The 2017 Freddy Awards season will start with the first performances in early March.
This year’s show selections offer a bouquet of favorites, like “Anything Goes” and “Grease,” along with some titles that haven’t been seen for awhile, such as “Urinetown,” and a few new ones like “Bonnie and Clyde.”
Here’s a look at the shows, the schools performing them and how you can get tickets.
“42nd Street:” Renowned Broadway producer/director Julian Marsh is hired to put together a new musical revue. It’s being financed by Abner Dillon to provide a starring vehicle for his girlfriend, songstress Dorothy Brock. Marsh, who is quite ill, is a difficult task master working long hours and continually pushing the cast to do better. When Brock breaks her ankle one of the chorus girls, Peggy Sawyer, gets her big chance to be the star. She also finds romance along the way. Hackettstown, April 27-30. Tickets (not on sale yet): shiggins@hackettstown.org or 908-852-8150, ext. 877.
“Anything Goes:” A young man falls in love with a beautiful blonde. When he sees her being forced onto a luxury liner, he decides to follow and rescue her. However, he discovers that she is an English heiress who ran away from home and is now being returned to England. He also discovers that his boss is on the ship. To avoid discovery, he disguises himself as the gangster accomplice of a minister, who actually is a gangster on the run from the law. Easton, March 3-5 Tickets (on sale beginning Feb. 13): musicaltheatre@eastonsd.org, 610-250-2400, ext. 32064, facebook.com/EAHSMusicalTheatre; Northampton, March 30-April 1, Tickets (on sale March 1): wildeg@nasdschools.org, 610-262-7812, ext. 12419; Allentown Central Catholic, April 20-22, Tickets (on sale March 1): acchs.info, theatre@acchs.info, 610-437-4601, ext. 513.
“Beauty and the Beast:” Belle is a girl who is dissatisfied with life in a small provincial French town, constantly trying to fend off the misplaced “affections” of conceited Gaston. The Beast is a prince who was placed under a spell because he could not love. A wrong turn taken by Maurice, Belle’s father, causes the two to meet. Bangor, March 3-5, Tickets: bangortheaterboxoffice@gmail.com, 610-599-7011, ext. 1001; Northern Lehigh, March 16-19, Tickets: nlsd.org, 610-767-9832, ext. 1259.
“Bonnie and Clyde:” At the height of the Great Depression, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow went from two small-town nobodies in West Texas to America’s most renowned folk heroes and Texas law enforcement’s worst nightmares. William Allen, April 6-9, Tickets: TBA.
“Curtains:” A parody of 1950s “whodunnit” theater mysteries, where a lone detective, Lieutenant Frank Cioffi, investigates a series of murders that take place behind the scenes of a fictional 1950s cowboy musical, Robbin’ Hood. The cast of Robbin’ Hood is forced to stay inside the theater while Cioffi unravels the mystery, getting involved with the show and falling in love in the process. Notre Dame, April 20-22, Tickets (Feb. 15): ndtctickets@gmail, 510-504-3852.
“Fiddler on the Roof:” At the beginning of the 20th century, Jews and Orthodox Christians live in the little village of Anatevka in the pre-revolutionary Russia of the Czars. Among the traditions of the Jewish community, the matchmaker arranges the match and the father approves it. The story follows milkman Reb Tevye, his wife Golde and their five daughters. Warren Hills, March 30-April 1, Tickets (Feb. 15): plattc@warrenhills.org, 908-689-3050, ext. 3608.
“Footloose:” A city teenager moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace. North Warren Regional, March 24-26, Tickets: At the door
“Grease:” Good girl Sandy and greaser Danny fell in love over the summer. When they unexpectedly discover they’re now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance? Lincoln Leadership, March 9-11, Tickets: mnales1@llacslv.com, 484-860-3300; Catasauqua, March 17-19, Tickets: cattysd.org, facebook@catasauquasdramaclub.
“Jesus Christ Superstar:” The story of the final 6 days in the life of Jesus Christ through the troubled eyes of Judas Iscariot. There are no spoken lines, everything is sung. Dieruff, April 27-29, Tickets: ticketor.com/dierufftheatre, 610-349-5269, or 3-6 p.m. Mondays at the school.
“Legally Blonde:” Elle Woods’ life is turned upside down when her boyfriend dumps her so he can start getting serious about his life and attend Harvard Law. Determined to get him back, Elle uses her charm to get into Harvard Law. At school, she struggles with peers, professors and Warner Huntington. With the help of Paulette and Emmett, though, Elle quickly realizes her potential and sets out to prove herself to the world. Northwestern Lehigh, March 2-5, Tickets (Feb. 20): nwlehighsd.org, 610-298-8661, ext. 2267.
“Little Shop of Horrors:” A nerdy florist finds his chance for success and romance with the help of a giant man-eating plant who demands to be fed. Wilson Area High School, March 10-12, Tickets: 484-373-6030, ext. 6022.
Freddys 2017: The schools, the shows, the dates
“Mary Poppins:” A magical nanny helps bring the two children she’s in charge of closer to their father through songs and magical adventures. Nazareth, March 31-April 2, April 7-9, Tickets (March 13): nahstheatre.weebly.com; Phillipsburg, April 7-9, Tickets (Feb. 15): hsdrama@pburgsd.net.
“Miss Saigon, School Edition:” Set during the Vietnam war, Kim, a young girl, is forced from her home and falls in love with an American GI. Emmaus, March 15-19, Tickets: eastpennsd.org/ehs, 610-965-1650, 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Monday-Friday, main lobby of school.
“Monty Python’s Spamalot:” King Arthur along with his squire, Patsy and a selection of knights go on an epic quest to find the Holy Grail. The quest lead the troupe to a French castle, into the dangerous clutches of the Black Knight and a loathsome bunny rabbit, to a rendezvous with the knights that say knee, and into an intimate liaison with the Lady of the Lake. Whitehall, April 6-9, Tickets: whitehallmusic.com/spamalot, 610-437-5081, ext. 93270.
“Narnia:” Intelligent talking animals are ruled by the majestic King Aslan, the great lion of Narnia. Though Aslan is often absent from the land (so that his very existence is doubted by some), he returns when the need for him is greatest. And entering Narnia at a moment of high adventure are some children–plucked from our world in unexpected ways to help Narnia and to learn from their Narnia odyssey lessons of courage, unselfishness and wisdom that will help them grow. Salem Christian School, April 6-8, Tickets: salemchristian.org, drama@salemchristian.org.
“Nice Work If You Can Get It:” A musical set to the music of the Gershwins. In 1927, Jimmy Winter, a weathy playboy, is entering his fourth marriage when he gets mixed up with a trio of a bootleggers, and everything changes. Saucon Valley, March 2-5, Tickets: svsdtheatre.com.
“Oklahoma:” Set in the Oklahoma territory in the early 1900s, this musical tells the story of Curly, a cowboy who has trouble admitting his feelings to Laurey, as she does to him, and Judd, the hired hand at Laurey’s farm, who tries to come between them. Meanwhile, Ado Annie is torn between Will, a cowboy who has strong feelings for her, and Ali Hakim, a peddler who’s a ladies’ man and doesn’t want to marry her. Bethlehem Catholic, March 31-April 2, April 7-9, Tickets: bit.ly/becatheater, theater@becahi.org, or 610-866-0791 for general admission.
“Peter Pan:” Peter and his mischievous fairy sidekick, Tinkerbell, visit the nursery of the Darling children late one night and, with a sprinkle of pixie dust, begin a magical journey across the stars that none of them will ever forget. In the adventure of a lifetime, the travelers come face to face with a ticking crocodile, a fierce Indian tribe, a band of bungling pirates and, of course, the villainous Captain Hook. Freedom, April 5-9, Tickets: fhstheatrecompany.com, freedomhighschooltheatre@gmail.com, 610-867-6630.
“Pippin:” A young prince longs to find passion and adventure in his life. To prove his loyalty to his distracted father, King Charles, Pippin goes to war. But when the Leading Player convinces the prince to fight tyranny, Pippin kills Charles and takes over the throne. Realizing his mistake, Pippin begs the Leading Player to bring his father back to life, and she obliges. The prince falls in love with Catherine, a widow with a young son, and (much to the Leading Player’s chagrin), Pippin struggles to decide whether he should settle down and pursue a peaceful life or continue to make magic with the dazzling troupe of performers. Parkland, April 5-9, Tickets: parkland.org.
Paving the path to college
“Seussical:” A musical based on the books of Dr. Seuss that debuted on Broadway in 2000. The play’s story is a rather complex amalgamation of many of Seuss’s most famous books. Belvidere, March 3-4. Tickets: Bhsseussical.brownpapertickets.com, 800-838-3006.
“Sister Act:” A woman hiding in a convent helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she rediscovers her own. Southern Lehigh, March 16-19. Tickets: southernlehightheatre@gmail.com.
“Urinetown:” In the not-so-distant future, a terrible water shortage and 20-year drought has led to a government ban on private toilets and a proliferation of paid public toilets, owned and operated by a single megalomaniac company: The Urine Good Company. If the poor don’t obey the strict laws prohibiting free urination, they’ll be sent to the dreaded and mysterious “Urinetown.” The poor stage a revolt. Moravian Academy, March 3-5. Tickets: moravianacademy.org.
“West Side Story:” Musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet set in New York City, where rival street gangs (the Jets and the Sharks) battle for territory and respect. Is the love affair between former Jets leader Tony, and Maria, sister to Sharks’ leader Bernardo, doomed to failure? Liberty, April 27-29. Tickets: sites.google.com/site/libertyhighschooltheatre/ticket-sales, lhstheatretix@yahoo.com, 610-865-0615.
“You’re A Good Man:” A musical based on the Peanuts cartoons created by Charles M. Schulz. Salisbury, March 9-12. Tickets: salisburytheatre@salisburysd.org, 610-797-4107, ext. 2508.
Email KJ at kjfrantz@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow lehighvalleylive.com on Twitter at @lehighvalley. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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