Can you believe it? It’s the fourth year of JTC’s Summer Theatre Festival. From July 11-August 10, we’ve got two great shows that are perfect for summertime. And this year, we’ve added reserved seating–so the sooner you get your tickets, the more choice you’ll have of the exact seats you want. The festival opens July 11 with I Do! I Do! Tom Jones & Harvey Schmidt’s melodic hit musical about marriage. Then on August 1, a new romantic comedy, Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise opens for a two week run. The casts include beloved Judson Theatre Company returnees as well as new faces.
This touching story of two soulmates navigating the perils of life is set to a tuneful, charming score, including “My Cup Runneth Over” and the title song. The story spans 50 years as it focuses on the ups and downs experienced by Agnes and Michael throughout their marriage.
Based on Jan de Hartog’s play The Fourposter, the musical features a book by Tom Jones, with music by Harvey Schmidt and lyrics by Tom Jones. Along with the record-breaking The Fantasticks and 110 in the Shade, I Do! I Do! is one of the three most successful Schmidt and Jones collaborations.
The original Broadway production starred Mary Martin and Robert Preston, opened at the Forty-Sixth Street Theatre in December 1966, and closed after 560 performances in June 1968. It received 7 Tony Award Nominations, and Preston won for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. Singer Ed Ames had a major hit with his recording of the song “My Cup Runneth Over.” Covered by dozens of artists, it is the most well-known song in the show.
Hang on to your heart! Dear Jack, Dear Louise is a letter-perfect love story about two strangers – a military doctor in Oregon and an aspiring actress in New York City – who meet by letter during World War II. They dream of being together someday, but the war keeps them apart for years. Will letters be enough to spark a love story? Tony Award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig (Lend Me a Tenor, Crazy for You) tells the true story of his parents’ courtship during World War II in this new play, signed, sealed, and delivered straight from the heart.
