OSTC to Present CELEBRATING THE SONGS OF RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN Benefit, 8/3

Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC), the not-for-profit professional theatre company, which recently completed its inaugural season in Warwick, is pleased to present Celebrating the Songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein, a benefit concert to support their Live Music Initiative, for one performance only on Saturday, August 3, 2013.

"We were overwhelmed by the positive response we received from audience members who attended our recent production of The King and I," saidAmiee Turner, CEO of Ocean State Theatre Company. "It became very clear that there are more than a few fans of the classical musicals written by the incomparable Rodgers and Hammerstein. And when those songs are sung by exceptional vocalists...well, it doesn't get much better than that!"

The benefit concert will reunite cast members from OSTC's inaugural season as they sing songs from Carousel, Flower Drum Song, The Sound of Music, South Pacific, State Fair, and, of course, The King & I. Scheduled to appear are Lulu Lloyd, Kim Morgan Dean and Erin McCracken (TheWinter Wonderettes); Bruce Warren, Alyssa Gorgone and Stacey Geer (Fools); and Hyemi Kim and Alison Mahoney (The King and I).

Although many theaters across the country have replaced their musicians with recordings in order to cut costs, OSTC firmly believes that live musicians enhance the audience's experience, when attending a musical production. Ocean State Theatre Company established its Live Music Initiative in 2008 in order to support the tradition of professional musicians playing live during all musical theatre performances.

Celebrating the Songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein will be presented on Saturday, August 3 at 7:30 pm. The theatre is located at 1245 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick, RI. Tickets are $75 for premium seating, which includes "Access to the Cast Party," which will take place on stage following the performance and $50 for standard seating. ("Access to the Cast Party" may be added for $20 to any ticket on a limited basis.) Tickets are on sale at the box office Monday through Friday from 12 noon - 6:00 pm, Saturdays from 12 noon - 4:00 pm, and from 12 noon until curtain on performance days. Tickets are also available online 24 hours a day at www.OceanStateTheatre.org and via telephone during normal box office hours by calling (401) 921-6800.