Musicals, LDS pageant to open

Four family-oriented musicals and a long-running LDS Church pageant are among stage productions opening this week.

• "THE SOUND OF MUSIC," Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic based on the Von Trapp Family Singers, opens Thursday and plays through Aug. 20 at the SCERA Shell outdoor theater, 699 S. State, Orem.

Jerry Elison is directing. His cast includes Allyson Edvalson as Maria, Steve Burchett as Capt. Georg Von Trapp, Krystyna Davies as Liesl, Beau Brewster as Friedrich, Ashlyn Hirchak as Louisa, Ethan Evans as Kurt, Marissa Smith as Brigitta, and Olivia Hoddy and Tara Stringham sharing the role of Marta, and Sophie Choate and London Smith alternating as Gretl.

Performances are 8 p.m. nightly except Sunday and Wednesday. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for children, senior citizens and students. Patrons may bring their own blankets or rent a chair for $1. Reserved seating is also available (225-2787).

• "FOOTLOOSE," the stage musical based on the popular filmed-in-Utah movie, opens Thursday and continues through Aug. 27 at Draper Hisitoric Theatre, 12366 S. 900 East.

Directed by Julie Brough, the cast includes John Nielsen as Ren McCormack, a youth from Chicago, and Jon McBride as the Rev. Shaw, who is a stickler for upholding the town's laws against dancing. Kara Lynn Veloy plays Ren's mother, Ethel, with Danielle Swan as Ariel Moore and Gayle Castleton as Vi Moore.

Except for the opening night, all performances will be Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays at 7:30 p.m., with one matinee on Aug. 20 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults, $9 for senior citizens and students and $6 for children (572-4144 or www.drapertheatre.org).

• "ANNIE," the 1977 Broadway hit based on the classic 1930s comic strip, will play Friday through Aug. 13 in the Ed Kenley Amphitheater, 405 N. Wasatch Drive, Layton.

Co-directed by Jerry Rapier and Kirt Bateman of Plan-B Theatre Company, and choreographed by Colleen Lewis, the cast includes Sara Allred as the spunky little orphan, Annie; Teresa Sanderson as the nasty Miss Hannigan, Kevin Ireland as wealthy Daddy Warbucks, Chelsi Stahr as his secretary, Grace Farrell; Brad Schroeder as Rooster, Miss Hannigan's on-the-lam brother; and Lori Rees as Lily, his accomplice.

Performances are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and Aug. 8-13. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for children and senior citizens. There is also a family pass for two adults and three children for $30. There will be date-night performances on Aug. 9-11, with two adults admitted for the price of one (546-8575 or www.davisarts.org).