Ogunquit Playhouse announces feel-good season

Five feel-good productions are slated for the 2009 season at the Ogunquit Playhouse, running roughly from Memorial Day to Columbus Day.

“In choosing the 2009 season, we reflected on other challenging times and worked long and hard to present a season full of heart and shows that ride on positive feelings that will uplift our audience,” executive artistic director Bradford Kenney said in a press release.

Kicking off the season is “A Chorus Line,” on stage May 20 through June 13. This musical held the record as the longest running show on Broadway for 15 years and garnered nine Tony Awards. The show follows 17 dancers auditioning for a new Broadway musical, only eight of whom will make it.

An all-new production of “Shout! The Mod Musical” runs from June 17 through July 11. It tracks five girls as they come of age in the 1960s, going back to the music, fashion and freedom of that liberating decade. Packed full of songs and dancing, it features hits such as “Downtown” and “Son of a Preacher Man.”

From July 15 through August 8, the theater will present “Guys and Dolls,” Broadway’s musical comedy about gambling men and the women who try to tame them. Ogunquit Playhouse will recreate the 1992 Broadway revival directed by Steven Beckler. “Guys and Dolls” is the winner of eight Tony Awards and a Grammy for Best Cast Album.

The musical “Singin’ in the Rain,” based on the film, is showing Aug. 12 through Sept. 12. Set in Hollywood in the waning days of the silent screen, the future of three talented entertainers is threatened by one leading lady who “can’t sing, can’t dance, can’t act.” Written by the team of Betty Comden and Adolph Green, this show comes with an on-stage rain shower.

The King will take the stage this fall in the new Broadway musical comedy “All Shook Up,” playing Sept. 16 through Oct. 11. With rock ’n’ roll, gospel, romance and mistaken identities, it’s the story of a small-town girl with big dreams and the man she falls for, complete with many Elvis Presley hits.

Performances are Tuesdays through Sundays. Main Stage ticket prices range from $39 to $58 per show. For a full list of show times and to purchase tickets, visit www.ogunquitplayhouse.org or call 207-646-5511.

dancing for the Prescott Park Arts Festival

Tickets are on sale for the annual Prescott Park Arts Festival fundraiser on Saturday, March 28, at Seacoast Harley Davidson in North Hampton. The dance party is typically attended by hundreds, and last year it sold out with a long waiting list.

Community members are invited to dance to live entertainment and sample hors d’oeuvres and a dessert buffet, with proceeds benefiting the festival. The 21-plus event starts at 7:30 p.m. and goes until 11 p.m.

A silent auction will include box seats for a Celtics game, Red Sox tickets, concert tickets, ski passes and spa treatments. Entertainment will be provided by Boston’s 10-piece funk and soul band, Soul City. The location offers a central dance floor and overarching balcony.

Soul City has performed with Ray Charles, Earth, Wind & Fire and the Four Tops. The band has brought the nightclub experience to packed dance floors all over New England and beyond for more than 20 years. Their performance combines four-part vocals, a four-piece rhythm section, and horns.

A VIP reception preceding the dance party will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., showcasing unique Harley Davidson models. There will also be a wine tasting with special guests of the Prescott Park Arts Festival, hors d’oeuvres and a separate band.

Tickets are $65 for the dance, $25 for the VIP reception, or $80 for both. Visit www.prescottpark.org or call 603-436-2848.

Beatlemania in Rochester

The music and spirit of The Beatles lives on with the multimedia stage show “Beatlemania Now,” coming to the Rochester Opera House on Saturday, March 28.
The show is divided into six scenes spanning The Beatles’ career through the 1960s, with songs ranging from “I Want to Hold Your Hand” to “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” As a costumed band recreates the music, live images form a backdrop featuring news clips, documentary reels, and movie and concert footage. The show also features an array of stage effects to help recapture the energetic atmosphere of the ’60s.

The Broadway musical, originally conceived and produced by David Krebs and Steve Leber, first hit theaters in 1977. The current tour reunites four members of the original cast, who will perform more than 35 classic Beatles songs note for note.

The show begins at 8 p.m. at the Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St., Rochester, 603-335-1992. Tickets are $26 for the general public; $24 for students and seniors.