes Lawrence Asher, Joan Barber, Lee Hollis Bussie, Lynn Craig, James Erickson, Devin Ilaw, Kevin Patrick Martin, Chelsie Nectow, Jay Paranada, Rachel Rhodes-Devey, Catie Shelley, Ryan Speakman, and Michael Jayne Walker.
The New York Times called the musical "a merry and sprightly spoof of an era when 'justice always triumphed'" and won an Obie Award for Best Musical of the Season.
The original Off-Broadway production premiered in 1959 at the Orpheum Theatre with Eileen Brennan in the title role and ran 1,143 performances. Little Mary Sunshine has not been seen in New York for 45 years.
The season will continue with George & Ira Gershwin's For Goodness Sake (March 18 - 30) directed by Thomas Sabella-Mills, with music direction by David Bishop; and Rodgers & Hart's America's Sweetheart (April 1 - 13) directed by Thomas Sabella-Mills, with music direction by James Stenborg.
Performances of Little Mary Sunshine are Tuesday through Sunday at the Lion Theatre at Theatre Row Studios, 410 West 42nd Street. Tickets are $25 (plus $1.25 facility fee) and available through Telecharge at 212-560-2186 or www.telecharge.com. Musicals Tonight! also hosts the popular At This Performance! concert series designed to showcase talented Broadway standbys and understudies to sing their shows' current musical hits. The 2013-24 series dates of At This Performance! are March 10, 23, and April 7 at 7pm at the Lion Theatre. Tickets are $25.
For more information on the season, tickets and subscriptions visit www.musicalstonight.org.
|
TRIP AROUND THE SUN | Stage & Film Summer Season at Marist University Marist University Symphonic Hall (7/26-7/26) |
|
PAPER MENAGERIE | Stage & Film Summer Season at the Bardavon Bardavon 1869 Opera House (7/19-7/19) |
|
Likewise 59E59 Theatres (7/14-7/18) |
|
LA GRINGA Repertorio (2/08-12/31) |
|
WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND | Stage & Film Summer Season at the Bardavon Bardavon 1869 Opera House (8/01-8/02) |
|
EN EL TIEMPO DE LAS MARIPOSAS Repertorio (1/07-12/31) |
|
Why I Stuck a Flare Up My Arse for England SoHo Playhouse (7/16-7/18) |
|
LA CASA DE BERNARDA ALBA Repertorio (11/15-12/31) |
|
Hadid 59E59 Theatres (7/10-7/21) |
|
MENAFEE | Stage & Film Summer Season at Marist University Marist University Symphonic Hall (7/25-7/25) |