Huntington theatre and music present Oklahoma!
FOR RELEASE: Thursday, November 6, 2003
Huntington, Ind. " The Huntington College Theatre and Music Departments are proud to present Oklahoma!, a Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, on November 20, 21, and 22. The curtain will open at 7:30 p.m., each night in the Zurcher Auditorium of the Merillat Centre for the Arts. There will also be a 2:00 p.m., matinee performance on November 22, in addition to the regular evening show. The public is cordially invited to attend. Admission in the form of reserved seating is $7 for adults and $5 for students and seniors. For additional information, please call the Merillat Center Box Office at (260) 359-4261 or visit www.huntington.edu/mca.
Set in a Western Indian territory just after the turn of the century, Oklahoma! portrays the high-spirited rivalry between the local farmers and cowboys. It provides the colorful background against which Curly, a handsome cowboy, and Laurey, a winsome farm girl, play out their love story. Although the road to true love never runs smoothly, with these two headstrong romantics holding the reins, love's journey is as bumpy as a surrey ride down a country road.
Andrea McCullough, a highly accomplished theatre veteran, serves as guest director and choreographer for the Huntington College production.
During its five-year Broadway run, Oklahoma! lost many of its cast and crew to service in the war. Disregarding personal safety and cost, another company toured bases and camps all over the globe via the USO. And it was the longest-running national tour in history, helping our citizens endure hard times for a period of over ten years, said McCullough. A heightened sense of life and commitment is the core of this musical's story " onstage and off. The more productions I research and complete, the more I realize how imperative it is that young people learn about our history for perspective on their present and future. With our rendition of Oklahoma!, we reach back sixty years to thank the production veterans for their unstinting faith in a goal during a country's trying times. We also give heartfelt gratitude to every veteran, from the 1940's through the present and beyond, for making service and sacrifice for this nation their personal responsibility.
Cast members for Oklahoma! include:
CURLY " J. Scott Grinstead, a senior theatre performance major from Dunbar, W.Va.
LAUREY " Leah Coon, a senior English education major from Sand Creek, Mich.
WILL PARKER " Drew Wutke, a junior choral education major from Girard, Kan.
JUD FRY " Ashley Fox, a senior history education major from Roanoke, Ind.
ADO ANNIE " Amber Patrick, a sophomore theatre performance major from Columbus, Ohio.
ALI HAKIM " Noah Varness, a junior theatre performance major from Morris, Ill.
GERTIE CUMMINGS " Sharon Voss, a sophomore theatre performance major from Villa Park, Ill.
AUNT ELLER " Ms. Andrea McCullough
Understudy " Laura Brautigam, a sophomore theatre performance major from Westfield, N.Y.
IKE SKIDMORE " Josh Christenson, a freshman undeclared major from Carol Stream, Ill.
FRED/ DREAM WILL " Noah Mazaika, a junior theatre performance major from Mount Airy, Md.
SLIM/ANDREW CARNES " Spencer Owen, a senior communication studies major from Rochester, Ill.
ELLEN " Lori Merkle, a junior elementary education major from Walton, Ky.
KATE " Nikki Barger, a sophomore theatre performance major from Celina, Ohio.
SYLVIE " Julie Porter, a junior choral education major from Addison, Mich.
ARMINA " Katie Brautigam, a freshman psychology major from Huntington, Ind.
AGGIE/ DANCE HALL GIRL 2 " Sarah Kay McCullough, a sophomore theatre performance major from Chambersburg, Pa.
CORD ELAM " Dan Olson, a junior theatre performance major from Shullsburg, Wis.
JESS " Chris Betz, a freshman choral education major from Blissfield, Mich.
CHALMERS " Terry Hurst, a freshman theatre performance major from Rochester, Ind.
MIKE " Neil Rupp, a freshman youth ministries major from Blissfield, Mich.
JOE/SAM " Dave Blaser, a senior theatre performance major from Indianapolis, Ind.
VIVIAN " Erin Bean, a junior choral education major from Olivet, Mich.
VIRGINIA " Maria Rhodes, a sophomore choral education major from Celina, Ohio.
DREAM CURLY " Josh Dawes, a sophomore English education major from Leesburg, Ind.
DREAM LAUREY " Janice Ruder, a sophomore theatre performance major from Eureka, Ill.
DANCE HALL GIRL 1 " Stephanie Hoekenga, a sophomore elementary education major from Wheaton, Ill.
DANCE HALL GIRL 3 " Kylie Edmonds, a freshman theatre performance major from Bourbon, Ind.
DANCE HALL GIRL 4 " Marissa Chittick, a junior music major from Indianapolis, Ind.
The production staff includes Ms. Andrea McCullough (Director/Choreographer), Dr. Janice Fulbright (Music Director), Professor Mike Burnett (Technical Director/Scenic Design), Kathy Thorn (Production Stage Manager), Mrs. Ella Burnett (Costume Design), Josh Scott (Lighting Design), Justin Geiger (Sound Design), Matt Chilcoat (Special Effects Design), Rebecca Rodgers (Props Master), Hannah Mayo and Danielle Villafana (Assistant Stage Managers), Zarin Barnes (Assistant Scenic Design), Lynette Lambert (Assistant Costume Design), Josh Scott and J. Scott Grinstead (Assistant Technical Directors), Matt Pillar (Master Electrician), Ashleigh Lewis (Costume Shop Forman), Sarah Kay McCullough and Sharon Voss (Scenic Artists), Dr. John Thompson (Vocal Coach), Mrs. Julie Babb (Graphic Design), Mr. Steve Pozezanac (MCA Director), and Mr. Justin Spitler (MCA Technical Director).
As a performer, director and choreographer, Andrea McCullough has worked on over 200 productions across the U.S. and in Europe. These include Broadway/Off-B'way/National Tours: Singin' In The Rain, My One and Only, Sophisticated Ladies, Jelly's Last Jam, Grease, Les Miserables, 42nd Street, Jeffrey (for Christopher Gatelli), George M! (for Mercedes Ellington), The Winter's Tale (with Philip Bosco), original workshop of Nunsense! Regional/stock: It's A Wonderful Life, Worlds/Mr. Skeffington (Susan Stroman, dir./chor.), Papermill Playhouse; Much Ado..., Hot L Baltimore, NJ Shakespeare Festival; Anything Goes!, Milford PAC; Tartuffe, Marat Sade, Mass. Repertory Theater; Rhapsody in Gershwin, Caldwell Playhouse; Arsenic and Old Lace, Steel Magnolias, South Jersey Regional; Fiddler on the Roof, Footloose, Meet Me in St. Louis, Surflight Theater; Dames at Sea, Man of La Mancha, South Shore Music Circus; The Pajama Game, Trial by Jury, Leave it to Jane, Fort Salem Theater; Berlin: Puttin' On The Ritz, Company, Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble; Inherit the Wind, Rocky Mt. Arts Center. Film/TV: Law and Order, The Object of My Affection, Freaky Friday, Bullets Over Broadway; PBS' two Jean Sheperd stories for American Playhouse (with Matt Dillon and James Broderick), Sesame Street, and Great Performances: Tap Dance in America; CBS' See How She Runs (stand-in for Joanne Woodward). Opera/Light Opera: The Red Mill, Bruno Walter Aud., Lincoln Center; Ursulingen and Great Musicals: The Love Songs, Theatre Linz, Austria.
McCullough, who owns a bachelor of fine art degree from Boston University and a graduate degree from New York University, has served as a guest artist and adjunct faculty member at numerous colleges and universities across the country. She adjudicates theater and new play competitions and conducts master classes for arts organizations and schools. As a member of Actors' Equity, Screen Actor's Guild and the American Federation of TV & Radio Artists, McCullough is the proud recipient of the Massachusetts Drama Guild Award for Directing and seven Community Service Awards.
