The Spotlight Community Theatre group will stage the popular musical “Oklahoma!” from Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 8-11, at the Contrarian Concert Hall & Theater, 125 E. Main St., in Festus.
Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 8-10 and 2 p.m. Aug. 11 at the renovated theater formerly known as the LaJade theater. Tickets cost $15 and may be purchased at spotlightjeffco.ludus.com or at the box office.
Courtney Wisely, Spotlight’s executive director, said the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical never loses its appeal.
“As the director of ‘Oklahoma,’ I’m thrilled to bring this timeless musical story of love, conflict and community to life to life,” said Wisely of Festus. “Our cast and crew have poured their hearts into every rehearsal, and I can’t wait for our audience to experience the energy and passion we’ve put into this production.”
She said even though the musical is set in the Oklahoma territory in the early 1900s, it remains relevant today.
“I feel like the show is so much about community,” she said. “Now, more than ever, we’ve got to lean on each other.”
Wisely said the cast is talented.
“Their voices are just beautiful. The harmonies are perfect,” she said.
Some of the more popular songs from the show include “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’,” “I Cain’t Say No” and “Oklahoma.”
“Oklahoma!” will be Spotlight’s second production at the Contrarian, which is still being renovated, Wisely said. In July, the community theater group put on “Disney’s Newsies Jr.: The Broadway Musical” at the venue.
“The Contrarian was amazing,” Wisely said. “Seeing people’s faces as they walked in was my favorite part.
“It’s still at 200 seats (out of planned 300). They’re still working on it.”
Debbie Anderson of Festus is the musical director for the production of “Oklahoma!”
Featured performers include Charlie Labiska, Ben Pilger and Nick Sullivan, all of Festus; Buffy Parrish of Goose Creek; Rachel Joost-Mahlik of Arnold; and Lucas Herich and Mikee Olegario of St. Louis.
Other cast members include Annie Fischer and Blane Johnson, both of Barnhart; Quinn Breeze, Brandon Dougherty and Jim Siebert, all of Crystal City; Cassie Shropshire of De Soto; Erin Bingenheimer, Chloe Schackmann, Angela Moore, Zane Moore, Kelsey Kort, Bill Seek and Lynn Siebert, all of Festus; Gavin Parker-Wideman of Herculaneum; Meaghan Brown and Chris Vancil of Hillsboro; and Natalie Way and Mary McNamara, both of St. Louis.
“The talent out there just keeps on showing up,” Wisely said. “Things are going great for Spotlight.”
Wisely said Spotlight’s next productions will take place at another new local venue, The Marquee on Main, 516 Bailey Road, in Crystal City.
“Our fall season will include a ‘Murder Mystery Dinner Theater’ with a teen cast from Oct. 11-12 at The Marquee on Main,” she said. “We will put on ‘The Odd Couple’ from Nov. 7-10, also at The Marquee on Main.”
For information about auditions or other matters, visit spotlightjeffco.org or the Spotlight Community Theatre-Jeffco Facebook page.