LEADING ROLES - Playing leading roles in the upcoming Tawas Bay Players production of “Annie Get Your Gun” are, from left, back row: John Morris, Chris Mundy, Dennis Szatkowski and Pat Ruster; middle row: Craig Sayer, June Wygant, Jane Ruster and Sandy Lixey; front row: Jayme Nunn, McKenzie McCord, Keely Potratz and Gabrielle Morris. - Courtesy photo

TBP to open ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ on Friday

EAST TAWAS - Tawas Bay Players will open the first three of seven performances of its spring musical “Annie Get Your Gun” this weekend at the Tawas Bay Playhouse in East Tawas.

Co-directed by Debra DeBois and Sue Witt, show times are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday. Other show dates are at 7 p.m. May 10-12 and at 2 p.m. May 13.
Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased at the playhouse box office.

With music and lyrics by Irvin Berlin, “Annie Get Your Gun” is based on a book written by Herbert and Dorothy Fields.

According to the musical’s synopsis, when Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show comes into town, Annie Oakley, a rough and tumble backwoods girl, quickly falls in love with the show’s star, sharp-shooting Frank Butler.

Annie, an amazing sharpshooter herself, joins the show so she can win Frank. Unfortunately for Annie, Frank wants a more feminine woman and not a tomboy, gun-toting dame.

However, the fact that she can shoot better than Frank makes her his enemy. In the end, Annie lets Frank win in the sharpshooting contest and, as a result, he falls in love with her.

Cast in the musical are June Wygant as Annie Oakley, Dennis Szatkowski as Frank Butler, Pat Ruster as Buffalo Bill, John Morris as Charlie Davenport, Sandy Lixey as Dolly Tate, LeRoy Wenzel as Foster Wilson, Jayme Nunn as Little Jake, Keely Potratz as Nellie, McKenzie McCord as Jessie, Gabrielle Morris as Minnie, Chris Mundy as Pawnee Bill, Craig Sayer as Sitting Bull and Jane Ruster as Maddie.

Chorus members as townspeople, Wild West show people and Indians are Annette Allure, Savannah Bettega, Cheryl Colvin, Sue Dowell, June Hudgins, Lyle Groff, Tom King, Sharon Langley, Charlie Millard, Stephen Morris, Rob Nordin, Chris Nunn, Chris Otwell, Terry Popielarz, Diane Ray, Teresa Smith, Amelia Warren and Christian Wygant.

In the orchestra are Jim DiLoreto on bass, Betty Griffin on flute, Florence Heine of piano, Penny LeClair on clarinet, Margarie MacMurray on clarinet and John Thomas on percussion.

Behind the scenes with the show’s production are Phyllis Spencer and Georgine Richter, co-producers; John Thomas, musical director; Tracee Behnke-Lentz, vocal director; June Wygant, choreographer; Diana Shackleton, kid wrangler; Sue Dowell, stage manager; Raianne Devault and Bridgette Peregord, assistant stage managers; Debra DeBois and Sue Witt, set design; Lyle Groff, set construction manager; Bob O’Meara, Lynn Phillips, Terry Popielarz, Dominic Tolson, Mike Meriuzzi and Chris Otwell, set crew; Diane King, Kay Nordin, Cindy Ryan and Craig Sayer, set dressing; Dee Bixby, Sharon Langley, Chris Otwell, Anne Powers and Ashlee Torrey, props; Vincent Weiler, lights; Michael Chadwick, sound/spotlight; Paula Belden, Suzanne Johnson, Jennifer Maser, Dorothy Spateri and Judy Wenzel, wardrobe; Annette Allure, Karen Curtis and Meaghan Nunn, make-up and hair; Tara Western, biographies; Judy Quarters, Eileen Brewer and Vickie Szatkowski, reservations and tickets; Janie Mundy and Mike Meriuzzi, display board; Pat Casey and Janie Mundy, photos; Pat Casey, programs and posters; Pat Casey and Mary Ann Michalski, archives; Mary Kiernan, house manager; Stephanie Adams, Shelli Blazic, Bridgette Peregord and Dominac Tolson, refreshments; June Hudgins, publicity; Northern Photographers, specialty photographs, and Jolene Grusecki, calligraphy.

Chorus members as townspeople, Wild West show people and Indians are Annette Allure, Savannah Bettega, Cheryl Colvin, Sue Dowell, June Hudgins, Lyle Groff, Tom King, Sharon Langley, Charlie Millard, Stephen Morris, Rob Nordin, Chris Nunn, Chris Otwell, Terry Popielarz, Diane Ray, Teresa Smith, Amelia Warren and Christian Wygant.

In the orchestra are Jim DiLoreto on bass, Betty Griffin on flute, Florence Heine of piano, Penny LeClair on clarinet, Margarie MacMurray on clarinet and John Thomas on percussion.

Behind the scenes with the show’s production are Phyllis Spencer and Georgine Richter, co-producers; John Thomas, musical director; Tracee Behnke-Lentz, vocal director; June Wygant, choreographer; Diana Shackleton, kid wrangler; Sue Dowell, stage manager; Raianne Devault and Bridgette Peregord, assistant stage managers; Debra DeBois and Sue Witt, set design; Lyle Groff, set construction manager; Bob O’Meara, Lynn Phillips, Terry Popielarz, Dominic Tolson, Mike Meriuzzi and Chris Otwell, set crew; Diane King, Kay Nordin, Cindy Ryan and Craig Sayer, set dressing; Dee Bixby, Sharon Langley, Chris Otwell, Anne Powers and Ashlee Torrey, props; Vincent Weiler, lights; Michael Chadwick, sound/spotlight; Paula Belden, Suzanne Johnson, Jennifer Maser, Dorothy Spateri and Judy Wenzel, wardrobe; Annette Allure, Karen Curtis and Meaghan Nunn, make-up and hair; Tara Western, biographies; Judy Quarters, Eileen Brewer and Vickie Szatkowski, reservations and tickets; Janie Mundy and Mike Meriuzzi, display board; Pat Casey and Janie Mundy, photos; Pat Casey, programs and posters; Pat Casey and Mary Ann Michalski, archives; Mary Kiernan, house manager; Stephanie Adams, Shelli Blazic, Bridgette Peregord and Dominac Tolson, refreshments; June Hudgins, publicity; Northern Photographers, specialty photographs, and Jolene Grusecki, calligraphy.