June 14 marks the opening of the 46thseason of the Old Lyric Repertory Company (OLRC) and it wouldn’t be the Lyric without the continued involvement of W. Vosco Call who founded the company in 1966.
“Vosco is reviving our production of ‘Lend Me a Tenor’. He will be directing that show which he directed about 18 years ago,” said OLRC Artistic Director Dennis Hassan. “Some of the same cast will be coming back, playing different parts, of course.”
Hassan said when determining the season’s lineup of shows, first consideration is always given to the theatre’s patrons.
“Our main concern, of course, is what our audience likes to see. In this summer season, all of our shows are comic. Some of them have some tragic elements in them. But we keep it light. It’s entertainment. If you want to have a good time this summer we want the Lyric to be the place that you want to go.”
Hassan said the OLRC has always done four shows but this year there are six.
“If someone buys all four shows they get the two bonus shows in addition.”
“Steel Magnolias” (June 14) takes place in the south in Truvy’s Beauty Parlor where six women come together, supporting each other. The women form bonds together. It’s a comedy with some tragic moments.
“Private Lives” (June 21) is a Noel Coward play continuing the Lyric’s tradition of doing his plays throughout the years in what is considered a perfect space for one of his productions. Two divorced couples find themselves honeymooning in neighboring rooms at the same hotel with their new spouses.
“Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” (June 28) is a musical and was a huge hit on Broadway with several recognizable songs. It is the largest of the summer’s Lyric offerings with a large band supporting the cast. Lego Lewis, one of the Lyric crowd’s favorites from years gone by, portrays Jim.
“Lend Me a Tenor” (July 11) is the farce of the season. It tells the story of a diva opera star Tito Merelli (Lego Lewis) whose character is akin to a rock star of the time, the 1930s. It includes a lot of slamming doors and plot twists.
“Greater Tuna” (July 17) is one of the two bonus shows in the 2012 season. It is a two-actor show, which tunes into the radio station OKKK located in the third smallest town in Texas, Greater Tuna. That is where the Lions Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never died. Stefan Espinosa and Lee Daly portray over 20 characters each.
“Charlotte’s Web” (July 30) is the other bonus show and is performed by the 2012 OLRC high school apprentices. It is based on E.B. White’s timeless classic in which unlikely friends Wilbur the pig and Charlotte the spider capture the amazement of the state fair.
Individual ticket prices range from $18-$25 for adults, $15-$21 for seniors and USU faculty and $12-$18 for USU students and youth.
All shows run at USU’s Caine Lyric Theatre in downtown Logan.