Findlay, Ohio, Feb. 21, 2002 — The cast and production staff for the world premiere revival of Richard Rodgers’ REX at The University of Findlay has been announced.

REX will be performed at UF as part of the international centennial celebration of Richard Rodgers’ birth. Performances are scheduled for April 11-13 and April 16-20 at 8 p.m. in the newly renovated John & Hester Powell Grimm Theatre in the Egner Fine Arts Center.

Music for this 1976 musical was written near the end of Rodgers’ life and features lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. The book, based on the infamous reign of Henry VIII, is by Sherman Yellen.

The featured guest actor for the show is John Shuffle, who will play the role of Henry VIII. A gifted and versatile singing actor and musician, Shuffle performs to critical acclaim throughout the United States with a growing stage and concert repertoire of more than 80 roles from Bach to Bernstein. Among his leading roles are Figaro, Leporello, Don Alfonso, Osmin, Don Basilio, Sarastro, Boris, Schicchi, Raimondo, Falstaff, Don Magnifico, Sulpice and Kecal, as well as numerous Gilbert & Sullivan roles.

On the concert stage, Shuffle has sung the major cantata and oratorio literature of Bach, Handel, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Verdi and Vaughan-Williams. He has performed with major symphonies in 28 states and Australia, New Zealand and Israel. He has performed leading roles in two world premieres – Peter Nero’s Diary of Anne Frank in Cincinnati and the role of Moses in the Biblical opera Pilgrimage for the Bicentennial Commission in Detroit.

Other cast members for REX include the following: Joshua Hilborn, a UF theatre major from McCutchenville, Ohio, as Comus, the court magician and understudy for Henry VIII; Mark Simons of Findlay as Will Somers the court jester; Shawn Hooks of Findlay as Mark Smeaton the court minstrel; Bob Schirmer, UF librarian from Bluffton, Ohio, as Cardinal Wolsey; Steve Froelich of Findlay as the Duke of Norfolk; Steve Huffman of Findlay as Francis Valois, King of France; Greg Hartman of Findlay as Thomas Cromwell; and Christian Sherman, an eighth grader from Ada Middle School and the son of Jeff and Jan Sherman, as Page.

Double cast in the roles of the French Dauphin and Prince Edward are Tyler Hamlin, a seventh grader from Central Middle School and son of Tim and Pam Hamlin, and Matt Foust, a fifth grader from Chamberlin Hill School and son of Dan and Kathy Foust.

Additional cast members include: Nancy Williams of Ada, Ohio, as Catherine of Aragon; Heather Wahl, a lecturer of dance at UF, as Anne Boleyn; Cait Newell, a UF sophomore theatre major from Findlay, as Mary Tudor; Allison Esposito of Bowling Green, Ohio, as Lady Jane Seymour; Tamara Hansen, a UF senior pre-veterinary medicine and biology major from Pickerington, Ohio, as Elizabeth Tudor; Bonnie Froelich of Findlay as Catherine Parr; Kristi Delaski, a UF junior pre-veterinary medicine and biology major from Green Bay, Wis., as Lady Margaret; Jamee Wetzel of Findlay as Nursemaid; Mianda Watts, a student in UF’s master of arts in education program from Columbus, Ohio, Queen Claude of France; and Lucy Anders, a third grader at Wilson-Vance School and daughter of Micheal and Denise Anders, as Young Elizabeth Tudor.

The chorus will consist of the following: Kurt Aller of McComb, Ohio; Brian Berheide of Findlay; Aaron Broughter of Findlay; Justin Davis of Findlay; Matt Dennis of Warren, Ohio; Kyle Kutchenriter of Grand Rapids, Ohio; James Morris of Sturbridge, Mass.; Michael Schoeppner of Bucyrus, Ohio; James Stephani of Findlay; Carissa Bowlin of Findlay; Angela Fruth of Findlay; Elisha Jenkins of Pandora, Ohio; Megan Lyon of Caledonia, Ohio; Ikuko Ono of Saitama, Japan; Ching Tuan Mu of Taiwan; Chelsea Riggs of Findlay; and Jodi Wurst of Delphos, Ohio. The musical director and producer for REX is Micheal Anders, professor of music. Stage director is Vicki McClurkin, theatre lecturer, and Scott Hayes, associate professor of theatre, will serve as choreographer. Jerry Deall, assistant professor of theatre, is the scenic and lighting designer. Others include Sara Hingson as assistant director, Kathy Newell as costume designer, Jomay Bomber as properties manager, Kathy Foxhoven as make-up coordinator, J. Ladd as hair designer and Jeff Dean as sound designer. Sarah Hackert of Brisol, N.H., and Andrea Schuck of Marion, Ohio, will serve as co-stage managers.

Tickets for REX, which go on sale March 11, are $10 each and $8 for senior citizens and students under age 18. For information, call the box office at 419-434-4531.

A special performance, sponsored by the Arts Partnership of Greater Hancock County, will be held on April 10 for area high school students. Tickets are $2 and can be purchased at the Arts Partnership office at 419-422-4624.

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