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ZION OPERA WORKSHOP PRESENTS:

 "Guys and Dolls"

Zion Opera Workshop to present Guys and Dolls 

Smith Auditorium in Zion United Church of Christ, 2nd and Iron Sts. in Lehighton is a hub of activity right now but it’s not just during Sunday morning worship services.  Zion Opera workshop, which has been a mainstay at Zion UCC for the last 42 years, is in full swing once again. 

This year’s chosen show is Frank Loesser’s Guys and Dolls.  It’s a story that all centers on a bet.  Nathan Detroit, (Michael Muffley) bets high-rolling gambler Sky Masterson (Brent Harris) that Sky cannot persuade Save-A-Soul Missionary Sister Sarah Brown (Jessica Schafer) to accompany him on a trip to Cuba. While the worldly Sky works his charms on a wary Sarah, Nathan is doing his best to stay outside the matrimonial clutches of his long-suffering fiancée, Miss Adelaide (Becky Herd). "Guys and Dolls" is a fable about what happens to gambling men and the women who long to tame them.

The show is set in colorful 1950’s New York City and is a comical story with larger than life characters such as Nicely Nicely Johnson (Dave Zimmerman) , Benny Southstreet (Bryan Buffington) ,Rusty Charlie (Jason Peters),  Harry the Horse (Eric Werley) and LT. Brannigan (Justin Plocinick).   The Mission Band is headed up by Sarah’s Grandfather Arvide Abernathy (Bob Fatzinger) and General Matilda B. Cartwright (Lydia Anthony).  Other mission band members include Ally Smith, Michelle Stoudt, Teah Garrison, Monica Handwerk, Mikayla Blakeslee, Jim Blakeslee and Craig Peters.  Miss Adelaide’s Hot Box Friends are played by Patricia Peters, Alissa Muffley, Laura Cressley, Marissa Miller and Elyse Kistler.  Other Hot Box Dancers include Casi Reichard, Kaitlyn Piekarski, Alyssa Huntington, Evy Heckman and Tina Becker.   Other supporting roles include: Angie the Ox:  Adam Reichard, Joey Biltmore: Ryan Miorelli, Big Jule: Matt Poirer, Master of Ceremonies:  Jonathan Rodgers, Drunk:  Noah Smith, Waiter:  Nicolai Kabana and Dice Rollers: Josiah Behrens, Darren Wagner and Kane Zerbe.  NYC citizens are portrayed by Schyler Cordova, Jennifer Plocinick, Brandon Cressley, Martha Cox, Thomas Phelan, Lorena Glissen, Erin McGinley and Judy Harris.

The musical director for Zion Opera Workshop is Brad Cressley and the stage director is Dave Zimmerman.  Technical directors for the show are Pati and Duane Reichard, choreography is by Deb Strausberger of TNT Studio of Dance and the rehearsal pianist is Cindy Mack.  As always, the show will be accompanied by the Zion Opera Workshop Orchestra. 

The Show will be presented in Smith Auditorium of Zion United Church of Christ, 2nd and Iron Streets, Lehighton on Thursday, March 1st, Friday March 2nd and Saturday March 3rd at 7:30 PM.  There will also be a Saturday Matinee showing on Saturday, March 3rd at 2:00 PM.  Tickets are available from any cast member, at Carbon County Music and More, 115 S. 2nd St. in Lehighton or by calling Box Office Manager, Sue Yeastedt weeknights from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at 610-377-4667.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF ZION OPERA WORKSHOP

In 1970 Paul R. Smith, the director of music at Zion UCC in Lehighton created Zion Opera Workshop. The groups first presentation was the Musical "Amahl and the Night Visitors" for Christmas. The show was a great success and Zion Opera Workshop was off and running to the successful group that it is today.

Each year since then, Zion Opera Workshop has presented a Broadway style musical every spring. Shows have ranged from "Fiddler on the Roof" to "Bye Bye Birdie" and have been accompanied by a full orchestra. It was Paul Smith's dream to offer Lehighton and the surrounding areas a great quality musical for a price that is basically unheard of anywhere. The goal of the group was not to make money. In fact, the group has been non-profit since its inception and has become one of the most popular and successful evangelisms at Zion United Church of Christ.

Each spring, Zion Opera Workshop opens Smith Auditorium in Derr Hall for its annual production and warmly welcomes nearly 1,000 people to see the production. For 38 years, Paul Smith, with his wife Linn constantly by his side continued this tradition of quality musicals. They retired after their 38th year but the group lives on through many of the people that the Smith' s have worked with for many years.

 


Zion Opera Workshop History

1970 Amahl and the Night Visitors 1983 The Music Man 1996 Guys and Dolls
1971 Oklahoma! 1984 Hello, Dolly! 1997 Hello, Dolly!
1972 Fiddler on the Roof 1985 Bring Back Birdie 1998 Brigadoon
1973 Carousel 1986 Carousel 1999 State Fair
1974 The Music Man 1987 My Fair Lady 2000 Once Upon a Mattress
1975 Annie Get Your Gun 1988 Annie Get Your Gun 2001 Damn Yankees
1976 The Most Happy Fella 1989 The Sound of Music 2002 Li'l Abner
1977 Fiddler on the Roof 1990 Damn Yankees 2003 Bye, Bye Birdie
1978 South Pacific 1991 South Pacific 2004 Crazy for You
1979 Bye, Bye Birdie 1992 Here's Love 2005 My Fair Lady
1980 Oklahoma! 1993 The Most Happy Fella 2006    State Fair
1981 Brigadoon 1994 Cinderella 2007 Oklahoma!
1982 The King and I 1995 The King and I 2008 Anything Goes

                                                  
2009 South Pacific                    2010 Once Upon a Mattress
                  2011 The Music Man                 2012 Guys and Dolls
 

 

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This page was last edited 01/24/2012