Community Theatre comedy, "Funny Little Thing Called Love," final event of season

March 5, 2016

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The Matthews ends the Subscription Season with a new Jones Hope Wooten comedy, “Funny Little Think Called Love.” Our community theater takes to the stage for the weekend of April 28-May 1, 2016. Max G. Merchen directs this production. The Thursday-Saturday performances are at 7:30 p.m. and the Sunday show is at 2:00 p.m. This is the sixth & final event in our 2015-16 Subscription Series. Individual tickets are on sale for $15 adults, $5 youth and BHSU students.

Note: If you are a series subscriber, you will automatically be reserved for the Friday, April 29 show. Call us at 605.642.7973 or email us at marketing@matthewsopera with your preferred date.

Show Details:
Apr. 28-May 1, 2016 
Thursday-Saturday: 7:30pm, Sunday: 2:00pm
Tickets:
$15 for Adults
$5 for Youth and BHSU students

Play Synopsis

“She’s not dead. She’s French!” 

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Rehearsal from “Upper West Side Story” with (L-R) Jack Hughes, Elysia Pederson, Amy Ruff, Max G. Merchen, and Shonee Singer (not-dead French lady).

This deliriously funny new Jones Hope Wooten comedy is all about that four letter word: L-O-V-E. Under a full moon on this unpredictable night of romance, these four rollicking tales take you on an around-the- globe journey of unexpected and hilarious twists and turns…

  • A slick, successful used-car-selling Romeo in Dallas, Texas, believes he’s answering Cupid’s call, only to realize too late that he’s wandered into a life-changing trap set by three fed-up “Juliets.”
  • On an island getaway, the Hallelujah Girls, a group of fun-loving gals from Georgia, say aloha to their wild sides as they accidentally crash a Hawaiian honeymoon in progress. These five women — and Waikiki — will never be the same!
  • In a rooftop London bistro, sparks fly when two strangers surprisingly start to connect, only to be thwarted by a hyperactive American tourist who’s determined to be the center of attention, and the unpredictable antics of an ancient waitress who wields a wicked sousaphone.
  • In Manhattan, a man tries to battle his way out of a mid-life crisis with an ill-advised and elaborate marriage proposal. Unfortunately, it all goes wildly off- track when his caterer passes out, a tap-dancing singing telegram girl breaks into sobs rather than song, his ex-wife saunters in wearing nothing but a bathrobe and a smile, and a cowering superhero inches nervously across his twelfth-floor window ledge.

So, open your heart to romantic mayhem and come join the fun! By the time the evening is over and the moon works its magic, love will conquer all and your sides will ache from laughter!

Entire Cast List

Ann Froelich
Jack Hughes
Vanessa Kitzler
Max G. Merchen
Dwight Myers
Jacob Paul
Elysia Pederson
Lynn Pederson
Amy Ruff
Bobbi Sago
Shonee Singer
Sydney Bridgeport
Samantha Lynn Vaselaar Thompson
Pamela Wegner

Cast List By Scene

Love Is On the Air

TAYLOR…..Vanessa Kitzler
RICK ……….Jacob Paul
ERIN………..Samantha Thompson

The Lone Star Ladies’ Justice Brigade

A.J………Dwight Myers
TWYLA……..Bobbi Sago
CORINNE……..Pamela Wegner
HOLLIS……..Lynn Pederson
ELSIE……..Sydney Bridgeport

A Hono-lulu of a Honeymoon

SUGAR LEE……..Amy Ruff
BOBBY DWAYNE……..Jack Hughes
NITA……..Bobbi Sago
CARLENE……..Elysia Pederson
MAVIS……..Pamela Wegner
CRYSTAL……..Samantha Thompson
PORTER……..Max G. Merchen

A Little Brit of Romance

ALASTAIR……..Dwight Myers
GWENDOLYN……..Pamela Wegner
LOTTIE……..Ann Froelich
BRANDY……..Samantha Thompson
FERLIN……..Max G. Merchen

Upper West Side Story

STAN……..Jack Hughes
JAKE……..Max G. Merchen
MIMI………Shonee Singer
AMBER……..Elysia Pederson
RITA……..Amy Ruff
MEREDITH……..Lynn Pederson
DEENA……..Vanessa Kitzler
WILLARD……..Dwight Myers

CAST BIOGRAPHIES

Sydney Bridgeport as Elsie
Sydney has appeared in many MOH plays over the course of her lifetime. She just completed her first MOH directing position in “The Maltese Falcon Live Radio Play.” She is blessed and grateful to be on stage with this incredible cast and crew.

Ann Froelich as Lottie
Ann is thrilled being on stage with this incredible cast, crew, and director. Ann has been involved in MOH theatre for many years. She also has been the director of Children’s Theatre for nine seasons.

Jack Hughes as Bobby Dwayne | Stan
This is Jack’s 4th roll on the MOH stage. He was in September’s Theatre on the Run, “The Last Roundup of the Guacamole Queens,” and “The Maltese Falcon Live Radio Play.” Jack works at TDG Communications in Deadwood and is also the MOH “sound dude” for all concerts.

Vanessa Kitzler as Taylor | Deena
Vanessa is a 2005 BHSU theatre graduate. She was in several BHSU productions and MOH plays, “Carousel” and “Toward Zero.” This is Vanessa’s first MOH play in ten years. She’s excited to be acting again with such wonderful people.

Max G. Merchen as DIRECTOR | Porter | Ferlin | Jake
Max is pulling double duty in this production as both director and actor. He has previously appeared on the Matthews Opera House stage in “RED” and in “Picasso at the Lapin Agile.” Max also ‘cowboy’d up’ for last summer’s “Phantom of the Matthews House Opera.”

Dwight Myers as Willard | A.J. | Allistair
Dwight recently had his hands on “The Maltese Falcon Live Radio Play” and now is very excited to be in another comedy by the authors of the Sweetgum trilogy. It is awesome to join this wonderful cast of MOH veterans and newcomers, making this show great fun. He hopes that y’all have as much fun watching it as they had had doing it.

Jacob Paul as Rick
This is Jacob’s first role on the MOH stage. He’s performed in high school productions and worked on sets and props for some college productions. Jacob moved to Spearfish this past fall where he is a barber at Mitchell’s Barber Shop.

Elysia Pederson as Carlene | Amber
Elysia is happy to be back on stage. She was last seen in Theater on the Run last year. She’d like to thank her friends and family for all their support, especially her wonderful son, Oliver.

Lynn Pederson as Hollis | Meredith
Lynn has appeared in numerous plays at Black Hills State University and MOH. Her most recent performance was in “The Maltese Falcon Live Radio Play.” She is mom to Darin and Elysia and grandmother to Jaxon, Saylor, Oli and Cora.

Amy Ruff as Sugar Lee | Rita
Amy made inhaling whipped cream an art form during her 3 performances in The Red Velvet Cake War trilogy. She thanks Travis Ruff for holding down the homefront for Alivia, Wyat, and Alyse.

Bobbi Sago as Twyla | Nita
Bobbi is very excited to be part of this production. She previously performed in Theatre on the Run. When not acting, Bobbi is a writer and works as a librarian at BHSU.

Shonee Singer as Mimi
Shonee Singer is a playwright, and theatre education major at BHSU. This is her first show with MOH and she couldn’t be more excited. Shonee is the founder of Theatre for a Starving Artist and has had a few plays of her own produced at the college.

Samantha Thompson as Erin | Crystal | Brandy
Samantha Thompson studied theatre at Saint Mary’s University in Winona, MN where she had the opportunity to work both on and off the stage. Moving to Spearfish, SD has just given her more opportunity to work with wonderful people and enjoy the Opera House! Samantha has appeared on the MOH stage as Char in MOMologues, and was an understudy in The Phantom of the Matthews Opera.

Pamela Wegner as Corinne | Mavis | Gwendolyn
Pamela Wegner is a Professor of Theatre at BHSU where she has directed plays for over 20 years. She appeared in the MOH production of “The Last Roundup of the Guacamole Queens,” as one of the sexy senior-citizen cheerleaders, and most recently in “The Maltese Falcon Live Radio Play.”

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