Beloved musical set to entertain audiences

A classic of American musical theatre is coming to the stage at the Glenn Massay Theatre in Palmer. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, based on the 1954 movie musical, will debut this weekend with two performances – 2 and 7 p.m. – on Saturday, Aug. 23. It will return for two more weekends, adding Friday night performances along with the matinee and evening shows on Saturdays.

Set in 1850s Oregon, the musical is a time-tested romantic comedy with contemporary relevance, involving stubborn men and clever women. The story centers on a backwoods family with seven unpolished brothers seeking servant-wives from among the more genteel in-town populace. Like any musical theatre classic, it is jam-packed with memorable songs.

This production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is being directed by veteran theatre artist A.J. Seims, who has more than a dozen local directorial credits to his name, including last summer’s Pirates of Penzance.

Bringing all the necessary elements together for a successful show has been a labor of love for Seims, who said he has wanted to direct Seven Brides for Seven Brothers for a long time. “It was always one of my favorites to watch when I was younger,” he said.

But making it happen was not without a few challenges. Casting was among them. Finding enough men for community choral or theatrical performances is never a small task. So filling the 12 significant male roles required by Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was a daunting prospect.

“There’s always a fear with this show about finding enough guys,” Seims said. “I had to beat the bushes a little. But we feel like we met the challenge.”

Deciding to do a dance-heavy show like Seven Brides made choreography another early concern for Seims. He said he had a tough time finding a choreographer up to the challenge until someone recommended Ash McCubrey.

A longtime dancer who is a University of Alaska-Anchorage business major, McCubrey has been training in dance since she was 4 and doing choreography since she was 14. “She’s been amazing to work with,” Seims said. “The choreography is even better than I anticipated. So I’m really happy with that.”

Seims has assembled a mostly veteran cast of actors who might be familiar to regular local audiences. The demanding lead roles of Adam and Milly, portrayed in the film by Hollywood legends Howard Keel and Jane Powell, are in the capable hands of Joe Myers and Dani Price. Myers has been a community theatre workhorse, especially for Valley Performing Arts, where he has appeared in a variety of on-stage roles, as well as in some back-of-house positions. True to his Renaissance Man stature in local theatre, Myers is also serving as the set designer and lead builder for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

Price is a trained singer with an extensive background in vocal performance. But she didn’t take her first turn as an actress until she auditioned for Seims’ production of Pirates of Penzance last year.

“Dani’s got a great voice. Audiences loved her in Pirates,” Seims said. “She’s put a lot of work into this show. She and Joe have a great rapport on stage. The relationship between Milly and Adam is as good as I could’ve hoped for.”

Price said bringing her Milly character to life alongside Myers’ Adam has been enjoyable work. But she said the show’s true magic is a group effort.

“Joe and I have spent a lot of time laughing as we have worked together. It has been fun to collaborate with someone who is dedicated to creating a positive and entertaining experience for the audience,” she said. “But everyone, on stage and off, has put an amazing amount of work into creating something special. The opportunity to sing and work with such talented people has been a wonderful experience.”

Drawing from one of the show’s more memorable songs, Bless Yore Beautiful Hide, Price said audiences will love this show because “it is full of hilarity, love, and forgiveness, and is ‘sassy as can be.’”

Her lead-role counterpart, Myers, agreed about the teamwork and sense of unity needed to bring Seven Brides for Seven Brothers to the local stage.

“The efforts of all the people, from set to stage to dance, have put nothing but pure passion into this production. People are going to love this classic story,” he said. “The show’s charm is not built just on onstage chemistry, but the cohesive and collaborative efforts of the entire cast and crew.”

Director Seims echoed that sentiment.

“I’ve got a great crew. That’s a make or break thing. Without the crew, I’d be totally lost, and the show would be lost, he said. “Both the cast and crew are like a happy family. You’ve got to have a good group. And luckily I do.”

That group includes Orchestra Director Sara Guhl and Carolyn Harding, the orchestra’s first chair violin and string section leader. Vocal Director is Carrie Johnson, who is tasked with helping the cast get the most out of a classic score. Carolyn Musgrave, a veteran of other Seims shows, is debuting as stage manager, and Kimber Smith is the technical director. Andrea Price is the costumer, Steffany Willhauck is the props manager, and Hailey Pierce handles sound for the production. Tickets for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers are available online at https://glennmassaytheater.universitytickets.com/w/. Seims said he expects audiences will have a good time watching the light-hearted show.

“It’s fast-paced and frolicking and really enjoyable. It makes you feel good and happy,” he said. “It’s going to be something all ages will want to watch.”