SHEFFIELD-Shoals residents don’t have to wait much longer to experience live entertainment again! The Ritz Theatre’s 2021 SummerStock production of The Last Five Years opens this month, with six shows July 22-24 and 29-31 at 7:30 pm. These shows feature three different 2-person casts, made up of some of the Tennessee Valley’s most promising young musical theatre talent. Tickets are available now at tennesseevalleyarts.org.
SummerStock is The Ritz’s annual summer musical that features young-adult performers and crew. Director Suzanne Reese-Mills chose The Last Five Years partly out of practicality, since the two-person cast would allow for more distancing and safety. Because SummerStock is a showcase and training opportunity for young talent, she decided to audition for multiple casts.
“The six performers we cast make me thankful for that decision at every rehearsal,” said Reese-Mills. “Not only is each of them deserving of their role, but telling this beautiful story through each of their lenses has made for an equally beautiful process, and what I know will be stunning performances.”
The cast members are all under 25 and all have ties to the Shoals area. Three of the performers–Victoria Chaves, Gary Fuqua, and Jalen Kirkman–are in the musical theatre program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Carolina Mooring is studying entertainment industries and music at the University of North Alabama, and Nick T. Grigsby is pursuing a master’s degree in voice pedagogy with the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and Voice Workshop. Mary Morgan Scott is a rising senior at Florence High School.
All six cast members are experienced singers and actors, having performed extensively through community and school theatre programs. In a community that is so full of artistic talent, Reese-Mills says the audition process was very competitive, but that these six actors “have proven themselves to be right for this project.”
“It has been a privilege to work with a group of such outstanding performers who not only show up and do their job like professionals, but also support each other so generously and joyfully in the process.” Reese-Mills says she is “excited for the entire SummerStock 2021 team to share this show with the community!
Written and composed by Jason Robert Brown, The Last Five Years is a beautifully heartbreaking and uniquely told story of love and loss. This intimate musical invites audiences to take a tour through a five-year relationship. The play does include adult language and sexual references. Director Reese-Mills is joined by music director Drew Mills for this production.
While The Ritz has hosted outdoor productions and an online radio play in the past year, The Last Five Years marks the return to indoor live performances at the historic theatre in downtown Sheffield.
“We are so excited to return to The Ritz stage!” said Christi Britten, the director of the Tennessee Valley Art Association, which runs the Ritz Theatre. “There is nothing like experiencing a production in-person within the controlled environment of the theatre. We can’t wait to be immersed in this story with dynamic performances by talented performing artists, musicians, directors, and crew.”
SummerStock has been made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Other sponsors include the TimesDaily and Coldwater Inn.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students. To celebrate the return to The Ritz, there will be pre-show parties for the three opening weekend shows. The price for a ticket with the pre-show party is $40. The party will include charcuterie and a drink ticket. A cash bar will also be available.
Audience members wanting to see multiple casts can get the student rate when purchasing tickets for two or more performances. Just call 256-383-0533 to purchase a ticket bundle. ADA seating is also available by phone.
While audience members are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance, tickets will also be available at the door. For more information about the Tennessee Valley Art Association, which runs the Ritz Theatre and the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art, visit tennesseevalleyarts.org.
