The Lyric Performing Arts Company enters their second week of performances of “Annie Get Your Gun” and the public is invited to come and enjoy the show.
Managing Director Eric Evans stated that this production is a well rounded show that is sure to please audience members.
“This is a show with well known music with great harmonies. It is full of Irving Berlin music that most people have heard the numbers before, such as ‘There’s No Business Like Show Business,’ and we have a great group of vocalists in the show making it really sound cool on stage.”
According to Evans and director of the show Dr. Nancy Jo Humfeld, “Annie Get Your Gun” is based on the historical characters of Annie Oakley and her husband Frank Butler, both were sharpshooters and toured with the Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. This gives the show a love story with a twist of guns and a little bit of comedy, some even slapstick.
“This is a comedy with some slapstick which is something we don’t always do,” said Evans. “It has a real country twang to it and is something most people will enjoy.”
Another aspect of the show that is unique this go round is the costuming. According to Evans, for previous shows the Lyric has usually rented from an out of town costuming company, but this year a local company owned by Donna Miller and Nita Diehl supplied the costumes.
“Donna Miller and Nita Diehl worked together alongside the Lyric’s costumer of 8 years Lori Arp, and this was the first time ever that we have ever gone with a local company,” said Evans. “We brought the show a month earlier for this summer production and had a few challenges getting the show to the stage this year.”
Timing wasn’t the only issue the show faced last weekend, as there were other activities and groups at Brownwood High School including the Texas State Guard with their annual training disaster drills, the 7-on-7 football tournament, and a class reunion giving tours of the facility making accessibility a little troublesome for attendees. Parking was limited and caused some patrons to have to park farther out than typical.
LPAC is hopeful that soon the Lyric productions will be held in their own theater in downtown Brownwood which is waiting for additional funds to complete the theatre’s renovations, Evans said.
“We hope this is the last show we have to do offsite. We are hoping to have coming shows at the Lyric,” said Evans. “There is only $450,000 left to raise of the $1.5 million goal that we set and some of that is already pledged.”
Evans stated that LPAC will be going out for bids on the final phases of the renovation project soon. He said the organization is getting close to the goal.
“This has been a 10 year project, but we still need the community’s support to finish the project,” said Evans. “We are hoping to increase the shows attendance about 30% (for the final performances), which will help us get even closer to our goal.”
Evans said that according to contractors and information LPAC has gathered, the final portion of the renovations should take approximately 8 months, once started, to finish the interior of the Lyric Theatre.
Remaining performances of “Annie Get Your Gun” will be held at the Dorothy McIntosh Fine Arts Center Auditorium at Brownwood High School and are being offered at the following days and times:
June 28 at 7:30
June 29 at 2:30 and 7:30
June 30 at 7:30
July 1 at 2:30
Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased online and at the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce.
See full cast list below as well as a photo gallery preview.
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Cast List
Frank Butler ………………………………………………………… Matthew McNiece
Buffalo Bill Cody …………………………………………………………. Greg Church
Dolly Tate ……………………………………………………………… Celeste Church
Tommy Keeler ………………………………………………………….. David Woods
Winnie Tate …………………………………………………….. Meredith Underwood
Charlie Davenport …….…………………………………………………… Jeff Woods
Foster Wilson ……………………………………………………………… Paul Dunne
Mac, the Prop Man ………………………………………..…………… Jared Russell
Chief Sitting Bull ……………………………………………………………… Zac Allen
Annie Oakley …………………………………………………..…… Deanna Erxleben
Jessie …………………………………………………………………. Brooklyn Britton
Nellie …………………………………….…………………………………… Abbi Allen
Little Jake ……….……………………………………………………….. John Monson
Running Deer ………………………………………………………..……… Sam Gray
Eagle Feather ……………………………………………………….… Nicholas Ewen
Dining Car Waiter ………………………………………………………… Taylor Crow
Sleeping Car Porter …………………………………………………… Shane Britton
Pawnee Bill ……………………………………………………………… David Quillin
Messenger ……………………………………………………………… Jared Russell
Band Leader …………………………………………………………….… Rob Tucker
Mrs. Sylvia Potter-Porter ……………………………………..……… Miranda Marsh
Mrs. Schuyler Adams ………………………………………………… Jill Underwood
Ensemble
Carene Baslee Jay Monson Taylor Rountree
Shane Britton Priscilla Monson Jared Russell
Torri Choate Heather Nix Phoenix Solis
Becca Church Shannon Pittman Asa Welker
Sarah Church Paul David Quillin Caroline Welker
Nicholas Ewen Rebel Quillin
