Finely Tuned: Actors Guild of Parkersburg excited to be ‘Opening Up’
From left, Cole Mazaher, Seth Fearnow, Josh Martin, Brett Meade, R.J. Lowe and Tim Wilson perform “Luck Be a Lady” from “Guys and Dolls,” one of the songs in “Opening Up,” which opens 8 p.m. Friday at the Parkersburg Actors Guild. Tickets for the show, also to be presented 8 p.m. Saturday and at a 2:30 p.m. Sunday matinee, are available at www.actors-guild.com. (Photo by Jess Mancini)
Marsha Parsons, R.J. Lowe and Barbara Full perform in “Opening Up,” a revue of Broadway hits, opens 8 p.m. Friday for a three-day run including Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are on sale at the Actors Guild website, www.actors-guild.com. (Photo by Jess Mancini)
Morgan Stubbe, a veteran of the Parkersburg Actors Guild, in a scene in “Opening Up.” The show opens 8 p.m. Friday and runs Saturday and Sunday. (Photo by Jess Mancini)
The cast rehearses a song for the 8 p.m. Friday opening of “Opening Up” at the Parkersburg Actors Guild. From left, Seth Fearnow, Morgan Stubbe, Tim Wilson, Reinnie Leavitt, Josh Martin, Heather Hepburn, Brett Meade, Sherry Wilson Braid, Marsha Parsons, Cole Mazaher, Avery West, R.J. Lowe and Barbara Full. The show also will be presented 8 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are on sale at www.actors-guild.com. (Photo by Jess Mancini)
Sherry Wilson Braid and Heather Hepburn in “Opening Up.” The show opens 8 p.m. Friday at the Parkersburg Actors Guild. (Photo by Jess Mancini)
Tim Wilson has the center stage with, from left, Josh Martin, Heather Hepburn, Brett Meade and Sherry Wilson Braid in the Parkersburg Actors Guild production of “Opening Up,” a revue of Broadway songs, that opens 8 p.m. Friday. The show will be presented 8 p.m. Saturday and at a 2:30 p.m. Sunday matinee. Tickets are on sale at www.actors-guild.com. (Photo by Jess Mancini)
From left, Cole Mazaher, Seth Fearnow, Josh Martin, Brett Meade, R.J. Lowe and Tim Wilson perform “Luck Be a Lady” from “Guys and Dolls,” one of the songs in “Opening Up,” which opens 8 p.m. Friday at the Parkersburg Actors Guild. Tickets for the show, also to be presented 8 p.m. Saturday and at a 2:30 p.m. Sunday matinee, are available at www.actors-guild.com. (Photo by Jess Mancini)
Marsha Parsons, R.J. Lowe and Barbara Full perform in “Opening Up,” a revue of Broadway hits, opens 8 p.m. Friday for a three-day run including Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are on sale at the Actors Guild website, www.actors-guild.com. (Photo by Jess Mancini)
Morgan Stubbe, a veteran of the Parkersburg Actors Guild, in a scene in “Opening Up.” The show opens 8 p.m. Friday and runs Saturday and Sunday. (Photo by Jess Mancini)
The cast rehearses a song for the 8 p.m. Friday opening of “Opening Up” at the Parkersburg Actors Guild. From left, Seth Fearnow, Morgan Stubbe, Tim Wilson, Reinnie Leavitt, Josh Martin, Heather Hepburn, Brett Meade, Sherry Wilson Braid, Marsha Parsons, Cole Mazaher, Avery West, R.J. Lowe and Barbara Full. The show also will be presented 8 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are on sale at www.actors-guild.com. (Photo by Jess Mancini)
Sherry Wilson Braid and Heather Hepburn in “Opening Up.” The show opens 8 p.m. Friday at the Parkersburg Actors Guild. (Photo by Jess Mancini)
Tim Wilson has the center stage with, from left, Josh Martin, Heather Hepburn, Brett Meade and Sherry Wilson Braid in the Parkersburg Actors Guild production of “Opening Up,” a revue of Broadway songs, that opens 8 p.m. Friday. The show will be presented 8 p.m. Saturday and at a 2:30 p.m. Sunday matinee. Tickets are on sale at www.actors-guild.com. (Photo by Jess Mancini)
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PARKERSBURG -- The Actors Guild of Parkersburg will celebrate re-opening with "Opening Up" at 8 p.m. Friday.
'"Opening Up' is a song from the Broadway musical 'Waitress' that fits nicely with our musical revue," Greg Merritt, one of the show directors, said. "We have all missed live theater and it is great to be back together, audience and performers, for this show."
The revue includes songs from many Broadway productions, such as the classics "Guys and Dolls" and "Carousel" and more modern shows such as "Hamilton" and "Frozen."
Solos, small group numbers and full-ensemble acts will highlight the show, celebrate the joy of performing on stage and thank an audience that continues to support the Actors Guild and other arts groups in the area, according to Merritt.
"This will be the first time many of us have heard choral singing in over a year," Merritt said. "Church choirs and school choirs have not been able to perform, so enjoying choral music will be a treat."
The cast includes veteran Actors Guild performers, some of whom have more than 30 years experience with the organization, as well as performers who have joined the Actors Guild family in more recent years. They include Sherry Wilson Braid, Seth Fearnow, Barbara Full, Heather Hepburn, Reinnie Leavitt, R.J. Lowe, Josh Martin, Cole Mazaher, Brett Meade, Marsha Parsons, Morgan Stubbe, Avery West and Tim Wilson.
The directing team for "Opening Up" is Merritt, Full, Meade and Parsons. They began planning the musical revue before the COVID-19 pandemic. Plans were put on hold while the Actors Guild presented smaller shows during the past year.
Following this show and one additional small production, the Actors Guild will open a full traditional season in September.
Safety precautions and health regulations will be followed.
Curtain time is 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $15 and are available at the Actors Guild website at www.actors-guild.com.