Musical Montage, 25 Years Worth, Coming to Cheney Hall

In 2010, the community came out in droves to see a live musical medley for the ages. “The First 25 Years - A Musical Revue” from the was a smash hit and rousing success last year, according to Cheney Hall’s executive director Joyce Hodgson.

She said that people loved the musical shows so much last year that the theatre was quite excited to see what the second 25 years show would bring.

Well, the public doesn’t have to wait much longer for the sequel of last year’s musical montage. Starting this weekend, “The Second 25 Years - A Musical Revue” from the Little Theatre’s 1986-2010 seasons will have seven performances at Cheney Hall. The dates of the shows are August 12-14 and then August 18-21.

Hodgson said that anyone who loves musical theater should come out to these shows because they will definitely enjoy it. There will be songs, dances, and acting from each of the last 25 years. Hodgson said there is also some narration and history in between songs.

Some songs will be from classic musicals, such as My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music, and there will be numbers from contemporary musicals, such as The Little Shop of Horrors and Jekyll & Hyde.

“It’s a celebration of the last 25 years of the Little Theatre of Manchester, with the last 20 years in Cheney Hall,” Hodgson said. “The cast is just amazing and so talented, and they have been putting in hard work for months for these shows. They love it.”

There are 30 people in the cast, with a wide range of experience, according to Hodgson. The youngest cast member is 8 years old, and the oldest is in their 60s.

Sharon FitzHenry is the show’s director, and she said the cast has been extremely dedicated to this big commitment.

“Auditions were back in late spring and we’ve been rehearsing three to five times a week since June,” FitzHenry said. “The cast has given up their summers for this, and we are really excited to go in front of the audience soon. It’s going to be a really fun time.”

Hodgson said that many of the actors and actresses have full-time jobs, yet they head to the practices after long days at work.

The executive director of Cheney Hall also said that these shows can make a positive impact on the community during these troubling times.

“Given this economy and people potentially losing their jobs, this is a great time to do something to lift our spirits,” Hodgson said. “It can make you feel a bit better and you can stop thinking about all that is going on.”

In addition, local businesses will be featured each night on the patio with a treat for ticketed patrons. Included in the pre-show hour are Royal Ice Cream, Waffleloons, Onyx Spirits, Newman’s Own Lemonade, Klondike bars courtesy of Rob Fish, DDS and The Popcorn Man John Hovey.

Doors open at 7 p.m. and the shows start at 8 p.m., except for the Sunday shows when doors open at 1 p.m. and the matinee begins at 2 p.m. The show is approximately 2.5 hours long.

Hodgson said that tickets range from $22 to $29. For seats that are behind the 6th row, it is $22 for students with a valid ID and seniors, while it is $24 for everyone else. For seats that are within the first six rows, it is $27 for students with a valid ID and seniors, while it is $29 for everyone else.

To purchase tickets, go to the Cheney Hall box office at 177 Hartford Rd., Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased by calling Cheney Hall at 860-647-9824 and using a credit card, which requires a $1 per ticket service fee.

People can also purchase tickets by logging on to http://www.ticketweb.com/snl/VenueListings.action?venueId=19658. Hodgson said that there are service charges online, so the cheapest way is by going to the box office.

Available tickets can also be purchased at the door one hour prior to performances.

The cast includes Lisa Marie Abate, Paul Aherne, Diane AmEnde, Alysa Auriemma, Dacia Ball, Matt Berry, Matt Burke, Danielle Buttafuoco, Liz Cargill, Pat Covino, Veronica Crai, Zachary Goldsmith, Emily Gregonis, Katie Harden, Sarah Hayes, Melissa Heaton, Taylor Hopkins, Anup Kumar, Catherine McElaney, Maria Meier, Steve Ossias, Marge Patefield, Melissa Paul, Jean Della Rocca, Sherrie Schallack, Katrina Schwartz, Chris Stone, Tori Vankaenel, Eve Windebank, John Michael Whitney and Mike Zizka.

Choreography has been done by Kristen Shaw and musical direction by Bill Martin.