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Vail Today: Find Love at Vail Valley Theatre Company’s ‘Sweet Charity’ musical performances

By Tricia Swenson | Vail Today
With a name like Charity Hope Valentine, how could you not find love? But for the main character in the Vail Valley Theatre Company’s fall production, “Sweet Charity”, that feeling of deep affection has eluded the optimist thus far. Even if you don’t know the storyline, based on the book by Neil Simon, you’ll recognize songs like “Big Spender” and “If My Friends Could See Me Now”. The musical has won several Tony awards and other international awards during its 51- year history on Broadway and beyond. Many factors like sets, costumes and music determine what production the VVTC will undertake, but “Sweet Charity” stood out because of the dancing involved. Bob Fosse directed and choreographed it for Broadway when it debuted in 1966. “The VVTC has a lot of dancers who have been wanting to perform in another Fosse show, so we knew the dancing would be great,” said Kaylee Brennand, VVTC president and treasurer. The Vail Valley Theatre Company, founded 1987, consists of local thespians. When your talented neighbors or coworkers hit the stage, hidden talents are revealed and audiences are treated to a big-city theater experience. Longtime local, Beth Swearingen staged and directed the production along with Jonathan Gorst, the musical director. Swearingen, who has performed on Broadway and was in the touring company for “A Chorus Line”, pointed out that in today’s media-heavy society, it’s important to be able to expose the community and particularly younger people to live theatre in order to keep the art form alive for future generations. “Live theater moves, informs and inspires in a way that TV or movies don’t. For many people who don’t have the time or the financial ability to travel to Denver to see shows, having a quality local theater company fills a need,” said Swearingen. “There is nothing like live theatre. The excitement of performing without a net is exhilarating. As an audience member, knowing that anything can happen is exciting. Community theater gives the talented people in the valley an opportunity to shine and express their love of the performing arts,” said Brennand. For more information, a list of cast members and ticket prices, visit http://www.vailtheatre.org.

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