"Me and My Girl" hits Macomb (7/2/08)

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Posted: 7/2/08

The Tony and Critic Circle award-winning musical "Me and My Girl" will be presented by Western Illinois University's Summer Music Theatre Saturday and Sunday, July 5-6 and Thursday-Sunday, July 10-12 in the Western Illinois University Hainline Theatre.

Showtime is 7:30 p.m. nightly, except on Sunday, July 6 when the show will be a 2 p.m. matinee performance.

A delightful British musical, "Me and My Girl" originally debuted in London's West End theatre in 1937 and had an amazing run of 1,646 performances. It was revived in 1952 and again in 1984 in London; and in 1986 the show opened at the Marquis Theatre on Broadway. The book and lyrics are by L. Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber; music is by Noel Gay.

In the musical, the late Viscount Hareford had a youthful, unfortunate marriage - and kept discretely out of sight was a son and heir. The Hareford Hall set are despondent when the family solicitor finds the legitimate heir is Bill Snibson, a young Cockney fellow from Lambeth, played by Western Illinois senior musical theatre major Micah Spayer (Peoria), who brings with him his Cockney girlfriend, Sally, played by Liz Ali (Phoenix, AZ), a musical theatre major at Webster Conservatory, St. Louis, and many of their Cockney friends.

The large cast listing includes Jeannie Marlin, known off-stage as Jeannie Woods, artistic director of Summer Music Theatre 2008 and chair of Western's theatre and dance department since Fall 2006. She is a director, educator, author and actor who is performing in "Me and My Girl" as The Duchess, along with her husband, Dan Woods, who is playing Sir John.

Marcus Olson, assistant professor of theatre and head of Western's bachelor of fine arts program in musical theatre, is directing "Me and My Girl." Musical director is Lynn Thompson, vocal music faculty member, and choreographer is Heidi Clemmens, associate professor of dance. Technical direction is by Michael Klippert. Designers include Professor David Patrick for set, Wendi Zea for costumes and David Makuch for lighting.

Season tickets - $35 - are available for the final two shows: "Me and My Girl," which is suitable for family viewing, and "The Rocky Horror Show," which contains sexual situations and strong language and is not suggested for children. Individual show tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors age 62 and older and for children age 12 and younger and $7 for WIU students admitted to Western before Summer 2006. Students admitted to WIU in Summer 2006 or later have paid an arts fee and will get in free of charge. For tickets, contact the box office at 309/298-2900 from noon-5 p.m. weekdays or order online at http://wiuartstickets.com.

For more information on the shows, call Western's Department of Theatre and Dance at 309/298-1543, or visit www.wiu.edu/summermusictheatre.

-University Relations