Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Theatre Three previews The Light in the Piazza this week

By Pegasus News wire

Theatre Three’s 2008-2009 season continues with the Tony Award-winning musical, The Light in the Piazza by Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas. Theatre Three’s forty-eighth season is a world tour of theater beginning with the comic mayhem of a garden festival at an English manor house and concluding with the harrowing drama of a South African courtroom. The Light in the Piazza previews from October 23-26 and officially runs from October 27 - November 23, 2008.

American Margaret Johnson is quite happy to show her daughter, Clara, around her favorite city in Europe: Florence, Italy. Before World War II, Margaret enjoyed her honeymoon in Italy and showing her daughter the city reminds her of a special and romantic time in her life. Her trips changes suddenly when a breeze whisks Clara’s hat off of her head and into the hands of a young Italian man, Fabrizio. Clara and Fabrizio make an instant connection, but Margaret is wary. Clara suffered an injury as a young girl and her mental and emotional capacities have not fully developed. How will Margaret explain this delicate situation to a young man so obviously in love with her daughter? Or should she simply let her daughter try to find happiness in her own way? The winner of six Tony Awards in 2005, this is the musical that made Broadway swoon.

Photo by Andy Hanson

In the past week, a major casting change was announced for the role of Margaret Johnson. Wendy Welch will replace Connie Coit as Margaret Johnson in Theatre Three’s production. After experiencing significant vocal issues in preparation for the assignment, Ms. Coit sought medical advice. As a result, her doctor enrolled her in therapies that cannot be completed in time to resume the duties of this demanding role.

“We’re very fortunate to have the depth of talent in Dallas to recast this extraordinary role with another accomplished actor-singer who has been so close to Theatre Three for so long. Although we hate to lose Connie’s considerable talents for this show, both musical director Terry Dobson and stage director Michael Serrecchia are 100% confident in Wendy Welch’s ability to perform this role beautifully”, says Jac Alder, Executive Producer-Director. Ms. Welch’s mother was Connie Coit’s voice teacher. She has also appeared in several Theatre Three shows, most recently playing Rose Stopnick in the 2007 critically acclaimed and award-winning hit, Caroline or Change.

Tickets to The Light in the Piazza can be purchased online or by calling 214-871-3300.

Posted by Shawn

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