Summer Youth Theatre

When the overture began and the curtains opened, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I had seen the 1954 film "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" years and years ago but didn’t remember it at all.

(My mother reminded me that it was the movie with the extremely agile male dancers; surprisingly, that didn’t help.)

The show takes place in an Oregon fur-trapping town circa 1850, and tells the story of the seven Pontipee brothers, who all live together without parents or wives.

Because they have no women around to do the housework, the oldest brother, Adam, goes into town -- where the Pontipees are not welcome due to their rowdy behavior-- and quickly proposes to Milly, a waitress.

The two get married and Milly takes on the seemingly impossible task of training Adam’s brothers to be gentlemen. But when the brothers fall in love with girls from the town, they abandon all they’ve learned from their sister-in-law and mayhem ensues.

It’s a cute, fun story with a happy ending and upbeat songs and the actors all seemed to be enjoying themselves while telling it.

Retired schoolteacher Carol Smith said she came because she likes to follow some of her former students in the cast.

“I think it’s amazing,” she said at intermission. “I’m really enjoying it. The leads especially are doing amazing.”

I agreed. Brittany Mruczek and Justin Soble were outstanding as Milly and Adam; both of them were believable as their characters and they have fantastic singing voices. The rest of the ensemble provided solid backing.

Nicholas Dunn, Kraig Marsh, Casimir Mruczek, Adam Secor, Matthew Smith and Eric Waples were audience favorites as the other six brothers, entertaining the crowd with their boisterous antics and impressive harmonizing.

Their brides -- played by Melzie Case, Rachel Fischer, Erin Kruppner, Kaitlin Logsdon, Maryssa Peirick, and Katelyn Rogers -- were equally entertaining as they giggled and flitted around the stage, becoming more and more bold as the show went on.

Even many of the smaller characters who only had a few lines, such as James Barcomb and Alyssa Buckley as Mr. and Mrs. Perkins and Charles Smith as the Preacher, were memorable.

And of course everyone knows that a cluster of dancing 5-year-olds in 19th Century attire just cannot be beaten.

Sixteen-year-old Rosalie Mortellaro is a veteran of the Summer Youth Theatre program but was unable to participate this year because of family plans this weekend (a wedding, coincidentally). However, that didn’t stop her from coming to support her friends from shows past.

"It’s excellent,” Rosalie declared. “I’m surprised to see some new faces and it’s nice to see old faces.”

The show at Batavia High School seemed to go off without a hitch, earning a standing ovation early into the bows.

As I walked out, people all around me were raving about the performance, using words like “incredible” and “phenomenal.”

All in all, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” is great entertainment for the whole family. (The only glitch was the venue's ridiculously long line spilling out of the ladies' room at intermission.)

Editor's Note: Video submitted by Penguin Multimedia.

This weekend, fans of Oz can see local children and teens sing and dance their way through the Batavia Players Summer Youth Theatre production of The Wiz.

The show, which tells the well-known story of Dorothy and her adventures in the magical land of Oz, features familiar characters such as the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, Glinda and the Tin Man.

However, The Wiz is a far cry from the original Wizard of Oz. There are several twists, such as Dorothy's magical shoes being silver instead of red, and an extra witch named Addaperle (played by Katelyn Rogers, above left). But the main difference is that the music and dialogue are in an African-American style.

"It's a much more lively show," says Maureen Edwards (above right), who has the role of Dorothy. "You just want to get up and dance. It's like the funky motown version of the Wizard of Oz."

Edwards, who is 12, is one of the 85 cast members that range in age from 3 to 22. This is her third Summer Youth Theatre production and her ninth production overall.

"Everyone is super supportive," she says. "I've been really lucky because in every show I've been in, I've been treated with a lot of respect. But I do think that with the younger cast, the friends I've made are a lot closer."

Director Patrick Burk says that he tries to give the cast members experience not only onstage, but behind the scenes as well:

"I want them to have a full experience. So they learn about acting, singing, choreography, etc., but they also help with props and sets and cleaning up. It's very important to teach them about tech roles, too."

Burk, who has directed the past 14 summer shows as well as numerous other local community theater productions, says that the cast began rehearsals in mid-May.

"Mr. Burk has a great vision for the show," Edwards says. "He yells sometimes but it's because he loves us and wants us to be the best that we can be. He's a lot of fun to work with."

The original Broadway stage production of The Wiz debuted in 1975, winning seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It has had revivals in New York, London, San Diego and the Netherlands, and a film adaptation starring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, and Nipsey Russell was released in 1978.

"Everyone should come see it," says Edwards.  "It's going to be a great show."

Performances are Aug. 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Aug. 22  at 2 p.m.. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $8 for students and seniors. They can be purchased online at www.bataviaplayers.org link to www.showtix4u.com or at Batavia High School, 260 State St., during evening rehearsals and prior to each performance. For more information call 585-343-9721.