SLU opera troupe offers ‘The Light in the Piazza’

Southeastern Louisiana University’s Opera/Music Theatre Workshop will present the Broadway musical “The Light in the Piazza” at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27 and Sept. 28 at the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts in downtown Hammond.

Nominated for 11 Tony awards in 2011 and the winner of six, including Best Original Score for composer/lyricist Adam Guettel, “The Light in the Piazza” opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre at Lincoln Center in April 2005. The production ran for over a year, said Chuck Efler, director of Southeastern’s Opera Music/Theatre Workshop.

“The musical score moves away from the tradition in the last decade of using pop music as inspiration; instead, the score is based on classical, neoromantic harmonies and melodies, with lush orchestrations; the dialog is crisp and moves the plot forward at a brisk pace,” said Effler. “You’ll never sit in the audience and think, ‘ah, I hear a song coming on,’ as you might in another musical. The dialog and musical numbers are seamlessly woven together to tell the unique story of this show.”

Set in Florence, Italy, in 1953, the story follows an American woman, Margaret, and her daughter, Clara, on their vacation. Clara meets an Italian boy, Fabrizio Naccarelli, and they fall in love.

“The Columbia is a new venue for fall and spring Opera Workshop productions; the only productions that were there in the past have been summer musicals,” Effler said. “The staff and cast are looking forward to working in the Columbia, which, since its renovation several years ago, is a wonderful theatre to mount this type of production.”

Opera Workshop welcomes back guest stage director Alton Geno for this production. Geno has directed recent Opera Workshop productions of “The Music Man,” “The Wizard of Oz,” and “South Pacific.”

Cast members include Karista Filopoulos, of Abita Springs, as Margaret; Bridget Lyons Zeringue, of Ponchatoula, as Clara; Joshua Williams, of Mandeville, as Naccarelli; Jarred Frey, of New Orleans, as Giuseppe; Anastasiia Ped, of Ukraine, Kherson, as Franca; Colby McCurdy, of Slidell, as Signor; Sarah Bertrand, of Covington, as Signora; BriAnna Dewar, of Slidell, as Tour Guide; and Chase Ledet, of Schriever, as Priest.

Ensemble members include Fiona Allen, of Jackson; Jonathan Dupre, of Luling; Allison Joiner, of Ponchatoula; Lawrence Joiner, of Loranger; Jeremy Lloyd, of Baton Rouge; Amanda Lucas, of Albany; Mary Marlbrough, of Covington; Justin Mihalik, of Geismar; and Kristina Temple, of Amite.

Effler will serve as musical director and conductor, Department of Fine and Performing Arts faculty and staff members Steve Schepker and Ellen Sovkoplas will design the sets and lighting, and Amanda Klipsch of Mandeville will serve as stage manager.

Advance tickets are available at the Columbia Theatre box office from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and will also be available beginning one hour prior to each performance. Ticket prices are $21 for adults; $16 for seniors, SLU faculty/staff and non-SLU students; and $8 for children 12 and younger. SLU students are admitted free with their ID.

Opera Workshop’s production is produced by arrangement with Turner Entertainment Co., owner of the original motion picture “Light in the Piazza,” which was based on the novel by Elizabeth Spencer.

For more information about the Opera/Music Theatre Workshop contact Effler at ceffler@southeastern.edu.