One thing that patrons like best about The Mac-Haydn Theatre is seeing some of their favorite performers back on stage season after season.  This summer will be no exception, starting with the opening show, Irving Berlin’s I Love A Piano, with Karla and Kelly Shook and John Saunders leading the six person cast.

The Shook sisters toured Japan with the show in November and are thrilled to be introducing it to Mac-Haydn audiences.  Their familiarity with the song and dance filled Berlin music extravaganza makes them the obvious choice to direct and choreograph the show as well as perform in it this time. 

2011 marks their 20th season of performing on the Mac-Haydn stage; their theatre careers began as Enoch and Carrie Snow’s daughters in Carousel.  Karla has played the role of Carrie twice, and has a host of leading and feature parts on this stage to her credit, including last summer’s Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun and Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes, two very different but perfectly played roles.  She also made her main stage directorial debut with The Secret Garden, after several years of staging the highly popular children’s theatre shows.  Kelly directed her sister in Anything Goes last year,and in 2009 directed and choreographed the popular Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  Audiences have enjoyed her performances of Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Streetand Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, among many other roles throughout the years.

John Saunders directed himself last summer in Showboat, playing Cap’n Andy.  His character work has ranged from the delightful Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls to a powerful John Adams in 1776 and Archie Craven in a past production of The Secret Garden to the both stern and humorous Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady. John will also be giving his precise touches to directing Annie, Jekyll & Hyde, Grease and Carousel this summer.

Be it for glamor (Mame), comedy (Mrs. Meers, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Mae Peterson, bye Bye Birdie), her rich singing prowess (Mother Abbess, The Sound of Music) or a combination of all in so many roles she has done so perfectly, Monica M. Wemitt has held a well deserved high spot on the favorites list for many Mac-Haydn seasons.  This summer you will see her at her funniest as Miss Hannigan in Annie, and hear her voice at its most soaring when she sings You’ll Never Walk Alone as Cousin Nettie Fowler in Carousel.

Not seen since MHT’s last The King and I, but eagerly awaited is Andrew Hasagawa, who will once again play the King of Siam.  His ability to bring out the comedic as well as the stern and the tender sides of this multi-faceted character quickly made him memorable to the audience. Since 2005 he has been playing the role wherever he can throughout the US. 

Anna Leonowens in The King and I will be played by Colleen Gallagher, who was a hit in her first MHT summer as Mary’s Lennox’s new friend Martha in The Secret Garden and the probing reporter Gloria Thorpe in Damn Yankees.

Another long-time Mac-Haydn friend repeating a favorite Mac-Haydn role is Rhnea Wright Ausmus, coming back at the end of the season to once again portray the delightfully funny and loving Louise in Always . . . Patsy Cline. 

Also returning for a second season on the theatre-in-the-round stage are Andy Geary and Kevin Kelly.  Mr. Geary’s 2010 roles included Billy Crocker in Anything Goes, M. Lindsay Woolsey in Mame and Albert Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie.  Mr Kelly played Buffalo Bill in Annie Get Your Gun, Mary Sunshine in Chicago and Mr. MacAffee in Bye Bye Birdie.

Working off stage but as ever enhancing the shows will be costume designers Jimm Halliday and Dale DeBernardo, lighting designer Andrew Gmoser and set designers Kevin Gleason and Laura Brignull.

There truly are Musicals For Everyone in Mac-Haydn’s big, bright, 43rd season and we want you to join us for it: Irving Berlin’s I Love A Piano May 26-June 5, Annie June 9-19, The King and I June 23-July 3, Jekyll & Hyde July 7-17, Swing! July 21-31, Grease August 4-14, Carousel August 18-September 4, and Always…Patsy Cline September 9-18.

Full season and four-show subscriptions are available, and single show reservations are being taken.  Performance times are: first week Thursday 2 and 8 p.m., Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 4 and 8:00 p.m., Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m.; second week: Wednesday 2 p.m., Thursday 2 and 8 p.m., Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 4 and 8:00 p.m., Sunday 2 and 7 p.m.  Tickets are $29.00 and $30.00 for evening performances, $28.00 for all matinee seats, children under 12 with an adult $12.00.  Discounts are available for groups and senior citizens. The MHT II Productions special show will perform Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m., Thursday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.  Mastercard and Visa welcome. No cancellations or refunds. Fully air conditioned. Call 518-392-9292 for information and reservations.