In December......"Amahl and the Night Visitors"!

 

December 11, 12, 13 & 14 the Spearfish Arts Center Community Theatre in conjunction with Black Hills State University will present the operetta "Amahl and the Night Visitors" by Gian Carlo Menotti at the Matthews Opera House. . Local musical ensembles will present a collection of Christmas music before each performance of the operetta, due to the short duration of the production. The pre-show performers are: Thursday the Dakota Chamber Orchestra, Friday the BHSU Chamber Singers, Saturday the choir from Our Saviors Lutheran Church and Sunday the ensemble, Women With Melody.

Once a year, the holiday season provides a unique time to invite family and friends to partake in the performing arts. “Amahl and the Night Visitors” is a perfect opportunity to experience an event that celebrates the magic of the holiday season. “This year was the serendipitous window of opportunity to produce this opera. Professor Steve Parker, and the two new music faculty members Dr. Jonathan Nero and Dr. Nancy Roberts’ voices are the perfect ranges for roles of two kings and the mother. Add to the mixture local tenor Tyler Raad, and Lane Speirs, the only male soprano for miles around, and you have this magical recipe for the ideal “Amahl” cast. I couldn’t be happier with them. Audiences will be delighted, and impressed with The Shepards’ Chorus, made up of BHSU students and community members, directed by Dr. Nero,” exclaims “Amahl” director Constance Hubbard.

This production has delighted audiences young and old since it was first presented in 1951. Some of you may remember watching the television production at Christmas time every year. The production is directed by Constance Hubbard with Dr. Jonathan Nero conducting the chorus, Andrea Gillespie Chase as choreographer and Karen Blunk and Constance Hubbard as accompanists.

The cast includes: Lane Speirs playing Amahl, Nancy Roberts as Amahl’s Mother, Michael Hollinger as the Page and the Three Kings, Kaspar, Melchior and Balthazar, who are played by Tyler Raad, Jonathan Nero and Stephen Parker. The Shepherds’ Chorus includes Richard Hicks, Clay Runyan, Charlene Hillgren, Justin Lisko, Alice Helmer, Rene Porter-Stewart, Darlene Swartz, Hilda M. Locke, Jamie Williams, Holly Stillson, Alisha Patterson, Jamie Williams, Ashton VandenHoek, Steven Nichols, Delayna Jensen, Tara Warren, Jesse Bailey, and Jonathan Aberle. The Shepherds’ Dancers are Tessa Krog, Amanda Goetz, Aerielle Follette, Emily Heath.

“Amahl and the Night Visitors” is the story of a lame shepherd boy and his mother who are surprised by a visit from the three Kings on their way to see baby Jesus.

The performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday will be at 7:30 p.m. and the Sunday performance is at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at The Gallery (next to the Opera House), at the door or you can make reservations by calling 642-7973 ext 0. All tickets cost $10.00.

For more information contact the Spearfish Arts Center at 642-7973 or email admin@spearfishartcenter.org.

In October, the Community Theatre presented "The Secret Affairs of Mildred Wild" - A Comedy directed by Max G. Merchen.

Cast List: Mildred Wild - Pamela Wegner, Roy Wild - Jim Hood, Bertha Gale - Adrienne Rene', Helen Wild - Donna Peters, Carroll Chatham - TJ Schmitz ,
Sister Cecilia - LeeAnn Kostur, Rex Bulby - Roger Miller, Louis Garibaldi - Jim Haeder, Warren, TV Host - James Smythe, Evelyn, TV Hostess - Christina Hammerquist
The plot .......... In the tiny living quarters behind the Greenwich Village candy store which she operates with her husband, crowded with her forty-year collection of movie magazines, Mildred Wild has virtually escaped from reality into the dream world conjured up by the 3,000 movies she has eagerly devoured. And when the outside world-does intrude – via her husband; his meddling sister; their hard-boiled landlady; the mincing butcher from next door; or the foreman of the wrecking crew sent to tear down the building – Mildred meets each crisis with a hilarious fantasy-scene drawn from her precious love of old movies. As the action moves swiftly ahead to its delightful unpredictable climax, Mildred life is further complicated by such unlikely visitors as a bulldozer, a nun, King Kong, and a super efficient TV camera crew, all adding to the merriment and, ultimately, to the poignancy which infuses the play and the touching, funny escapades of its kooky, lovable and totally enchanted heroine.

In July the Children's Theatre presented Disney's "101 Dalmatians KIDS" !
Everyone knows the story and most of the songs from the movie and book '101 Dalmatians', but the one-act children's musical "101 Dalmatians KIDS", played out by our local young actors is a must see. Directed by Ann Froelich, this performance will have theater goers singing along with the many new and traditional songs of the Disney movie.



The cast and crew of the show are: Nicole Sack, Amber Mohr, Shelby McCarty, Hunter McKinney, Fahbia Ahmed, Sawyer Dohman, Hannah Lessly, Drake Dittman, Breonna Beasley, Gwyneth Finkbeiner, Jake McKinney, Ian Lessly, Madison Skelton, Taylor Finkbeiner, Shaile Litzel, Haley Drapeaux, Maggie Skelton, Shelby Dittman, Christina Walton, Victoria Walton,Hailee Hertel, Baylee Dittman, Sara Hellett, Rabecca Lauer, Alyssa Jensen, Faith Powers, Brooklyn Menzel, Tia Love, Tiana Wetz, Drew Couch, Jacob Lechner, Madison Selk, Janna Fischer, Mason Daknis, Brayden Finkbeiner, Elisabeth Hiermeier, Sabian Kremer, Heather Clark, Jordan Hellett, Danielle Beasley, Savannah Johnson.



"Some Enchanted Evening" was a crowd pleaser!

The music of Rogers and Hammerstein at the Matthews Opera House! The brilliant collaboration of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II created music that has become a part of all our lives. these are songs we sing in the shower and we sing them to entertain and amuse. " Some Enchanted Evening" brings that celebration of song to the stage of the Matthews Opera House for six special performances, Fridays and Saturdays June 13,14 and 20, 21 at 7:30 with Sunday matinees at 2 pm on June 15 and 22. Under the direction of Janet Higbee, a talented pool of local artist,s, Megan Clark, Kristi Gondzar, Caseyt Hibbert, Jared Jankord, Michelle Pedersen and Trevor Smith will perform a collection of Rodgers and Hammerstein favorites accompanied by Karise Stillson and Ellie Lawton. Audience members will be drawn into such familiar favorites as, "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top", "In My Own Little Corner", "The Sound of Music", "I Can't Say No", "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' ", "Do-Re-Mi", "Some Enchanted Evening", "June Is Bustin Out All Over" and 'Bali Ha'l". '