FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Please contact: Ruth Baum Bigus

Publicist, Theatre in the Park (913) 707-7746

ruthwrite@everestkc.net

“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”- - next production at The Theatre in the Park

Book donations sought for the Hike Reading Achievement Program

White-washing fences, sneaking through graveyards and exploring a cave for hidden fortune. Such is

the fun for three Midwestern kids during the summer of 1840 in the small Missouri town of St. Petersburg,

Missouri. It’s also the setting for the musical “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, the next production taking the

stage at Theatre in the Park. A musical adaptation of the Mark Twain classic, this musical follows the

mischievous Tom and his pals as they deal with the ups and downs of life in the 1800s.

“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” opens Friday, July 18 and continues for seven performances July 19 & 20 and the following week July 23-26; gates open at 6:30 p.m. with all performances beginning at 8:30

p.m. “Tom Sawyer” is sponsored by Capitol Federal Savings and is rated G.

“Tom Sawyer” marks the TTIP directorial debut of Bess Wallerstein Huff. Music direction is done by

Marsha Canaday with choreography by Kacy Christensen and fight choreography staged by Chris Gleeson.

In its continued effort to help beyond the footlights, TTIP is partnering with The HIKE Reading

Achievement Program that provides expert instruction, academic support and educational resources to

enhance reading skills of low-income children. Theater-goers are asked to bring new or gently used books to

donate when they come to “Tom Sawyer,” TTIP will give them a coupon for free popcorn as a token of thanks.

In “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” audience members are treated to the escapades of Tom and his

pal Huckleberry Finn. The twosome are known for getting into mischief and do so first at school and then at

home with Tom “sentenced” to white-wash the fence. Huck thinks painting the fence looks like fun and Tom him

and his schoolmates trick him into taking on the task. Becky Thatcher enters the picture and Tom gets his first

taste of romance.

Later that night, the two young boys venture into a local graveyard and spy and end up seeing a

murder. Scared, the boys flee but promising to keep mum about what they witnessed. There’s more adventure

in store as a community picnic takes place when Tom, Becky and Huck disappear, lost in a cave. While the

townspeople fear the beloved trio has disappeared forever, Tome, Becky and Huck end up watching their own

funeral before all is resolved with a happy ending. The action-packed story, written by Ken Ludwig, and spirited

score by Don Schlitz is a production the entire family will enjoy.

The HIKE program was created with Phoenix Family through a five-year partnership of the Trent Green

Family Foundation, its largest initiative to date. Green, the beloved former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, has

been very supportive of charitable work in the metro area. Books collected through TTIP’s production of “Tom

Sawyer” will go to filling a library at one of Phoenix Family’s facilities. Green is scheduled to be the VIP Emcee for the July 23 performance of “Tom Sawyer”.

“For the Trent Green Family Foundation, nothing is more important than the future of Kansas City’s

youth,” said Green, who chairs the foundation. “And when we learned that children who can’t read proficiently by

third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school — and children from low-income families are six

times more likely to drop out — we knew we had to do something. This will help instill the key to education.”

Phoenix Family offers programs to more than 5,600 residents living in 34 low-income housing

communities in 14 cities throughout Missouri, Iowa and Kansas. Through its Youth Development, Families First

and Senior Empowerment programs, it provides an integrated, broad range of services tailored to the individual

resident. Activities are designed to enable residents to stay in their homes and with their families while they

make progress towards and attain self-sufficiency.

Now its 45th season of providing family-friendly musical theatre entertainment, this year’s TTIP line-up

will conclude with the award-wining musical “Ragtime”. All shows can be seen at The TTIP outdoor

amphitheater inside beautiful Shawnee Mission Park. TTIP’s season sponsors include SPRINT and Shawnee

Mission Health.

Movie Nights continue this summer, as well. Nine movie nights remain with the next showing on

Tuesday, July 22 with an “Iron Man” Triple header that’s rated PG-13. Movies start at 8:45 p.m. and are only $1

a person, with films for the entire family including “Wizard of Oz,” “Peter Pan,” “the Lego Movie,” as well as more

adult titles including “Iron Man” and “When Sally Met Harry”. Movie nights are sponsored in part by Capitol

Federal Savings. For a complete list of the movie dates and titles, please visit

http://www.theatreinthepark.org/movies.

More convenience

This summer, TTIP has a limited number of lawn chairs that can be rented each night for only $5 each

on a first come, first serve basis. TTIP continues its reserved chairs (done through the TTIP web site in

advance) for every performance for only $20.

Ever mindful of value for theatre patrons, TTIP is holding the line on ticket prices with general admission

only $8, youth $6, and children three and under may attend for free (but require a ticket for entrance). To avoid

waiting in line, tickets may be purchased online at www.theatreinthepark.org. Tickets may also be purchased at

the theatre box office the nights of performance.

TTIP continues to offer its THRIFTY THURSDAY pricing, where patrons can save 20 percent on general

admission tickets that are purchased at the box office at the theatre for that Thursday evening’s performance

only.

Renner Detour

The Theatre in the Park is located in Shawnee Mission Park at 7710 Renner Road, in Shawnee, KS,

and Due to construction road work, Renner Road is closed this summer north of West 87th Street, however

there are two easy detour routes to get to the theatre in Shawnee Mission Park. Perhaps the best way is to

utilize the Midland Drive exit off of I-435 and travel south on Renner Road to the TTIP entrance.

TTIP is the largest outdoor community theater in the country, and has been providing quality theatre

entertainment in the community for more than four decades.

For information on everything happening at TTIP this season, please visit

http://www.theatreinthepark.org.

Cast of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”

(Role, performer’s name and city of residence) Tom Sawyer: Preston Offill; Leawood Huck Finn: Jeremy Walterman; Olathe

Becky Thatcher: Mosha Clyma; Kansas City Aunt Polly: Pam Sollars; Kansas City

Widow Douglas: Donna Dandino; Lee’s Summit Judge Thatcher: Scott Powell; Kansas City

Reverend Sprague: Chip Buckner Muff Potter: Steven Martin; Lenexa

Injun Joe: Simon Schupp; Doc Robinson/Lemuel Dobbins: Craig Boyd; Olathe

Pap/Lanyard Bellamy: Roderick Duplissie; Kansas City Gideon Temple: Rod Chapin; Overland Park

Sidney Sawyer: Max Pinson; Leawood Amy Lawrence: Meaghan Parker; Kansas City

Lucy Harper: Vicotria Loepp; Overland Park Sabina Temple: Erica Punch; Overland Park

Susie Rogers: Haley Wolf; Lee’s Summit Girls:

Darcy Hingula; Shawnee Amanda Dulny; Shawnee

Mattie Bell; Olathe Alexa Morgan: Lenexa

Mia Vaught; Overland Park Genevieve Austin; Overland Park

Jentry Muck; Olathe Mary Ann Traxler; Olathe

Amber Nugent: Olathe Ben Rogers: Steven Scheffe; Lenexa

George Bellamy: Grant Lescher; Louisburg, KS Lyle Bellamy: Jacob Springer; Overland Park

Joe Harper: Chase Simmons; Olathe Jim Hollis: Gerald Briscoe; Gardner

Alfred Temple: Colin Rohach; Leawood Boys:

Evan Nugent; Olathe Daniel Owens; Overland Park

Treyson Gates Smith; Overland Park Adam Segura

Ensemble: Sherriff: John Feldmann; Shawnee

Don Schierding; Overland Park Kelly Cady (Jessica Rogers); Olathe

Corinne Bakker; Overland Park Serena Fox; Lenexa

Jeanne Marx; Kansas City Dena Hildebrand; Overland Park

[30]