a musical play
by S. Arthur Williams
a delightful "Romeo & Juliet" tale
set in the insect world
Villa Youtheatre 2004 Production - CAST
BUGS!
To be staged at the Villa
The Villa Youtheatre announces the opening of their 2004 Spring musical theater production of BUGS! by S. Arthur Williams. This is a delightful tale of antenna-crossed lovers, Buzz Bee and Hortense Ant whose romance is stifled by Hortense’s disapproving father George Ant, and the despicable villain, Spidelle the Spider. With a mason jar full of buggy supporting characters to fill out the outrageous cast, this is high energy, wacky Romeo/Juliet-esque production.
The 21 students of the Villa Youtheatre, ages 5-16, who have been rehearsing since January, make up the cast, directed by Artistic Director, Debra Woods, and her talented faculty. Woods performed in this play 30 years ago in her hometown of Oxford, Ohio, and has been looking forward to producing this play herself, ever since.
Tony Gunn, award winning playwright and director, is the assistant director/stage manager. Lesley Gunn and Sarah Campbell team up as music/dance directors. Debra Woods designed the costumes and scenery.
Three performances will be held at The Villa Playhouse, 254 South Main Street in Springville on Thursday, Friday and Saturday May 13th-15th evenings at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children - with family discounts available - and school discounts for groups of 30 or more for $3 each.
For information call Bill Brown: 489-3088
The Cricket Chorus
Music: S. Arthur Williams
Logo Design: Toni Santo Regis
Costume Design: Danajean Cicerchi
CAST OF
CHARACTERS
in order of appearance
Butterfly Ballet- the six
undulating wonders of the insect worldin order of appearance
Grasshopper - the snappy old bug who tells the story
Cricket Chorus - the booby-dooing foursome
Buzz the Bee - the good, brave hero
Muggsy/Buggsy the Roach Brothers - henchmen of Spidelle
Horthense Ant - the beautiful heroine
Mr. George Ant - the no-nonsense father of Hortense
Mrs. Eloise Ant - the ineffectual mother of Hortense
Spidelle - a rotten spider villain of the first water
Mr. Grubby Termite - the grubby neighbor next door
Grace Moth - the gracefully clumsy friend of Hortense
Ladybug - the space queen
Mrs. Gladys Termite - the grubby neighbor who has a grubby larva
Scarlet B. Weevil - a sexy creature from the South
Originally produced at Taft High School, Hamilton, Ohio in 1973 and then by Miami University Summer Theater in Oxford, Ohio in 1974, BUGS! has delighted Midwest audiences for decades, long before Disney's A Bugs Life, or ANTZ! or Honey I Shrunk the Kids ever hit the silver screen. But the idea of a live musical set in the insect world was great food for inspiration for playwright Steve Williams and his talented designers who created delightful costumes, scenery and a crawlingly creative collection of characters for this microcosm of life in a tiny patch of a summer meadow. I played Ladybug at the age of 15 in the Miami University production, [see cast photo] and have longed to remount this show ever since! Thanks to the Alumni Association of Miami, I now have the script and blessing of the playwright - So stay tuned for the Western States Premiere at the Villa in Springville come May 2004! ~Debra Woods
Spidelle - the Villain
The Roach Brothers
Scarlet B. Weevil
