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McLeod Summer Playhouse ready to open season

A few of the artists performing at McLeod Summer Playhouse 2006 are, from left to right, Tiffany Topol, Jeff Guilfoyle, Clarence Carter, Carl Herzog and Paige Saliba.

(Provided)

CARBONDALE -Professional actors and directors join local talent for an ambitious 2006 McLeod Summer Playhouse featuring performances not previously staged in the region.

Four actors singing in harmony perform more than 60 characters in the season opener "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change," a comedic celebration of the mating game.

"I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change," directed by Tim Fink, comes to the McLeod Theater stage in SIUC's Communications Building at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 23, Saturday, June 24, Friday, June 30 and Saturday, July 1 with a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday, June 25.

Another regional premiere, "Cats," welcomes special guest director Curt Olds, who has appeared in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical and also on Broadway in Riverdance.

"Cats" will pounce into the region with "all the color and brilliance of the original Broadway production," said Vincent Rhomberg, marketing coordinator for the theater department.

"Cats," Broadway's second-longest running show, is at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 7, Saturday July 8, Friday, July 14 and Saturday, July 15 with 2 p.m. Sunday matinees July 9 and July 16.

SIUC students show off SIUC's playwriting prowess with a free premiere of new works, "Script Works."

Playhouse professional actors and guest directors will stage readings of two new plays suitable for adult audiences at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 22 in the Christian H. Moe Laboratory Theater in the SIUC Communications Building.

"Beauty and the Beast," directed by Lori Merrill-Fink," directed by Lori Merrill-Fink, is this year's collaboration between SIU theater and Carbondale Community Arts' All Southern High School Music Theatre Project.

This enchanting Broadway stage version of the Disney classic film reunites the beloved characters of Belle and The Beast on stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 28, Saturday, July 29, Sunday, July 30 and Monday, July 31 with a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee July 30.

Subscriptions for the four productions are $48 for adults and $24 for students and are on sale now. Tickets to individual shows are $20 for adults and $10 for students for "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change," and "CATS."

"Beauty and the Beast" is $15 for adults and $8 for students.

Tickets can be purchased at the McLeod Box Office from noon to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at (618) 453-3001. Tickets for each performance are also available at the box office one hour prior to show time.

Learn more about the summer season at www.siu.edu/~msp.

-Marleen Shepherd