 |
|
May 1990 |
|
|
|
|
|
Into the Woods
|
|
|
Music and Lyrics by
Stephen Sondheim
|
Book by
James Lapine
|
|
|
Fractured fairy tales of a
darker hue provide the remarkable
context for Into the Woods, which
deconstructs the Brothers Grimm by way
of Rod Serling. While the faces and
names are familiar, Cinderella,
Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, and
company inhabit a sylvan neighborhood in
which witches and bakers are next-door
neighbors, handsome princes from
once-parallel fables are competitive
(and equally vain) brothers, and all the
stories intersect through unexpected new
plot twists.
|
|
|
|
|
December 1990 |
|
|
|
|
|
Trixie True
|
|
|
Book, Music &
Lyrics by
Kelly Hamilton
|
|
|
Set in the mid-1940's in
the New York offices of Snood
Publishing, a disgruntled writer, Joe;
under the name of Helen Hathaway; writes
Trixie True, a loveable detective, into
a case she can't solve. In her fictional
world of malt shops and perfect friends,
she must solve this case. |
|
|
|
|
March 1991 |
|
|
|
|
|
Anything Goes
|
|
|
by Cole Porter
|
|
|
Anything Goes is
the award winning production about the
mayhem and comedy aboard a transatlantic
cruise. The central plot revolves around
the young Billy Crocker, who has fallen
in love with beautiful Hope Harcourt,
engaged to someone else. With a complete
cast of dancers, singers, and sailors; Anything
Goes is one of the most delightful
musicals of all time. |
|
|
|
|
November 1991 |
|
|
|
|
|
The Voice of the
Prairie
|
|
|
by John Olive
|
|
|
The Voice Of the
Prairie is a play about a man named
David Quinn who is discovered by radio
entrepreneur Leon Schwab. David tells
tales of Frankie, the blind girl he
rescued from a cruel father, and becomes
famous on the radio as the Voice of the
Prairie. The cleverly-constructed play
cross-cuts between scenes of Leon and
David and scenes of young Davey and
Frankie on the lam. |
|
|
|
|
May 1992 |
|
|
|
|
|
Oklahoma
|
|
|
Music by
Richard Rogers
|
Book and Lyrics by
Oscar Hammerstein
|
|
|
Based on Lynn Riggsā
"Green Grow the Lilacs" |
|
|
The Poplar Pike Playhouse
presented the long-awaited return of an
American favorite in the spring of 1992.
Rodgers and Hammersteinās Oklahoma!
delighted Playhouse audiences in 1977.
Fifteen years later the Playhouse was at
it again as they presented the 1992
revival production.
|
|
|
|
|
December 1992 |
|
|
|
|
|
The Nerd
|
|
|
by Larry Shue
|
|
|
This ingenious and
imaginative comedy was written by Larry
Shue. The action centers on the
hilarious dilemma of a young architect
who is visited by a man he has never
met, but who saved his life in Vietnam.
The man turns out to be a hopelessly
inept "nerd". As the situation
becomes increasingly more ridiculous,
the architect is left with no other
alternative but to contemplate violence.
|
|
|
|
|
May 1993 |
|
|
|
|
|
Chess
|
|
|
Music by
Benny Anderson
Bjorn Ulvaeus
|
Book by
Richard Nelson |
Lyrics by
Tim Rice |
|
|
This extraordinary musical
is about an international chess match
between the American and Soviet
champions. Set during the Cold War, the
story evolves into a highly dramatic
tale of love and international intrigue.
|
|
|
|
|
December 1993 |
|
|
|
|
|
Once On This
Island
|
|
|
Book and Lyrics by
Lynn Ahrens
|
Music by
Stephen Flaherty
|
|
|
This captivating musical
is a tale of love, loss, and redemption
performed by a group of island peasants
as they wait out a violent storm. The
legend they tell is of a young peasant
girl who falls in love with a rich boy.
Filtered through their faith and
imaginations, the peasants tell the
story of the girlās destiny. With a
calypso flavored score using simple
language and continuous song and dance,
this re-telling of The Little Mermaid
delivers melody, love, and joy in
tropical abundance.
|
|
|
|
|
May 1994 |
|
|
|
|
|
Can't Stop
Dancin'
|
|
|
Conceived and
Directed by
Charles Strouse
|
Choreography by
Barbara Siman
|
|
|
This
musical was premiered for the first time
in the world at the Poplar Pike
Playhouse. Canāt Stop Dancinā is
an original review conceived and
directed by Tony Award winner Charles
Strouse. This extraordinary musical not
only featured young actors and actresses
but also spoke in the voices of young
people today. His wife, the acclaimed
choreographer Barbara Siman, staged the
dance sequences for the show. |
|
|
|
|
December 1994 |
|
|
|
|
|
The Fantasticks
|
|
|
Lyrics and Book by
Tom Jones |
Music by
Harvey Schmidt |
|
|
The Fantasticks is
the longest-running musical in the
world. The story is very simple, a
playful variation of the Romeo and
Juliet theme, but the style of the show
is quite sophisticated. Melodic,
humorous, at times sentimental, it
manages to be both simple and complex at
the same time. |
|
|
|
|
March 1995 |
|
|
|
|
|
The Secret Garden
|
|
|
Written by
Marsha Norman
|
|
|
|
|
Composed by
Lucy Simon
|
Based on book by
Frances Hodgson Burnett
|
|
|
The
Secret Garden is a heart-warming
story about a young girl named Mary who,
after her parentsā death, is whisked
away to her uncleās gloomy mansion
where she discovers an unkempt garden
which she nurses back to health.
|
|
|
|
|
November 1995
|
|
|
|
|
|
Twelve Months
|
|
|
by Samuel Marshak
|
|
|
After spending nearly a
month in Russia, the students of Poplar
Pike Playhouse returned home with an
intriguing Russian childrenās tale, Twelve
Months. Russian-born director Leonid
Mazor, guest director for the
production, chose this adaptation of a
Russian fairy tale to entertain both
children and adults alike. This was the
Mid-South premiere of this fanciful
fable.
|
|
|
|
|
May 1996 |
|
|
|
|
|
The Sound of
Music
|
|
|
Music by
Richard Rodgers
|
|
|
|
|
Book by
Howard Lindsay
Russel Crouse
|
Lyrics by
Oscar Hammerstein II
|
|
|
When a postulant proves
too high-spirited for the religious
life, she is dispatched to serve as
governess for the seven children of a
widowed naval captain. Her growing
rapport with the youngsters, coupled
with her generosity of spirit, gradually
captures the heart of the stern captain.
|
|
|
|
|
December 1996 |
|
|
|
|
|
All in the Timing
|
|
|
by David Ives
|
|
|
All in the Timing is
a joyride through six hysterical comedy
masterpieces. This critically acclaimed
Off-Broadway hit is just plain fun.
Audiences saw Shakespeare through monkeyās
eyes, were the first to learn the
universal language, met the Lindbergh
baby, and saw true love when they least
expected it.
|
|
|
|
|
March 1997 |
|
|
|
|
|
The Music Man
|
|
|
Book, Music, and
Lyrics by
Meredith Willson
|
Story by
Meredith Willson
Franklin Lacey
|
|
|
The
Music Man is a nostalgic and
heart-warming comedy about lovable
con-man Harold Hill and the people of
River City, Iowa. The show made its
debut on Broadway in 1957 and is filled
with favorite showstoppers like
"Seventy Six Trombones",
"Till There Was You", and
"Gary, Indiana".
|
|
|
|
|
November 1997 |
|
|
|
|
|
Fools
|
|
|
by Neil Simon
|
|
|
Fools
features the antics of the village of
Kulyenchnikov, located deep in the heart
of Mother Russia. A century old curse
has been placed upon the entire
population, causing the inhabitants to
be doomed to stupidity.
|
|
|
|
|
March 1998 |
|
|
|
|
|
Pippin
|
|
|
Book by
Roger O. Hirson
|
Music and Lyrics by
Stephen Schwartz
|
|
|
Pippin
is a musical about a young man who takes
the audience on an unpredictable and
crazy journey through war, politics, and
love as he searches for "complete
fulfillment".
|
|
|
|
|
December 1998 |
|
|
|
|
|
Rumors
|
|
|
by Neil Simon
|
|
|
Rumors
was produced on Broadway in 1988 and
lives up to Neil Simonās history. Set
at a dinner party in a New York City
townhouse, the play revolves around four
couples trying to cover up rumors that
eventually lead to utter chaos.
|
|
|
|
|
March 1999 |
|
|
|
|
|
Rags
|
|
|
Book by
Joseph Stein
|
|
|
|
|
Music by
Oscar Hammerstein
|
Lyrics by
Stephen Schwartz
|
|
|
Rags depicts life
at the turn of the century when hundreds
of thousands of immigrants journeyed to
America in search of new opportunities
and in hope of fulfilling their dreams. |
|
|
|
|
November 1999 |
|
|
|
|
|
Night Sky
|
|
|
by Susan
Yankowitz
|
|
|
Night Sky revolves
around a young astronomer named Anna.
After a tragic car accident, Anna is
faced with aphasia, a disorder in which
the brain cannot process thoughts into
words effectively. Night Sky
pulls the audience into Anna's mind of
confusion as she struggles to grasp the
language she once communicated so well.
|
|
|
|
