New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Founded in 1984, Shenandoah Summer
Music Theatre (SSMT) is a professional non-equity company under the artistic direction of Tom Albert. Founding Artistic Director, Harold Herman officially retired this spring. Albert has been with SSMT since its inception in 1984, serving as musical director for over 65 productions.
"The theatre was established to give Shenandoah theatre students an opportunity to experience professional theatre before going out to start their own careers in that field. Here, they have the opportunity to work with professionals who have already established their careers. It was also established in an effort to provide affordable, professional theatre for families in and around our community." says
Elizabeth Albert, Associate Managing Director.
Shenandoah Summer
Music Theatre produces four Broadway musicals each summer in the beautiful 630-seat Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre on the campus of Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA. Eleven performances are given of each musical over a two-week period drawing audiences from a 150-mile radius with groups traveling in from as far away as Ohio and North Carolina.
"The Directors chosen for the SSMT are a good mix of Shenandoah Conservatory faculty, alumni, and one from outside the university entirely, which makes for a great experience for the company. They get to work with different people who have different styles, and who may or may not know their work outside of SSMT, giving them a true professional experience." said Albert.
Opening June 11th, the season will showcase four musicals:
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Jonathan Flom, director
Thomas Albert, musical director
Edward Carignan, choreographer
The Addams Family
Carolyn Coulson, director
Karen Keating, musical director
Edward Carignan, choreographer
The Wiz
Edward Carignan, director/choreographer
Matthew J. Pool, musical director
The
Music Man
Robin Higginbotham, director
Robyn Schroth, choreographer
Karen Keating, musical director.
"SSMT has made a number of changes this year to be more audience and family friendly, said Albert. "We are adding more matinees since evening performances begin at 8 pm. Ticket pricing was revised to be simpler and to allow more families to attend. The youth pricing in particular was purposefully as inexpensive as we could get and the age range was expanded to allow for more teens to take advantage. The arts should be an experience for all ages."
"The musicals this year begin with "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" which has a dry sense of humor to "The Wiz" which is a non-traditional rock and gospel approach to The Wizard of Oz. For a farce experience, join "Charles Addams kooky, spooky cartoon family in The Addams Family". Of course, "The
Music Man" is a classic," added Albert.
"Although music has been a part of theater since ancient times, the musical theater we know and love today was born in the United States.
America can lay claim to being the nursery of a unique form that used song and dance as a means of furthering the action of the text or revealing information about a character, " quoted from
Sheri Leblanc Musings
Book your tickets today - Single tickets: Adult $30, Senior (63 and over) $25, Youth (16 and under) $15.
Go Blue Ridge Travel's new website has created a new travel experience category called "Surprising Sophistication". "The level of professionalism in music, dance, and theatre as well as the visual arts is one of the most misunderstood experiences here in the valley," said Nancy Craun, founder and owner. "Because this part of Virginia and West Virginia offers an affordable lifestyle to both singles, newly-weds, families, and retirees, we have top talent deciding to move here. Between our universities and our private non-profit art organizations, the valley can easily compete with the metropolitan areas within the hustle, cost, and stress.
Reach out to your backyard and plan to visit the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Piedmont and Shenandoah Valley this summer. Visit Go Blue Ridge Travel and use their itinerary planner to plan your exciting visit.
About GoBlueRidgeTravel.com
Launched in December 2011, Go Blue Ridge Travel (GoBRT) is an e-commerce marketing company using digital internet channels to both create a travel ecosystem community. GoBRT's mission is to create a marketing alliance available to businesses in the travel-planning, retail shopping, dining, and hospitality industries for the northern Piedmont and Shenandoah Valley of VA, WV, and MD thru a website and social media platform reaching both locals and tourists.
Founded and owned by Nancy Craun who grew up in the area and has 30 years of experience in the event planning, restaurant, hotel, and marketing arenas. GoBRT covers 160 plus mile radius of the Interstate 81 Corridor spanning the states of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland.
GoBRT's goal is to help others discover the beauty of the Piedmont and Shenandoah Valley and check something off one's bucket list. In the past two years, Go Blue Ridge Travel has received two Marketing Leveraging Grants totaling $75,000 from Virginia Tourism to develop the Shenandoah Valley Kids Trail and brand its mascot "
Bucket".
