Lebanon Valley College's Music Theatre Program Presents Inaugural Musical: Bernstein's on the Town

Performances held from April 13-16 at The Hershey Area Playhouse

Annville, PA (04/06/2023) — Students in Lebanon Valley College's Music Theatre Program present their inaugural production with On the Town from April 13-15 at 7 p.m., and April 16 at 2 p.m. at The Hershey Area Playhouse. Tickets are available here.

"Lebanon Valley College's Music Theatre Program is excited to share its first main-stage production," said Jonathan Walker-VanKuren, production director and artist teacher of studio voice and music theatre. "Through academic coursework and dedication outside the classroom, our students have tirelessly worked on detailed choreography, exciting vocals, and a delightful tale of friendship and love."

This energetic wartime musical about three sailors on a 24-hour leave in New York City, features thrilling music by Leonard Bernstein with playful lyrics and a book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The show's celebrated score include includes musical theatre standards, including "Come Up to My Place," "I Can Cook, Too," "Some Other Time," and "New York, New York."

"Leonard Bernstein is one of America's most honored creators and composers, and it has been a joy to work with our students as their studies have brought this incredible work to life," added Kevin Edward Gane '17, music director. "It is a privilege to work on a production that is a true collaboration of LVC students, faculty, alumni, and industry professionals."

Originally hitting Broadway in 1944, revived in 1971 and again in 1998 and 2014, On the Town shares the story of fun-loving sailors Gabey (Andrew Santoro '23), Chip (Adam Witmer '26), and Ozzie (Ethan Tucker '24), have 24 hours of shore leave in New York City, and they want to make every second count. Along the way, our sailors meet some "interesting" people, including, loudmouth cab driver Hildy Esterhazy (Lindsey Mousch '23), prim anthropologist Claire de Loone (Hailey Pavlik '24), and the stunning Ivy Smith (Melissa West '24).

Cast: Ozzie (Ethan Tucker '24), Chip (Adam Witmer '26), Gabey (Andrew Santoro '23), Hildy Esterhazy (Lindsey Mousch '23), Claire de Loone (Hailey Pavlik '24), Ivy Smith (Melissa West '24), Madame Maude P. Dilly (Aimee Bealer '23), Judge Pitkin W. Bridgework (Xavier Bates '26), and Lucy Schmeeler (Meg Benson '26).

Company: Victoria Fredericksen '24, Courtney Fulk '24, Tatiana Gonzales '25, Amanda Hopper '25, Carter Palmer '26, Lauren Rothenberger '25, Lacey Shirk '26, Ava Sinisko '26, and Julia Wecker '23

Production Team: Jonathan Walker-VanKuren (director), Kevin Edward Gane '17 (music director), Donna Lynch (choreographer), Chiara Myers (assistant choreographer), Jasmine Ammons Bucher '97, M'11, P'14, P'23 (executive producer), Rosemary Bucher '14 (producer), Miguel Santiago '23 (production manager and lighting design), Jacob Pegher '25 (sound designer), Taylor Swisher (hair and makeup designer), Ashley Winkler (hair and makeup coordinator), Megan Arnold '26 (stage manager), and Maddie Rader '23 (assistant stage manager)

Student Orchestra: Gillian Cheezum '24 and Hannah Moran '26 (flute), Jazmine Carter '24, Hope Kramer '25, and Emily Saporita'24 (clarinet); Adelyn Ruth '24 (French horn), Madisyn Bennett '26 (trumpet), Brenden Pierce '26 and Isaiah Reiner '23 (trombone), Gabrielle Lattanze '23 (viola), Aaron Rudderow '25 (percussion), and Bailey Klinedinst '24 (bass)

Contacts: Jonathan Walker-Vankuren (director, at jowalker@lvc.edu or 570-250-8700) or Kevin Edward Gane '17 (music director, at gane@lvc.edu or 610-675-7875)

About Lebanon Valley College

Lebanon Valley College, founded in 1866, offers bachelor's degrees in more than 50 majors; master's degrees in accounting (MBA 3+1), applied kinesiology, athletic training, business administration, clinical exercise physiology, clinical mental health counseling, education, intelligence and security studies, music education, school counseling, science in STEM education, speech-language pathology, and sport performance; a doctoral degree in physical therapy; ACT 48 continuing education for educator credits; and certificates in comprehensive curriculum & assessment for PreK-12, healthcare management, integrative STEM education, leadership & ethics, marketing, modern band, online teaching & learning, project management, social, emotional, & behavioral wellness, sport enhancement, supply chain management & logistics, and trauma-informed counseling. Located eight miles from Hershey, Pennsylvania, this college of 1,600 undergraduate and 400+ graduate students produces alumni who attend prestigious graduate and professional schools and are employed by top companies and school districts.

Thirty-one percent of our students are first generation (40% of first-year class), 21% of fall 2022 first-year students were Pell-eligible, and 100% of the fall 2021 incoming class received grant or scholarship aid from LVC. More than 35% of our students participate on our 27 NCAA Division III athletic teams or eSports teams, and, our students volunteer more than 20,000 hours of community service during the academic year.