Oxford Hills School Community Broadway Show (OHSCBS) celebrates 50 years of producing some of Broadway’s most beloved musicals by announcing the staging of one of the most iconic productions about Broadway itself, 42nd Street.
42nd Street hearkens to the gloriously rich era of Broadway musicals of the late 1930s and is the ultimate celebration of the unique art form that is Broadway. The glitzy, exciting, Gilded Age-era musical draws on a wealth of Broadway show history, with flashy dance numbers, a catchy story, and epic songs. It’s the perfect salute to Broadway and the ultimate show of respect to the last 50 years of musical productions here in the Oxford Hills.
42nd Street follows the backstage rehearsal process of a show staged at the height of the Great Depression. Centered around stars-in-her-eyes Peggy Sawyer, fresh off the bus from Pennsylvania, wanting to make it big on Broadway. She gets her big break (after a broken leg by the leading lady) but not without enduring a roller coaster ride. With “Lullaby of Broadway,” “We’re In The Money,” and “Shuffle Off To Buffalo,” as just a few of the show-stopping songs showcased in the musical, the production promises to deliver a spectacular send-up to all things Broadway.
Producer and musical director, Kyle Jordan, along with co-producers Jennifer St. Pierre and Dennis Boyd, Jr., agreed that this particular selection fits perfectly with OHSCBS’s 50th anniversary.
“I can’t think of a single musical that embodies the spirit of what our community musical productions have tried to be these last 50 years than this show right here,” Jordan said. “It’s a story about theater, music, dance, and community. It’s about celebrating an art form that has captured the imaginations of millions of people everywhere.”
St. Pierre added, “Our small, community theater legacy here in Oxford Hills has always been about showcasing the talents of people who otherwise would never set foot in a Broadway theater, let alone audition for a show. What better way to pay respects to those who started this 50 years ago, who brought Broadway to us all, and allowed us to participate and enjoy theater this way.”
Rounding out the production team is longtime OHCHS choral director Dennis Boyd, who has been in several OHSCBS productions – on and off stage. Taking on a greater role for 42nd Street as a co-producer, Boyd said he looks forward to being a part of this particular production.
“The community Broadway show is a unique institution in Maine. The fact that it has continued for 50 years is a testament to this community’s support for the arts. I am thrilled to be a part of such an amazing group.”
The producers are joined again by Andrew Turner, a veteran actor and director, with his fifth stint at the helm as director for OHSCBS. “I’m thrilled to have been asked to return. Particularly to direct this show. 42nd Street is a director’s dream. It includes a large cast, amazing dance numbers, fantastic songs, and all the challenges of a non-stop musical extravaganza. I can’t wait for auditions in January,” Turner said.
The foursome have worked together staging Seussical! The Show (2014), The Wizard of Oz (2016), Cinderella (2018), and All Shook Up (2022). The Oxford Hills School Community Broadway Shows have produced a show every other year since 1974’s Fiddler on The Roof, and has showcased the talents of residents and students of Oxford Hills ever since.
The show will take place on April 5-7, 2024 in the Mark S. Eastman Auditorium at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, located in South Paris. Auditions for the show are open to veterans and newcomers alike and will be held at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School in January.
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