Ithaca College Theatre Presents Musical ’Side Show‘

The Ithaca College Theatre production of the musical Side Show will mark the Ithaca College directing debut of Lee Byron, associate professor of theater arts and chair and director of theater.

Evening performances in the Clark Theatre will begin at 8:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, March 29--31, and Tuesday through Saturday, April 3--7. There will also be an 8:00 p.m. preview performance on Wednesday, March 28, and a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Saturday, April 7.

Tickets can be purchased at the Ithaca College Theatre ticket center in Dillingham Center, the Clinton House ticket center, and Cornell University’s Willard Straight Hall. Prices range from $3.50 to $9.00. The College’s ticket center is open Monday through Friday, noon to 5:00 p.m. For tickets and information call 274-3224. Discounts are available for groups of 15 or more; call 274-3796.

Side Show is based on the true story of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, who were born with their hips and lower spines fused. Shortly after their birth in 1908 to an English barmaid, the sisters were sold to Mary Hilton, a midwife who taught them to sing, dance, and play numerous musical instruments. As early as age three, they were forced to perform in touring carnivals, circuses, and sideshows in Europe and Australia. In 1916 they came to America and eventually became popular on the American vaudeville circuit, working with Bob Hope, Harry Houdini, and Sophie Tucker. The Hilton sisters appeared in Tod Browning’s 1932 film, Freaks.

Despite their fame, the sisters found difficulties born not just of physical inseparability but also of the constant emotional tug each sister exerted on the other --- one twin loved the limelight; the other longed for a simple life. How they worked out their conflict is the story of Side Show. The book and lyrics were written by Bill Russell and the music by Harry Krieger. When the show opened on Broadway in the fall of 1997, New York Times critic Vincent Canby praised it as "astonishingly effective." Audiences didn’t agree, and Side Show was forced to close after only three months. Still, the musical was nominated for four Tony Awards, including best musical.

The Ithaca College production will be directed by Lee Byron, who has been on the College theater faculty since 1998. In addition to serving as director of Ithaca College Theatre, he is an informal adviser for the Kitchen and Hangar Theatres. Prior to coming to Ithaca, he held positions with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, American Film Institute, Los Angeles Theatre Center, and Pennsylvania Centre Stage, among others.

The cast for Side Show includes Brooke Jacob ’03 as Daisy, Brooke Sciscio ’03 as Violet, Jared Zeus ’01 as Terry, Jerad Bortz ’01 as Buddy, Miles Johnson ’01 as Jake, and Bruce Warren ’03 as "the boss."

The artistic team will feature senior Brian Hertz conducting the live orchestra. Other members of the artistic team include scenic designer Anastasia-Dyan Pridlides ’01, lighting designer Tyler Elich ’02, sound designer Jake Hall ’02, stage manager Rachel Zach ’03, and dramaturge Trish Urso ’01, as well as choreographer Mary Corsaro and costume designer Greg Robbins, both associate professors of theater arts.