It has been nearly five years since Sun City residents and guests have had the opportunity to enjoy a musical play on their own turf. “The 1940’s Radio Hour” will take the audience …
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It has been nearly five years since Sun City residents and guests have had the opportunity to enjoy a musical play on their own turf. “The 1940’s Radio Hour” will take the audience on a nostalgic trip down memory lane into a backdrop of the Second World War, setting the stage for swinging big band music and old-fashioned situation comedy of a bygone period.
The play takes place in a small New York City radio station (WOV), located in the Hotel Aster’s Algonquin Room around Christmastime 1942. The action is centered around a group of performers who are attempting to make it to the “big time” in show biz, since it is the final broadcast of the Mutual Manhattan Variety Cavalcade, a show for American soldiers serving overseas during World War II.
The narrative concerns the harassed producer, the drunken lead singer, the second banana who dreams of singing a ballad, a delivery boy with theatrical aspirations and a talented trumpeter preparing to leave New York’s big band scene to fight abroad. It’s a challenge for the general manager just to get to the end of the show.
There is both a director and musical director for “The 1940’s Radio Hour.” They work together to ensure that the show’s musical elements are executed successfully. The director provides the vision for the show, while the musical director ensures that the music supports that vision.
The director, making certain that all moving parts connect, auditions and casts actors, assembles and oversees the production team, provides design direction, leads rehearsals and manages the production schedule of the project.
The musical director supervises the overall musical performance by helping the cast members learn their music, by directing their vocal performances and by working closely with the sound designer.
Herb Hyland, who is no stranger to Sun City patrons, is the director for this play. He has extensive experience with musical productions.
“I enjoy performing in musicals because it gives me a chance to sing and act. My goal as director is to make sure the production is up to the quality expected by the theater goers,” he said.
Hyland has most recently directed “Murder on the Menu” and “Old Hams” for Sun City audiences. In addition to serving in the past as president of Sun City Players, he has also offered and shared his technology, set designing and set building talents to the club.
The musical director is Linda Shirck, a church organist since she was a teenager. She is currently serving as assistant organist at American Lutheran Church. She is the accompanist for Sun City Sings!, which is the newly formed mixed chorus under Sun City Players, sings alto in the West Valley Chorale and performs frequently at the Sun City Piano Club.
Shirck has been the musical director for such plays as “South Pacific,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Bagful of Miracles,” “Nunsense” and “Phantom of the Country Opera.” Shirck chose to musical direct “1940’s Radio Hour” because, as she stated, “the Greatest Generation left a legacy of classic music that will resonate with Sun City’s audience”. She believes that after a few years hiatus, Sun City Players is committed to presenting a musical every season. We have a lot of musical talent in Sun City which needs to be seen and heard”.
“The 1940’s Radio Hour” will be presented 7 p.m. March 14, 21 and 22 at Mountain View Recreation Center, 9749 N. 107th Ave., with 2 p.m. matinees March 15, 16 and 23. Tickets are now available for $15 at suncityplayers.org. In person box office tickets can be purchased at Fairway Recreation Center, 10600 W. Peoria, the weeks of March 10-13 and March 17-20, 10 a.m.-noon Monday–Thursday.
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