After the stirring success of last year's productions, "The Good Woman of Setzuan" and "Kiss Me, Kate!," the Madeira Theatre Department is already up and running with an enchanting adaptation of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and a rousing rendition of "The Music Man" pending. Madeira's Thespians are constantly acting up a storm in their 590-seat proscenium theater, overlooking the Potomac River and Madeira's 376-acre campus.
The community is still reeling from last winter's too darn hot production of Cole Porter's vibrant "Kiss Me, Kate!" Several young men from area high schools, including McLean High School, Lake Braddock Secondary School, and Centreville High School, joined the Madeira players on stage for this production. Madeira's performance of this vivacious musical was met with great audience approval and rave Cappies reviews. As the Gangsters, and nominees for Best Ensemble in a Musical, Janie Nutter (class of '03) and Kat von Kann (class of '04) were honored to perform their Cappie-nominated, show-stopping number, "Brush Up Your Shakespeare" at last year's Kennedy Center Cappies Gala. Garry McLinn (Petruchio) was nominated for Best Male Vocalist, and Kat von Kann took home the Cappie for Best Comic Actress in a Musical.
This year Madeira has invited back their favorite man to campus: William Shakespeare. With performances on Nov. 6 and 7, Madeira's cast of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is thrilled to be working on one of Shakespeare's most celebrated comedies. In contrast to the productions of Shakespeare's time, Madeira's cast is composed of all women instead of all men! As the thespians work busily to bring the complex Shakespearean verse to life, plans for Madeira's upcoming Cappies musical, "The Music Man," are already under way.
Meredith Willson's "The Music Man," will stir up trouble, with a capital "T", on the Madeira campus, starting with auditions on Nov. 11, 12, 13, and 14. Willson's timeless tale follows Professor Harold Hill, a swindling con man, through the stubborn town of River City, Iowa. There he encounters the cool, but clever librarian, Marian Paroo, who he tries to woo through his shady shenanigans as the town's band director. Hill is able to smooth talk town officials, sway the adults of the city, and even win the heart of Ms. Paroo, all culminating in the band's debut with its 76 trombones. Madeira is looking for a few good men, young men, to fill some of the larger male roles of the show and to flesh out the ensemble. If you or someone you know might be interested, contact Allison Stockman (Director) at astockman@madeira.org or at 703-556-8284.