By JANICE ZACHARIAS
Special to the Bulletin
Which came first – the movie, or the Broadway musical?
That’s the question being asked at the upcoming free community event titled, “Let’s Go to the Movies – A Broadway Review”, sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
The popular event is back after a three-year absence, and participants are excited to be able to perform again.
There will be two performances on Saturday, April 29. The first is a matinee, at 2 p.m. — perfect for families with young children. The second is an evening performance, scheduled at 7 p.m.
Both shows will be performed at the Manteca Stake Center, 6060 Northland Road, in Manteca – any and all members of the community are welcome to attend these free events.
Ten years ago Jan and Jeff Haws had an idea for "Dinner and a Show". They recruited the talented Christine Papworth, who guided a small cast of 20 to perform various Broadway hits with dinner. Over the years, the dinner was dropped and the show grew, with Christine directing the next five shows.
In 2019 the directing torch was passed down to Sarah McGuire, who had been a cast member for years.
She directed an all-teen-girls “Annie” medley that year. For one of this year’s numbers, a new batch of girls will be performing a “Newsies” medley - including two of Sarah's daughters and her niece. Director McGuire is happy to have a good mix of community and church members in the cast of 65, with accompanying crew of 20.
"This is our biggest cast yet, full of energy and talent,” McGuire said. “It’s wonderful to learn and perform together after taking a three-year break due to the pandemic. I’m thankful we can bring musical theater to the community by inviting church members and the public to join both cast and audience."
Shim Lacy, president of Manteca Youth Focus, is a life-long resident of Manteca, but a first-time performer with the group.
"Being part of this musical theater showcase has been an amazing journey for me," Lacy shared. "I just turned 50 last month — this has been an exciting new adventure and I'm embracing it wholeheartedly.”
“My dear friend, Judi Horton, and I are having so much fun being cast together in a special duet playing Cinderella's Stepsisters. I'm loving the sense of fellowship and camaraderie that comes with being part of the production. It's been a valuable learning experience, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a wonderful group of people."
