Another hit musical production headed for the Gallo Center. Where and when to see it
Another high-spirited musical comes to the Gallo Center for the Arts from a Modesto company.
“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” plays Aug. 13-21, the second summer production from Modesto Performing Arts, now in its 54th season.
MPA presented “A Chorus Line” in June, its first live performance since the coronavirus pandemic.
The upcoming production is based on the 1954 film starring Jane Powell and Howard Keel.
The show is a “rip-roaring version of the famous MGM musical,” according to a press release from MPA. “’Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ is an exuberant tale of the seven Pontipee brothers, hankerin’ for fun, fightin’, and frolickin’ in the 1850s Oregon wilderness.”
It tells the story of newlyweds Adam and Milly. When Adam, the eldest of seven brothers, marries Milly, the Pontipee brothers “are shaken out of their loutish backwoods life with a vengeance,” the release said.
Milly is determined to marry off her brothers-in-law to ensure the success of her marriage.
“(Milly) singlehandedly civilizes them and introduces the neighboring town to some wild Pontipee courting, which shakes up all the unattached female hearts in the vicinity,” the release said.
The brothers’ enthusiasm “carries them away into a mass abduction of the town’s daughters,” according to the release. Milly keeps tabs on a group of women through the Oregon winter. Then their fathers show up for a shotgun wedding of the 12 couples.
This is the third time MPA has presented “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” General Director Paul Tischer said, having staged it in 1991 and 2010.
Starring in the show will be Carma Mize as Milly and Shawn Soelberg as Adam.
Playing the six other brothers will be Levi Johannsen, Eric Rosales, John Sylvester, Jarod Honberger, Ziggie Garcia and Spencer Brown.
It’s the last show at the Gallo Center until its 2022-23 season-opener on Sept. 17, a new touring production of “Cats.”
“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 13 and Aug. 19-20; 2 p.m. Aug. 14 and Aug. 21, at the Gallo Center, 1000 J St., Modesto. Tickets are $21-$38 and are available at the downtown venue’s box office or at gallarts.org.
“With new songs added to the classic film score,” the release said, “’Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ is a dancing, melodic treat for one and all.”
This story was originally published August 4, 2022 at 8:00 AM.
