An all-new drama will be at Utah Valley State College as part of a senior project this week, and two versions of Meredith Willson's "The Music Man" will be playing in the south end of Salt Lake Valley.
RINGS OF THE TREE, a new script by Utah County playwright Mahonri Stewart, will debut Thursday-Saturday in the Black Box Theatre (Room 631 of UVSC's Gunther Trades Building).
It's the story of Diana Applesong, a Victorian who shuts herself off from the world after experiencing tragic events. When a group of young explorers enters her life, she embarks on a life-changing journey of self discovery.
Directed by Sarah Stewart, the cast includes Jamie Dennison, Jordan Cummings, Sara Preston, Penny Omer, Daniel Whiting, Bryn Dalton, Bryce Bishop, Matthew P. Davis and the playwright.
All tickets are $5, available in advance from UVSC's Campus Connection box office (863-8797). Performances will be Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with one Saturday matinee at 2 p.m.
THE MUSIC MAN, Meredith Willson's classic musical, is being staged by the Draper Arts Council Friday through Sept. 15 in the Juan Diego Catholic High School auditorium, 300 E. 11800 South, Draper.
The cast includes Jeremy Wing as professor Harold Hill and Kimberly Alldredge as Marian Paroo.
Performances are 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and Sept. 10 and 13-15, with one matinee at 2 p.m. this Saturday. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for children, available at the door or in advance at Draper City Hall and the Albertsons on Draper Parkway.
THE MUSIC MAN JR., an all-youth version of "The Music Man," will be staged Thursday-Saturday at 7 p.m. by the Sandy City Arts Guild at Sandy Amphitheater, 9400 S. 1300 East.
The cast includes Kooper Campbell as Harold and Megan Graul as Marian. Cindy Swan is directing.
Tickets are all general admission — $7 for chairs and $4 for seating on the lawn. Tickets are available at all Smith'sTix outlets or online at www.sandy.utah.gov or www.smithstix.com.
MAN OF LA MANCHA, the Broadway musical about aging playwright-poet Miguel de Cervantes weaving the tale of Don Quixote as his defense during a kangaroo court in a dank Spanish dungeon, will run Friday through Sept. 29 at the Heritage Theatre, 2505 S. Highway 89, Perry.
Collette Henderson is directing a cast that includes Barry Carter as Cervantes/Quixote, Dee Pace as Sancho Panza and Jessica Knowles as Aldonza/Dulcinea.
Performances are Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with Saturday matinees at 2 p.m. on Sept. 15 and 29. Tickets are $8 for adults and $7 for children and senior citizens, with a Monday "family-night" special of $35 for a family of up to six (435-723-8392).
SALT LAKE ACTING COMPANY, in connection with its upcoming regional premiere of Ron Hutchinson's "Moonlight and Magnolias," will host a free screening of the 1939 film classic "Gone With the Wind" on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the newly restored Post Theatre at Fort Douglas, just east of the University of Utah campus.
The comedy is about five hectic days in 1939 when producer David O. Selznick, director Victor Fleming and writer Ben Hecht frantically attempted to rewrite the script for the legendary film. The screening will be preceded by a "costume stroll" in front of the theater at 5:30 p.m., for which those attending are invited to wear Civil War-style attire.
The event is free, but seating in the Post Theatre is limited, and tickets must be reserved in advance by calling SLAC at 363-7522.
LOVE LETTERS, A.R. Gurney's drama about the lifelong correspondence between two best friends, will be staged Thursday-Saturday by Around the Globe Theatre Company in the Studio Theatre of the Rose Wagner Center, 138 W. Broadway (300 South).
Robert A. Easton and Brianna Dawn Cook will perform the roles on Thursday and Friday, with Tim Loftis and Linda Eyring performing on Saturday.
Tickets are $10 each (355-2787, www.arttix.org or any ArtTix outlet).
THE FOREIGNER, Larry Shue's insightful comedy about a bashful chap visiting a Southern hunting lodge, is being staged by St. George Musical Theatre from Thursday through Oct. 6 in Dixie State College's Cox Auditorium, St. George. Performances are Thursdays, Saturdays and Mondays at 7:30 p.m., with Saturday matinees at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for children and senior citizens (435-628-8755 or www.sgmt.org).
YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN, a revival of Brigham Young University's popular spring-term production, will play Thursday through Sept. 22 in the Pardoe Theatre of BYU's Harris Fine Arts Center.
Directed by George Nelson, the cast includes Tyler Wright in the title role, Megan Moffatt and Brighton Hertford sharing the role of Sally, Makenna Garner as Lucy, Preston Sadlier as Schroeder, Brandon Roach as Linus and Hank Florence as Snoopy.
Performances will be 7:30 nightly, Tuesdays-Saturdays, with one matinee on Sept. 22 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $7 on weeknights or $8 on weekends for those with BYU or student I.D. All tickets for the dress rehearsal (on Sept. 6) and the matinee are $6 each (422-7664 or artstix.byu.edu).
E-mail: ivan@desnews.com