Musical Melodrama Dinner - Theatre

HISTORIC FARMLAND USA ANNOUNCES MUSICAL MELODRAMA DINNER THEATRE
CAST, MENU & OPENING PARTY

Historic Farmland USA in partnership with Main Street Artists will present MAIN STREET MELODRAMA: OLDE TYME DINNER THEATRE & MUSICALE REVUE beginning September 27 and continuing through December 31.
Performances will be every Sunday with dinner starting at 1:00pm and occasional Friday or Saturday nights with dinner beginning at 7:00pm.
Scheduled performance dates are September 27, 28, October 5, 12, 19, 26, November 2, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30, December 5, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27 & 28, 2008.
 

Some previously announced dates have either sold out or been reserved for private parties so audiences are encouraged to call well in advance to reserve seats. All performances will be at the Farmland Cultural Center, 103 N. Main Street in Downtown Farmland. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors & students and $15 for children 12 & under. Private performances, including corporate holiday parties, are available on demand for groups of 25 or more. Reservations are required and available by calling 765-468-7631 or e-mailing darrinfarmland@aol.com.

The cast for the inaugural production, "The Scoundrel of Dagger Gulch," has been set and is currently in rehearsal. Director Darrin Murrell has cast Edward Conley as the hero, Preston Goodly, Kimberly Grove as heroine Daisy Darling, Stevie Hahn as the villainous Dirk Dagger, Julie Lyn Barber as Dagger's assistant, Rita Wigglesmoore, and Muncie Civic Theatre's Marty Grubbs as Daisy's mother, Flora Darling. The cast and crew will celebrate the opening of the show with a reception immediately following the show on Saturday, September 27, 2008. All audience members for that evening's performance will be invited to attend the opening night celebration. The Chocoloate Moose has also announced the menu for the dinner theatre which will include a choice of grilled chicken breast or pulled pork with a selection of barbecue sauces, a potato dish and vegetable medley that will change weekly, a dinner roll and a home-baked dessert.

At the M AIN STREET MELODRAMA: OLDE TYME DINNER THEATRE & MUSICALE REVUE, audiences will spend an evening of fun-filled entertainment “booing” the villain and “cheering” the hero. Appropriate for everyone from ages 4 to 104, Main Street Melodrama is presented by a troupe of professional and community actors who will take audiences back in time to the edge of the wild frontier in the late 1800's, when Farmland was young, and let them experience the most popular entertainment of the time: the melodrama. The first offering, "The Scoundrel of Dagger Gulch," is set around a train depot, which plays heavily on the history of Farmland, which once boasted one freight and two passenger train depots. The tile of the show, story line and song choices will change every six weeks so audiences can return often and see something new each time.

The “melodrama” is a live comedy stage play where good always triumphs over evil and true love always wins out in the end. What makes melodrama unique is the participation of the audience. Melodrama audiences get to “boo” the villain, “cheer” the hero and “sigh” at the beautiful damsel in distress. Actors will even step away from the action to speak “asides” to the crowd and audiences will be encouraged to talk back. Every patron is encouraged to become a participant by offering advice to actors and warn them of impending doom.

On performance evenings, the pre-show begins with an old-fashioned home-style dinner catered by The Chocolate Moose and an age-old tradition called the “Sing-Along.” The emcee will lead audience members in recreating the songs popular at the turn of last century. During the first hour, the players will present the featured melodrama, "The Scoudrel of Dagger Gulch." Then they’ll enjoy a short intermission where they can sample the "Best Dessert in the Midwest" and even wet their whistle with some old-fashioned Sasparilla.

Following the intermission, the troupe returns for a classic thirty-minute “Olio,” when the players take the stage for a hilarious live vaudeville-style variety show including sensational songs and slapstick comedy routines. During the Olio, the audience once again becomes the star of the show as some unsuspecting attendee will be asked up on the stage and everyone will witness the birth of Farmland's newest star. Each show depends heavily on audience participation, so each show is different because each audience is different.

Darrin Murrell, director of the project, says "At the Main Street Melodrama, you’ll experience the live escapades of The Main Street Players who will tickle your funny bone, touch your heart and deliver and evening's entertainment that's both=2 0historical and hysterical! Plus, it's good, clean old-fashioned fun. So, bring the whole family! Kids, teens, parents and grandparents will all love the zany antics of Main Street Melodrama."

Historic Farmland USA, a not-for-profit Indiana Main Street historical preservation and community development organization, is presenting the project with the goal of providing professional family entertainment in an historical setting and in a location that allows families in Randolph, Delaware, Jay, Blackford, Henry and Wayne Counties in Indiana and families in East Central Ohio to enjoy a unique evening of live entertainment without having to drive very far or spend very much money. A secondary goal of the project is to attract greater numbers of people to downtown Farmland in hopes of stimulating economic development in the small agricultural community. Since its inception in 1992, Historic Farmland USA has raised millions of dollars for downtown beautification, historic preservation and economic revitalization efforts in downtown Farmland and across Randolph County and has transformed downtown Farmland into an arts, culture, dining and shopping experience in a beautiful, architecturally preserved historic Indiana community.

For ticket and information call 765-468-7631, visit www.farmlandindiana.org or e-mail darrinfarmland@aol.com.