New York, 1959, Max Bialystock was once the King of Broadway, but now all his shows close on opening night. Things turn around when he's visited by Leo Bloom, a neurotic accountant who proposes a scheme that's tailor-made for producers who can only make flops – raise far more money than needed, then make sure the show ... is a flop! No one will be interested in it, so the surplus can be pocketed. Together they produce musical called Springtime for Hitler written by escaped Nazi Franz Liebkind. Then they get an insanely flamboyant director and hire a loopy Swedish bombshell (whose last name has over fifteen syllables) as lead actress. As opening night draws near, what can go wrong? Well, there's just no accounting for taste...

Director: Richard Elichuk

Musical Director: Brian Boggs

Choreographer: Joan Scarcella-Kovacs

At the top of the show, in 1840 St. Petersburg, Missouri, fourteen-year-old Tom Sawyer fishes one morning.  His friends join him for a quick game before school.  Later, Tom tricks the schoolmaster into letting the students have the day off. When Aunt Polly finds out about the prank, she orders Tom to whitewash the fence in front of their house as punishment.  Tom plans to run away but instead he meets the beautiful new girl in town, Becky Thatcher, and there are immediate sparks.

Tom's best friend, Huckleberry Finn, says that painting the fence looks like fun which gives Tom an idea.  Ever the schemer, Tom tricks his friends into painting the fence for him.

That night, Tom and Huck visit the local graveyard and they witness Injun Joe, a local troublemaker, fighting with Doc Robinson.  When the fight escalates to murder, the boys run away and swear in blood to keep forever quiet about what they saw.  An innocent vagrant is blamed for the murder and arrested.  In desperation, he pleads with Injun Joe to save him from hanging.  Joe agrees to help, but wants a map leading to a treasure in exchange.  At the trial, Tom stands up and tells the truth about who committed the murder.  Pandemonium ensues.

To the children's delight, school ends for the summer.  Tom learns that after weeks of secret tutoring by Widow Douglas, Huck has finally learned how to read.  During the annual town picnic festivities, a group decides to explore McDougal's Cave.  At that moment, Injun Joe arrives - with a plan - to go into the cave to find Murrell's gold.

Unexpectedly, Tom and Becky lose their way in the cave and a frantic search begins.  Unforeseen complications arise when Injun Joe discovers them.  Thankfully, they eventually escape from the cave, safe and sound.

Back in St. Petersburg, the children are presumed lost.  Tom, Huck, and Becky limp into town and realize that they're watching their own funeral!  When the children are discovered, very much alive, the entire town goes wild with happiness and celebrates.

Artistic Director: Bob Lackey

Musical Director: John McGovern

Choreographer: Bonnie Bowie

Based on Louisa May Alcott's classic 1869 semi-autobiographical novel, it focuses on the four March sisters - feisty, tomboyish, aspiring author Jo, romantic Meg, pretentious Amy, and kind-hearted Beth - and their beloved Marmee, at home in Concord, Massachusetts while the family patriarch is away serving as a Union Army chaplain during the Civil War. Intercut with the vignettes in which their lives unfold are several recreations of the melodramatic short stories Jo writes in her attic studio.

Director: Barbara Seabright-Moore

Musical Director: Murray Doggett

Choreographer: Debbie Miller

Based on the book by Terance McNally, The Full Monty is a story of six unemployed steel workers.  With the industry in decline and the steelworks closed down, there is widespread unemployment and despair.  The men are miserable, have no money and even less in the way of prospects.  But when they catch their wives going crazy over some professional male dancers, they get inspired: Why not make some quick cash showing off their "real man" bodies by becoming a team of male strippers?  The men decide to give it a go, but realize they can't dance and aren't what most would call good physical specimens.  To make matters worse, and to drum up further interest in their scheme, they boast they'll go "the full monty" - something they hadn't planned on and aren't sure they can deliver.  It's too late now.  They're committed to performing so they continue practising for the big night.

Will they?  Won't they?  Can they keep their antics from their families?  Can they stay out of trouble?  Can they pull in a good crowd?

As the guys prepare for the show, they discover that the strength in camaraderie goes a long way toward building confidence and overcoming fear.  Stay tuned ... all will be revealed .. well, maybe!

Artistic Director: Debbie Millett

Musical Director: Paul Legault

Choreographer: Linda Fournier-Brown

After Sister Julia, Child of God prepares an unfortunate and fatal vichyssoise, there's a blue nun – or four – in the freezer and the Little Sisters of Hoboken are staging a variety show to raise money to pay for the funerals. Join the ballet-loving Sister Leo, street-wise Sister Robert Anne, befuddled Sister Mary Amnesia, the Mother Superior Sister Regina, and mistress of the novices Sister Mary Hubert as they stage a talent show to raise the money to bury their dearly departed.

With its lively, spirited score, bursting with bright entertaining songs and an unabashed desire to make you laugh, Nunsense: the Mega-Musical offers a cornucopia of hilarity for the whole family, proving conclusively that 'nun' rhymes with 'fun'!

Artistic Visionary: Len Boone

Artistic Director: Debbie Miller-Smith

Musical Director: Gabe Leury

Choreographer: Debbie Miller-Smith and Aileen Szkwarek

In 1980, a group of vibrant, energetic young people, African-American, White, Hispanic, rich and poor alike, converge on New York City's West 46th Street to audition for the last class of the famous New York High School of Performing Arts (P.A.) before it closes.  Praying they make "P.A." has become their mantra and as the students tear open their letters from the school, they learn of their acceptance and a joyous dance of celebration ensues.

Fame, The Musical is a bittersweet but ultimately inspiring story of a diverse group of students as they commit to four years of gruelling artistic and academic work.  With candour, humour and insight, the show explores the issues that confront many young people today: issues of prejudice, identity, self-worth, literacy, sexuality, substance abuse and perseverance.

This show will take you through the highs, lows, friendships, romances and the sheer hard work that becomes daily life for the star-struck pupils in their quest for success.  Not everyone makes it, but the triumphant students perform a spine-tingling finale that has prompted standing ovations around the world and our show will be no exception.

Director: Judy Follett-Johns

Musical Director: Drum Hudson

Choreographer: Nick Nasrallah

Austria, 1938

Maria Rainer, a postulant at Nonnberg Abbey in Austria, is sent to the home of a widower, Captain Georg Von Trapp to serve as governess for his seven children.

Although the Captain is engaged to wealthy Elsa Shraeder, both he and Maria find themselves falling in love with each other. After their marriage their happiness is short-lived because the Germans, who have invaded Austria, want Von Trapp to serve in their navy.

Artistic Director: Patrick Donahue
Musical Director: Gabe Leury
Choreographer: Maria Mespolet

Set in 1922, Thoroughly Modern Millie brings to life the adventures of Millie Dillmount, a young woman who escapes to New York City from Salina, Kansas, determined to marry her wealthy boss - whoever he may be.  Shedding her naïve country girl image for the modern look of a 'flapper', she takes a room at the Hotel Priscilla for Women and lands a job as a stenographer at the Sincere Trust Insurance Company.  In short order, she finds herself involved with Jimmy Smith, a sweet but apparently ne'er-do-well paper clip salesman, Miss Dorothy Brown, a genteel aspiring actress who never seems to have spare change, Trevor Graydon, her no-nonsense boss and Muzzy van Hossmere, a madcap celebrity heiress with a zest for the high life.

The Priscilla proves to be a front for a white slavery ring, headed by Mrs. Meers, the proprietor, and her two henchmen, Ching Ho and Bun Foo.  Her ideal kidnapping targets are attractive female tenants with no family who won't be missed when they suddenly disappear.  Millie, who gets mail from home on a regular basis, is hardly a likely candidate, but Miss Dorothy, who hasn't a soul in the world, is perfect.  "Sad to be all alone in the world," Mrs. Meers says to new hotel residents when she finds out that they  are, indeed, alone in the world.

Millie puts two-and-two together and realizes what is going on.  She devises a harebrained scheme to save her new-found friend from the clutches of the while slavers before Miss Dorothy is shipped off to the Far East.  Thoroughly Modern Millie is a wonderful fairy tale of the Roaring Twenties - complete with villains, mistaken identities, misadventures galore and of course, a happy ending.

Artistic Director: Debbie Miller

Musical Director: Brian Boggs

Choreographer: Andrew Wiseman

Ever since the Christmas Eve seven years before when Ebenezer Scrooge buried his long-time friend and business partner Jacob Marley, Scrooge's melancholy had settled into an angry bitterness toward the holidays and caused him to behave with animosity towards all his fellow men. His loyal but meek clerk, Bob Cratchit, was the constant target of his cruelty. Even Scrooge's nephew was unable to inspire in his uncle any holiday sentiment warmer than “Bah! Humbug!”. But this Christmas Eve proves startlingly different because Ebenezer receives some unexpected company. The ghost of his old partner Marley appears to warn him of the consequences of the suffering his is unwittingly causing to both himself and to others. Marley extends to Scrooge an invitation to change his ways.

The invitation comes by way of visits from three spirits. First, the Ghost of Christmas Past appears to show Scrooge errors he made in his youth and remind him of his lost true love, Emily. Next, the Ghost of Christmas Present invites the miserly old man to witness the Cratchit family's Christmas. Even though their youngest son Tiny Tim is crippled and ailing, the Cratchits are blessed, happy, and grateful for all they have. Scrooge's last visitor is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Be who leads him through a vision of his bleak future, including a scene of his own death where he is mourned by “nary a soul.” Pleading with the spirit to grant him another chance, the penitent Scrooge promises to alter his future and to know Christmas in his heart all year round.

Artistic Director: Michael Gareau

Musical DIrector: Marlene Hudson

Choreographer & Apprentice Artistic Director: Debbie Millett

Being in business for 100 years is no small feat and Orpheus Musical Theatre Society is very proud to be able to exercise bragging rights, just for this!  We've been entertaining audiences for a century and the spirit of Orpheus is just as alive today as it was in 1906.

To celebrate this milestone, The Spirit of Orpheus was written and orchestrated specifically for us.  This anniversary musical extravaganza is a wonderful reprise of some of the best numbers to ever grace an Orpheus stage.  You'll be enjoying music from over 65 different shows as well as three original songs created for this celebration.  It features Glee Club favourites, Gilbert and Sullivan ditties, operetta excerpts, and song & dance selections form Broadway's greatest hits.  It's a cavalcade of the most memorable musical moments - past, present, and future - with everything from Oklahoma to Mamma Mia!

Orpheus is thrilled to pay tribute to 100 years of entertaining Ottawa and we're very pleased that you can join us for this exciting stroll down memory lane.  Tap your toes, clap your hands and smile - that's the spirit of Orpheus!

Book by Michael Gareau

New Music by John McGovern

Lyrics by Michael Gareau and John McGovern

Orchestrations by Mark Ferguson

Artistic Director: Len Boone

Musical Director: Marlene Hudson

Director of Choreography: Val Keenleyside

Guys and Dolls has been called the quintessential Broadway musical. It sets wonderful Loesser music to Damon Runyonland, the Broadway of the 1940's inhabited by gamblers, nightclub performers, and Salvation Army members trying to cure the sins of the Times Square population. The rich plot revolves around a bet made by gambler Sky Masterson with Nathan Detroit, organizer of a floating crap game.

Sky bets Nathan that he can woo any doll Nathan chooses and take her to a romantic Havana getaway. Nathan chooses none other than straight laced Sarah Brown of the Salvation Army.

The status of the bet, the crap game, and the end of the 14-year engagement of Nathan and his girl, Adelaide, result in confusion amidst great song and dance.

Artistic Director: Joe O'Brien

Musical Director: Wendy Berkelaar

Choreographer: Christa Cullain and Maria Mespolet

Once upon a time in a faraway land, a very handsome but unkind Prince lived in a magnificent castle.  One winter's night, a hideous beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single rose in return for shelter from the bitter cold.  Repulsed by her ugliness, he refused her request.  Suddenly turning into a beautiful Enchantress, she transformed him into a hideous Beast and cast a spell over all who lived within the castle.  The rose would bloom for many years but gradually the petals wold fall off.  If the Beast could learn to love another and be loved in return before the last petal fell, the spell wold be broken.  If not, he would be doomed to remain a Beast for all time.

The tale now turns to Belle, a gentle and sweet girl lusted over by Gaston, a vain and crude lout, who has vowed to make her his wife,  Her father, Maurice, off to the Fair, is attacked by a pack of wolves and saves himself by escaping into the Beast's castle only to be thrown into a dungeon.  Belle begs the Beast to release her father and volunteers to take his place.  The Beast tells her she will never be free to leave.  But the Beast is intrigued by her; gradually, this intrigue turns to admiration, and admiration to love.

Meanwhile, Gaston gathers a mob and they set off for the castle, ready to kill the Beast and rescue Belle.  In a thrilling fight, the Beast defeats Gaston but is stabbed in the back when he turns away to find Belle.  Mortally wounded, the Beast manages to thrown Gaston to his death.  Belle pleads with the Beast not to die as she loves him.  With these words, the spell is broken and the Beast is transformed into a handsome Prince.  And, like in all fairy tales, they lived happily ever after.

Artistic Director: Richard Elichuk

Musical Director: Drummond Hudson

Choreographer: Debbie Miller

Cold and penniless, unemployed opera singer Victoria Grant wanders into the gay bar, Club Chez Lui.  There she is in Paris befriended by Carroll Todd (Toddy to his friends) who offers her the use of his apartment.  He reassures her that she is safe, as he is gay.

One there, they talk about life and Victoria tells of what she could do if she were a man.  The wheels start to spin in Toddy's brain and, asking her to trust him, he convinces her that she could be a woman impersonating a man impersonating a woman.

Count Victor Grazinksy, Poland's greatest female impersonator, is all the rage in Paris...

All goes well until the arrival of King Marchand, a Chicago mobster, his bodyguard Squash and his moll Norma.  For King and Victor, it's love and lust at first sight.  King is convinced that he is a she.  But what if he isn't?

Things get worse when Sal Andretti, King's partner, and two thugs show up in Paris. There are charges, counter-charges and general mayhem ... but we'll let you in on a little secret: there is a happy ending and all the problems are solved in a rousing finale.

Artistic Director: Richard Elichuk

Musical Director: Gabe Leury

Choreographer: Debbie Millett

The play is set in New York City.  The two rival gangs are fighting for turf: the American gang, the Jets, led by Riff, and the Puerto Rican gang, the Sharks, led by Bernardo.

The show opens with the two gangs fighting until it is broken up by the arrival of Krupke, a flat-foot beat cop and Shrank, an ill-tempered, bigoted detective.  After the cops leave, the Jets decide the only way to solve the turf problem is to challenge the Sharks to a rumble.  Riff decides to challenge Bernardo that night at the dance at the gym.

Riff enlists the aid of his best friend, Tony.  Tony, although a founder of the gang, has found the Jets activities no longer interest him, but agrees to come to the dance and help out the gang.

At the dance, the Jets and Sharks are competing again, only this time it is with wild dance steps.  Tony spots a fresh, beautiful girl, whom he dances with.  It is only when Bernardo angrily separates them that he realizes he has been dancing with Maria, Bernardo's sister.

Later that night, Tony secretly visits Maria and they pledge their love for each other in spite of their belonging to rival gangs.

Meanwhile, at Doc's Drugstore, the gangs meet, and time and place for the rumble is set.  Tony arrives late but manages to change the rumble from a pitched battle to a two-man fist fight.

The next day, Tony bounds into the Bridal Shop where Maria works with Bernardo's girlfriend, Anita.  Anita is let in on the lovers' secret and agrees not to tell Bernardo.

The rumble is about to begin, but Tony arrives and tries to reconcile the two factions.  But Bernardo insults him and Riff leaps forward to defend his friend.  Suddenly, knives appear and Riff is killed by Bernardo  Tony grabs Riff's blade and slays Bernardo.

Tony flees to tell Maria.  She finds she cannot hate Tony, saying "It's not us.  It's everything around us."

When Anita realizes Maria has forgiven Tony, she is furious with her.  Shrank arrives suddenly and begins to question Maria.  Anita, forgiving Maria, agrees to go to the Drugstore to tell Tony Maria will be delayed.

At the Drugstore, Anita is mauled by the Jets before she can even see Tony.  In a rage, she tells them Chino found out about the lovers - and shot Maria.  Doc relays this to Tony who then walks numbly into the streets screaming for Chino to come and get him too.

He sees a figure in the dark: Maria.  Just as the lovers reach each other, Tony is shot by Chino...

Artistic Director: Laura Duncan

Musical Director: Brian Boggs

Choreographer: Linda Fournier

Meet Me in St. Louis is a delightful classic.  Nostalgic, poignant, and romantic, this musical tells the story of the well-to-do Smith family in suburban, midwestern St. Louis.  They have four beautiful daughters and a son and live in a stylish Edwardian home at 5135 Kensington Avenue.  The city is on the verge of hosting and celebrating the arrival of the spectacular 1904 World's Fair.  However, the father, Alonso, is beckoned to New York due to a promotion and he might have to uproot the Smith family, scuttling his daughter Esther's romance with boy-next-door John Truett and causing similar emotional trauma for the rest of the household.  This possible move to New York threatens to indelibly change the lives of the family members forever.  The decision to remain in St. Louis affirms however, that nothing will be altered for this American family after all.

Artistic Director: Judy Follett-Johns

Musical Director: Marlene Hudson

Choreographer: Debbie Miller

Adapted from Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, the musical stage version tells the tale of an orphan boy who dares to ask for more food at the workhouse where he and his fellow orphans are treated horribly. Oliver is thrown out of the workhouse and, while on the street, encounters the Artful Dodger, who takes him under his wing and into the seedy underside of London where he joins a band of pickpockets who are controlled by Fagin. Eventually, Oliver is rescued from his life of crime by a wealthy and kind gentlemen, Mr. Brownlow, who turns out to be Oliver's grandfather.

Director: Christine Drew

Musical Director: Terry Duncan

Choreographer: Debbie Millett

Damn Yankees is about a fanatic, middle-aged, Washington Senators' fan who keeps glued to his T.V. set during the baseball season. The distraught real estate agent rants against the Yankees who are clobbering the league's clubs, including his beloved Senators. In an impulsive oath, he says he would sell his soul if he could just stop those Yankees. A happily cynical Devil appears and the fan is transformed into something the Senators need: a young, phenomenal, long-ball hitter.

Joe Boyd becomes Joe Hardy, the sensation of the leagues, leading his team as they rise in the league standings. This newcomer with his success is the target for speculation by the press. As a safety precaution to keep Joe in line and to cure his unexpected loneliness for his wife, the Devil introduces Joe to Lola, his prize powerful weapon. However, when the Devil is ready for Joe to live up to his end of the bargain, Joe outwits him in the final moments of the big game.

Artistic Director: Bob Lackey
Musical Director: John McGovern
Choreographer: Derek Eyamie

Crazy For You, the Gershwin musical might appear to have a familiar storyline.  Spoiled New York playboy is sent out west to foreclose on an aging theatre.  There he meets the proprietor’s daughter and falls head over heels in love.  Naturally she rejects him because of his mission.  To prove his love, he tries to save the theatre only to meet with apparent failure at both love and business.  When she comes to realize that she is in love with him the result is a happy ending.

But it’s not that simple...Add to the mix, a fiance seeking commitment, some eccentric Deadrock citizens, a domineering mother and a Broadway impresario who shows up at the most inopportune time resulting in some very comical interactions.  In fact, the twists and turns that lead to the happy ending are among the most hilarious ever conceived for a Broadway musical.  And with twenty-two of the best known George and Ira Gershwin songs and melodies helping to tell the story, Crazy For You becomes one joyous romp as it moves between Broadway and Nevada’s Deadrock city.

Artistic Director: Marylen Milenkovic

Musical Director: Drummond Hudson

Choreographer: Chemay Forrester

The musical Annie Get Your Gun is about Annie Oakley, "an illiterate hillbilly with a knack for shooting guns". Persuaded to join Buffalo Bill's travelling Wild West Show, she soon falls hopelessly in love with Frank Butler, the show's featured shooting ace. But when Annie eclipses Frank as the show's main attraction, she realizes she'll have to make some hard choices if she wants to win the man she loves.

Director: Richard Elichuk

Musical Director: Drummond Hudson

Choreographer: Debbie Miller-Smith

An idealistic doctor comes to a small maritime village in Canada and transforms the world of a deaf-mute girl by teaching her sign language. But, just as it appears that her life has improved, she is raped by one of the men in the town and ends up pregnant. When the rapist threatens to take Belinda's child, the young mother is driven to murder her attacker, and a gripping trial ensues.

Director: Laura Duncan

Musical Director: Brian Boggs

Choreographer: Robin Guy

Charity Hope Valentine is a warm-hearted taxi-dancer who wears her heart on her sleeve and her arm as she looks for love in all the wrong places.  Her trusting nature and dangerously naive outlook on life make the dance hall girl prey for a succession of opportunistic men.  However Charity's innocent spirit remains uncrushed, despite her many misadventures and she continues to live "Hopefully Ever After".

Artistic Director: Shaun Toohey

Musical Director: John McGovern

Debbie Kaplan: Choreographer

Ellis Island, 1910: boatloads of immigrants land in America, awestruck by the sights and sounds.  But lurking around every corner are those who would take advantage of the immigrants by hiring them to work under horrible conditions for low wages.  Among the newcomers are Rebecca Hershkowitz and her son David.

Six years ago, Rebecca's husband Nathan preceded them to America but he has not come to meet them at the boat.  Mother and child are about to be sent back when two strangers, Bella and her father Avram, also immigrants, overhear Rebecca's plight and pretend to be her kinfolk.  Rebecca places a newspaper ad to locate Nathan.  In the meantime, she and David stay with Bella and Avram.

Rebecca is hired to sew at Bronstein's shop.  She meets Saul, who is trying to unionize workers against Bronstein for better pay.  Rebecca and Saul are attracted to each other but Rebecca resists her feelings.  Meanwhile, Bella hopes to marry the industrious Ben but her father disapproves.  Avram also refuses to allow Bella to work in a shop.  Against his wishes, Rebecca secures Bella a job in a shirt factory.

Nathan is finally reunited with his family, but they find him greatly changed.  He's involved with the political corruption at Tammany Hall.  As the announcement is being made about whether Nathan will get a coveted political job, news arrives about a fire in the factory where Bella works.  Rebecca flees to her friend ... is Bella safe?

Later, back at Bronstein's, Rebecca demands better wages.  She leads her co-workers in a public protest.  Nathan warns his wife that anti-union thugs will quash the uprising.  He gives her an ultimatum: abandon her cause or lose him!  Seeing Nathan's true colours, Rebecca and David are ready to pursue their dreams without him.

Artistic Director: Michael Gareau

Musical Director: Brian Boggs

Choreographer, Assistant to the Artistic Director: Valerie Keenleyside

Rydell High, 1959: fast cars, dreams, love, loss, leather jackets, Brylcreem, bobby sox, poodle skirts, pajama parties, rock and roll, burger joints, sock hops, drive-ins, fitting in, busting out, growing up. Greaser Danny Zuko meets good girl Sandy Dumbrowski and teenage sparks fly. But can Danny maintain his cool image and still win the girl? It’s complicated. The whole gang sings and dances around Danny and Sandy’s romance, through such hit songs as “Summer Nights”, “Greased Lightnin’”, and “We Go Together”, recalling the music of Buddy Holly, Little Richard and Elvis Presley that became the soundtrack of a generation. A bright, nostalgic look at senior year in the fabulous fifties, Grease is (still) the Word.

Artistic Director: Shaun Toohey

Musical Director: Marylen Milenkovic

Choreographer: Debbie Millett

Cinderella is kept virtually as a slave by her cruel step-mother and step-sisters, until her Fairy Godmother comes and allows her to go to the ball to meet the Prince, who becomes infatuated with her. Cinderella loses her slipper on the stair and the Prince searches the kingdom to find her.

Artistic Director: Patrick Donahue

Musical Director: Marlene Hudson

Choreographer: Nancy Blais

Our story follows the rise of J. Pierrepont Finch (a.k.a Ponty), from washing the windows of the World Wide Wicket Company (a.k.a. WWWC) to being its Chairman of the Board. Along the way he progresses from the mail room to junior executive in the Planning and Systems Dept. (and, through sheer cunning, to being its senior executive) finally ending up as V.P, in charge of Advertising. 

The path to the top, while rapid, is anything but smooth. He must not only woo our heroine, Rosemary, a steno pool gal who falls madly in love with him at first sight, but at the same time he must avoid the tempting clutches of the delectable Hedy LaRue. This would normally be a pleasant situation except for the fact that Hedy's the girlfriend of J.B. Biggley, the head of the WWWC. To complicate matters even further, the bumbling, fumbling nerd and toady Bud Frump wants the top job for himself. Bud would present no problem to our hero except that he is the favourite nephew of J.B.'s wife. However, you mustn't worry. There is a happy ending for everyone. Oh, except Bud, of course. But you will surely agree that he richly deserves his horrific and ignominious fate.

Artistic Director: Richard Elichuk
Musical Director: Drum Hudson
Choreographer: Lisa Chisholm

Amidst the clashing sounds and pulsing rhythms of modern Manhattan dwells Robert - all alone in his sleek bachelor apartment.  He returns home on the evening of his 35th Birthday and listens to the messages on his machine; discovering that his friends, are preparing a surprise birthday party.  As he begins to imagine what the party will be like, his married friends enter: Sarah and Harry, Susan and Peter, Jenny and David, Amy and Paul, Joanne and Larry.  As he attempts to blow out the candles on his cake, his friends make a wish for him: he ought to be happily married - just like them.  But in the incessant click-buzz of the telephone he has found his own happiness - good times with chums and pals, no strings, just Company.

He begins to reflect on the events of the past; first remembering an evening at Sarah and Harry's apartment.  Harry has quit booze, Sarah is fighting the inch war - and they're both taking it out on each other.  As Sarah demonstrates her newly-acquired karate skills, a friendly chorus observe that it's The Little Things You Do Together that keep a marriage alive.  Robert isn't entirely convinced and asks Harry if he's sorry he got married?  Or is he grateful?  Well, yes and no says Harry, with help from David and Larry in Sorry-Grateful.

Across town, at Susan and Peter's, Robert finds an enviable idyllic marriage.  Peter is proud and affectionate, Susan sweet and adoring: but there is a reason.  Robert moves to Jenny and David's, where the guys are reliving their past with marijuana and Jenny attempts to keep up with them, for David.  They talk about ... marriage.  Robert says he just wants to meet the right girl; right now he is dating three girls and will soon be ready to take the big step.  The girls, April, Kathy, and Marta, appear and tell a different story in You Could Drive a Person Crazy.  Everyone, it seems, knows what's best for Robert: Have I Got a Girl For You! promise his friends, as they pair him off with chicks from the office and nieces from Ohio.  But Robert knows what he wants: somewhere Someone Is Waiting, his ideal girl, a mix and match of the five wives he knows best.

Next stop in this daydream is a park, as a drifting tide of single women washes all around Robert: April, Kathy, Marta and Another Hundred People swarming up from the subway.  It seems some of the women in his life won't wait forever though.  Even Paul and Amy are tying the knot, after years of merely living together.  But, at the wedding breakfast, Amy announces that she has no intention of Getting Married Today.  A devastated Paul leaves and Robert asks the distraught ex-bride-to-be if she'll have him instead.  Amy declares that "you have to want to marry somebody, not just some body".  She rushes off to find Paul.  Robert, alone on stage, contemplates the need to be connected to someone - Marry Me A Little but he is not ready for a full commitment.  The act ends with a second imagined attempt to get his wish, but the candles on the birthday cake remain lit until he is helped(?) by his friendly chorus yet again.

Act II opens with a new image of the surprise party: Robert and his good friends congratulate themselves on their good fortune in going through life Side By Side By Side.  But, as they fall into a good-natured vaudeville routine, Robert realizes that everyone has a dancing partner except him.  "What Would We Do Without You?" chorus his friends.  "Just what you usually do", he replies.  But they do worry so.  As Robert beds April, his lady friends brood on her unsuitability.  Poor Bobby, Poor Baby, they sigh.  All they want is for him to find a nice girl.  But April?  The morning after, the alarm wakes them.  She has to fly to Barcelona.  Look, this isn't just a one night stand, he reassures does she have to leave?  Couldn't she stay?

Susan and Peter are back from Mexico, where they enjoyed getting their divorce.   They're now living together.  While Susan takes Marta into the kitchen, Peter, searching for intimacy, brings up the subject of homosexuality.  Both say they have had experiences and Peter obliquely hits on Bobby.  Bobby figures Peter is putting him on and leaves a confused Peter alone.

At a night club, while Larry wiggles on the dance floor, Joanne gets drunk and jealous and attracts the attention of a group of bitchy onlookers.  She proposes a toast to them: here's to The Ladies Who Lunch (and their empty lives).  She also propositions Robert.  He's looked at all these marriages, and what do you get for it?  But then he understands what his friends already know: part of Being Alive is committing to caring for somebody else, before yourself.  That's what it's really about, isn't it?  We return back to Bobby's apartment and the evening of his 35th Birthday.  His friends are waiting to yell "surprise" but Bobby is nowhere to be seen.  They leave and he comes out from his hiding place.  He blows out his candles and smiles.

Artistic Director: Bob Lackey

Musical Director: John McGovern

Choreographer: Debbie Miller

Hello, Dolly! is the story of America's most beloved matchmaker, Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi.  On her way to trying to tie the knot herself with Horace Vandergelder (the famous half a millionaire!) she succeeds in matching up Mr. Vandergelder's two clerks (Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker) with the beautiful, widowed hat shop owner Irene Molloy and her assistant Minnie Fay.  She also has a hand in the relationship between Ambrose Kemper and Ermengarde, Mr. Vandergelder's niece.  We travel from Vandergelder's Hay and Feed in Yonkers, New York to Mrs. Molloy's hat shop in New York City, out into the streets of the city for the Fourteenth Street Parade and to the most elegant of New York restaurants, Harmonia Gardens, all the while following the events as Dolly maneuvers everyone into her court using those calculating ways of hers. In the end Dolly gets her way and, of course, her man; the fun is watching how she accomplishes that.  

Director: Sue Dacey

Musical Director: Terry Duncan

Choreographers:  Debbie Miller and Lynne Fleury

Baby is a story of three couples each preparing to have a baby. Danny and Lizzie are college students who have recently moved in together...and realized that Lizzie is unexpectedly pregnant! Nick and Pam, on the other hand, are a married couple who have decided that the time is right and are desperately trying to have a baby. However, they discover conceiving is not as easy as it seems. Alan and Arlene are another married couple who have just seen their youngest child off to college when Arlene learns that she has an unplanned pregnancy, but she's not too thrilled with the idea of being a mother again. Baby follows these couples through the various joys and sorrows they experience in facing prospective parenthood.

Director: York Davis   

Musical Director: Wendy Berkelaar

Choreographer: Kraig-Paul Proulx

Little Dorothy Gale of Kansas, like so many girls her age, dreams frequently of what lies over the rainbow.  One day a twister hits her home town and carries her away - over the rainbow to another world.  Come join Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion and Toto as they travel the universe of Dorothy's imagination and meet up with characters like the Wicked Witch of the West, Glinda the Good Witch, munchkins, jitterbugs, Osians, a castle and, of course, the great and powerful Wizard of Oz.  What more can I say about ruby slippers and three guys in funky costumes?

Artistic Director: Susan Dacey

Musical Director: Brian Boggs

Choreographer: Tami-Lynn Caloia

Sixteenth Century, Seville, Spain…

Miguel de Cervantes and his manservant are imprisoned by the Spanish Inquisition.  Their fellow prisoners try Cervantes, and, if he is found guilty, they will confiscate all his possessions, which include his manuscript of his novel “Don Quixote”.

Cervantes is granted permission to plead his case in the form of an entertainment, so he transforms himself into Don Quixote, knight errant. His manservant and the prisoners portray the rest of the characters in the story.  Don Quixote’s quest to restore the age of chivalry and to right all wrongs leads him down very challenging paths. In his imagination, a simple roadside inn becomes a castle and the serving wench/prostitute Aldonza becomes his lady “Dulcinea”.  He alone sees the beautiful and serene qualities in everything. 

When all of this is considered utter lunacy by Aldonza and the other denizens of the Inn he replies with all his heart with The Impossible Dream.   Aldonza no sooner starts to believe in Quixote’s idealism when she is beaten and ravaged by muleteers.  Disillusioned and forced to face reality she denounces the Quixotic dream.  Quixote himself is challenged to and loses a duel and is forced to see himself as everyone else sees him.

Later, Aldonza, plagued yet enlightened by the brief glimpse of glory she once held, makes her way to the dying Alonso Quijana –  who once called himself Don Quixote – hoping to rekindle his vision of glory.  She succeeds, and for a moment he regains his strength and revels once again as Don Quixote, Lord of La Mancha, only to falter and die.  Going forward, Aldonza refuses to let his dream die and again claims to be Dulcinea.

As Cervantes ends his story, the prisoners, deeply moved, return his manuscript to him, and urge him forward in his battle with the Inquisition.

Director: Michael Gareau

Musical Director: Marylen Milenkovic

Choreographer, Assistant Director: Debbie Millett

1930s, aboard the S.S. American sailing from New Yory…

Lovestruck Billy Crocker stows away on a Britain-bound liner in an attempt to chat the lovely Hope Harcourt out of the arms of her English Lord finance and into his own. Of course, the stowaway has to keep one step ahead of the pursuing purser, and so Billy is put through a series of disguises, helped both by a fondly friendly chanteuse called Reno, and by a minor criminal who has obligingly loaned him a much more successful criminal's ticket and berth. Billy and his crook pal end up exposed and in the brig, but they get out in time to tie up the happy ending.

Director: Debbie Miller

Musical Director: Marlene Hudson

Choreographer: Joan Scarcella