Continuing the 38th season, Hope Summer Repertory Theatre opens Little Women: the musical on July 17th at 8 p.m. in the DeWitt Theatre. The musical is based on the book by Allan Knee with music by Jason Howland and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein.
Join the remarkable March sisters - Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy as one of America's most beloved books soars to the stage in this dazzling new Broadway musical. Based on Louisa May Alcott's timeless tale about the power of family, friendship and romance, watch as the March sisters overcome significant character flaws while trying to take care of family and each other, while learning about life's journey along the way. A whole new generation will fall in love with this classic story designed for the whole family.
Little Women features an all star cast - HSRT alumni, a Hope professor, Equity Actors, and some fresh new faces. Playing Marmee/Hag is Gail Rastorfer, who can also be seen in this season's production of Suds as Marge, is a member of the Actor's Equity Association and Screen Actor's Guild, and returns to HSRT after fourteen years. She first appeared on HSRT's stage as Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest and then as Lily in The Secret Garden. Since then, Gail has had success on stage and on camera. Recent theatre credits include Comedy of Errors with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Lend Me A Tenor at Theatre At The Center, and Shear Madness at The Chicago Theatre. Gail also acts with The Shakespeare Project of Chicago performing staged readings of classical works free to the public at the Newberry Library.
Danielle Roth, playing Jo, can also be seen in Room Service and is returning to HSRT for her second summer, having just graduated WagnerCollege with her BA in Theatre Performance. Recent roles include: Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun, Lucy Brown in Threepenny Opera, Louka in Arms and the Man, Denise Savage in Savage in Limbo, and Clytemnestra in The Eumenides. She was last seen at HSRT in their 2007 CPT production of Junie B. Jones as Junie B.
Daina Robins joins HSRT for her sixteenth season as Director of Little Women. Past HSRT productions include Sarah, Plain and Tall, The Hypochondriac, The Drawer Boy, Rounding Third, Sideways Stories from Wayside School, The Game of Love and Chance, Footloose, Orphans, Three Viewings, Twelve Angry Men, Cinderella, The Turn of the Screw, and Dancing at Lughnasa. As chair of the Theatre Department at HopeCollege, Daina teaches acting, directing, and theatre history. Recent productions for the academic program include Big Love, The Nina Variations, The School for Scandal, and Wonderful Town. During the 2009-10 season she will direct Rabbit Hole and Much Ado about Nothing.
Performances continue throughout the summer on July 18, 24, 28, 31, August 4, 6, 12, and 15.
Tickets are on sale through the DeVos Fieldhouse ticket office. Prices range from $8-$26 for musicals, and $8-$18 for plays. Season tickets, ranging from $45-$85, are also available.
The ticket office is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from noon until intermission. On performance dates, the DeWitt Ticket Office will be open through intermission. The ticket office is located in DeWittCulturalCenter at 12th Street and Columbia Avenue. For tickets call the ticket office at 616-395-7890. For more information visit the HSRT website at www.hope.edu/hsrt.
The DeWitt Theatre is located at 141 East 12th Street. The Knickerbocker Theatre is located in Holland's downtown on 8th St. and Baker Lofts is located at 171 East 24th Street.
And while at the ticket office, make sure to check out HSRT's other productions such as Room Service, Suds: The Rocking 60's Soap Opera Musical, in the Knickerbocker Theatre, The Cmplt Wrks of Wm Shkspr...Abrdgd opening July 10, and Dogpark: the Musical opening July 23 at Baker Lofts (formerly known as Til Midnight). The Children's Performance Troupe will also be presenting Click, Clack, Moo and Charlotte's Web opening July 15.