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LEHIGH VALLEY WEATHER

Curtain Rises ‘Company’ coming at Cedar Crest College

The Performing Arts Department at Cedar Crest College opens 2023 with a production of Stephen Sondheim’s musical “Company,” Feb. 23-26, Samuels Theatre.

“Company,” written by George Furth and with music and lyrics by Sondheim, was one of the first book musicals to deal with contemporary dating, marriage and divorce.

The show was also unusual for its time in that it lacks a linear plot. In a series of comedic vignettes that are not in chronological order, “Company” follows bachelor Bobby interacting with his married friends who throw a party for his 35th birthday.

The original 1970 Broadway production was nominated for a record-setting 14 Tony Awards, receiving six Tonys, including best musical and best score. The musical has had four revivals on Broadway with the most recent in 2021 switching the gender of the main character. The 2021 revival was nominated for nine Tony Awards and received five Tonys, including best revival.

The Cedar Crest production has the traditional casting and is directed by William Mutimer, head of the Northampton Community College Theatre Department.

In the show, Bobby is a popular single man living in New York City, and all of his friends are married or engaged. The couples, Joanne and Larry, Peter and Susan, Harry and Sarah, David and Jenny, and Paul and Amy, have gathered to throw Bobby a surprise birthday party.

When Bobby fails to blow out any candles on his cake, the couples promise him that his birthday wish will still come true. The musical then examines Bobby’s relationships with his friends, as well as the women he dates.

Songs include “Another Hundred People,” “Side by Side by Side,” ”Being Alive” and the title song.

The cast includes students from Cedar Crest College and Northampton Community College and community performers.

“I’m super excited to work with this group of people,” Mutimer says.

The cast features Patrick Mertz (Bobby), Rosemarie Kramer (Sarah). Nik Georgievski (Harry), Lydia Walker (Susan), Max Wetherhold (David), Cindy J. Lozada (Jenny), Josh Raub (David), Amelia Illingworth (Amy), Connor Sternberg (Paul), Kimberly Mertz (Joanne), Josh Crowley (Larry), Noel Cruz (Marta), Zaria Berry (Kathy) and Olivia Byrne (April).

Chad Miller is music director. Choreographer is Joey M Schubert.

“Company,” 7 p.m. Feb. 23-25; 2 p.m. Feb. 26. Tickets: 610-740-3780; https://www.cedarcrest.edu/academics/performing_arts/events.shtm

One-man show at KU:

Kutztown University’s performing arts series presented the touring production of the Off-Broadway hit, “The Wonder Bread Years” 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8, Schaeffer Auditorium.

Pat Hazell, playwright, actor, comedian and former writer for “Seinfeld,” stars in the one-man comedy show about growing up in the 1960s.

“The Wonder Bread Years,” written and directed by Hazell, debuted as a one-hour special on PBS.

From sitting at “the kids’ table” to riding in the back of the Country Squire station wagon, the show is a romp through pop culture history, rooted in Hazell’s Midwestern upbringing.

In the salute to the Baby Boomer generation, Hazell recalls the joys of childhood such as hula hoop contests, lawn darts. Kool-Aid, Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Robots, Eskimo Pies, Clackers and Tuffskin jeans.

“The Wonder Bread Years,” 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8. Tickets: 610-683-4092; http://kutztown.universitytickets.com/

“Curtain Rises” is a column about the theater, stage shows, the actors in them and the directors and artists who make them happen. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com

LEHIGH VALLEY STAGE

BY KATHY LAUER-WILLIAMS

Special to The Press

“The Wonder Bread Years,” 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8, Schaeffer Auditorium, Kutztown University, 15200 Kutztown Road., Kutztown. 610-683-4092; http://kutztown.universitytickets.com/

“Our Lady of the Tortilla,” 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10-11; 3 p.m. Feb. 12, Pennsylvania Playhouse, 390 Illicks Mill Road, Bethlehem. 610-865-6665; http://www.paplayhouse.org/

“Summer Lovin,’” 7 p.m. Fridays; 4, 7 p.m. Saturdays; 12:30 p.m. Sundays, through April 29, Pines Dinner Theater, 448 N. 17th St., Allentown. 610-433-2333; https://www.pinesdinnertheatre.com/

“Games We Play,” 8 p.m. Feb. 16-18, 23-25; 2 p.m. Feb. 19, 26, Touchstone Theatre, 321 E. Fourth St., Bethlehem. 610-867-1689; http://www.touchstone.org/

“Clue: On Stage,” 7 p.m. Feb. 17; 2, 6 p.m. Feb. 18; 2 p.m. Feb. 19, Pennsylvania Youth Theatre, Charles A. Brown Ice House, 56 River St., Bethlehem. 610-332-1400, https://123pyt.tix.com

“Hairspray,” 2, 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18, State Theatre, 453 Northampton St., Easton. 610-252-3132; https://statetheatre.org/

“Company,” 7 p.m. Feb. 23-25, 2 p.m. Feb. 26, Samuels Theater, Cedar Crest College, 100 College Drive, Allentown. 610-740-3780; https://www.cedarcrest.edu/academics/performing_arts/events.shtm

“Dreamgirls,” 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25, March 1-4; 2 p.m. Feb. 26, March 5, virtual, 10 a.m. March 4, Munopco Music Theatre, Scottish Rite Cathedral, 1533 Hamilton St,, Allentown. 610-437-2441; https://www.munopco.org/

“The Importance of Being Earnest,” 8 p.m. Feb. 22-25, March 2-3; 2 p.m. Feb. 26, March 5; 9:45 a.m. Feb. 27, Main Stage, Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley. 610-282-3192. https://www.desales.edu/news-events/act-1-productions

“Love + Information,” 8 p.m. Feb. 23-25; 2 p.m. Feb. 26, Baker Theater, Muhlenberg College, 2400 Chew St., Allentown. 484-664-3333; https://www.muhlenberg.edu/academics/theatre-dance/

“Silent Sky,” 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24-25, March 2-4, Feb. 26, Lehigh Department of Theater, Diamond Theater, Zoellner Arts Center, 420 E. Packer Avenue, Bethlehem. 610-740-3780. https://theatre.cas.lehigh.edu

“Sister Act,” 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24-25, March 3-4, 9-11; 2 p.m. Feb. 26, March 5, 12, Civic Theatre, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown. 610-432-8943; https://civictheatre.com/

“The Glass Menagerie,” 7:30 p.m. March 2-4, 6; 2 p.m. March 5, Norman Roberts Lab Theater, Northampton Community College, 3835 Green Pond Road, Bethlehem. 484-484-3412, http://ncctix.org

Email items for “Lehigh Valley Stage” to: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY CEDAR CREST COLLEGE The cast of “Company” at a read-through for musical at Cedar Crest College.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY Pat Hazel, “The Wonder Bread Years,” Kutztown University