Local theater celebrates 35 years

By Shari Goldstein Stern

“Just you wait, Henry Higgins” until June 15 for opening night of “My Fair Lady” kicking off Garland Summer Musicals’ (GSM) 2018 season. Lerner and Loewe’s brilliant musical masterpiece, “My Fair Lady,” will star Michael Robinson as Higgins and Alexandra Cassens as Eliza Doolittle. Michael Serrecchia directs the show.

GSM never ceases to amaze audiences with its polish, precision and professionalism. This summer shouldn’t be any different. The 35th season will continue July 20 – 29 with Cole Porter’s “Kiss me Kate,” starring Lauren LeBlanc and Michael Isaac as Kate and Petruchio. Buff Shurr, who has directed DSM seasons since its inception, is an experienced veteran of Broadway who will direct “Kiss me Kate.”

Michael Serrecchia will direct “My Fair Lady” and Michael Robinson should be ideal as Henry Higgins opposite Alexandra Cassens as Eliza Doolittle. Patrons may remember Robinson’s stunning performance as Captain Hook in GSM’s production of “Peter Pan.” His memorable costume was his own creation from his Dallas Costume Shoppe.

There’s nothing about GSM that resembles “community theater.” Patty Granville, director of cultural facilities for the City of Garland, founded GSM in 1983. She planned the Granville Performing Arts Center and has built an exceptional reputation for the center and for GSM. The theater has a talent base that reflects the abundance of performing artists in the Dallas area.

Granville will produce “My Fair Lady,” with Mark Mullino as musical director. Megan Bates is choreographer and Rachel DuPree is stage manager. Rodney Dobbs is set designer. Lighting design will be by Jason Foster. Joe Murdock is the master carpenter, and technical director will be Tim Doyle. Michael Robinson and the Dallas Costume Shoppe designed costumes. Sound design will be by Wes Weisheit.

“My Fair Lady” (the 2010 production is pictured below) will be Linda Frank’s 33rd GSM production during her 25-year history with the theater. She said: “Patty [Granville] and Buff [Shurr] are wonderful in so many ways, a class act. They have helped so many young adults in their theatre career, some of them are now on Broadway.”

Frank added, “Our productions are top notch. GSM has great actors, singers and dancers along with a great crew and production staff.” GSM raises the bar on small, local theater. Its appeal and reputation span far beyond Garland and East Dallas.

This is White Rock native Steven Beene’s 27th season with GSM since 1992. “The main changes to GSM over the years are technical,” he said. “There are much better lighting instruments which provide better effects. We have gone from floor mics to body mics, a big improvement. The quality of the productions and the talent is still at a high level, which gives the young performers an opportunity to learn from and work with seasoned talent including Equity Actors.”

From a patron’s point of view, it’s exciting to know that, while Dallas brings in so many wonderful, varied national touring companies of new and relatively current shows, there’s a theater you can count on to keep your actual classics around and beautifully presented. Some theatergoers just need a little “corn as high as an elephant’s eye” once in a while, and some “rain in Spain” more often, with an occasional “Shuffle off to Buffalo” binge.

“My Fair Lady” will run two consecutive weekends, June 15 through 24 with performances Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees. All performances of “My Fair Lady” will be in the Brownlee Auditorium of the Granville Arts Center, 300 North Fifth Street in downtown Garland.  For ticket information call the Arts Center Box Office 972-205-2790. For more information and to buy tickets online, visit Garlandartsboxoffice.com.