PITTSBURG — Audiences are in for a unique show experience at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts this month: “A Little Night Music,” a Tony Award-winning musical by famed American composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim.
The show features a number of cast and orchestra members from Southeast Kansas.
It is the first collaboration between Pitt State Theatre, PSU Opera and the Bicknell Center on the main stage in the Linda and Lee Scott Performance Hall. The collaboration, with performances planned Oct. 25-27, celebrates the 10th anniversary season of the Bicknell Center.
The show features a lush and sumptuous score and an intriguing laugh-out-loud plot that revolves around a tangled web of affairs in 1900 Sweden on midsummer – the longest day of the year. Full of sensuality and written for mature audiences, the piece features pairs of lovers falling in and out of love with each other.
It has it all: A traveling actress. A lawyer and a count who love her. Jealousy. Romance. Suspicion. A country estate. Hilariously witty and heartbreakingly moving moments of second chances and endless surprises. Adoration. Regret.
The production is directed by Linden Little from Pitt State Theatre. Vocal and music direction is by Patrick Howle from the Music Department.
“Ultimately, the show is an exploration of the nature of desire at various stages of life, from the very young to the very old,” Little said.
The cast features a mix of veteran performers and newcomers, including: London O’Brien (St. Paul) plays the young Fredrika Armfeldt.
Marlee Mikel (Parsons) plays her grandmother.
Sara Flessner (Neodesha) plays the middle-aged touring actress Desiree Armfeldt.
Eli Bell (Coffeyville), Kendra Johnson (Girard), Matthew Thompson (Parsons) play the Egerman Family.
See PSU, Page 12.
Olivia Doodnauth (Pittsburg) plays the maid, Petra.
Chandler Goodman (Neodesha) and Carollyn Chapman (Parsons) play the Count and Countess Malcolm.
A chorus of singers is played by Kathrynne Giger (Arkansas City), Sierra Ponzini (Nevada, Missouri), MacKenzie Kerr (McLouth), Diego Escriva Delvalle (Asuncion, Paraguay).
Matthew Stephens (Aurora, Illinois), and Joseph Barnes (Baxter Springs).
Javen Woolsey (Parsons) plays Frid the Butler.
The ensemble is rounded out by Gavyn Nybakken (Cottage Grove, Minnesota) and Simon Wicks (Olathe) who play servants and pages.
A live pit orchestra will perform the musical score. Musicians include: Colton Shockley (Baxter Springs) on violin Amber Bracken (Kansas City, Missouri) on cello Jewel Lunday (Pittsburg) on flute/piccolo Colton Sprenkle (Carthage, Missouri) on oboe/English horn Joanne Britz (Pittsburg) on clarinet/bass clarinet Travis Laver (Pleasanton) on trumpet Noey De Leon (Pittsburg) on French horn Omar Trujillo (Emporia) on trombone Jung Hee Lee (Pittsburg) on piano Luke Buchannan (Lenexa) on percussion Tickets
Students, faculty, and staff with a valid PSU ID may pick up a free ticket at the PSU Ticket Office, 107 Weede Building, between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, or at the Box Office in the Bicknell Center starting one hour before curtain, based on availability.
Tickets prices for others are $16 for the general public and $11 for children and seniors. Purchase tickets at the PSU Ticket Office, at 620235-4795, or at pittstate.edu/ tickets. Group ticket sales for 10 people or more are available by prior arrangement.
Donations
Pitt State Theatre is committed to providing a positive impact to the area through acts of service. Donations will be accepted at the show to benefi t the Crisis Resource Center. Audience members may bring personal care items (shampoo, conditioner, laundry soap, etc.) to leave in the bins in the lobby.
