STERLING — It’s called a “good, old-fashioned musical comedy” and seems to be a great fit for Sterling’s Old Fashioned Fourth of the July celebration. The Sterling Community Theatre Troupe will present the musical “Me and My Girl” at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 1-3 at the Sterling High School Theatre. Tickets for the show will be $10 for adults and $5 for students and will be available at the door before each performance.
“It’s a fun show that features a lot of upbeat, energetic music and loads of comedy – some high-brow and some low-brow,” said director Dennis Dutton. “We weren’t able to do a summer show last year with COVID restrictions so we wanted something traditional, lively and just plain fun to come back with for this year.”
The music-hall style songs are by British composer Noel Gay. The book is originally by L. Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber and was revised by Stephen Fry. The show features a number of hummable tunes including “The Sun Has Got His Hat On,” “The Lambeth Walk,” “Leaning on a Lampost,” and the title song. The New York Post declared, “It has humor, music, dancing, charm, wit and a deft expertise that takes your heart away.” Filled with non-stop tomfoolery and unaffected sweetness, Me and My Girl is a frothy, escapist, old-fashioned musical comedy that is sure to delight.
The show revolves around Bill Snibson, an unapologetically unrefined cockney gentleman who learns that he is the 14th heir to the Earl of Hareford. However, he will only receive his inheritance if his aunt, the Duchess, and Sir John Tremayne approve of him.
Leading the Sterling cast in the role of Bill is Sterling resident Seth Svaty. Piper Harding, Sterling, will play his girl Sally with Betsy Dutton, Sterling High School theater teacher, and Larry Brownlee, Sterling College music faculty member, as the family matriarch the Duchess and the avuncular Sir John. Sterling school librarian Amy Brownlee plays the gold-digging ingénue Lady Jaqueline who is in pursuit of the new Earl. Sterling College student Will Dutton will be seen as Gerald, Jaqueline’s fiancé who is worried about his own future.
Hutchinson resident James Pope will be Sir Jasper, the aging family member who is hard of hearing. Sterling pastor Wayne Beaver will be seen as family head servant Hethersett. Sterling resident and state school board member Ben Jones will portray Parchester, the family solicitor who knows all the family secrets.
Others in the 29-person cast include Sterling College students Rachel Thomson of Hutchinson and Torey Wilson of Rural Hill, N.C. along with Sterling High School students Noah Svaty, Micah Svaty, Josiah Watney, Ella Wellman, Karissa Wilson, Tori Gonzalez, and Kelsey Webb as well as Buhler students Josh Duran, Lucas Shroyer, Callee Harris. Community members of the cast include Chelsey Junemann, Arlington; Melissa Desemo, Sterling, Kathy Lansdowne, Whitney Lansdowne, Wendy Pope, and Seamus Pope, Hutchinson; and Taylor Stucky of Pretty Prairie.
