The Tryon Little Theater (TLT) will stage State Fair, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s only musical written for the big screen, on consecutive weekends in March. The show is directed by Dan Harvey, with musical direction from Pam McNeil. Performances will be held March 3–5 and March 10–12 at the Tryon Fine Arts Center.
Set against the colorful backdrop of an American heartland tradition, State Fair travels with the Frake family as they leave behind the routine of the farm for three days of adventure at the annual Iowa State Fair. Mom and Pop Frake (Susie Kocher and Mark Sawyer) have their hearts set on winning blue ribbons, while their children (Maggie Collins and Alex Poteat) have theirs set on finding romance.
“We’ve gathered a magnificent cast of over 25 talented actors for this show,” says Harvey. “It features new faces to TLT and several veteran TLT actors. You could say it’s a star-studded show! It’s warm-hearted family entertainment that Rodgers and Hammerstein are known for creating.”
The TLT dates back to the 1890s and has been housed in various locations around town, under different names—The Opera House, Tryon Dramatic Society, Drama Fortnightly—before finally settling on its current name. Its black box theater workshop is located in a converted auto parts store on South Trade Street in Tryon, but for large musical productions TLT uses the Tryon Fine Arts Center’s big stage.
“The movie was made in 1945, and adapted for the stage in 1992,” says McNeil. “One of the songs won an Academy Award for Best Original Song, and interestingly enough, some of the other songs for the stage version were either cut from—or used in—other Rodgers and Hammerstein shows.”
The Tryon Fine Arts Center is located at 34 Melrose Avenue, Tryon. Show times are 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, March 3–4 and March 10–11, and 3 p.m. on Sundays, March 5 and 12. Tickets are $25 for adults and $12 for those under 18. For tickets and more information, visit TLTinfo.org, or call 828.859.2466.
