Porthouse Theatre Season Continues With And the World Goes ‘Round

Porthouse Theatre, Summit County’s professional outdoor summer theatre located on the grounds of Blossom Music Center, presents And the World Goes ‘Round, July 5-21. Porthouse is located at 1145 W. Steels Corners Rd. in Cuyahoga Falls. For tickets, call 330-929-4416 or visit www.porthousetheatre.com. 

The show consists of an eclectic collection of love songs, torch songs and acerbically witty comic numbers. It was conceived by director Scott Ellis, choreographer Susan Stroman, and librettist David Thompson, who collaborated on such Kander and Ebb shows as Steel Pier and the 1996 revival of Chicago. Coincidentally, the show takes its title from a tune the songwriting team wrote for Liza Minnelli in the film, New York, New York.

“Audiences are really going to enjoy this production because it not only incorporates familiar, high-energy music from such popular musicals as Chicago, Cabaret, and New York, New York, but it also has comic elements to it as well,” says director and choreographer Sean Morrissey. Morrissey is the interim chair of the department of theatre and dance at Millikin University in Decatur, Ill.

The production features the talents of the Porthouse Theatre Young Professional Company, which is made up of musical theatre majors and recent graduates from such universities as Kent State, Baldwin Wallace, Millikin, Oakland, and Marshall. New York City resident Lisa Kuhnen, who has appeared regionally at the Cleveland Play House, Great Lakes Theater Festival, and also was in the National tour of Cats, also joins the cast. Kuhnen serves as the dance captain for the season. Finally, Parke Fech whose work has been seen all over the country, as well as on the Silver Screen, joins Porthouse for the first time. Fech is an M.F.A. acting candidate from the University of Houston.

Porthouse Theatre offers 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’s enjoyment at no cost.

Tickets are available by calling 330-672-2497 or 330-672-3884, Monday to Friday, from 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., or by visiting www.porthousetheatre.com to purchase online. Subscriptions are currently on sale and range from $63 - $90 for adults, and $54 - $90 for seniors, for the three-show package.  Student pricing is available as well. Group tickets are available for groups of 20 or more.

Single tickets, ranging from $25 - $33 for adults and seniors, and $17 - $20 for students, are now on sale. The box office is located in the Music and Speech Center on the corner of Main Street and Horning Drive on the Kent Campus. The box office accepts personal checks, Visa, MasterCard and Discover. Call 330-672-3884 or visit www.porthousetheatre.com for details.