Bard's birthday, musical premiere among week's theater activities

A party celebrating William Shakespeare's 441st birthday and the world premiere of a new musical are among this week's theatrical events in the region.

• "RUMORS," Neil Simon's 1990 farce about gossip running amok, is being staged from Wednesday through April 30 by Salt Lake Community College's Department of Performing Arts.

Directed by Frank Gerrish, the comedy will be performed in the Black Box Theatre (Room W-381) on the school's South City Campus, 1575 S. State.

The plot revolves around four couples gathering to celebrate the 10th wedding anniversary of one of their best friends, only to discover that their host has been shot. The rumors start flying as guests keep adding juicier bits to what they've heard.

The cast includes Mike Kluthe, Summer Gerrard, Becky Johnson, John Lawrence, Della Rae Riker, David Bates, Matt Whittaker, Asseneth Sosa, Juan David Diaz and Becky Carnahan.

Performances are Wednesday-Saturday of this week and Thursday-Saturday the following week, all at 7:30 p.m. (Room W-381 is on the third floor, reached by an elevator adjacent to the Grand Theatre foyer.) Tickets are $5 for the general public and students (957-3322). SLCC faculty and staff are admitted free of charge.

• THE WORLD PREMIERE of Tony Cobb's pop-rock-jazz musical version of "Tristram and Isolde" is playing through May 2 at Emerson-Smith College's Villa Theatre, 254 S. Main, Springville.

Based on the mystical Arthurian legend, this story of star-crossed lovers has been shaped into a variety of stage productions, including Wagner's classic opera. It is also believed to be the basis for William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

Cobb lives in Las Vegas but has been involved in many Utah productions. He was the librettist for Emerson-Smith College's production of "Robin Hood: The Musical," which played last summer. Cobb was impressed with the quality of that production and felt that the Villa was the right place to premier his newest show, for which he wrote both the book and the music.

The cast includes Charley Gardner, seen recently as Snoopy in "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" and Frederick in "The Pirates of Penzance," has the role of Tristram.

Katie Young, a veteran of more than 70 stage productions, will play Raghnah, the Sorceress.

Isolde will be played by Penny Pendleton, with Eric Mikkelsen as King Mark.