The hills are alive this summer with plenty of entertainment as Apex Theatre Studio gears up for its 11th season of bringing top-notch theater to St. Johns County audiences.
The summer opens with the beloved family musical “The Sound of Music” at the Lewis Auditorium (June 13-15), continues with the high-spirited and fast-paced Sherlock Holmes mystery “Baskerville” (July 12-27) and closes with the goofy but warm-hearted “Shrek: The Musical, Jr.” (July 27-28).
“We wanted to offer a combination of fun shows which would appeal to families and visitors to the ancient city,” said Ian Mairs, managing director. “For us, the summer is about offering up a fun night out. This is the fourth summer in a row we have offered a family musical, and our attendance continues to rise.”
The final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become a Broadway classic. “The Sound of Music” (youth edition) features a treasure trove of songs, including “Do Re Mi,” “My Favorite Things,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” as well as the musical’s title song. Olivia DeMaio, a recent graduate of Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, will play the lead role of Maria.
Then, get your deerstalker cap on — the play’s afoot! Comedic genius Ken Ludwig (“Lend Me a Tenor,” “Leading Ladies,” “Moon Over Buffalo”) transforms Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic “The Hound of the Baskervilles” into a murderously funny adventure. Full of humor, horror and plenty of stage magic, five actors play nearly 40 roles in this kooky and spooky caper that will have you howling with laughter.
Beauty is in the eye of the ogre in “Shrek: The Musical, Jr.,” based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film and fantastic Broadway musical. It’s a “big bright beautiful world” as everyone’s favorite ogre, Shrek, leads a cast of fairytale misfits on an adventure to rescue a princess and find true acceptance. Part romance and part twisted fairy tale, “Shrek, Jr.” is an irreverently fun show with a powerful message for the whole family. The show features a cast of young artists with disabilities alongside their mentors in Apex Theatre Studio’s third annual Penguin Project production.
The main stage performance series is sponsored by the St. Johns Cultural Council and Tourist Development Council.
