Irving Chorale completes 20th Anniversary season with Guys & Dolls! concert

by PegNews wire

The Irving Chorale will conclude their 20th Anniversary Season by performing the concert version of Guys & Dolls! on May 26, 2007 at the Irving Arts Center.

In the spirit of their traditional Broadway-style season finales, this performance will feature the full concert version of the popular musical. Concert versions of musicals are produced “on book” – with full script at the disposal of each singer, and with minimal set or costuming. Accompanying the Chorale will be the Mike Drake Band and his fabulous jazz ensemble. The Mike Drake Band is well-established in the Metroplex, performing their jazzy style in and around the area, including performances with the Irving Chorale for the past six seasons. The stage direction will be provided by Debbie Holland, a well-known theater arts director and teacher in the Plano secondary school system for the past thirty years.

“The concept of performing music in concert version format has grown due to the popularity of these types of performances on public television,” explains the Chorale’s Artistic Director Harry Wooten. “For groups like ours that don’t perform full theater productions, this provides the members of community choruses a good outlet for theater music without the pressure of a full-scale production, not to mention it’s an enjoyable experience for the audience.”

Guys & Dolls! The Musical opened on November 24, 1950 and ran for 1200 consecutive performances, having won several Tony Awards when it originally opened and again in 1992 when the show featured Nathan Lane as Nathan Detroit. The famous film version starred Marlon Brando as Sky Masterson and Frank Sinatra as Detroit. The show, set in New York City, features an oddball romantic comedy and cast of characters sure to delight audiences of all ages.

“I can’t think of a better way to close a very successful anniversary season than with a performance of this magnitude,” says Phil Armstrong, the Chorale’s current President. “We’d like to thank the community and Arts Center that support us and hope everyone can join us in celebrating our final concert performance of the season.”

Source: Irving Chorale