UW-Green Bay’s Opera and Musical Theatre Workshop presents ‘Americana Musicale’ April 20-21, 2018
GREEN BAY – The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s Opera and Musical Theatre workshop will present ‘Americana Musicale’ in Fort Howard Hall in the Weidner Center on April 20 at 7:30 p.m. and April 21 at 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
UW-Green Bay acting instructor Alan Kopischke will serve as special guest director along with workshop director UW-Green Bay Prof. Sarah Meredith Livingston (Music). The pianist for the program is Pam Heiser.
The first half of the program features selections from American musical theater and opera, highlighting excerpts from West Side Story to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s birth year.
The second half of the program features the one-act horse opera ‘Sweet Betsy from Pike’ by Mark Bucci. This 25-minute opera-satire is a music cartoon that tells the story of Betsy and Ike and their experiences in the “wild and woolly west.” It is based on the old American folk tune, and is a wonderful introduction to opera for children as well as adults.
The event is sponsored by UW-Green Bay Student Life and UW-Green Bay Music.
Cast for Sweet Betsy from Pike:
Friday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m
-Betsy: Heather Roberts
-Ike: Chase Grabowski
-Narrator: Lauren Paul
Saturday, April 21 at 2 p.m.
-Betsy: Eloise Williamson
-Ike: Alek Gerhartz
-Narrator: Raquel Lopez
Other participating singers: Julia Kreitzer, Jay Zamora, Marisa Slempkes, Savannah Grieveldinger, Lorelei Zimmerman, Taylor Gulbrand, Charrey Honkanen, Alyssa Hannam and Haley Ebinal.
About the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts
UW-Green Bay’s Weidner Center for the Performing Arts is known for its elegant design and the acoustic excellence of its 2,000-seat main hall, Cofrin Family Hall. It also houses two smaller performance spaces, the Fort Howard recital hall and the Jean Weidner Theatre, along with a dance studio and Grand Foyer. The Weidner Center has a distinct benefit in being part of a leading institution of higher learning. The Center is a home for UW-Green Bay Music and Theatre and Dance programs, community events and productions, and performances by visiting artists and touring companies. Beyond the large-scale touring productions that grace the stage, the Weidner Center also focuses on scholastic development, programming and an impactful education series — Stage Doors. For more information on the Weidner Center, visit www.WeidnerCenter.com, 920-465-2726, 800-895-0071, or follow ‘Weidner Center for the Performing Arts’ on Facebook, Twitter (@WeidnerCenter) and Instagram (@weidnercenter).
About the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is a comprehensive public institution offering undergraduate and graduate programs to 7,158 students. The University transforms lives and communities through exceptional and award-winning teaching and research, innovative learning opportunities, and a problem-solving approach to education. For more information, visit www.uwgb.edu.
