C M Y K

For the weekend of Oct. 14-16, 2011

A weekly guide of things to doOut About&

Allegany

Page B-12

By Kate Day Sager Olean Times Herald

ALLEGANY — Audiences will be treated to an evening of beautifully intertwined melodies, gor-geous period costumes and “a phenomenal cast” during this weekend’s staging of “A Little Night Music” at the Allegany-Limestone High School auditorium on Five Mile Road.

The hit Broadway show will be brought to the local community by the Olean Community Theatre as its final show of the season. The musical will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

Nathan Bell, a native of Eldred, Pa., said this is his first large-scale musical to direct.

“The music is extremely difficult, Stephen Sondheim is not easy on anyone,” Mr. Bell said of the musical composer for the show. “We wanted to do this because the music is a challenge.”

Mr. Bell said the theater group was able to recruit “a phenomenal cast” who have successfully taken on the challenge of the show.

“Some of the cast are new, but others came out for this because they love the musical,” he said. “They’ve all done a terrific job learning the music and with Eric (Van Druff) as vocal director ... I think it will come off nicely.”

Mr. Van Druff agreed and said the show is fortunate to have an “incredible pianist like Mark Lungershausen” as the rehearsal accompanist.

“He has been a great resource to assist our cast with this incredibly difficult score,” Mr. Van Druff said.

“One of the great challenges with performing a Steven Sondheim show is the complicated music he writes ... constantly changing key signatures, overlapping melody lines and complex orchestra-tion,” Mr. Van Druff continued. “In addition, Ruth Fuller, our orchestra conductor, has assembled a talented and experienced group of musicians to provide a full, lush sound.”

He said a group of talented veteran vocalists from the community, as well as several newcomers on stage, will round out the show. The plot of the show, set in the early 1900s, revolves around char-acters Frederik Egerman, performed by Rodney

Stebbins, and his young bride, Anne, played by Erin Arsenault, who is making her debut with the theater company. The intrigue occurs when Frederik decides to visit his old flame, Desiree Armfeldt, played by Tammy Crawford, who also has to contend with her own married lover, Count Carl-Magnus, performed by Mr. Van Druff.

A highlight of the show occurs with the hit song, “Send in the Clowns.”

Minna Badanes, producer, said the show “looks wonderful” and the actors and crew are doing “an absolutely wonderful job.

“The costuming is built by Monica Kellogg, who actually made all of the costumes,” Ms. Badanes said. “She did an incredible job, and they’re gorgeous; she’s been working on this for months.”

She noted that Ardyth Van Scoy, who plays Countess Charlotte Malcolm in the show, also is a talented seamstress and helped by making hats for the costumes.

“The show has been on Broadway forever and has a lot going for it, with all the costuming and dances,” Ms. Badanes said. “Everything is in the period so its going to be a thoroughly enjoyable evening for anybody who comes.”

Tickets for the show are $12 for adults, $10 for senior citizens and youngsters age 18 and under. Tickets are available at Studio 4 East in Allegany; Uptown Florist in Olean; and Both, Branch and Hendrix Insurance in Olean. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.octnow.com.

(Contact Kate Day Sager at kates_th@yahoo.com)

How about ‘A Little Night Music?’ Breanna Farner/Olean Times Herald

Ardyth Van Scoy (left) and Eric Van Druff rehearse “A Little Night Music.”

Olean Community Theatre presents its latest musical this weekend

Barbershop Chapter celebrate 65 years with show

The Olean Barbershop Chapter will celebrate its 65th anniversary with a show at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Portville Central School Auditorium.

On the chapter’s very first show in 1947 they had 13 quar-tets. This year’s celebration of 65 years of Barbershop Harmony won’t feature 13 quartets, but the show will have lots of vari-ety, starting with emcee Larry Brennan, who brings to life on the stage his various pals through his gift of ventriloquism. Guest quartets include Geneva Convention, Keystone Express, and the Olean Chapter’s own Chord-uroy.

When it started, the chorus was referred to as the Olean “Plaster-Busters” Chorus. It seems that name faded out in the 1960s. Since ceilings are no longer plastered, a similar name today might be the “Sheet Rock Smashers”! However today the Olean Chorus goes by a more respectable name and is now known as the “Olean Enchanted Mountain Chorus.” The Keynote Chorus will also make a guest appearance, under the direction of their new director Norene Ferris.

Olean Barbershop President Marshall Allen said, “One of the best things about our shows is that they are for the whole family, kids from 8 to 80 will love it.”

For tickets call Phil at 557-8967. Tickets are $8 for general admission seating and $10 for reserved seating. Tickets can also be had at Mandy’s Flower Shop in Olean, or at the John Ash Community Center. The Olean Barbershop Chapter has a mission to help out local food pantries. Its motto is, “We sing to feed them all.”

BRADFORD, Pa. — The National Players, America’s longest running touring company, will present John Steinbeck’s classic play “Of Mice and Men” at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

The performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Bromeley Family Theater. The cost for the public is $10 to $12. All students can see the show for free.

“Of Mice and Men” tells the tragic and endearing story of mismatched friends George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced migrant ranch workers in Depression-era California.

George has big dreams for a tiny man, while the large but simple Lennie seeks the comfort of life’s little pleasures. Just as George’s dreams seem within reach, his compassion is tested through Lennie’s mistakes.

Steinbeck adapted the play in 1937 from his novella of the same name. Two years later, it was turned into a movie starring Lon Chaney Jr. as Lennie.

Now celebrating its 63rd season, the National Players have earned a distinctive place in American theater by bringing innovative and accessible productions to audiences across the country. Actors not only play multiple roles onstage, but also serve as managers, teaching artists and technicians.

For more information or tickets, call the Bromeley Theater Box Office at (814) 362-5113.

‘Of Mice and Men’ to hit the stage at Pitt-Bradford

Breanna Farner/Olean Times HeraldErin Arsenault (left) and Rodney Stebbins rehearse “A Little Night Music.”

Bradford, Pa.

ALLEGANY — Immerse yourself in the beautiful rhythms of West Africa, Central Africa, Haiti and beyond with Harp and McKotch for an evening filled with drum and song. Vocalist/percussionist Rhonda Harp and drummer T.R. McKotch of GAHU Drum Ensemble will offer participants their Universal Hand Drum workshop at the Cattaraugus County Arts Council at 7 p.m. Oct. 22.

Participants will enhance their listening skills, team build-ing skills, rhythmic skills and more through drum and song. Instructors will lead participant to explore Kpanlogo (Ghana), Luba (Congo), Shiko (Nigeria) and many more beautiful songs.

Rhonda Harp and T.R. McKotch have extensive experi-ence with music and teaching as evidenced in their work with Infinity Visual and Performing Arts and the Arts Council of Chautauqua County, both in Jamestown.

This workshop is an all-ages community event. No is expe-rience necessary to participate. Drums provided for those with-out. Space is limited. Workshop fee is $15 pre-pay or $20 at the door. Contact the council at 372-7455 or email courtney@myartscouncil.net to register. Registration can also be complet-ed online at www.myartscoun-cil.net under the Community Art and Pottery Studio listings.

Hand-drum workshop to be held in Allegany