Theater group to perform 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'

For the first time in over 20 years the Prior Lake Players will be performing a summer show.

The Players' production of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" will open Friday, July 27 and run three consecutive weekends at Prior Lake High School, 7575 150th St. in Savage.

"It's a fresh new look on a classic musical," director and actor in the musical, Christopher King, of Prior Lake, said. "Not everybody remembers the music initially, but when they hear it again, it brings them back."

King said this production of the musical is definitely his own version. He has seen the show many times and done the show with many other theater groups in the past.

"I've taken something from each of those shows and added to it," King said. "I have a unique look into most of the scenes and that's obvious in this performance."

In addition to this being the first summer production for the Players in over 20 years, changes have been made to the casting, choreography and set from the original musical released as a film in 1954.

For starters, this production features more women than men on stage.

There is supposed to be 10 men for every woman, King said. But one problem many theater groups run into is that there aren't enough men to play the parts, he said.

"There is no way I can get away with saying there are 10 guys for every woman, because there are no guys other than the courtiers and the seven brothers," King said.

Milly teaches the brothers manners and other social mores including how to dance in an attempt to teach them how to get a woman to like them. The brothers realize listening to Milly's advice is the only way they will get a woman to like them.

At a barn-raising, the brothers test their new dance moves after meeting six girls they like.

The girls already have suitors, who become jealous of the brothers and taunt them into a fight. The brothers don't fight, but they do get themselves banished from the party.

The brothers kidnap the six girls and take them away from town to the mountain cabin, where they are snowed in for the winter by an avalanche.

Initially, the girls are upset by the kidnapping. But as the winter grows long, the girls fall in love with the brothers and don't want to return to their hometown in the spring.

As the mountain pass melts, the townspeople go to the mountain cabin to gain vengeance for the kidnapping and bring the girls home.

While "rescuing" the girls, a preacher hears a baby cry in the distance. He worries that the baby may belong to one of the girls.

Will the girls get to stay with the brothers or do they have to go home to the suitors?

Is there a shotgun wedding? Are there shotgun weddings?

Find out the answers to these questions by going to one of the Prior Lake Players' performances of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers."

The performances will be held in the high school auditorium on July 27-28, Aug. 3-4 and 10-11 at 7 p.m. with matinee performances Aug. 5 and 12 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are available at the door. Adult tickets cost $12; seniors and student tickets cost $10; and children 12 years old and younger are $6.

"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is the second musical that King has directed. It will be the first production that he has directed and acted in. King is the vice president of the Prior Lake Players. He has acted in over 30 Players' productions since 1994. He has also been on the board of directors for six years.

The Prior Lake Players is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality theater entertainment to Prior Lake and surrounding areas. The Prior Lake Players has been an active part of the Twin Cities' community for 35 years.