The Emery County Community Theatre proudly presented “Mame”, a musical based on a book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. It was presented at the Emery High School Auditorium March 15-17.
The story revolved around Mame Dennis (Loyette Holdaway), an eccentric New York woman whose motto is “Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death”. Her bohemian lifestyle is disrupted when her deceased brother’s 10 year old son, Patrick (Nick Ledger) is entrusted to her care. Rather than bow to convention, Mame introduces the boy to her free-wheeling lifestyle. Also figuring in the story line are Mame’s personal secretary and nanny-in-law, Agnes Gooch (Savannah Withers); her buddy, Vera Charles (Linda Daley); Dwight Babcock (Jake Barnett), the stuffy executor of Patrick’s father’s estate; and Ito (Alex Stevenson) the family butler. Mame loses her fortune in the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and tries her hand at a number of jobs, with comically disastrous results, but perseveres with good humor and an irrepressible sense of style.
Mame eventually meets and marries Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside (Val Jenkins), a Southern aristocrat. While they are away on their ‘extended’ honeymoon, Patrick grows up (now played by Brandon Hess), becoming a bit snobbish, with an equally snobbish girlfriend, Gloria Upson (Jenny Donaldson), much to his Auntie Mame’s dismay. All works out in the end, with grace and humor.
Other roles in the musical were portrayed by Edward and Janet Geary, Carol Stilson, Kelly Olson, Tanie Worthen, Elizabeth Fillmore, Melese Pulli, Kolby Stevenson, Sarin Hinkins, John and Lila Donaldson, and dancers from the high school.
Shala (Pitchforth) Osborne puts many personal touches to the musical as the director, with Annell Jackson and Angela Pulli on piano, and David Osborne in charge of the set. Some of the familiar music, included, “We Need a Little Christmas”, “My Best Girl”, “If He Walked into My Life”, and the wonderful theme song, “Mame”.
The production played to large crowds each evening.
ECCT presents Mame
"Alex Stephenson, Savannah Withers, Loyette Holdaway and Nick Ledger play the parts of Ito, Agnes Gooch, Mame and Patrick in the production of Mame."