Saint Vincent Summer Theatre offers 'Enchanted Evening' for season finale

For its 53rd season finale, Saint Vincent Summer Theatre will present “Some Enchanted Evening: The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein.”

The revue features five performers singing the most popular songs from the celebrated duo of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, whose 11 musicals started with “Oklahoma!” in 1943 and ended in 1959 with “The Sound of Music.”

“Some Enchanted Evening” will be staged from Tuesday through July 23 in the Performing Arts Center of the Robert S. Carey Student Center at Saint Vincent College.

The revue features “some of the most memorable music from some of the most iconic musicals ever written,” said producing artistic director Greggory Brandt. “They’re my most favorite kind of musical.”

The production first places the performers backstage, showing their interplay as they rehearse, then moves them onstage to perform for the audience.

Singers Sarah Chelli and Josey Miller are Seton Hill University musical theater graduates. While this is Miller’s Summer Theatre debut, Chelli’s previous performances include this season’s recently concluded “Moon Over Buffalo.”

The third female voice is Abby Middleton.

“She was here last year with ‘Lend Me a Tenor,’ and she has such a beautiful soprano voice that I just couldn’t help but put her in this show,” Brandt said.

Completing the ensemble are New York-based performers Shane Tapley, also in his Summer Theatre debut, and Ryan Sammonds, who appeared in the season-opener, “The Andrews Brothers.”

The production title is a nod to the romantic favorite from “South Pacific” and is performed in the show. Also featured are songs from “The Sound of Music,” “Carousel,” “The King and I,” “Cinderella” and Oklahoma!”

”Not every show (Rodgers and Hammerstein) did was a hit, but most of them were,” Brandt said. “They’re not done as often as they used to be, because you need a 20-piece orchestra to fill out their richness.”

Still, he said, they have an enduring popularity not just because of the quality of the music, but also because of the story lines and character development.

“They changed the format of the musical, with the book becoming more relevant,” Brandt said. “Before them, everything was laughter and musical comedy.

“I love the storytelling and how the elements of the characters come to fruition, and they deal with serious subject matter, too,” he said.

Evening performances of “Some Enchanted Evening” will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through July 22. Matinee performances will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday and July 22 and 23.

The post-show Cabaret will take place on the Carey Center patio, weather permitting, with hot dogs, popcorn and various drink options. Fee is $5 per person.

Tickets are $25 for evening performances and $22 for matinees, available at 724-537-8900, stvincent.edu/summertheatre or at the theater box office prior to curtain time.