AUGUSTA, Mich. — Barn Theatre has announced that Seven Brides for Seven Brothers will kick-off its upcoming season. The musical will be performed from June 28-July 10.
The play is set in Oregon in the 1850s. It follows Milly (Melissa Cotton Hunter) who decides to marry Adam (Eric Morris), after only knowing him for a few hours. She then meets her six new rowdy brothers-in-law. After whipping the boys into shape, it leads to the brothers wanting to find wives of their own.
The play will also star Aaron Czarnecki as Benjamin, Nicholas Biddle as Ephraim, Michael Richard as Daniel, Matthew Fecko as Frank, Elliott Austin Wirshba as Gideon, Jack Austin as Jeb, Ella Olesen as Dorcas, Gabrielle Bieder as Ruth, Jamie Stopczynski as Liza, Sophie Shahbazi as Martha, Ainsley Mooney Alrutz as Sarah, and Emily Ling Mei as Alice.
Barn Theatre’s performance of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers will be directed by Patrick Hunter. It was choreographed by Melissa Cotton Hunter, and musical direction was by Chris Gray. The scenic designer was Steve Lee Burright and costume design was Karsen. Properties were designed by Matt Pierce and lights were designed by Sammy Verdino. Garrylee McCormick was the hair/wig designer, and Jack Ragotzy was the sound director. Brett Burradell was the technical director for the play.
The musical’s book was written by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay. The music was written by Gene de Paul, Al Kasha, and Joel Hirschhorn, with lyrics by Jonny Mercer, Kasha, and Hirschhorn. After a national tour in 1979, the show’s Broadway production premiered in 1982. It was later nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score.
The play is based on the 1954 MGM film. It was directed by Stanley Donen and based on the short story “The Sobbin’ Women” by Stephen Vincent Benét. It starred Howard Keel as Adam and Jane Powell as Milly. The film was later nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It went on to win the Oscar for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture. In 2006, the American Film Institute ranked the film #21 in its list of AFI’s Greatest Movie Musicals. A television series based on the film aired on CBS from 1982-1983.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers will be performed Tuesdays-Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Barn Theatre’s website.
