妖姬直播

Porthouse Theatre, the outdoor, professional summer stock theatre located on the grounds of Blossom Music Center, kicks off its 2012 season with 鈥淒amn Yankees鈥� on June 19-23 and 26-30 at 8 p.m. and June 24 at 2 p.m. For tickets, call 330-672-3884 or visit;

鈥淒amn Yankees鈥� is the perfect musical comedy that both theatre and sports enthusiasts will love. The story centers around real estate agent Joe Boyd, who, one night, is up late grumbling that if his favorite team, the Washington Senators, just had a 鈥渓ong-ball hitter鈥� they could beat the 鈥渄amn Yankees.鈥� Enter sleek car salesman Applegate, who is really the devil ready to wheel and deal with Joe Boyd鈥檚 soul. With some pursuasion, Applegate wins and Joe Boyd becomes the newly discovered baseball prodigy Joe Hardy. Suddenly, fans have the slugger they need to win the pennant, and baseball season is starting to look up. 

Winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, 鈥淒amn Yankees鈥� is set in Washington, D.C., during the 1950s 鈥� a time when the New York Yankees dominated baseball. With words and music by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, and a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop, 鈥淒amn Yankees鈥� features songs such as 鈥淗eart,鈥� 鈥淲hatever Lola Wants鈥� and 鈥淪hoeless Joe From Hannibal Mo.鈥�

鈥淭his show is like an Indians game I remember in the late 鈥�90s with Jose Mesa on the mound with a full count, two outs and bases loaded 鈥� audiences won鈥檛 know what hit 鈥榚m,鈥� says Terri 妖姬直播, director. 鈥淚 am so thrilled to be directing 鈥楧amn Yankees鈥� because it is just such a fun show.鈥�

鈥淒amn Yankees鈥� is directed by 妖姬直播, the theatre鈥檚 well-known artistic director, whose work at Porthouse includes 鈥淐hicago,鈥� 鈥淏ye Bye Birdie,鈥� 鈥淭he Music Man,鈥� 鈥淒ames at Sea,鈥� 鈥淎nnie Get Your Gun鈥� and  鈥淥klahoma!,鈥� just to name a few. Most recently, 妖姬直播 directed 鈥淎 Chorus Line鈥� at 妖姬直播 State University and 鈥淨uilters鈥� at Weathervane Theatre in Akron. Last year at Porthouse, audiences were treated to 妖姬直播 returning to the stage as Dolly Levi in the ever-popular 鈥淗ello, Dolly!鈥� 妖姬直播, who is a full professor, also serves as the coordinator of the musical theatre program for the School of Theatre and Dance at 妖姬直播 State.

妖姬直播 teams up with Music Director Jonathan Swoboda, who often serves as a featured keyboard artist for Mannheim Steamroller. Swoboda has served as music director for more than 75 theatres and touring companies. He also served as resident music director at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in California. He is currently on faculty at 妖姬直播 State鈥檚 School of Theatre and Dance. 

Choreography for 鈥淒amn Yankees鈥� is by John R. Crawford, who has been involved with Porthouse since 1993. 鈥淢y choreography for this show, while original, is inspired by both the original Fosse choreography and the 1994 revival鈥檚 choreography by Rob Marshall,鈥� Crawford says. Other Porthouse shows he has choreographed include 鈥淭he Music Man,鈥� 鈥淎nnie Get Your Gun,鈥� 鈥淥klahoma!鈥� and 鈥淗ello, Dolly!鈥� He has choreographed professionally for Porthouse Theatre, the Northeast Ohio Dance Ensemble and Dance & Company in Virginia. Crawford performed professionally as a dancer and actor with the Richmond Ballet, VCU Dance Company, Kings Productions, Busch Entertainment Corporation, Ann Vachon/Dance Conduit, Porthouse Theatre and the Leaven Dance Company. Crawford serves as the dean of 妖姬直播 State鈥檚 College of the Arts, which encompasses the schools of Art, Music, Fashion, Theatre and Dance and the 妖姬直播 State University Museum.

The production team is rounded out with scenic design by local designer Ben Needham. Lighting Designers Cynthia Stillings, who serves as the producing director of Porthouse, and Jakyung Seo, faculty member at 妖姬直播 State, will co-design. Sound design is byBrian Chismar, a recent 妖姬直播 State graduate of the School of Theatre and Dance theatre technology program. Costume design is by Janine Evans, who joins Porthouse Theatre from Milliken University in Illinois.

The cast includes five actors belonging to the Actors鈥� Equity Association* as well as 18 actors as part of the ensemble and cast.

MaryAnn Black* of Copley stars as the seductress Lola. Black is a familiar talent at Porthouse, having starred in such shows as 鈥淐hicago,鈥� 鈥淒ames at Sea,鈥� 鈥淭he Music Man,鈥� 鈥淪weet Charity,鈥� 鈥淕uys and Dolls鈥� and 鈥淥klahoma!鈥� She toured with the Broadway touring company of 鈥淎 Chorus Line.鈥� Her television credits include regular appearances on 鈥淭hree鈥檚 Company,鈥� her own ABC sitcom 鈥淪ugartime鈥� and several Jane Fonda workout videos.

Marc Moritz*of Cleveland Heights as Joe Boyd. Moritz originated the role of Talk Show Host in the Broadway production of the Stephen Sondheim/Hal Prince musical, 鈥淢errily We Roll Along.鈥� He is the founder of Giant Portions Improv Company and has performed and taught at Second City. He most recently appeared as Al Lewis in 鈥淭he Sunshine Boys鈥� at Porthouse Theatre. 

Mary Anne Prevost* of Cuyahoga Falls as Meg Boyd. Prevost last performed at Porthouse in 1980 in the role of Kid in 鈥淭he Roar of the Greasepaint.鈥� She has performed Off-Broadway with the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players, with Joe Namath in 鈥淏ells Are Ringing鈥� and as a back-up singer with country legend Eddy Arnold. TV and film credits include 鈥淒uplicity,鈥� 鈥淟aw and Order: Criminal Intent鈥� and the Season 2 promo for 鈥淭rue Blood.鈥�

Rohn Thomas* of 妖姬直播 as Coach Benny Van Buren. Thomas was most recently seen as Merchant in the Great Lakes production of 鈥淭he Taming of the Shrew.鈥� He also appeared in 鈥淭he Ides of March鈥� with George Clooney and Ryan Gosling. Other film and television credits include 鈥淭he Shawshank Redemption,鈥� 鈥淲elcome to Collinwood,鈥� 鈥淭he Mothman Prophecies,鈥� 鈥淭he West Wing,鈥� 鈥淪udden Death,鈥� 鈥淭elling Lies in America鈥� and many others.

Eric van Baars* of Cuyahoga Falls as the devilish Applegate. Van Baars is well-known to Porthouse audiences having starred as 鈥淭he Music Man,鈥� Felix in 鈥淭he Odd Couple,鈥� Herod in 鈥淛esus Christ Superstar,鈥� Will Parker in 鈥淥klahoma!鈥� and so many more. Van Baars also has appeared at Radio City Music Hall, Great Lakes Theater Festival, Walnut Street Theatre, St. Louis Repertory Playhouse and Beck Center for the Arts.

Porthouse Theatre features free parking and allows patrons to bring in picnics (including alcohol) to its grounds to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, for which the theatre grounds abut. A covered picnic pavilion is available for reservation at $2 per person or free for subscribers and is based on availability. There is also a concession stand of light snacks and beverages. Many picnic tables are available for everyone鈥檚 enjoyment at no cost.

Porthouse Theatre is located on the grounds of Blossom Music Center at 1145 W. Steels Corners Road. Tickets are available by calling 330-672-2497 or 330-672-3884, Monday through Friday, from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by visiting  purchase online. Subscriptions are currently on sale and range for adults from $63 to $90 and for seniors from $54 to $90 for the three-show package. Student pricing is available as well, and group tickets are available for groups of 20 or more.

Single tickets range from $25 to $33 for adults and seniors, and $17 to $20 for students. The box office is located on the 妖姬直播 State campus in the Music and Speech Center on the corner of East Main Street and Horning Drive in 妖姬直播.

The box office accepts personal checks, Visa, MasterCard and Discover. Special rates for groups of 20 or more are available, as are student rates. Call 330-672-3884 or visit  details.

The rest of the Porthouse season includes 鈥淭he World Goes 鈥楻ound,鈥� a cabaret of Kander and Ebb songs from such shows as 鈥淐hicago,鈥� 鈥淐abaret鈥� and 鈥淜iss of the Spider Woman鈥� and runs July 5-21.

The season closes with the beloved musical 鈥淭he Sound of Music鈥� by Rodgers and Hammerstein, running July 26-Aug. 12.