(Okoboji) Ruth Ann Burke, Executive Director at Okoboji Summer Theatre says they are excited for this year’s 68th season and talks about the first four shows.
“We’re kicking things off June twenty third with Ring of Fire, and that is a must see for any country music fan, but especially Johnny Cash telling his life story. We’re going to follow that up. June thirtieth, the week that spans the weekend of July fourth with Murder on the Links. It’s a fast paced and really fun murder mystery by playwright Steven Dietz. It’s opening on July seventh. We’re going to be doing Sister Act, so of course that’s based on the nineteen nineties movie, and it’s got a wonderful score and we’re excited for that. The week of July fourteenth is a contemporary farce called The Cottage, and that’s a must see for anybody who enjoys just a good night of comedy at the theater. Funny, fast, furious pace again, which any good farce is. And basically it’s a story about what happens to one couple when they decide to share some secrets.”
Burke talks about the second half of the season.
“Third musical of the season is a new brand new beehive musical from the seventies called Never Can Say Goodbye. It covers all of the greats and salutes really the best of disco. Helen Reddy, Linda Ronstadt, Patti LaBelle, Roberta Flack, all of the Gloria Gaynor, everything that you could think of from the 70’s. The next one, our sixth show of the season, is known as the greatest American play ever. Written by Thornton Wilder, Our Town. Our Town is the only show in this season that we have done before, and we have not done it in more than twenty years. We are going to close opening on August fourth with 9 to 5. So go girl power, right? Exactly. You don’t want to miss that one. It’s based, of course, on the wonderful 1980 movie, all of it written and created by Dolly Parton. And we’ve never done that on our stage before. So this was the time.”
Burke says it takes a supportive community to reach season 68.
“We just want to say again, thanks to everybody who supports Okoboji Summer Theatre. 68 seasons is something special and we are grateful every time. Those numbers keep growing and it’s pretty amazing. But we’re surrounded by incredible support with, like I said earlier, just the local community and our patrons. So if you’ve not been to the summer theater, please join us and please send us an email at box office at Okoboji Summer theater and let us know what you want to see. We’ll get you started and we’ll be back in June.”
Burke said tickets should be available for purchase around Valentine’s day but did not give a specific date as they are still finalizing some details. The first show opens on June 23rd with their annual pre-season gala on June 25th. The 68th season schedule can be found at okobojisummertheatre.org. You can find the full interview with Ruth Ann Burke attached to this news story at exploreokoboji.com where Burke talks in more detail about each show.
Click below to hear the full interview with Ruth Ann Burke
