In an effort to bring the community some brightness after rough times, the Three Rivers College music department will put on “Happy Days” this weekend.
The musical, based on the 1970s TV series, will also be a family affair, pulling in students’ loved ones
Instructors Sheri Mitchell and Cindy White said they hope the production offers attendees something fun to focus on for a while.
The production, which will be held outside behind the Tinnin Fine Arts Center, will have a ‘50s themed festival along with it.
It will include food vendors and vintage cars.
The music students haven’t been on stage in front of a live audience since fall 2019, Mitchell explained.
“We’re ready for fun for our students,” White said. “Some of them are going to graduate without having been on stage with a live audience. We wanted to give them that experience and we also wanted to give the community a happy, fun thing to do outside.”
They had planned to put on “Happy Days” last spring, but couldn’t because of the pandemic. However, with things looking better, White and Mitchell recast the show and moved it outside.
“It’s a free outdoor event,” Mitchell said. “Behind our theater building, there’s a nice, grassy, terraced area for the audience to sit. It’s going to be like a mini Muny opera here at Poplar Bluff.
“We’ve created a stage out behind the building. We’ve organized the lights, sounds, costumes and props. It’s colorful and it’s fun. We need some fun here.”
Since the show’s theme centers on family and friends, White said, the students’ loved ones will be involved in the show.
“The core of the cast is the music department students, but we have moms and dads and siblings and best friends thrown into our cast,” she said. “It’s been really fun. It’s been nice to see the interaction and we’ve had a good time.”
Through that structure, White said, some department alumni will be part of the show along with their children.
“This is the first outdoor theater we’ve done at Three Rivers College so that makes it quite unique,” she said. “Also, the uniqueness for us as a music department is the different age groups … That’s fun with two generations of Three Rivers College students in many cases.”
While the students won’t be dressed up as specific characters from the sitcom, White said the audience should be able to tell who they are based on their songs and lines.
It also showcases a variety of music styles and tempos from the ‘50s, she said, with duets, trios, a guy’s quartet and a girl’s sextet included.
The show kicks off Friday at 7 p.m. with performances Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their own blankets and lawn chairs along with picnics.
Restrooms will be indoors and attendees are encouraged to wear a face mask if they need to go inside.
“We hope they will, even though it’s outdoors, stay in their family pods and socially distant slightly outdoors,” White said.