Avon Lake Press
January 28, 2009

Tickets on Sale Now for MGP¹s "Ragtime"!

The 50th Anniversary season of Avon Lake's longest running community theatre, Mighty Goliath Productions, needed to be monumental to mark this stellar occasion. With nearly 100 in the cast and a full orchestra, the musical "Ragtime," opening February 27th in the Performing Arts Center at Avon Lake High School, will be the most monumental production in the organization¹s 50-year history.

Mighty Goliath Productions, most often referred to as MGP, is a musical theatre company that contributes funds towards the performing arts programs of Avon Lake High School as well as the Endowment Fund for Avon Lake Public Schools. They have donated over $146,600 in proceeds since 1959.

MGP has become one of the area's most enduring traditions. More than 2,000 volunteers have assisted over the years. Although an Avon Lake mainstay, the show features actors and musicians from all over the Northeast Ohio area, including Avon, Sheffield, Sheffield Lake, Elyria, Lorain, Grafton, Oberlin, and beyond.

The show¹s production team is led by Avon Lake native Bernadette Hisey, the show¹s director. With 28 MGP shows to her credit, she has held nearly every position both onstage and offstage during her long tenure. "Ragtime¹s" music director, Ernest Hisey, is also a well-known name in Avon Lake, and he is widely known in choral circles across the United States.

MGP is also fortunate to have the returning talents of Gary Fischer, reknowned local architect, as both the technical director and production designer, and Kathy Snezek, who is now producing her ninth season of shows. Both Snezek and Fischer also double onstage as cast members, with Fischer in the role of J.P. Morgan.

Leading cast members include veteran MGP performer Kristen Jones, in the role of Mother. Now in her 18th show with MGP, she is a familiar face on the MGP stage and was seen here last year as Ruth in "The Pirates of Penzance." Joining her as leading cast members are MGP newcomers Faith David (Avon Lake) as Sarah, Brett Hall (Avon Lake) as Younger Brother, Adam Rawlings (Avon Lake) as Little Boy, Darnell Cross (Elyria) as Coalhouse, Don Pedley (Cleveland) as Father, and Tom Castro (Lakewood) as Tateh.

Returning members to the MGP stage in major roles are Natalie Fischer (Lorain) as Little Girl, Keli Schimelpfenig (Lakewood) as Emma Goldman, Jonathan McCleery (Grafton) as Henry Ford, Susan Didino (Cleveland) as Evelyn Nesbit, and Debra Rose (Oberlin) as Sarah¹s Friend.

Tickets are on sale NOW. The MGP Ticket Info line is (216) 240-8531. This line provides information only; ticket reservations will not be accepted at this number. Tickets can be purchased in person at the office of The Press, 158 Lear Road, Avon Lake, at the door on the nights of performance, or online at www.mightygoliath.com. Tickets are available for purchase at the door with check or cash only. There is a discount on tickets purchased prior to February 27.

Show times are Fridays -- February 27 and March 6 -- and Saturdays -- February 28 and March 7 --at 8 p.m. There is one Sunday matinee, March 1, at 2 p.m. All performances are held at the Performing Arts Center of Avon Lake High School. This production is considered to have a rating of PG-13. Reserve your tickets now and don¹t miss MGP¹s Golden Anniversary! ###