Casting is now complete for Swingtime Canteen, a Lyceum premiere. Swingtime Canteen takes place in 1944, and Marian Ames, a somewhat faded great lady of the screen, is touring for the USO as the bandleader of an all girl band. We see their show in London where they are preparing to be hooked up to an international radio broadcast. The backstage squabbling of the women triggered by the announcement that their tour is being abruptly canceled, threatens to destroy their performance. Laughs, tears, emotional fireworks, and air raids punctuate this hilarious and heart warming story which features the songs “Don’t Fence Me In,” “I’ll Be Seeing You,” “Sing Sing Sing,” “How High the Moon,” “I Don’t Want to Walk without You,” “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square,” “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” “Sentimental Journey,” a fast paced, 12-song Andrews Sisters medley and many more. Rated PG.
The show is directed by AMY E. JONES, who is making her debut at the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre. Most recently, Amy directed Tony-Award-winning actress Alice Ripley in two NYC productions of Elise Forier Edie’s play, The Pink Unicorn. She also directed a premiere reading of the play Before This New Year by Liana Sonenclar with Out of the Box Theatrics (NYC). This year, she directed and choreographed The Color Purple at Riverside Center for the Arts, and All Shook Up at Flat Rock Playhouse. She has also served as director/musical director for Always…Patsy Cline at Virginia Stage and Ring of Fire at Infinity Stage, Virginia Stage and Barter Theatre. Other credits include direction of the developmental readings of new musicals Youlogy (Charlie Johnson/Ethan Andersen) and Mock ’n Roll (Scott Foster/Marcus Stevens), choreography for Broadway Backwards 8 and 9 at the Hirschfeld Theatre and Palace Theatre (Broadway), musical direction for Texas In Paris at the York Theatre (Audelco Award nomination for Best Musical Direction), and creative consultant for Cuff Me: The Unauthorized 50 Shades of Grey Musical Parody at the Actors Temple. Swingtime Canteen is choreographed by CHARLIE JOHNSON, who recently directed and/or choreographed such productions as Urinetown! (ACT Theater/5th Avenue Theater), Pageant (Sensible Theater Co.), HeadVoice (New York Musical Festival), You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Flat Rock Playhouse), and Acts on a Roof (Uptown Players).
This production features MARCY McGUIGAN as Marian Ames, KELSEY BECKERT as Lilly McBain, KATIE BARTON as Jo Sterling, DANIELLE ERIN RHODES as Topeka Abotelli, and CAITLIN WITTY as Katie Gammersflugel. MEGHAN PUND, NANCY DIETZ and ANNIE LINDERS play the onstage WAC Musicians.
MARCY McGUIGAN, who plays Marian Ames, has previously appeared in such Lyceum productions as Smoke on the Mountain, Ring of Fire, Stand By Your Man, Annie and Hairspray. Her NYC credits include The Divine Sister, The Piper, Meet Me in St. Louis, Shanghai Moon, and Swingtime Canteen. KELSEY BECKERT is making her Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre debut as Lilly McBain, the saxophone and clarinetist in the band. She recently toured with Roundabout Theatre Company’s National Tour of Cabaret, and Prather Touring’s National Tour of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Kelsey’s other favorite credits include Cabaret and Flashdance (The Gateway), Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? (Seven Angels Theatre), and Oklahoma! (Prather Entertainment). KATIE BARTON, plays the drummer of Marian’s band, Jo Sterling. Barton was last seen at the Lyceum Theatre as Tammy Wynette in Stand By Your Man. Other credits include include: Dyanne—Million Dollar Quartet (National Tour, Las Vegas, Norwegian Getaway), June Carter Cash in Ring of Fire, Lucy—Dracula (Actors Theatre of Louisville). DANIELLE ERIN RHODES, who played The Suspects in The Lyceum’s production of Murder for Two earlier this season, returns to us as Topeka Abotelli the piano-playing riveter in Swingtime Canteen. She serves as vocalist on a New American Songbook jazz album, which will debut in Carnegie Hall NYC. CAITLIN WITTY makes her Lyceum debut playing Marian’s niece, Katie Gammersflugel. She recently completed her BFA at Webster University’s Conservatory of Theatre Arts in May, then spent time in Slovakia shooting a principal track in the feature film “Stand Up” with SilverArt s.r.o. It will premiere in American and European theaters in spring of 2020.
Scenic design is by Lyceum Theatre Resident Scenic Designer RYAN J. ZIRNGIBL. Mr. Zirngibl has designed many productions at The Lyceum including Les Misérables, A Christmas Carol, Million Dollar Quartet, Around the World in 80 Days, The King and I, and Fiddler on the Roof. Costume Designer KAYLA PAGE is a recent graduate from the Conservatory of Theatre Arts, Webster University. Resident Lighting Designer RANDY B. WINDER has designed over 100 Lyceum productions including Cats, A Christmas Carol, Les Misérables, Million Dollar Quartet, and The Fantasticks. JON ROBERTSON joins us again as Sound Designer along with WALLACE McCANLESS; and IVAN DARIO CANO, in his third season at The Lyceum, is Stage Manager with McKENNA WARREN as Assistant Stage Manager.
Single tickets for Swingtime Canteen are priced at $42.00 for adults. Senior, student and children discounts are available. Special Group Rates are available as well. Performances are Sept 19 – Sept. 29, 2019. Evening performances are at 8pm and matinees are at 2pm. For tickets, visit www.lyceumtheatre.org, call (660) 837-3311, or in person at the Lyceum’s box office at 114 High Street, Arrow Rock, MO 65320. Box office hours are 10am-4pm, Monday-Friday.
The Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre is a non-profit 501(c)(3), professional theater located in the unique village of Arrow Rock, Missouri, a 19th Century National Historic Landmark. The Lyceum has been entertaining audiences in the heart of Missouri for 59 years, producing a variety of musicals, dramas and comedies. Each year, this 416-seat theater attracts professional talent from across the country to produce an eight show season (June-December). Performers, designers, directors, and technicians take residence in Arrow Rock to bring its patrons Broadway-caliber productions throughout the season. The Lyceum receives much needed support from the Missouri Arts Council.
The Lyceum Theatre is affiliated with Actors’ Equity Association, the Union for Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States, and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
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