Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston announces a trio of Tony Award-winning musicals for its 46th consecutive summer season at the Robinson Theatre (617 Lexington St. Waltham, MA, 02452). South Pacific, the Rodgers and Hammerstein masterpiece about love and stereotypes set against the backdrop of a lush tropical island during WWII, opens the season June 12-22. Me and My Girl, the joyously funny story of an unrefined cockney gent who must choose between love or money, runs July 10-20. The season closes with a drenching revival of Reagle’s IRNE-award winning production of Singin’ in the Rain from August 7-17. Individual tickets range from $35 to $63; season subscriptions and group tickets are available at a discount. Tickets can be purchased at www.reaglemusictheatre.com, by calling 781-891-5600, or at the theater box office.
“For our 46th Annual Summer Season we are bringing the classic musicals of the ’30’s, ’40’s and ’50’s to life for a new generation,” says Robert Eagle, founder and producing artistic director of the long-running regional theater company known for casting Broadway stars alongside local talent. “In addition to exquisite music accompanied by a full orchestra, these family musicals all have at their core common themes of love and acceptance – acceptance of ourselves, and acceptance of others. South Pacific’s strong message about stereotypes and racism are particularly heart-felt and relevant to today’s audiences. Bill Snibson’s journey in Me and My Girl from cockney to nobility shines a humorous light on the nature of class distinctions that fans of Downtown Abbey will instantly recognize. Singin’ In the Rain’s lighthearted love story of young Hollywood actors who must sink or swim in the face of new sound technology will be a fun eye-opener for younger audiences who adapt to new technologies effortlessly and have access to movies and music in the palm of their hands. The show-stopping marquee scene features a drenching rain on stage! We know that audiences of all ages will find something to love on our stage this summer.”
About the 46th Annual Summer Season:
Rodgers Hammerstein‘s South Pacific [June 12-22] is a masterful love story between an Army nurse and a mysterious French planter set in an island paradise during World War II. South Pacific’s portrayal of Americans stationed in an alien culture in wartime is as relevant today as when it first thrilled audiences in 1949 with the tunes “Some Enchanted Evening,” “There is Nothing Like A Dame,” and “I’m Gonna Wash that Man Right Outta My Hair”. This groundbreaking musical explores themes of prejudice and bigotry and won ten Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for drama. Music by Richard Rodgers. Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan. Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize winning novel Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener. Presented by Special Arrangement with Rodgers and Hammerstein Theatricals: www.rnh.com.
Broadway actress Lydia Gaston* will star in South Pacific in the role of “Bloody Mary.” Lydia returns to the Reagle stage after playing “Lady Thiang” in Reagle’s 2007 production of The King and I. She is a veteran of five Broadway shows: 1996 Broadway revival of The King and I, Miss Saigon, Jerome Robbins‘ Broadway, Shogun and The Red Shoes. Other projects in New York have also included The Public Theater (2008 Shakespeare Lab Co, Dogeaters), lead roles for Ma-yi Theater Group, Nat’l Asian American Theatre Company and Pan Asian Repertory. She has performed at The Kennedy Center, Goodspeed Opera House, Virginia Opera, and Papermill Playhouse. TV credits include a featured role in HBO’s The Sopranos, as well as many commercials. Lydia is also a New York City teaching artist, as well as an adjunct professor at SUNY-Old Westbury, New York. She recently earned an M.A. in Applied Theatre (The School of Professional Studies, CUNY Graduate Center) and also holds a B.A. in Theatre and Dance from Empire State College (SUNY). She is a founding member and co-director of education through theatre at Leviathan Lab, New York (a creative studio for theater and film). Lydia trained and was a professional concert dancer with Ballet Philippines. *Denotes member of Actors Equity Association.