FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Please contact: Ruth Baum Bigus Publicist, Theatre in the Park (913) 707-7746 [email protected]“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”- - next production at The Theatre in the Park Book donations sought for the Hike Reading Achievement Program White-washing fences, sneaking through graveyards and exploring a cave for hidden fortune. Such is the fun for three Midwestern kids during the summer of 1840 in the small Missouri town of St. Petersburg, Missouri. It’s also the setting for the musical “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, the next production taking the stage at Theatre in the Park. A musical adaptation of the Mark Twain classic, this musical follows the mischievous Tom and his pals as they deal with the ups and downs of life in the 1800s. “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” opens Friday, July 18 and continues for seven performances July 19 & 20 and the following week July 23-26; gates open at 6:30 p.m. with all performances beginning at 8:30 p.m. “Tom Sawyer” is sponsored by Capitol Federal Savings and is rated G. “Tom Sawyer” marks the TTIP directorial debut of Bess Wallerstein Huff. Music direction is done by Marsha Canaday with choreography by Kacy Christensen and fight choreography staged by Chris Gleeson. In its continued effort to help beyond the footlights, TTIP is partnering with The HIKE Reading Achievement Program that provides expert instruction, academic support and educational resources to enhance reading skills of low-income children. Theater-goers are asked to bring new or gently used books to donate when they come to “Tom Sawyer,” TTIP will give them a coupon for free popcorn as a token of thanks. In “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” audience members are treated to the escapades of Tom and his pal Huckleberry Finn. The twosome are known for getting into mischief and do so first at school and then at home with Tom “sentenced” to white-wash the fence. Huck thinks painting the fence looks like fun and Tom him and his schoolmates trick him into taking on the task. Becky Thatcher enters the picture and Tom gets his first taste of romance. Later that night, the two young boys venture into a local graveyard and spy and end up seeing a murder. Scared, the boys flee but promising to keep mum about what they witnessed. There’s more adventure in store as a community picnic takes place when Tom, Becky and Huck disappear, lost in a cave. While the townspeople fear the beloved trio has disappeared forever, Tome, Becky and Huck end up watching their own funeral before all is resolved with a happy ending. The action-packed story, written by Ken Ludwig, and spirited score by Don Schlitz is a production the entire family will enjoy.
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“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”- - next production at The Theatre in the Park
Book donations sought for the Hike Reading Achievement Program
White-washing fences, sneaking through graveyards and exploring a cave for hidden fortune. Such is
the fun for three Midwestern kids during the summer of 1840 in the small Missouri town of St. Petersburg,
Missouri. It’s also the setting for the musical “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, the next production taking the
stage at Theatre in the Park. A musical adaptation of the Mark Twain classic, this musical follows the
mischievous Tom and his pals as they deal with the ups and downs of life in the 1800s.
“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” opens Friday, July 18 and continues for seven performances July 19 & 20 and the following week July 23-26; gates open at 6:30 p.m. with all performances beginning at 8:30
p.m. “Tom Sawyer” is sponsored by Capitol Federal Savings and is rated G.
“Tom Sawyer” marks the TTIP directorial debut of Bess Wallerstein Huff. Music direction is done by
Marsha Canaday with choreography by Kacy Christensen and fight choreography staged by Chris Gleeson.
In its continued effort to help beyond the footlights, TTIP is partnering with The HIKE Reading
Achievement Program that provides expert instruction, academic support and educational resources to
enhance reading skills of low-income children. Theater-goers are asked to bring new or gently used books to
donate when they come to “Tom Sawyer,” TTIP will give them a coupon for free popcorn as a token of thanks.
In “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” audience members are treated to the escapades of Tom and his
pal Huckleberry Finn. The twosome are known for getting into mischief and do so first at school and then at
home with Tom “sentenced” to white-wash the fence. Huck thinks painting the fence looks like fun and Tom him
and his schoolmates trick him into taking on the task. Becky Thatcher enters the picture and Tom gets his first
taste of romance.
Later that night, the two young boys venture into a local graveyard and spy and end up seeing a
murder. Scared, the boys flee but promising to keep mum about what they witnessed. There’s more adventure
in store as a community picnic takes place when Tom, Becky and Huck disappear, lost in a cave. While the
townspeople fear the beloved trio has disappeared forever, Tome, Becky and Huck end up watching their own
funeral before all is resolved with a happy ending. The action-packed story, written by Ken Ludwig, and spirited
score by Don Schlitz is a production the entire family will enjoy.
The HIKE program was created with Phoenix Family through a five-year partnership of the Trent Green
Family Foundation, its largest initiative to date. Green, the beloved former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, has
been very supportive of charitable work in the metro area. Books collected through TTIP’s production of “Tom
Sawyer” will go to filling a library at one of Phoenix Family’s facilities. Green is scheduled to be the VIP Emcee for the July 23 performance of “Tom Sawyer”.
“For the Trent Green Family Foundation, nothing is more important than the future of Kansas City’s
youth,” said Green, who chairs the foundation. “And when we learned that children who can’t read proficiently by
third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school — and children from low-income families are six
times more likely to drop out — we knew we had to do something. This will help instill the key to education.”
Phoenix Family offers programs to more than 5,600 residents living in 34 low-income housing
communities in 14 cities throughout Missouri, Iowa and Kansas. Through its Youth Development, Families First
and Senior Empowerment programs, it provides an integrated, broad range of services tailored to the individual
resident. Activities are designed to enable residents to stay in their homes and with their families while they
make progress towards and attain self-sufficiency.
Now its 45th season of providing family-friendly musical theatre entertainment, this year’s TTIP line-up
will conclude with the award-wining musical “Ragtime”. All shows can be seen at The TTIP outdoor
amphitheater inside beautiful Shawnee Mission Park. TTIP’s season sponsors include SPRINT and Shawnee
Mission Health.
Movie Nights continue this summer, as well. Nine movie nights remain with the next showing on
Tuesday, July 22 with an “Iron Man” Triple header that’s rated PG-13. Movies start at 8:45 p.m. and are only $1
a person, with films for the entire family including “Wizard of Oz,” “Peter Pan,” “the Lego Movie,” as well as more
adult titles including “Iron Man” and “When Sally Met Harry”. Movie nights are sponsored in part by Capitol
Federal Savings. For a complete list of the movie dates and titles, please visit
http://www.theatreinthepark.org/movies.
More convenience
This summer, TTIP has a limited number of lawn chairs that can be rented each night for only $5 each
on a first come, first serve basis. TTIP continues its reserved chairs (done through the TTIP web site in
advance) for every performance for only $20.
Ever mindful of value for theatre patrons, TTIP is holding the line on ticket prices with general admission
only $8, youth $6, and children three and under may attend for free (but require a ticket for entrance). To avoid
waiting in line, tickets may be purchased online at www.theatreinthepark.org. Tickets may also be purchased at
the theatre box office the nights of performance.
TTIP continues to offer its THRIFTY THURSDAY pricing, where patrons can save 20 percent on general
admission tickets that are purchased at the box office at the theatre for that Thursday evening’s performance
only.
Renner Detour
The Theatre in the Park is located in Shawnee Mission Park at 7710 Renner Road, in Shawnee, KS,
and Due to construction road work, Renner Road is closed this summer north of West 87th Street, however
there are two easy detour routes to get to the theatre in Shawnee Mission Park. Perhaps the best way is to
utilize the Midland Drive exit off of I-435 and travel south on Renner Road to the TTIP entrance.
TTIP is the largest outdoor community theater in the country, and has been providing quality theatre
entertainment in the community for more than four decades.
For information on everything happening at TTIP this season, please visit
http://www.theatreinthepark.org.
Cast of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”
(Role, performer’s name and city of residence) Tom Sawyer: Preston Offill; Leawood Huck Finn: Jeremy Walterman; Olathe
Becky Thatcher: Mosha Clyma; Kansas City Aunt Polly: Pam Sollars; Kansas City
Widow Douglas: Donna Dandino; Lee’s Summit Judge Thatcher: Scott Powell; Kansas City
Reverend Sprague: Chip Buckner Muff Potter: Steven Martin; Lenexa
Injun Joe: Simon Schupp; Doc Robinson/Lemuel Dobbins: Craig Boyd; Olathe
Pap/Lanyard Bellamy: Roderick Duplissie; Kansas City Gideon Temple: Rod Chapin; Overland Park
Sidney Sawyer: Max Pinson; Leawood Amy Lawrence: Meaghan Parker; Kansas City
Lucy Harper: Vicotria Loepp; Overland Park Sabina Temple: Erica Punch; Overland Park
Susie Rogers: Haley Wolf; Lee’s Summit Girls:
Darcy Hingula; Shawnee Amanda Dulny; Shawnee
Mattie Bell; Olathe Alexa Morgan: Lenexa
Mia Vaught; Overland Park Genevieve Austin; Overland Park
Jentry Muck; Olathe Mary Ann Traxler; Olathe
Amber Nugent: Olathe Ben Rogers: Steven Scheffe; Lenexa
George Bellamy: Grant Lescher; Louisburg, KS Lyle Bellamy: Jacob Springer; Overland Park
Joe Harper: Chase Simmons; Olathe Jim Hollis: Gerald Briscoe; Gardner
Alfred Temple: Colin Rohach; Leawood Boys:
Evan Nugent; Olathe Daniel Owens; Overland Park
Treyson Gates Smith; Overland Park Adam Segura
Ensemble: Sherriff: John Feldmann; Shawnee
Don Schierding; Overland Park Kelly Cady (Jessica Rogers); Olathe
Corinne Bakker; Overland Park Serena Fox; Lenexa
Jeanne Marx; Kansas City Dena Hildebrand; Overland Park