This smash Off-Broadway hit takes you to the 1958 Springfield High School prom, where we meet Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy, and Suzy: four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts! As we learn about their lives and loves, the girls serenade us with classic ‘50s hits including “Lollipop,” “Dream Lover,” “Stupid Cupid,” and “Lipstick on Your Collar.” In Act II, the Wonderettes reunite to take the stage and perform at their ten-year reunion. We learn about the highs and lows the girls have experienced in the past decade and are charmed to find that no matter what life throws their way, they will conquer it together. Featuring over 30 classic ’50s and ’60s hits, The Marvelous Wonderettes will keep you smiling in this must-take musical trip down memory lane!

CAST-

TEAM MARVELOUS: Erin LaFond (Missy), Sam Gretz (Cindy Lou), Katie Jo Shimulunas (Suzy), Missie Wendorf (Betty Jean)

TEAM WONDERETTES: Tessa Komorowski (Missy), Sophia Bartels (Cindy Lou), Em Schaller (Suzy), Shannon Paige (Betty Jean)

Our production is double cast - so you can catch our actresses at these specific performances dates:

TEAM MARVELOUS performs Friday March 5th (7:30pm), Sunday March 7th (2:00pm) and Saturday March 13th (7:30pm)

TEAM WONDERETTES performs Saturday March 6th (7:30pm), Friday March 12th (7:30pm) and Sunday March 14th (2:00pm)

The Masquers History

In 1931 a small group of young adults from Manitowoc, WI announced their intention to form an amateur dramatic society known as the Manitowoc Masquers.  After merging with another group from nearby Two Rivers we changed our name to the Lakeshore Masquers.  Eventually we reorganized and incorporated as a non-profit organization bearing the current name - The Masquers, Inc.  Our first play, The Whole Town's Talking, was presented on December 16, 1931, at Lincoln High School as a benefit performance to aid The Community Chest, which we know today as The United Way.  The Masquers second play was a comedy called You and I and was produced at the Capitol Theatre.

Meetings and rehearsals were held in homes, schoolrooms, banks and church halls until a room was rented in the old Windiate Rooming House at 6th and York streets.  This building was razed during the 1970's to make way for the Medical Arts Building.  Sets were built in various places including member's garages.

Plays continued to be produced at Lincoln High School, but in 1941 productions were moved to the Washington Jr. High School auditorium.  Sets were also built and stored there, in the gymnasium.  It wasn't until an early musical production, The Merry Widow, was presented in 1959 that The Masquers moved to Woodrow Wilson Jr. High School, which became our home until 1987 when the Capitol Civic Centre opened its newly renovated doors for use by community groups.

In March of 1944, the Coach House next to the Rahr-West Civic Center was purchased from Mrs. Reinhart Rahr.  The building was remodeled to provide storage space for scenery and costumes, a meeting and rehearsal room,  and a room for building sets.  At that point, The Masquers ultimate dream was to remodel the Coach House further to create a 300-seat auditorium.  The first play program after the purchase of the Coach House carried the familiar Masquers logo, which we retain today.  Incidentally, ticket prices at that time were only 65¢ for adults and 35¢ for students.

Through the years, The Masquers has been possessed of community spirit, from that first benefit performance to today's scholarships that are presented to students of the arts each year.  At various times we have also had traveling shows or reader's theater productions available for civic organizations at no charge.  The group has also made many donations to worthwhile enterprises such as the Peter Quince Performing Co., the Manitowoc Public Library, The Capitol Civic Centre, as well as local not for profit organizations.