Jerrry Elison, left, Ben Hale, Christy Rae Turnbow and Steve Plowman will perform in the theater's latest production of "Brigadoon."
Doug Martin
OREM — The little Scottish town of Brigadoon only appears for one day every hundred years. Fortunately for theater lovers, the appearance of a well-done "Brigadoon" comes around a little more often than that.
Community theater groups and high school drama departments have put the story on stage a few times recently but this is the first time Hale Center Theater has.
"Salt Lake's Hale Theater did it about 18-20 years ago," said Anne Swenson, one of the Orem theater's owners. "But this is our first time. We're excited."
Since she is overseeing the costume production, Swenson has researched the musical and found out a couple of interesting facts.
"The show was originally based on a German story that had nothing to do with Scotland," Swenson said.
When the show opened on Broadway, people fell in love with the kilts and shawls, fostering a whole new love of plaid in fashions generally.
Swenson said she just loves the show and expects the local audience will love it too.
"How can you not love it? It's so beautiful," Swenson said. "We know this is a fantasy. You're not going to find the answers to the world's problems in this production but you can experience it and love it with your heart and that feels good."
Director Syd Riggs said she is keeping all of the classic elements — the music, the story — all intact.
She has asked her choreographer to incorporate classic musical theatrical moves based on ballet rather than modern dance.
The costuming is colorful, beautiful and theatrically accurate with lots of kilts and plaid, Riggs said.
"I'm a plaid person myself," she said. "I own a kilt because I was raised in Scotland and I think a man is the most sexy when he's dressed in a kilt."
Riggs has cast a number of high school-age actors in the play and she has a lot of "fantastic" singers on board.
"There's a lot of beauty and charm in the story. I'm finding the high school kids who had never heard of it are falling in love with it."
If you go
What: "Brigadoon"
Where: Hale Center Theater in Orem, 225 W. 400 North
When: May 27-July 18
Cost: prices vary depending on seating
Tickets available from the box office at 226-8600
E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com
Sharon Haddock is a former full-time writer and editor for The Deseret News. She currently does freelance writing from her home in American Fork where she lives with her fellow journalist husband Marc Haddock. They have 12 more ..
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