Rodgers & Hammerstein's State Fair

May 29 – July 8
Book by Tom Briggs and Louis Mattioli
Music by Richard Rodgers
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Based on the screenplay by Oscar Hammerstein II
and the Novel by Phil Stong
Produced by special arrangement with the Rodgers & Hammerstein Theatre Library

Set against the colorful backdrop of an American heartland tradition, State Fair travels with the Frake family as they leave behind the routine of the farm for three days of adventure at the annual Iowa State Fair. Mom and Dad have their hearts set on blue ribbons while their daughter and son find romance on the Midway. Set to a charming Academy Award-winning score, State Fair is the kind of warm-hearted family entertainment only Rodgers & Hammerstein could deliver!

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Scenes Director Notes Cast Bios Production Staff Bios Theme Dinners State Fair Press Release Read a recent review of State Fair

 

A Note from the Director…

Don’t miss it, don’t even be late…

It is extremely ironic that my celebration of fifteen years in the business coincides directly with my falling in love with State Fair.  I saw the Round Barn’s original production of this wonderful chestnut in 1997 and immediately became infatuated. Of all the magnificent shows to spring from Rodgers and Hammerstein, I believe that State Fair is the only piece meant to embrace its own “broad” nature.  Many directors’ take Oklahoma and fill it full of over the top interpretations and characterizations, which not only “dumb” the show down, but, completely negates the humanity of the story…whereas, State Fair, encourages “larger than life” and celebrates its own goofy nature.  To make a long story, longer, I’ve been waiting over a decade for the opportunity to make my mark on this show and I finally have my chance!  I do not expect anyone to leave this production with a profound new outlook on life, but I believe that everyone will leave with a smile on their face and a song in their heart. Special thanks to Sari Ferraro for her influence on some of the staging and comedic bits, and to Joe Ford for the “comp” tickets back in ’97 (I saw the show twice).  Finally, I would like to dedicate this show to my Mentor, Jerry O’Boyle. Without his instruction and influence, the Round Barn Theatre would not be what it is today. Ioway!!!

 

Jeremy Littlejohn

 

A Note from the Music Director…

Welcome to State Fair! What an exciting show to be doing during the summer!  Sometimes many of us don't get a chance to attend our actual state fair, so I suppose seeing the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic would be the next best thing! Growing up in Columbus Ohio, I certainly had my fair share of attending and even working at the Ohio State Fair. I remember the rides, the food, the animals, the shows, the contest displays with all the award ribbons, the infamous "carnies", the freak show and of course the giant butter cow. I even milked a cow for the first time at the state fair! But the thing that I remember most about the fair was the sense of community, family, and state pride.  Something that is clearly in abundance with the people of Iowa as displayed so adamantly in the second act song "All I Owe Ioway". I hope that this show brings back some of your own favorite fair memories growing up and maybe even fuels your sense of community, family, and pride in your own respective circles. As always, thank you for coming and supporting live theatre and enjoy the show!

Travis Smith

 

State Fair Cast
Abel Frake (a farmer)		Travis Smith
Melissa Frake (Abel's wife)		Caitlin Borek
Wayne Frake (their son)		Matt Casey
Margy Frake (Wayne's sister)		Katie Kuehner
Dave Miller (local storekeeper)		Timothy Leonard
Eleanor (Wayne's girlfriend)		Vanessa Moyen
Harry (Margy's boyfriend)		Daniel Grey
Uncle Sam		Rory Dunn
Fair Vendor		John Cardenas
Fair Vendor		Daniel Grey
Fair Vendor		Ramaad Morris
The Fair Announcer		Richard Pletcher
The Hoop-La Barker		Benjamin Lee Jackson
Emily Arden		Emily Baer
Vivian (carnival dancer)		Sarah Philabaum
Jeanne (carnival dancer)		Nicole Tompkins
Pat Gilbert (newspaper reporter)		James Bock
Charlie (newspaper photographer)		Jonathan Goodson
Lem (a farmer)		Timothy Leonard
Clay (a farmer)		Benjamin Lee Jackson
Hank Munson/Chief of Police		Rory Dunn
Violet (his daughter)		Sara Bowling
The Fairtones		John Cardenas Daniel Grey Ramaad Morris
Mrs. Edwin Metcalf of Pottsville		Allison Jean Jones
Judge Heppenstahl		Timothy Leonard
Female Judge		Vanessa Moyen
Male Judge		Rory Dunn

 

State Fair Staff
Executive Producer		Richard Pletcher
Associate Producer		George Bush
Director/Choreographer		Jeremy Littlejohn
Music Director		Travis Smith
Assistant Music Director		Steven Zumbrun
Production Stage Manager/Props		Monica Gauer
Technical Director		Ted Lantz
ASM/Wardrobe		Catherine Menkel-Lawrence
ASM/Sound Designer		Spencer Holdeman
Set Designer		Richard Pletcher
Lighting Designer		Jeremy Littlejohn
Scenic Artist		Matthew C. Scott
Dance Captain		Sarah Philabaum
Box Office Manager		Jennifer Scheffer
Archive Videographer		Steve Jones

 

Time & Place The action takes place over five days in late August of 1946 on the Frake farm in Brunswick, Iowa and at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines.

 

Scenes and Musical Numbers Act I
Overture	Orchestra
Scene 1 the Frake Farm
Opening	Abel, Melissa & Wayne
It Might As Well Be Spring	Margy
Scene 2 the Midway at the Hoop-La Booth
Our State Fair	Company
That's For Me	Wayne
Scene 3 the Beer Tent
More Than Just A Friend	Abel, Lem, Hank & Clay
Scene 4 Outside the Dairy Pavilion
Isn't It Kinda Fun	Pat & Margy
Scene 5 the Starlight Dance Meadow
You Never Had It So Good	Emily Arden & The Fairtones
Scene 6 the Entrance to the Midway
It Might As Well Be Spring (Reprise)	Margy
Scene 7 Exhibition Hall
Scene 8 a Nearby Hillside
So Far	Wayne & Emily
Scene 9 the Starlight Dance Meadow
It's a Grand Night For Singing	Company

Act II
Entr'acte	Orchestra
Scene 1 Outside the Livestock Pavilion
The Man I Used To Be	Pat, Vivian & Jeanne
All I Owe Ioway	Abel & Company
Scene 2 Outside the Dairy Pavilion
The Man I Used To Be (Reprise)	Pat
Isn't It Kinda Fun (Reprise)	Margy
Scene 3 the Starlight Dance Meadow
That's The Way It Happens	Emily Arden & The Fairtones
Scene 4 the Hillside
Scene 5 Camper's Hill
Boys and Girls Like You and Me	Abel & Melissa
Scene 6 on the Midway
The Next Time It Happens	Margy
Scene 7 the Frake Farm
Finale Ultimo	Company

 

Bios (The Round Barn Theatre Core Company)

Bios (Additional State Fair Cast)

Sara Bowling (Violet) is 13 years old and attends Northwood Middle School in Wakarusa.  Acting and singing are her favorite activities, and she has attended the Joseph Stein Young Actor’s Studio for the past five years.  During her 7th grade year, she competed in State Solo and Ensemble, and earned Gold Medals for her performances.  Sara has also participated in Circle the State with Song twice.  She has four years of dance training and is active in her school’s theatre and choir department.  She loves playing volleyball and is planning to further her guitar and piano training to accompany her singing talent.  She maintains a 4.0 GPA year round.

Caitlin Borek (Melissa Frake) was born in Chicago and raised in Aurora, Illinois.  She completed her BFA in Music Theater from Illinois Wesleyan University in May 2012.  She has passionately studied dance, voice and acting almost her whole life.  Her first role was a Prairie Girl (one out of 150) in a park district production of Oklahoma at age 6.  Caitlin would like to say thank you to her parents, and dedicate this show to you, for your support of live theater.

 

 

 

John Cardenas (Fairtone) a Southern California native, John holds a BA in Theatre Performance and a Dance Minor from Wagner College, NYC. John is thrilled to be back at the Acres after appearing in last season’s Camp Rock, Tom Sawyer, and as Barnaby Tucker in Hello Dolly, "Holy Cabooses!" Credits Include: Tenor (Stephen Sondheim’s 80th Birthday Celebration - Carnegie Hall), Swing (Intermezzo- NYC Opera), Fiddler (Fiddler on the Roof - AIM Tour), Frankincense (Seven Brides...- La Comedia, OH), Young Marley (A Christmas Carol- Armory Theatre, WI). 

“All my Love to Mom and Dad for your continuous support and encouragement.”

Jonathan Goodson (Charlie) was born and raised in the Nappanee/Goshen area and has been performing in theatre since he was a child.  Jon is a recent graduate from the Bethel College Music Department with a degree in Music Education and a minor in Musical Theatre.

“I want to thank God, family and friends for their support.  Enjoy the show!”

 

Daniel Grey (Harry) is excited to be performing at the Round Barn Theatre for the first time!  Daniel will be going into his senior year at Bethel College in Mishawaka this fall.  Some of his recent theatrical credits include Gandalf in The Hobbit and Mr. Laurence in Little Women.  Some of his other performance credits include roles in The Music Man, Les Miserables, Jekyll and Hyde and A Christmas Carol.

 

 

 

Allison Jean Jones (Mrs. Metcalf) is excited to return to the Joseph Stein Stage!  She has appeared in numerous productions since 2006, most recently as Ermengarde in last season’s Hello Dolly!  A recent graduate of Ball State University, Allison is eager to begin the next stage in her life, both on and off-stage.  Check out more at allisonjeanjones.weebly.com

“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” – Oscar Wilde

 

Ramaad Morris (Fairtone) is incredibly excited to make his debut at the Round Barn Theatre this summer in State Fair! Ramaad just finished his senior year in the BFA program at Rockford College and is very excited to start his journey toward success in this business. Some of his credits include: Jim Conley in Parade, Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Little Harp in The Robber Bridegroom, Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls, Boyd Middleton in Book of Days, Jimmy Early in No, No, Nanette and a original one man show called Why Do Fools Fall in Love, a story about Frankie Lymon. He would like to thank Jeremy and the amazing cast and crew of State Fair, and his family and friends for all of their support.

“Enjoy the show!”

 

Travis Smith (Abel/Music Director) is returning to Amish Acres after spending the last few seasons performing and Music Directing various productions.  Originally from Columbus, Ohio, he has worked with several theatres across the Midwest.  Travis is also an accomplished Composer and Arranger, currently working on a new production entitled Steeple People Gospel about a male gospel quartet.

“Enjoy the show and please visit www.travis-smith.com!”

 

 

 

Nicole Tompkins (Jeanne) is thrilled to be returning to the Round Barn stage!  She was previously seen as Louise in Carousel, Emily Webb in Our Town and Gabriella Montez in Disney’s High School Musical.  She has been performing all around the area for ten years and is currently pursuing her B.F.A. in Acting from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.  Favorite credits include Portia in The Merchant of Venice, Hope in Urinetown and Beth in Little Women.  Nicole would like to thank her family and friends for all their endless love and support.

 

 

State Fair Staff Biographies

Monica Gauer (Production Stage Manager) was born and raised in nearby Laporte, Indiana.  She graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a B.A. in Theater Arts, after which she married her high school sweetheart.  When she was younger, Monica remembered coming to the Round Barn Theatre and now she is excited to work here behind the scenes.  She hopes you enjoy the show!

Spencer Holdeman (Sound Designer) is 22 years old and was born and raised here, in Nappanee.  He attended ITT Tech and is thrilled to be spending his second season designing Sound here at the Round Barn Theatre.

Ted Lantz (Technical Director) is in his second season at the Round Barn Theatre after retiring from 34 years in Education.  He is at home on a stage, having been involved in Show Choir and Drama at Bremen High School.  A native of the Nappanee area, Ted resides with his wife, Chris, in nearby Wakarusa.  He enjoys frequent trips to his Alma Mater, Manchester College where his daughter, Kelsey, is a senior.  He especially enjoys visiting Maine, where his son, Jordan, is a student at Bowdoin College.

Catherine Menkel-Lawrence (Wardrobe) is happy to be working in her premier season with The Round Barn Theatre. A native of Newport, Oregon she is a graduate of Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Recent credits include Northwest Opera In Schools Etc's Hansel and Gretl, Costumer, Weathervane 2011 season, Stitcher, Arizona Broadway Theatre, Costume Intern.

Jeremy Littlejohn (Artistic Director) is a native Hoosier who has been performing his entire life and getting paid for it for the past fifteen years!  There isn’t much Jeremy hasn’t done at Amish Acres having now worked here in three different decades both on the Joseph Stein Stage and in the Historic Area.  He is probably remembered for his performance credits, but is most proud of introducing straight plays to the Round Barn patrons by way of the Second Stage.  He has logged over 700 performances of Plain and Fancy, playing all of the male roles, and directed the show four times; including the 20th Anniversary Season.  Some of his other notable RBT accomplishments include directing Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, which is the most attended production in the theater’s history, starring in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Fiddler on the Roof, which are in the top five on that list, and his Masterwork, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel.  In addition to being an Actor / Director, Jeremy is also an accomplished Lighting Designer, Stage Manager and Teacher. 

“This Act ain’t much, but through it, I’ve met Kings and Queens and I got to meet you.”   – From The Will Rogers Follies; Lyrics by Betty Comden & Adolph Green

Richard Pletcher (Producer), with his father LaVern, founded Amish Acres in 1968. The Amish farm was preserved and restored and is now listed in The National Register of Historic Places. Following a one year experiment in dinner-theatre with George Bledsoe in 1971, he added musical theatre to the interpretation of the historic farm by producing Plain and Fancy in the Locke Township Meeting House in 1986. It moved to the Round Barn Theatre in 1991. The play has been running for 25 consecutive years having surpassed 3,500 performances before audiences of over 350,000 people. Plain and Fancy’s Tony Award® winning author Joseph Stein and Tony Award® winning composer Albert Hague have attended Plain and Fancy at Amish Acres.

At Mr. Stein’s urging Amish Acres became a regional musical repertory theatre in 1996 with the addition of five shows in rotation with Plain and Fancy each season. Amish Acres has now produced seventy two different main stage Broadway musicals and The Round Barn Theatre stage is named for and dedicated to Joseph Stein. Eight of Mr. Stein’s musicals have been produced on his stage, including Plain and Fancy, Fiddler on the Roof, The Baker’s Wife, and Zorba, plus staged readings of Take Me Along, Rags, and Carmelina, plus a Second Stage Production of Enter Laughing. As you might expect, he has said that The Round Barn Theatre is his favorite regional theatre with which he has been associated.

In October of 2006, Dick and his wife Susan were guests of Joseph and Elisa Stein in New York City for the York Theatre’s Mufti Series production of Plain and Fancy, the last in a month long, three show festival of Stein’s work that included Take Me Along and Carmelina. Artistic Director James Morgan recognized Amish Acres’ twenty year production of Plain and Fancy in the program and in his introductions from the stage. The Pletchers and Jeremy Littlejohn attended the York’s presentation of the Oscar Hammerstein Lifetime Achievement Award in Musical Theatre to Joseph Stein in November of 2007. Stein was further inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame in February of 2008. He passed away in 2010 and the Joseph Stein Memorial Fund was created to provide free season tickets to kids.

Steven Zumbrun (Asst. Music Director) is very happy to make his Amish Acres debut, as well as his debut in the state of Indiana.  He has served as a freelance Music Director / Accompanist throughout the United States and Canada for the past twenty years.  Favorite productions include Ruthless!, Forever Plaid, Damn Yankees, The Full Monty, Route 66, Sweeney Todd, Songs for a New World and the Baltimore area premieres of Blood Brothers, Wings and Pageant.  When not accompanying shows, he also sings, tap dances, and plays the accordion, all of which were demonstrated in two productions of the wonderful musical Pump Boys and Dinettes.  He is co-author (with Ivan Sherman) of the musical adaptation Bring Me Giants, which recently received its world premiere production.