Press Release
The Emery High Theatre Department will be presenting the fun-filled family musical “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” on Nov. 14, 15, 16, 17 and 19 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. It will be in the Emery High Auditorium and admission will be $5 for adults and $4 for students. Children 5 and under are free. This musical has a cast of 38 students and to give more people opportunities, the “Brides” roles have been double cast.
“Seven Brides” is the musical story of the Pontipee brothers that live up in a high mountain ranch in Oregon. Adam, the oldest brother, ventures in to town looking for supplies, sundries, doodads and a wife. While in town, he meets Milly, a young orphan girl who works in a bar, and without any formal courtin’, he asks her to marry him. Hoping to get away from all the men in the bar, she agrees and looks forward to settling down with just one man to feed.
Little did Milly know when she married Adam that he had six brothers that she would be expected to care for also. As Milly takes care of the Pontipee brood, she teaches them about manners, dancing and girls. The whole clan then travels to town where they attend a dance with the locals, each brother meeting a gal he really takes a likin’ to. The solution to the boys not having wives is obvious to Adam, who then leads a raid on the village with his brothers to kidnap some wives. They do so and while escaping, an avalanche closes the pass into the mountains, stranding the girls with a very angry Milly for the next five months. That’s where the love and hate and anger and romance all get started. This is a family-friendly production if you don’t mind a little kidnapping.
The book of the play is by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay, with music by Gene de Paul, Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn, and lyrics by Johnny Mercer, Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn. It is based on the 1954 Stanley Donen film of the same name which is, itself, an adaption of the short story “The Sobbin’ Women,” by Stephen Vincent Benét, Some of the favorite songs include “Bless Your Beautiful Hide,” “Goin’ Courtin’,” “Lonesome Polecat” and “Sobbin Women.”
The Emery High production is directed by Neal Peacock with musical director Marilee Cox and vocal director Shala Pitchforth. The choreography is provided by McKette Sitterud. Scenery help comes from Melanie Jensen and Kayla Winn. Sound, lights and props are provided by the Emery High stage crew. Because the Brides’ roles have been double-cast, the theatre department is running the play for six performances, including a matinee at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17. All other performances will be Wednesday through Saturday and Monday at 7 p.m. in the Emery High School auditorium.
This will be the second play for the Emery High Theatre Department this school year. having done the Shakespeare play “Merry Wives of Windsor” in October. Future productions include “ELF the Musical” on Dec. 19, 20 and 21 (a return of last year’s production) and Starlight Express on March 14, 15 and 16 of 2019. Please come out and enjoy the Emery High School theatre season.