What does a moon over Buffalo have to do with Logan?
The Old Lyric Repertory Company (OLRC) is set to open the 2004 season June 17 with Ken Ludwig’s farce, “Moon Over Buffalo.” The production opens at the Caine Lyric Theatre in downtown Logan (28 W. Center St.) at 8 p.m. and continues June 18 and 19. The June 17 opening is the kick-off of four shows playing in repertory through Aug. 7.
The Old Lyric Repertory Company (OLRC) is a program in the department of theatre at Utah State University. The company is a training ground for advanced theatre arts students as well as professionals. The OLRC generally produces four productions each summer in repertory, the last true rolling rep theatre company in northern Utah, according to executive director and producer Colin Johnson.
“Moon Over Buffalo” is a farce starring popular OLRC alumnus Lego Louis as one half (the megalomaniac half) of a husband and wife team in a fading repertory company on tour in 1953 producing “Cyrano de Bergerac” and Noel Coward’s “Private Lives” in Buffalo, N.Y. When legendary film director Frank Capra calls to say he is casting “The Scarlet Pimpernel” and is en route to see a matinee performance, the strain is too much for an aging actor in deep romantic trouble – a wife about to run off with her lawyer, a daughter switching boyfriends and a hard-of-hearing mother. As misunderstandings pile on misadventures, who knows what will appear onstage that afternoon.
Author Ken Ludwig brought Carol Burnett back to the stage in this Broadway hit.
OLRC founder, director and actor Vosco Call directs the opening production this season, and is anxious for patrons to see what unfolds on stage.
“‘Moon Over Buffalo’ is another intensely theatrical farce in the tradition of audience-pleasing farces produced by the OLRC,” Call said. “It is hand-in-hand with ‘Noises Off,’ ‘Lend Me a Tenor’ and ‘One for the Pot,’ among a list of many others.
“We have a superb cast of experienced players who have the physical adroitness and mental alertness to really play – full out – the most demanding of dramatic types. The energy they produce on stage during rehearsal is electric, filled with high-energy hilarity.”
The cast of “Moon Over Buffalo” includes OLRC veterans, alums and a few newcomers. Lego Louis returns to the Caine Lyric stage as George Hay, the theatre veteran looking for a break. Louis enters this season with 23 years of theatre experience on stage and screen, including numerous productions of “The King and I,” “ER” and “The Profiler.” Tracy Hill, another OLRC veteran, is back this season portraying Charlotte Hay, the second half of the theatre couple. Hill’s earlier roles for OLRC include Suzy Hendrix in “Wait Until Dark” and Philia in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” Jackie Fullmer joins the OLRC with credits from “Charly” and “Touched by an Angel.” She plays theatre mom Ethel in “Moon Over Buffalo.” Rosalind, the daughter of George and Charlotte is fighting to stay away from a theatre life and is portrayed by Amy Lewis, a Utah State graduate and OLRC alum. Richie Call, real life grandson of Vosco Call, plays Howard. Chrislynn Call plays Eileen, with Kent Hadfield as Paul and Ron King as Richard.
“Moon Over Buffalo” is the perfect satire of theatre folk and the lives they lead, said Call, and the Caine Lyric Theatre is the perfect venue to present the production.
“I’ve worked in a number of theatres from coast to coast, with stops in between, but none of them has the appeal the Lyric has to me. The Lyric Theatre is magical.”
“Moon Over Buffalo” is only the beginning of the summer repertory season. Three additional productions are yet to open and include “Song of Singapore,” “Enchanted April” and “The Hollow.”
Tickets for the 2004 OLRC season are currently available, including the OLRC’s Flex-Pass option. A Flex-Pass Season Subscription includes four coupons to any evening performance of choice (subject to ticket availability). With this option patrons can see what they want, when they want, or see all five shows at great savings, OLRC officials said.
There is also a matinee Flex-Pass option for even more savings. Special pricing also includes two-for-one pricing on Tuesday and Wednesday performances and the student rush nightly with tickets one-half off 15-minutes prior to curtain for those with student ID. Pricing and ticket information is available by calling (435) 797-0305, or visit the company’s Web site at www.usu.edu/lyric. Patrons can also purchase tickets at the Smith Spectrum ticket office on the Utah State campus (7600 Old Main Hill, Logan).
For a 2004 OLRC brochure, call (435) 797-3046, or for general inquiries call (435) 797-1500. The season also offers special promotional offers, contests and Web exclusive deals found at www.usu.edu/lyric.
The OLRC is supported by grants from the Balleine Supporting Organization, Marie Eccles Caine Foundation, George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation, Emma Eccles Jones Foundation, Utah Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, the Cache-Rich Tourist Council, Cache County, Anne Kennedy Roskelley Memorial Endowment, Dr. Ezekial R. and Edna Wattis Dumke Endowment, the Utah Arts Council-Old Lyric Repertory Company Matching Endowment Fund and Utah State University.
The 2004 OLRC sponsors are Caffe Ibis, Great Harvest Bread, Serendipity Beauty Salon, the Ellen Eccles Theatre, STARR 102.7 FM, KJQ FM, Ogden Raptors Professional Baseball Club and the Salt Lake Stingers Professional Baseball Club.
The complete OLRC schedule follows. Curtain time for evening performances is 8 p.m., and 2 p.m. for matinee performances.
“Moon over Buffalo:” June 17, 18, 19; July 1, 3 (matinee and evening), 21, 28; Aug. 6.
“Song of Singapore:” June 24, 25, 26 (matinee and evening); July 2, 22, 30; Aug. 4, 7 (matinee and evening).
“Enchanted April:” July 8, 9, 10 (matinee and evening), 23, 31 (matinee and evening).
“The Hollow:” July 15, 16, 17 (matinee and evening), 24, 27, 29; Aug. 5.