MACKEY MAIN STAGE 2007-2008
Unless otherwise noted, Main Stage Shows are Friday, & Saturday 8:00 p.m. & Sunday 3:00 p.m.

My Favorite Year
May 16 – June 8, 2008
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
No performance Sunday, May 25;
special Thursday evening performance on June 5 at 8 pm

Book by Joseph Dougherty, Music by Stephen Flaherty, Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens

Directed by William Roudebush
In the cast:
Matthew Wright* as Alan Swann
Shawn Galligan as Benjy Stone
Jean Zarzour* as Belle Steinberg Carroca
Theresa Kloos as K.C. Downing
John Polk as King Kaiser
supporting cast of over 30

*Matthew Wright and Jean Zarzour appear courtesy of the Actors' Equity Association (AEA), the union of actors and stage managers

Below left: Matthew Wright* as a drunken Alan Swann flirting with the fountain statue.

Above right: Pictured left to right, Shawn Galligan as junior comedy writer, Benjy Stone and Matthew Wright* as Alan Swann, matinee movie idol.

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Based on the hilarious film starring Peter O'Toole and Mark Linn-Baker, My Favorite Year is a warm and nostalgic musical comedy about growing up. With a bright contemporary score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (Once On This Island, Ragtime, and the recent Beck hit, A Man of No Importance), My Favorite Year centers around a 1950s Sid Caesar-like "Your Show of Shows," with King Kaiser’s variety hour, "Comedy Cavalcade."

From left to right, Woodie Anderson as Herb Lee, Shawn Galligan as Benjy Stone, Jim McCormack as Sy Benson, Rachel Spence as Alice Miller, and John J. Polk as King Kaiser.

Foreground, John J. Polk as King Kaiser and Rachel Spence as Alice Miller; Background, left to right, Jim McCormack as Sy Benson, Shawn Galligan as Benjy Stone and Woodie Anderson as Herb Lee – the comedy writing team.

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Altar Boyz
July 18 – August 17, 2008
CLEVELAND PREMIERE

Music & Lyrcis by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker, Book by Kevin del Aguila
Directed by Scott Spence
Choreographed by Hernando Cortez

Critically acclaimed and wildly hysterical, Altar Boyz is a musical-comedy spoof about a Christian boy band riding the wave of America's latest fascination with religion. Complete with hip melodies, weird moves and hair products, the apostles of pop - Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan, and Abraham bring their soul-saving tour to the Big Apple.

(Peggy Sings Leiber and Stoller)
WORLD PREMIERE
September 14 – October 7, 2007

Lyrics by Jerry Leiber and Music by Mike Stoller
Book by Tom Fulton and Laura Theodore
Directed by Tom Fulton
Musical Direction by Larry Goodpaster
Choreography by Martín Céspedes
Starring award-winning actress and recording artist, Laura Theodore*
Produced by Virtual Media Post Productions and the Beck Center for the Arts

* Actor appears courtesy of the Actors Equity Association, the union of actors and stage managers.

Thirty-two years ago, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, the legendary songwriters of the 50's and 60's, produced an album called "MIRRORS." In 2005 this musical masterpiece was re-released as "Peggy Lee Sings Leiber & Stoller.” This timeless CD is comprised of 15 brilliant songs written by the prolific team, including well known numbers like "Kansas City", "I'm a Woman" and the legendary hit "Is That All There Is." The show is a kaleidoscope of beautiful love songs, hilarious send-ups of Broadway, haunting tunes of days gone by, and reflects the pure joy of living. Now for the first time, in a world premiere production, renowned actress and recording artist Laura Theodore brings these astonishing songs to the stage. Guitarist Joe Beck, who worked with Peggy for many years, provides a first person filmed narrative for these songs with sweet, funny and poignant memories—while Laura Theodore brings Leiber and Stoller's music to life through the genius of her remarkable voice.

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Disney's

November 30 - December 30, 2007

Musical by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Linda Woolverton
Directed by Fred Sternfeld
Choreographed by Martín Céspedes
Musical direction by Larry Goodpaster

Beck continues its holiday tradition with this third and final anniversary production. Pictures and reviews from the 2006 production:

“The Beck's ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ directed with discipline and detail by Fred Sternfeld, is largely a replication of last season's acclaimed production…The big production numbers and the technical effects will still probably earn a majority of the oohs and aahs from the crowd, but this production belongs completely to Dan Folino. One of Cleveland's best young musical-theater artists…” - Tony Brown, The Plain Dealer

“At Beck, [Beauty and Beast is] played with a lot less budget, but a lot more humanity…All [Martín Céspedes’] dances…take the evening to that level of glorious professionalism that demonstrates why musical theater can be the equivalent of pure bliss…this production might be just the live lure to entice the kiddies away from their video games.” - Keith A. Joseph, FreeTimes

“Beck’s ‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’ is a delightful production.” - Roy Berko, The Times

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January 26 - February 9, 2008

The Diary of Anne Frank - new adaptation by Wendy Kesselman
Based on the original play by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett
Directed by Sarah May

Cast:
Features Heather Farr, George Roth*, Anne McEvoy, Lisa Siciliano, Dawn Youngs, Eric Fancher, Paula Duesing*, Brian Bartels, Robert McCoy, Mark Cipra, John Stuehr, Jon Fancher, and Gareth Harris.

From the 2006 production: Heather Farr as Anne Frank and
Paula Duesing* as Mrs. Van Daan

*appearing courtesy of Actor’s Equity Association

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The History Boys
By Alan Bennett
CLEVELAND PREMIERE
March 7 – March 30, 2008

Directed by Sarah May

Cast features
Dana Hart* as Hector
Dan Folino* as Irwin
Michael Regnier as the Headmaster
Dede Klein as Mrs. Lintott
Eric Fancher
Matthew Thomas
Stuart Hoffman
Adam Day Howard
Max Chernin
Mack Shirilla
Tom Kondilas
Javar Parker

* Dana Hart and Dan Folino appear courtesy of the Actors’ Equity Association (AEA), the union of actors and stage managers.

Winner of six 2006 Tony Awards including Best Play.

A brilliant comedy and deeply moving play about eight bright, funny students trying to get into college… and the year that influenced the rest of their lives.

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