At The Ocean City Music Pier
Photos by Donald B. Kravitz
Ocean City, NJ – Full of doo-wop music, dancing, and comedy, Sh-Boom! Life Could Be a Dream is set in the early 1960s and follows Denny and the Dreamers — Denny, Wally and Eugene — a fledgling doo-wop singing group preparing to enter the Big Whopper Radio contest to realize their dreams of making the big time.
Trouble comes in when Lois arrives to put some polish in the act. Denny falls in love, Wally falls in line, and Eugene falls apart just in time for handsome heartthrob Duke’s arrival to send the whole situation spinning.
Classic 1960s rock and roll hits “Fools Fall in Love,” “Tears on my Pillow, “Runaround Sue,” “Stay,” “Earth Angel,” “Unchained Melody,” and more help tell the story.
Sh-Boom! Life Could Be a Dream presented by the Ocean City Theatre Company will be performed at the Ocean City Music Pier on October 8, 14, 15 at 7:00pm with a matinee on October 16 at 2:00pm.
Tickets are $22-$25 and can be purchased by calling 609-399-6111 or by visiting www.oceancityvacation.com/boxoffice.
Sh-Boom! Life Could be a Dream was written by Roger Bean, who scored a huge hit with The Marvelous Wonderettes, which ran for over 1,200 performances Off-Broadway, and lead to three sequels for the franchise.
OCTC’s production is being directed and choreographed by Jordan Cyphert, who was last seen in OCTC’s production of SWING! Cyphert has an impressive resume as a performer which includes the National Tour of Flashdance: The Musical and regional theatre credits including Mary Poppins. Oklahoma and White Christmas. His experience as a Director/Choreographer includes productions of The Full Monty, The Little Mermaid and Damn Yankees. Music Director, Drew Patti returns to Ocean City after appearing in last summer’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Patti has an extensive resume of performing credits like Phantom, Charlie Brown’s Christmas Spectacular, Evita, and My One and Only.
Meet the Cast of SH-BOOM! LIFE COULD BE A DREAM
Kyle Javon Blocker (Duke) Just back from performing in The Color Purple in Tennessee, Kyle Javon is excited about the opportunity to play in Sh-Boom! Life Could be a Dream. Kyle Javon recently starred as Donkey(Shrek) at the Middletown Arts Center and Wolf (Into the Woods) at the Algonquin Theater.
Hannah Breed (Lois Understudy) is thrilled to be returning to OCTC this season! Favorite Credits: Lisa (Mamma Mia!), Calliope (Xanadu), Babette (Beauty and the Beast), Mona (Chicago), Annie (Chicago), Emily/Sally (A Christmas Carol), Anybodys (West Side Story).
Jacob Clanton (Wally) is so excited to be making his OCTC debut! Other credits include: Big River (Huck), Little Women (Laurie), Into the Woods (Jack), The Fantasticks (Matt), and Forever Plaid (Sparky). He graduated from the University of Memphis with a BFA in Theatre in 2018.
Isaiah Mayhew (Denny) is from Charleston, South Carolina, and is a recent graduate of AMDA! He has also studied Vocal and Trombone Performance at the University of South Carolina. He has been practicing many brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments for serveral years, and began his musical theatre career in high school. Favorite credits include: Broadway’s Rising Stars, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee(Chip Tolentino), Mamma Mia!(Sam Carmicheal), The Music Man(Tommy Djilas).
Carrie McKnight (Lois/Mrs. Varney) Carrie McKnight is happy to be back with OCTC! As a Maryland native, she grew up singing in the church and has been performing regionally across the country and throughout the DMV area. She currently holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Studies from Towson University. Her most recent and memorable credits include Ghost (Arizona Broadway Theatre), OCTC’s production of Beehive, Little Shop of Horrors (Workhouse Arts), and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Other Voices Theatre).
Drew Patti (Music Director/Male Understudy) is honored to work with OCTC again, this time, on the other side of the table! Drew was last seen at OCTC in their 2021 production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as Vice Principal Panch. Drew was born and raised in Dillsburg, PA, and received his BA in Theatre Performance from Wagner College. Drew most recently served as the Music Director for both Cinderella and The Little Mermaid at Forestburgh Playhouse as part of their Forestburgh Academy 2022 Summer Sessions. Drew also serves as the Artistic Associate for Theatre [Untitled]. Favorite theatre credits include: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Panch), Spring Awakening (Georg), Pippin (Pippin) in which he was awarded the Hershey Theatre Apollo Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical, Robbie Hart (The Wedding Singer), The Lion King (Director), and The Little Mermaid (Music Director).
Nino Ruggeri (Eugene) is excited to be joining the cast of “Sh-Boom!”. Regional credits include Happy Days (Arizona Broadway Theatre),Santa’s Christmas Wonderland (Eldorado Casino Resort), The Music Man (Reagle Music Theatre), and American Idiot (Firehouse Center of the Arts). Emerson College Musical Theatre Alum. Next up Nino will be “Kiefer” in Legacy Theatre’s “Windywoo and her Naughty Naughty Pets”.
http://oceancitytheatrecompany.com/
