Sept. 28, 2023
Contact Shane Rhoades at 608-796-3798 or sarhoades@viterbo.edu
VITERBO UNIVERSITY CONSERVATORY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS TO PRESENT THE MUSICAL 42ND STREET OCT. 12–15
LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Conservatory for the Performing Arts will present the Tony Award®-winning musical 42nd Street Thursday, Oct. 12–Sunday, Oct. 15 in the Fine Arts Center Main Theatre.
Set Depression-era New York City and Philadelphia, 42nd Street celebrates Broadway, Times Square, and the magic of show business with wit, humor, and pizzazz. Aspiring chorus girl Peggy Sawyer comes to the big city from Allentown, Penn., and soon lands her first big job in the ensemble of a glitzy new Broadway show. But just before opening night, the leading lady breaks her ankle. Will Peggy be able to step in and become a star?
“The spectacle of the show is beautiful,” said Viterbo faculty member Shane Rhoades, the director of the production. “The dancing, costumes, set, and singing—it’s a big Golden-Age tap musical packed full of energy and excitement.”
A long-running Broadway hit, 42nd Street won the 1981 Tony Award for Best Musical and Best Choreography and the 2001 Tony Award for Best Revival. It features great tap dancing numbers and is full of Broadway standard songs such as I Only have Eyes for You, You’re Getting To Be A Habit With Me, Dames, We’re In the Money, Lullaby of Broadway, Shuffle Off to Buffalo, and 42nd Street.
This production of 42nd Street stars Viterbo students Amber Arevalo as Peggy Sawyer, Katie Schafer as Dorothy Brock, Maddy Ballard as Anytime Annie, Joshua Terrones as Julian Marsh, and Calvin Pierce as Billy Lawlor.
“The rehearsal process has been very ambitious, and the cast has really stepped up and impressed with their ability to learn and retain a large amount of difficult material,” Rhoades said. “They’re killing it.”
Rhoades said the collaboration of the production team has been stellar, citing music director Janette Hanson and choreographer Emily Craver specifically for the “huge amount of excellent work they have done with the students.”
42nd Street is based on the novel by Bradford Ropes and the motion picture 42nd Street owned by Turner Entertainment Co. and distributed by Warner Bros. Music is by Harry Warren, lyrics are by Al Dubin and Johnny Mercer, and the book is by Michael Steward and Mark Bramble. This production is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC, www.concordtheatricals.com.
Performance times are 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12–14 and 2 p.m. Oct. 15. Tickets are $28 for main floor and lower balcony and $22 for upper balcony seating, plus taxes and fees. For more information or to order tickets, contact the Viterbo box office at 608-796-3100 or visit www.viterbo.edu/tickets.
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