station:	The Missouri State Journal, a weekly program keeping you in touch with Missouri State University.
Nicki Donnelson: The nights are getting warmer and longer, it's time for the perennial summertime favorite, Tent Theater. I'm Nicki Donnelson, today I have Bob Westenberg, Missouri State's coordinator of the Musical Theater Program and director of one this season's shows, as my guest.
Bob Westenberg: She Loves Me opens the season, and then we go into Three Musketeers, and then the third show is Nice Work If You Can Get It, which is a jukebox musical based on Gershwin songs.
Nicki Donnelson: Westenberg will direct She Loves Me, the season opener, beginning June 14th. It will run until June 24th. He tells us what to expect in the tent.
Bob Westenberg: It's about two coworkers in a perfumery in Hungary, in 1930's, and they both belong to, unbeknownst to each other, belong to a lonely hearts club, and have been writing letters for some time and developing a relationship with anonymous lonely hearts club friend, their dear friend, as it's called in the play, and she secures job at the perfumery in the course of the play, the very top of the play, and they hate each other. They're at each other's throats and dislike each other intensely, and then they both have set up a date with their dear friend, and of course the gentleman finds out that it's her, and she doesn't know that it's him. 
It's written by Harnick and Bock, who also wrote Fiddler on the Roof. It's got one of the most gorgeous scores of any musical ever written, and I know that sounds hyperbolic, but it's true. I discovered this album when I first went to New York in 1980, I must have listened to it hundreds of times. It's got a phenomenal book, probably one of the strongest books of music you'll ever find, and the music is so beautifully complimentary, in terms of continuing to advance the plot and characters. I think it's one of the rarest of musicals, in terms of how tight it is. It has been done on Broadway a couple of times, I think it's had it's original Broadway production was in '63, it's had two subsequent revivals, it's not one of those shows that, you know, you're not gonna get a 10 year run out of it, it's not gonna be something that Japanese tourists are wanna gonna come [inaudible 00:02:14] and see, it's an intimate chamber piece, and it is deliciously specific and character driven. It's one of the most delightful evenings of musical theater that I can think of.
Nicki Donnelson: Westenberg is proud to be involved with this show once again. He knows the audience will fall in love with it too.
Bob Westenberg: I've been attracted to it for a long time. I've been in it, I've directed it before, this is my second time directing it. It was actually in the queue for considerations for Tent Theater when we were in the season selection committee, and I jumped all over, I said, "Oh, I'd love to do that show, with professional actors." So we're gonna get two equity actors to come in and fill the two leads, and we have a pretty sensational cast. I'm excited.
Nicki Donnelson: The Three Musketeers, a swashbuckling tale of bravery, doused with humor, wit, and romance, will run June 29th through July 7th. The season is rounded out with a lighthearted jukebox musical of Gershwin tunes called Nice Work If You Can Get It. The show, which features classics like Someone To Watch Over Me and Let's Call The Whole Thing Off, will run July 12th through 23rd. The music, hijinks, and excitement inside the tent this summer will be hard to beat, according to Westenberg.
Bob Westenberg: Tent is a phenomenon. It's about 55 years old now, 56 years, every show sells out, every seat, every season. It's in a tent, it's on a pad right outside Craig Hall. It seats about 280, something like that. They have fans going for the heat, sometimes it rains, and they have this beautiful stage setup with a full orchestra in the back, a magnificent sound system, great lights. It's a beautiful evening at the theater, and all the proceeds go to the students scholarship funds. There's all kinds of concessions that are sold, and all kinds of treats that are sold. It's a beautiful summer night.
Nicki Donnelson: Another unique aspect of Tent Theater is the incorporation of cast and crew from the Actors Equity Association. This elevates the experience for the students, who rehearse and perform alongside the professionals. 
Bob Westenberg: Without getting too technical about it, it's an EMC house, which means Equity Membership Candidacy house, that means that our students, if they get cast and if they can participate in that EMC program and accrue points towards membership in Actors Equity Association, which is the professional union for stages managers and actors in the United States. And with that contract level, and so we abide by equity law, equity rules, it's a great experience for our students to get acclimated to the professional world. We teach those structures, in terms of production and rehearsal, we teach those at the school anyway, but if they get it, they get another flavor of it there, and they're working side by side with professionals from Chicago, New York, LA, which really raises the bar for them and for the production of the shows as well.
Nicki Donnelson: Tickets are on sale now, get them quick. Call 417 836 7678, or visit Missouri State Tix, with an X, dot com. I'm Nicki Donnelson, for the Missouri State Journal.
station:	For more information, contact the office of university communications at 417 836 6397. The Missouri State Journal is available online at KSMU.org.