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Press Releases | |
April 19, 1999
1940s Radio Hour Spring MusicalContact:
Jane Finalborgo
Virginia Bennett
(516) 287 8313
Fax: (516) 283 40811940s Radio Hour is Southampton College's SpringTheater Production Southampton Rotary Sponsors Opening Night Benefit for Veterans
Southampton Players' opening performance on April 15 of 1940s Radio Hour, written by Walton Jones, will be free to veterans and enlisted military in full or partial uniform. The Players have set aside 300 tickets for military personnel and a guest, but they must be reserved in advance. Some tickets for "civilians" will also be available opening night. The opening benefit is sponsored by the Southampton Rotary Club. The production continues for general audiences April 16 to 18 and 22 to 24 in the Avram Theater of Southampton College. All performances are at 8 PM. Michael Disher is directing and choreographing the show, with a student and community cast enacting the often touching, often hilarious pre-show, broadcast time and post show carryings on of the "WOV Cavalcade of Stars" one December night in 1942. A few of the show's all-time hits include Ain't She Sweet, Kalamazoo, I'll Be Seeing You, That Old Black Magic, Blues in the Night and How About You? Radio Hour introduces the audience to a colorful cast of characters, including the bombastic producer and star announcer, the "cute" singing and dancing ingenue, an aspiring delicatessen delivery boy, a soubrette in her slip, a dissolute crooner and the idolized leading girl singer with a broken heart. Community cast members include Eric Fuerderer as producer Clifton Feddington, Laura Conroy as lead singer Ann Collier, Paul Marino as stage manager Lou Cohn, Larry Liso as crooner Johnny Cantone, Vay David as songstress Geneva Lee Browne, Kevin Moran as tenor Neal Tilden, Ted Lapides as stage doorman Pops Bailey and Chris Lombardo as trumpeter Biff Baker. Lombardo doubles as the show's lighting designer. Southampton College of Long Island University students in the production include Kelly Carman as cute Connie Miller, Lisa McCluskey as the spicy Ginger Brooks, Brian Lang as love-smitten B.J. Gibson, Paul Conroy as delivery boy Wally Fergusson, Allister Gall as Stanley the electrician, and Lara Lieberman, Ericka Winne, Daniel Hart, Michael Marolla, Leah Dazzo and Meghan Bishop as backup singers, "The Boutineers." A dozen members of Big Band East, one of the East End's most popular purveyors of the close harmonies and rhythms of swing music, will appear as the onstage band. Musical direction for Radio Hour is by Drina Keen, who will be at the keyboards and acting as band leader Zoot Doubleman. Tickets for the production are $12 general admission and $8 for students and seniors. Reservations can by made by calling 287-8480. Sponsorships are still available for some nights of the production; interested individuals and businesses can contact the director, Michael Disher, at 287-8088.