Final Brewer Youth Theatre Performance at Brewer Middle School is “Chicago”

The curtain closes on the final Brewer Youth Theatre productions at Brewer Middle School when BYT presents the Tony Award-winning musical “Chicago.”

Four performances await audiences for the last shows at this site at 7 p.m. Friday, May 20; Saturday, May 21; Friday, May 27, and Saturday, May 28, at BMS, 5 Somerset St.

With the school closing in June, next year’s BYT productions will be staged in the new Brewer Performing Arts Center at Brewer Community School, the 150,000-square-foot prekindergarten through eighth-grade facility under construction on Parkway South.

BMS, which once served as Brewer High School, first hosted a play around 1927, and anyone who wants to revisit this historic setting, with all its memories, will want to be sure to preorder tickets because seating is limited in this fine old auditorium.

According to Rich Kimball, who is directing his last BYT show in this facility, seating will be more limited than usual because the balcony will not be available for this production.

Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for students and seniors, and Rich cautions that “due to the mature subject matter and language,” the production “may not be suitable for younger audiences.”
To order tickets or receive more information, call Brewer High School at 989-4140 or visit the BHS office at 79 Parkway South.

“Chicago,” which was not only one of the most successful productions in Broadway history but also an Academy Award-winning motion picture, is set in the 1920s and tells the story of a young woman, Roxie Hart, who is charged with murder but dreams of becoming a star, as is another murderess, Velma Kelly.

The women hire an attorney to not only get them acquitted of the murder charges but also to help make them famous in the process.

The play stars Lauryn Goodall as Roxie, Rachel Caron as Velma and Alek Sayers as attorney Billy Flynn.

The production also features Jacob Joy as Roxie’s husband, Kassidy Giggey as Matron Mama Morton and Kaileigh Tremble as radio reporter Mary Sunshine.

Also in the cast are Teal Jackson, Christy Bruton, Emma Nichols, Morgan Forrest, Michelle Haluska, Dylan Cyr, Kyle Bull, Mandie Umel, Brady Smith, Matt Fern, Meranda Beshevsy, Caitlyn Kimball, Brian McAvoy, Stefan Rogers, Hope Eye and Noah Clark.

Working with Rich in this final BYT performance at the old school are Clayton Smith, musical director; choreographer Rachel Caron; lighting director John Philbrook; costumers Abby Kimball and Alexa Steele; set designer Andrew Frodahl and stage manager Ambureen Rana.

Rich said several BYT alumni will return for the May 28 performance to take part in the final musical number so they’ll have one last chance to perform on the stage they knew so well.

Among the names you might recognize from BYT productions of the past is Cory Deshane, whom Rich estimates was in more than 20 productions, having started with Rich when he came to Brewer 16 or so years ago.

Individuals from many classes are represented, included several who “graduated in the middle part of the last decade,” Rich said.

“We had Jamie Bartol lined up,” Rich quipped of the BHS alum who is studying acting in New York City, “but he got a better offer.

“He got an internship working on a film with James Franco, who hosted the Academy Awards this year, and Winona Ryder.”

But there are plenty of other BYT alumns who graced this old auditorium you will get to see.

Returning to step foot on the BMS stage one last time are Ashley Austin, Sarah Hodgins Gagne and Krystal Baker.

You’ll also see more recent graduates, Rich said of Lexi Marceron, Tess McLaughlin, Anthony Severance and Nick Risser.

Rich noted that with the alumni coming back, and the fact it is the final production at the old school, everyone is very excited.

He expects it will be a nostalgic event, especially the last performance with the alumni who will be catching up on their history.

“We’ve done about 100 shows” during his tenure, Rich said of BYT performances held in a fine old facility that has hosted “more than 85 years of shows,” including high school plays and junior exhibition variety shows.

“It’s finally coming down to the end,” Rich added, “and we’re ready to move on.”