The South Rowan Chorus will present its tenth annual English Madrigal Dinner Theater production on Friday and Saturday night, March 25-26. This 2 [0xbd]-hour dinner theater experience will be held in the Trinity Lutheran Family Life Center in Landis.
Seating is from 6 – 6:30, with the Jesters & Royal Court procession beginning the festivities at 6:30.
This dinner theater performance consists of a five- course meal interspersed throughout the evening’s script and entertainment. The music is from the Renaissance period and features the beautiful a cappella sounds of the Chorus 2 ensemble, the Varsity Singers, and Honors Chorus.
The men will astound the audience with their “Men in Tights” routine, which is always a highlight of the King’s Feast. The courses of the meal are trumpeted with fanfare as the wassail (spiced apple cider), salad, soup, main course, served on bread trenchers, (preceded by the presentation of an authentic boar’s head), and dessert are presented before the King.
There will be comedy from the jesters and drama from the Royal Court’s theatrical presentation.
Eighty-two singers will take the audience back in history to experience Renaissance culture as a guest of Queen Susanna and the royal family. The Chorus 2 singers will serve as peasant servants for the evening, treating diners as royal guests in the castle.
This Renaissance dinner theater is in its tenth year of production. Each year, David and Jan Gore collaborate to write an original script to showcase the individual personality and talent of the singers.
Tickets are on sale, but go quickly — the event has sold out for the past several years.
This year’s script features Queen Susanna, played by Taylor Draper.
The queen is hosting this year’s feast to celebrate the life of the late great King Frederick, who never returned from battle six months earlier and has now been assumed to have died in battle. A portrait has been commissioned in memory of the king and will be revealed at the feast, and the queen will consecrate her older son, Prince Gregory, played by Zach Clark, to follow in his father’s footsteps as king. Much drama and intrigue are created by the wizard, played by Chris Hester, the friar, played by Rusty Moore, along with the rest of the royal family: Prince Geoffrey, played by Blake Morrow; Princess Millicent played by Camille Craddock and Emma, played by Kaitlyn Smith. Lady Katerina, played by Alannah Wilson has been betrothed to Prince Geoffrey and Jamie Gynn plays the part of Lady Julianna, Prince Gregory’s wife.
The Court Jesters, offering much to tickle your funny bone, are Glee, played by Sara Locklear, and Merry Revel, played by Ali Brown.
Special guests at the Royal Court to pay tribute to their fallen king are the king’s sister and niece, Duchess Fredericka and Gloriana, played by Amanda Sosna and Liz Hartman; the famous court poet, Christopher Bartholomew and his wife, Martha, played by Patrick King and Lauren Franks; Francesca Ellington, famous singer and daughter of the late Duke of Ellington, played by Tekia Jordan and her sister, Gabrielle, played by Sabria Morrison; Michael Praetorius, famous composer, and his wife Magdelena, played by Zach Ford and Haley Chastain; and Beatrice Benedict and Hope, wife and daughter of Ambrose, the painter commissioned to paint the late king’s portrait, played by Alana Thompson and Lacy Payton.
Three musketeers and their young sister add to the fun, and adventure of the evening; they are played by Kevin Goodman, Cameron Moore, Ben Cobb, and Jodi Buder.
A surprise guest will be played by Adam Corriher.
Special musical guests of the Recorder Consort from Cabarrus County, organized by Nancy Lloyd Sloop, will be playing authentic Renaissance music throughout the evening.
Musical selections will consist of “Good Cheer,”“Glad We Be This Day,” “Fa Una Canzona,” “Hark to the Fanfare Sounding,” “The Boar’s Head Carol,” “Men In Tights,” “Jubilance,” “Elijah Rock,” and “Dancin’ in the Streets.”
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Tickets are $20 for this Dinner Theater production.
For tickets, call Jan Gore, choral director, at 704-857-1161 ext. 400 at South, or through one of the choral singers.