The Kanab Area Community Theater, under the direction of the Symphony of the Canyons, has cast its selected musical Hello! My Baby for a run of four performances, August 4, 5, 6 and 8, at the Kanab High School Auditorium. Kortney Stirland, the founding director of the symphony, now in its 40th year, has wielded the baton for the semi-annual community musical productions now for 38 years.
Hello! My Baby is a newer production telling the story of “Tin Pan Alley’s” singers, songwriters, and publishers from the early 1900s in the heart of New York’s lower East Side when they sold new songs from street corners like newspapers. It was a very competitive business. Written by Emmy Award winning writer/producer of Cheers TV show, Cheri Steinkellner has created a story with the energy of High School Musical, but with the songs of Tin Pan Alley’s Great American Songbook with such timeless tunes as “Stairway to Paradise”, “I Ain’t Got Nobody”, “You Made Me Love You”, “If You Were the Only Girl in the World” and of course the title tune, “Hello! My Baby” along with many other hits by such composers as the Gershwins and Al Jolson. Music and comedy abound in this fast paced hilarious and lyrical offering.
Under the guidance of show producer Dave Owens and director Austin Soderquist, a cast of more than 30 meet five to six days a week (6 a.m. at present) to rehearse music, movement, dance, and their lines to prepare for opening night in less than seven weeks. The sets are already nearly complete, thanks to many volunteers along with the direction of Bryan Scott and Randy Merrell. In addition, much thanks goes out to Reidhead’s Forest Management Company for lumber and Waterman Welding for their wonderful prop “Fire Escape” for the set.
To follow along with the show’s progress and for more information, we invite you to access our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheaterinKanab.
The Symphony of the Canyons and the Kanab Area Community Theater greatly appreciates the support from so many in the area, including the Kane County School District, Kanab City, Kane County and especially Kane County Office of Tourism for helping to underwrite a large portion of the production cost for the show. You can also find additional orchestra info at www.symphonyofthecanyons.org.
Don’t miss Hello! My Baby! Mark your calendars now!
