Forever Plaid – Plaid Tidings kicks off Lyric Stage’s 31st season with the delightful holiday classic by Stewart Ross. The family-friendly musical runs from Nov. 29-Dec. 22 at the Lyric Stage Studio, 1170 Quaker Street in Dallas. General admission tickets and reserved café tables, ranging from $30 to $50, are now on sale at https://www.lyricstage.org/season31.
Scott Guenther, Lyric Stage managing and co-artistic director, said, “This family friendly show has the classic holiday spirit with comedic elements. Instead of focusing solely on holiday songs, it intersperses well-loved pop songs from the mid-20th century to appeal to holiday enthusiasts and vintage music fans. Also, the interactive aspect with the audience gives it a more personal and intimate feel.”
Director is Mary Gilbreath Grim; Kelly McCain is the choreographer, and Hans Grim is the music director. Key roles are as follows: Anthony Ortega as Francis; Daniel Hernandez as Sparky; Shane Duckett as Jinx; Ben Meaders as Smudge; and Kenneth Lane as Swing.
Plaid Tidings Plot Synopsis
At first, Francis, Jinx, Smudge and Sparky aren’t sure why they’ve returned to Earth for another posthumous performance. A phone call from the heavenly Rosemary Clooney lets them know that they’re needed to put a little harmony into a discordant world. Sprinkled among the Christmas offerings are audience favorites, like their riotous three-minute-and-eleven-second version of The Ed Sullivan Show – this time, featuring the Rockettes, the Chipmunks and The Vienna Boys Choir, as well as a Plaid Caribbean Christmas that puts the “Day-O” in Excelsis!
Lyric Stage, a Dallas-based 501c3 not-for-profit professional musical theatre company, was established in 1993 with the mission of the development and preservation of the musical, a unique art form. In its thirty-year history, Lyric Stage has produced more than 125 productions, which include 21 world-premiere musicals and two Off-Broadway shows.
Tricia and Scott Guenther Take Key Roles
Lyric Stage recently announced that two key members of the staff have taken on new leading roles. Tricia Guenther is Patron Services & Co-Artistic Director, and Scott Guenther is Managing & Co-Artistic Director.
Tricia has been a choreographer for various dance companies and an artistic director of her studio for more than 30 years. She also brings a vast array of artistic skills to the company. She now handles the education and outreach aspects at Lyric. In addition, she oversees patron service roles and front-of-house operations.
Scott has been an artist, designer, technical director, and business manager for theatre and dance companies for more than three decades. His experience on the business side, combined with his artistic skills, brings Lyric Stage much-needed direction for a sustainable future. He has taken the role of managing director, and shares the artistic decisions with Tricia and producer, Catherine Carpenter Cox.
For more information about Lyric Stage, please visit lyricstage.org.
