Featuring the songs of the Bee Gees

 NEWS RELEASE

Riverside Theatre, led by Producing Artistic Director/CEO Allen D. Cornell and Managing Director/COO Jon R. Moses, ends the 2016-2017 Season with the exciting musical, Saturday Night Fever. Performing on the Stark Stage from April 11 – 30, 2017, Saturday Night Fever is sponsored by Linda & Mel Teetz and Riverside Theatre’s Patron Producers Group. Saturday Night Fever is produced in association with the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia.

Based on the 1977 blockbuster film, Saturday Night Fever whisks you back to the 1970s, where open shirts, bell-bottoms and disco were all the rage. Tony Manero, a talented street-wise kid from Brooklyn, yearns of escaping his dead-end job and becoming ‘disco king’ at the local club. He meets a young lady who can help him achieve his dance dreams, but will she accept his advances and help him change his world? Packed with legendary hits from The Bee Gees, Saturday Night Fever sizzles a with compelling story and explosive dance.

The film made John Travolta an icon, and revived disco music to new heights around the world. The story is based on an article written by Nik Cohn for New York Magazine, “Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night.”

The story is set in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Tony Manero is stuck in a dead end job at a hardware store, but he lives for the weekends when he is a star dancer at the Odyssey Disco. The screen play of the R-rated movie was written by Norman Wexler and featured many dark themes, but the depiction of white suits, platform shoes, bell bottom pants and disco life brought hope and joy to people stuck in dead end jobs.

The music and lyrics by the Bee Gees were instrumental in revitalizing the disco sound. Best known songs in Saturday Night Fever include: “How Deep Is Your Love,” “Staying Alive,” “You Should Be Dancing,” and “Night Fever.” The Bee Gees wrote all of their own hits over their forty plus years of performing. The distinctive sound of Barry Gibbs’ falsetto voice became one of the transformative themes of their long career. They sold over 220 million records, making them sixth in world record sales. The sound track of Saturday Night Fever sold over 40 million copies and won five Grammy Awards.

The musical was first performed on stage in London in 1998 and ran for sixteen months. It received three nominations for Laurence Olivier Awards. The show opened at New York City’s Minskoff Theatre in 1999 and ran for 501 performances.

Riverside Theatre’s production is directed and choreographed by Richard Stafford and stars: Jacob Tischler as Tony Manero, Alexandra Matteo as Stephanie Mangano, Nicole Colón as Annette, Will Stephan Connell as Bobby C, Christopher Hlinka as Joey, Joe Moeller as Double J, Raynor Rubel as Gus, and Ben Dibble as Monty.

 

The Ensemble cast includes: Samantha Alicandri, Anthony Avino, Sarah Buscaino, Sarah Crane, Lauren Dalal, Jōvan Dansberry, Christopher dePropheits, Andrew Eckert, Billy D, Hart, Crystal Joy, Brandon Kalusa, Kathryn Miller, Cristina Pines, Kristyn Pope, Fran Prisco, Sabrina Profitt, Chris Robertson, Kerri Rose, and Mary Catherine Waltman.

 

The production crew includes: Ken Clifton (Music Director), Peter Barbieri (Scenic Designer), Michael Bottari & Ronald Case (Costume Designers), Jack Mehler (Lighting Designer), Craig Beyrooti (Co-Sound Designer), Trevor Peters (Co-Sound Designer), Dave Bova (Wig Designer), Amy M. Bertacini (Production Stage Manager), and Rebekah Church (Assistant Production Stage Manager). Casting was done by Brian Kurtas, CSA.

Saturday Night Fever performs April 11 – 30, 2017 on the Stark Stage at Riverside Theatre. Tickets start at $35. Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 772-231-6990 or online at http://www.riversidetheatre.com.

Performances are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 7:30pm; Opening Night (the first Tuesday performance), Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm; with matinees on Wednesdays, select Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm.

Performance Schedule:

April 11, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 & 29 @ 8pm

April 12, 15, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 29 & 30 @ 27 @ 2pm

April 12, 13, 19, 20, 25, 26 & 27 @ 7:30pm

Saturday Night Fever is sponsored by Linda and Mel Teetz and is presented by Riverside Theatre’s Patron Producers Group: Lois Appleby, Linda Aronberg, Anita Astrachan, Carol Atkinson, Barbara Baldwin, David & Cynthia Bardes, Paul & Jayne Becker, Sam & Susie Bell, Dick & Sue Bergeman, Ted & Debbie Berghorst, Jerry & Anne Blatherwick , Este Brashears, John & Anita Brennan, Peter & Susie Brinckerhoff, Bill & Laura Buck, Tim & Carol Buhl, Bill & Karen Campbell, Don & Rose Ciampa, Jim & Dottie Currie, John & Sue Dobbs, Bill & Laura Frick, Mary Jane Grant, Herb & Ann Gullquist, Bill & Eva Gurley, Duke & Gael Habernickel, Robert & Pat Hall, Dick & Rosemary Haverland, Calvin & Sally Hills, Dave & Jayne Horner, Ronald F. Hunt, Allen & Ann Jones, John & Pam Kean, Paul & Nancy Knapp, Judy & Lou LaFage, Bill Lane, Doug & Julie Macrae, Whit & Betty MacMillan, John & Marilyn McConnell, Ray & Sonia McGowan, Brooke Megrue, Ted & Dawn Michael, Bob & Susan Morrison, Bobbie Olsen, Don & Connie Patterson, Michael & Kathie Pierce, Helen Post, Ted & Carol Price, Mike & Anne Rhoades, John Roberts & Juli Blunt, Ron & Nancy Rosner, Bill & Judy Schneebeck, Van Schreiber, Bill & Marlynn Scully, Ned & Emily Sherwood, Joe & Mary Alice Smith, Orin & Stephanie Smith, Dick & Stephanie Solar, Diana Stark and The Dorothea L. Leonhardt Foundation, Charlotte Stifel, Dick & Barbara Stockton, Doug & Dhuanne Tansill, John & Tobey Taylor, Wat & Jane Tyler, Lorne & Heidi Waxlax, Pat & Carol Welsh, Ken & Liz Whitney, Gail D. Williams, and Don Wilson.

The 2016-2017 Season is sponsored by: Wilmington Trust, Fidelity Investments, Dale Sorensen Real Estate, O’Haire Fessler Group-Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, Sea Turtle Real Estate, Indian River Medical Center, Northern Trust, Indian River Press Journal, 93.7 The Breeze, Vatland Honda, Marriott SpringHill Suites, and PNC Wealth Management.

Riverside Theatre is located at 3250 Riverside Park Drive, Vero Beach, FL 32963. Riverside Theatre programs are sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Arts Council, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Riverside Theatre is a member of the Cultural Council of Indian River County, the Indian River Chamber of Commerce, and the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce.