IODS Productions

Crazy For You -- the “new Gershwin musical comedy” with a book by famed comedic playwright Ken Ludwig -- is the classic tale of a boy, a girl, and a theatre in need of salvation. Stage-struck Bobby Child works as a banker for his overbearing mother, Lottie, but spends his off hours practicing dance routines and sneaking in to audition for Zangler’s Follies, the most popular show in New York City, helmed by Bela Zangler, a temperamental Hungarian producer. Unfortunately, Bobby’s showbiz career is going nowhere, and his strident fiance is insisting that he name the date, so when Lottie demands that he investigate a far-away customer who has defaulted on a mortgage, Bobby jumps at the chance to get out of town. Arriving in hot, quiet Deadrock, Nevada, Bobby falls for Polly Baker, the sweet and sturdy postmistress, whose father happens to own the beautiful, but decaying, Gaiety Theater, which he has been sent to seize. Now lovestruck, Bobby comes up with a plan: call in his friends, the Follies Girls, all the way from New York City, cast the locals-- a bunch of rundown cowboys with latent musical talent--and put on a show to save the old building. Polly falls in turn for the enthusiastic young man, but feels angry and betrayed when she discovers that he comes from the bank. In order to spend time with the furious Polly, Bobby disguises himself as Bela Zangler of Zangler’s Follies, all the better to produce and direct. But while “Zangler” is talking up Bobby to the unsuspecting Polly, Polly is falling for the impersonation of dashing, European Zangler…. and when the real Zangler arrives in town, chasing Tessie, his beloved dance captain, things really get “Crazy!” With a fast-paced and light-hearted script by Ludwig, and a collection of the most beloved tunes of George and Ira Gershwin, including the day-dreamy “Can’t Be Bothered Now”, the catchy, high-energy “Slap That Bass”, and the plaintive, romantic “Someone To Watch Over Me”, Crazy For You is a truly delightful homage to the beloved, optimistic musicals of the 1930s: a world of showgirls and cowboys, in which a city boy and a country girl reconcile their differences, fall in love, and save a theatre, the old-fashioned way.

Thursday 17th - Saturday 19th November 2016

The Kenneth More Theatre, Ilford

Cast & Creatives

CAST

Bobby Child — young man from New York | Philip Rowlands 

Bela Zangler — a New York theatrical producer | Jeremy Smith 

Lank Hawkins — saloon proprietor in Deadrock, Nevada | Tom Perry 

Everett Baker — Polly’s father | Ian Brown 

Polly Baker — postmistress in Deadrock, Nevada | Lauren Condon 

Irene Roth — New York society debutante | Olivia Stuart 

Eugene Fodor — an English tourist | Richard Sheepwash

Patricia Fodor — Eugene’s sister | Jacqui Lodge 

Mrs. Lottie Child — Bobby’s mother | Jacqui Rochester

Perkins — Mother’s business assistant | Barbra Wilson

Tess — dance director; Zangler’s favorite |Katie Waller 

Mitzi — principal dancer | Olivia Murphy 

Patsy — showgirl with high speaking voice | Laura Maguire 

Betsy — Follies girl | Danielle Kaye 

Tootsie — Follies girl | Abigail Newman 

Vera — Follies girl | Jessica Reed 

Susie — Follies girl | Sophie Smart 

Louise — Follies girl | D’Mia Walker

Margie — Follies girl | Barbra Wilson 

Elaine — Follies girl | Ellie Woolf

Moose — Cowboy Trio | Russell Gillary 

Mingo — Cowboy Trio | Dan Knibbs 

Sam — Cowboy Trio | Nick Ford 

Stage Manager and Custus, a Cowboy | Ben Goosetree 

Harry — the Bartender | Sean Donnelly 

Jimmy — a Cowboy | Dave Pilgrim 

Shorty — a Cowboy | John Quarm

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CREATIVE TEAM

Director | Vivyan Ellacott

Musical Director | Carole Court Bowerman

Choreographer | Loraine Porter

Set | Grant Alvarez

Lighting Design | Rob Mitchell-Gears

Sound Design | Pete Abery, OFX Technical Services

Costume Design | Dress Circle Costumiers

Additional Costumes | IODS & The Kenneth More Theatre

Wardrobe | Brenda Brackley, Diana Fairbairn & Sylvia Hammatt

Props | Mo Jones

Wigs | John Gadd

Stage Manager | Barry Preshaw

Gallery