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  • Dallas Gray (l-r), Allison Whitewood, Hillary Gray, Justin Eaglin and Jessica Emerson star in a Nederland summer musical, "Some Enchanted Evening," opening this Friday at the Nederland Performing Arts Center in Nederland. Brandon Janes

    SomeEnchantedEvening.jpg

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June 22, 2012

Talent returns to Ned for summer musical

Brandon Janes The Port Arthur News

NEDERLAND — Summer is here and that means it is time for summer musicals.

The Steve Barton Musical Theater project, a Nederland summer theater company, opens this week with “Some Enchanted Evening,” a Rodgers and Hammerstein compilation show, starting this Friday at the Nederland Performing Arts Center.

Unofficially dubbed “the Rodgers and Hammerstein opera,” the show incorporates songs of the famous writing duo, who composed musicals “The King and I,” “South Pacific,” “Oklahoma!” and “The Sound of Music,” but includes no spoken dialogue.

“The challenge has been to be able to convey the plot only though singing,” said Rene Kloes, musical director for the show. “It’s been a stretch to get there but its been very good.”

The show’s title, “Some Enchanted Evening,” comes from “South Pacific.”

“It’s a good way to hear your favorite songs again or to introduce your children or grandchildren to this music,” said Rene Kloes, musical director for the show.

The Nederland Summer Theater Project has made a habit of pulling actors from theaters all over the country to come back to make this three-year-old project a success.

Three Nederland-natives, Hilliary Gray, Matt Taylor and Heidi Kloes, have stepped out of their burgeoning careers in theater for a few weeks by acting, directing and choreographing for this show.

Heidi Kloes, 25, spent the last three summers working with the College Light Opera Company and will make her directing debut with “Some Enchanted Evening.”

“It was a little more challenging for me to be involved in everything and have to be the decision maker,” said Kloes.

Hillary Gray, who is pursuing a masters degree in opera at the University of Kansas and performs with the Kansas City Lyric Opera, plays Ana, a motherly character in “One Enchanted Evening,” a position she takes with her into her off-stage tutorials.

The massive production is without a doubt the work of many hands, with impressive sets, professional microphones and lighting.

“The impressive part about all of this is we’ve done this in about 2 1/2 weeks of rehearsal,” said Hillary Gray.

The show’s producers have also had to rewrite the script, which was originally scripted for five people, and is now produced with 18.

“We’ve kind of re-written the script so that everybody can be the star,” said Hillary Gray.

“There will definitely be many opportunities to steal the show,” said Caroline Gray.

“Some Enchanted Evening,” performances run Friday and Saturday night at 7:30 p.m., at the Nederland Performing Arts Center, located at 2101 18th Street in Nederland.

Tickets are $5 at the door

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