Contact: Scott Burchill
Phone: (715) 373-1194
Email address: info@sidekicktheatre.com
Washburn, Wis. – Sidekick Theatre, a new professional theatre out of the Twin Cities, will present its inaugural season at StageNorth in Washburn, Wisconsin, located near Bayfield and the Apostle Islands. Under the artistic leadership of Brian Pekol and Tim Stolz, the theater’s four play season starts June 26 and will run though October 4, 2015, featuring professional actors who have appeared in the Twin Cities on such stages as The Guthrie, Park Square, The Old Log Theatre, as well as all over the country.
Pekol and Stolz teamed up after working together at the Old Log Theatre in the Twin Cities and approached StageNorth owners John and Annie Weinel a year ago to propose the idea of presenting a season of plays during the summer, a time of year when the venue is normally dark.
“The Bayfield area has always been a favorite spot,” said Stolz. “It struck me as an ideal place for a summer theatre especially with all the visitors the area attracts.”
Stolz, son of Twin Cities theater legend Don Stolz, has worked in theatre for over 35 years, much of that time at the Old Log Theatre, as a director, playwright, stage manager and general manager. Pekol, originally from Rhinelander, Wisconsin, has worked as an actor, musical director and professional musician since moving to the Twin Cities. He is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist working extensively in numerous recording studios and has toured across the US and Europe.
Sidekick’s 2015 season begins with THE 39 STEPS which opens June 26. Mix an Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece with as juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have THE 39 STEPS, a fast-paced comedy thriller. “We chose it as our first show because Tim and I wanted to kick off our new adventure with something light, silly and fun for all ages,” said Pekol, who is directing the show. “THE 39 STEPS is like a roller coaster full of twists and turns.”
Winner of two Tony Awards and the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy, the show features a cast of four actors who, against all odds, breathlessly and hilariously attempt to reenact all of the characters, locations and famous scenes in Hitchcock’s 1935 film thriller with just a few props and a lot of theatrical ingenuity and split second quick changes.
Brandon Ewald plays the role of Richard Hannay, Sandra Struthers plays three of the female roles and the remaining multitude of characters (spies, policemen, inn keepers, traveling salesmen, etc.) are played by Clarence Wethern and Tyler Stamm. Besides Director Pekol, thecreative team includes Scenic Designer Michael Hoover, Costume Designer Carolann Winther and Prop Designer Bobbi Smith. The show runs through July 12.
The season continues with the musical LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. One of the longest-running off-Broadway shows of all time, this delightfully demented comedy of hapless lovers, Seymour and Audrey, and a man-eating plant blends doo-wop, rock, and Motown into a hilarious send-up of B-movie horror flicks. It is directed by Barb Bradley with musical direction by Brian Pekol, and will run July 22 through August 9.
Next up is the heart-warming comedy, OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS by Joe DiPietro. Nick Cristano, a 32 year-old single man, dutifully has dinner with his four Italian-American grandparents every Sunday. When he announces that he is leaving New Jersey to take a job in Seattle, his grandparents pull out all the stops, including matchmaking to keep him home. Directed by Tim Stolz and Brian Pekol, the production runs August 19 through September 6.
The 2015 season closes with RED HERRING by Michael Hollinger. Three love stories, a murder mystery, and a nuclear espionage plot converge in this comedy about marriage and other explosive devices. It’s 1952: America’s on the verge of the H-bomb, Eisenhower’s on the campaign trail, and Senator Joe McCarthy’s daughter just got engaged to a soviet spy. This sharp-eyed look at love and tying (and untying, and retying) the knot runs September 17 through October 4. It is directed by Lynn Musgrave.
All performances for the season will be held at StageNorth, 123 West Omaha St., Washburn, WI 54891. Show times are Wednesdays through Sundays at 8 p.m. Ticket are $28 for adults, $26 for Seniors, $16 for students (22 and younger) and $23 for groups of 10 or more. They may be ordered online at sidekicktheatre.com or by calling 715-373-1194.
