It is with deep regret that Footlighters has decided to postpone its much-anticipated production of Walt Disney’s Beauty and the Beast until the spring of 2017.
“There were a variety of challenges, including music and costumes,” said president Brian Lawrence, who was slated to direct the musical. “Delaying the show for two years will allow the production team to overcome these challenges and offer the kind of quality show that Footlighters wishes to produce and that our supporters have come to expect.”
In its place, Footlighters will be producing the fabulous hit musical Carousel, by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein —the musical team behind The Sound of Music — directed by Frank Goodsir with assistance from Lawrence. Simone Wiebe will be the musical director. Auditions for the show will be held at the Snoring Sasquatch at 7 p.m. Dec. 9.
This show, which Rodgers claimed has some of his best music, opened on Broadway on April 19, 1945 and ran for nearly 900 performances. It has been revived on Broadway four times since. This production is set for April 16-18 at the Prince Charles Theatre, concluding the day before the 70th anniversary of Carousel’s original Broadway opening.
The story involves Julie Jordan, a young factory worker, who goes to the carnival and meets Billy Bigelow, a young barker. They fall in love and marry. Billy loses his job, and when Julie is about to have a child, becomes involved in a robbery, and is killed. Billy goes to heaven. Years later, he is permitted to return to Earth to see his daughter graduate from school.
Besides Julie and Billy, other characters include Carrie Pipperidge, who is betrothed to Mr. Enoch Snow. When the show jumps 15 years, they have a number of children including both boys and girls from teenagers to a small child (aged about six). There is Mrs. Mullin, the owner of the carousel; Nettie Fowler, Julie’s cousin; Jigger Craigin, the villain of the show who convinces Billy to take part in a robbery; and, of course, the Starkeeper. A large chorus of both men and women are also needed.
Songs in the show include the hauntingly beautiful Carousel Waltz, If I Loved You, You’ll Never Walk Alone, When the Children Are Asleep and June Is Bustin’ Out All Over.
Rehearsals will begin in mid-January. Lead actors will be rehearsing two or three times a week. There are many smaller parts; those who join the chorus or want extremely small parts will, for the first eight weeks, only be rehearsing once or twice a week. For more information, contact Frank Goodsir at 250-428-5082.
Carousel will conclude Footlighters 20th season, which included Dogsbreath Devereaux, The Dastardly Doctor, and Cinderella.
—FOOTLIGHTERS THEATRE SOCIETY