McKinney Repertory Theatre's Hartburn Hotel
By McKinney Repertory Theatre
Jul 15, 2009
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Summer is a perfect time for an old fashioned melodrama.  Plan to come out to “Cheer for the Hero” and “Boo, hiss and throw popcorn at the villain!”  Speaking of popcorn, MRT is asking patrons to help us stock the Community Food Pantry of McKinney by bringing 1 can/box of food and receiving 1 bag POPCORN free (limit 3).
 
Faced with losing the Last Chance Inn once again, Ma and Pa Culpepper turn to glamorous Sahara Hartburn.  Sahara pays off their loan with money from a "well-heeled admirer" and promptly takes over the inn.  Transformed into the Hartburn Hotel, the place becomes a residence for young ladies with a "no men allowed upstairs" policy.
 
Sahara schemes to find a scandal that will give her new venture some publicity, and finds it when the new school teacher, Polly Sincere, is paid a visit by her dapper and devoted boyfriend, Jasper Jones—in her room!
 
To escape, Jasper dresses as a girl and poses as "Jasmine Sincere," Polly's sister.  Complications arise when a visiting sheriff falls for "Jasmine" and “her” sudden disappearance leads Sahara to accuse Polly of murder!
 
An attempt to clear Polly's name, an outrageous chase scene, and the search for a bank robber all conspire to bring the play to a surprising – and side-splitting - conclusion.
 
 
Calamity Gulch Residents: front row Princess Prettyfoot (Mohini Lal), Polly Sincere (Mackenzie Schulien), Jasper Jones (Matt Bergeron), Ivory Keys (Laura Powers), Ma Culpepper (Janye Anderson); back row:  Showgirl (Courtney Barker), Sheriff Ulysses S. Graft (Gary Powers), Spottingford-Smythe’s Assistant (Jessica Thompson), Sahara Hartburn (Melissa Johnson), Rod (Daniel Tiner), Pa Culpepper (Dennis West), Mrs. Spottingford-Smythe (Fradonna Griffin).
 
Hartburn Hotel by Whitney Ryan Garrity and directed by Eric Gray opens Friday, July 10 at 8 pm in the Courtroom Theater at the McKinney Performing Arts Center in historic downtown McKinney.  Tickets range from $13 to $16 and there are discounts for groups, seniors and students.
 
Tickets are available at the Emerson Ticket Office at MPAC, or call 214-544-4630 or visit www.mckinneyperformingartscenter.org for tickets. Additional fees apply to online and telephone ticket purchases.
 
Additional performances will be held 17 & 18 at 8:00 p.m. with a Sunday matinee on July 19 at 2:00 p.m.
 
Check out McKinney Repertory Theatre’s Young Actor Guild’s premier performance of 2 melodramas:  The Scheme of the Driftless Shifter and Foiled by An Innocent Maid which will be held at the McKinney Performing Arts Center on August 21 and 22.  The Young Actors Guild (YAG) is the only educational youth theatre group for ages 8-18 in the Collin County Area.  We provide education in all aspects of drama and theatrical arts including, but not limited to expression, characterization, directing, set design, set construction, costuming, fundraising, management, and leadership by sponsoring classes, and seminars, and public demonstrations.  For more info contact:  e-mail YoungActorsGuild@tx.rr.com or call 214-733-1699.
 
 
McKinney Repertory Theatre is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.