Messiah Lutheran Dinner Theater to present satirical ‘If Music Be the Food of Love’
MADISON – Frequent tongue-in-cheek references and hilarious asides will deliver a fun-filled evening when Messiah Lutheran Dinner Theater presents “If Music Be the Food of Love.”
This year’s show features Messiah’s choir performing selections from the hysterical oratorio, “The Seasonings,” by P.D.Q. Bach, a satire of classic musical genres. Assorted solo acts will fill out the program.
‘P.D.Q. Bach’ is a pseudonym for Peter Schickele, who parodies classical music. (Wikipedia.org)
The Messiah Choir will sing “To Everything There Is a Season” (Seeger). Soloists are Sarah McCutcheon, soprano; Johnna Elegante, alto; Gerry Myers, tenor; and Bob Gustafson. Bass.
The choir with featured soloists will present “The Seasonings, 1 1/2 tsp.,” which includes movements for “Tarragon of Virtue is Full”; “Bide Thy Thyme,” a duet by soprano and alto voices with a slide whistle, windbreaker and trombone; and “By the Leeks of Babylon,” according to spokesperson Laura Peterson.
An aria, “Open Sesame Seeds” by a bass vocalist will include kazoos, windbreaker and slide. Other highlights include “I Am a Rock” (Paul Simon) by soloist Adam Neeley; “Astonishing” (Jason Howland) with soloist Johnna Elegante; “Hello Again” (Neil Diamond) and “One Desire” (Lenny LeBlanc) with soloist Bill Schroeder; and the comical duet, “Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better” (Irving Berlin) with Bill Schroeder and Kris Schroeder.
The Messiah Choir includes Bonnie Flowers, Jan Murphy, Johnna Elegante, Audrey Gustafson, Laura Peterson, Hannah Seitz, Linda Zutter, Holly Martin, Bob Gustafson, Marc Neeley, Adam Neeley, Lee Smith, Martin Campbell, Don Palmer, Art Rockett, Andrew King and Ben Gremillion.
Band members are Ric Birdsong, Melanie Payne, Gretchen Perry and Randall Fields. The emcees are Justin and Jude Williams.
During months before the event, volunteers at Messiah Lutheran have recruited cooks, a serving team, sound and lighting crews, emcees, musicians, soloists, groups and nonmusical acts.
The dinner menu will offer a garden salad, lasagna, garlic bread and dessert. Dinner will start at 6 p.m. on Sept. 28. The maximum number of guests will be 96, so grab your tickets soon.
The kitchen staff includes Dorothy Seitz, Kari Birdsong and Anita DeJong.
Tickets cost $20 for adults and $10 for children younger than 12 years old. To buy tickets, call the church office at 256-721-0041.
Messiah Lutheran Church’s address is 7740 U.S 72 W. in Madison.
To volunteer to help, email Laura Peterson at worship_music_rep@mlutheran.org or contact Randall Fields, who serves as music director at Messiah (and teaches vocal music at Bob Jones High School).
Event proceeds will be divided between the Downtown Rescue Mission in Huntsville and Messiah Hymnal Fund to buy newer Evangelical Lutheran Worship or ELW hymnals.
