Carey Dinner Theatre, Mississippi’s unique dinner theatre, continues its 42nd season with “8-Track: The Sounds of the 70s,” opening on Tuesday, July 11. The show will run through July 22, with performances on Tuesday-Saturday nights at the Joe and Virginia Tatum Theatre on the William Carey University campus in Hattiesburg.
This music revue features the best of pop and easy listening music from the 1970s. Conceived by Rick Seeber, “8-Track” features the music of the Carpenters, The Doobie Brothers, the Bee Gees, Barry Manilow, Marvin Gaye, KC and the Sunshine Band, and many more. The audience will enjoy the thumping rhythms and stunning harmonies that were the best of seventies music. Audiences will be swaying in their seats to such favorites as “Everything is Beautiful,” “American Pie,” “Takin’ It to the Streets,” “Tie a Yellow Ribbon,” “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” “Desperado,” and “Shake, Shake, Shake.”
Performers are Tessa Flesher of Mobile, AL; Kailee Montes of Canton, GA; Emily Oliver of Fayette, AL; Joey Parker of Ocean Springs; and Ben Salters of Ocean Springs. Band members are Elizabeth Wiggins of Hernando; and Lyujohn Williams of Lucedale.
Tim Matheny, an assistant professor of theatre at Mississippi State University, is the director. Tae Young Hong, an adjunct instructor of music at William Carey University, is musical director; and Melissa Beauvais, an adjunct instructor of dance at Carey, is choreographer. Obra Quave, professor emeritus of theatre at Carey, is the managing director.
Scenic designer is Cody Stockstill, an assistant professor and theatre coordinator at MSU. Lighting designer and technical director is Bronwyn Teague, a recent MFA graduate from the University of Southern Mississippi. Costume designer is Kelly James-Penot, adjunct instructor and costume shop manager at USM.
“This is the first time, CDT has featured a musical revue of the seventies,” said Quave. “Because American radio stations were playing mixed formats, songs from several different genres became popular. ‘8 Track’ has something for everybody.”
Dinner is served at 7 p.m. in the Joe and Virginia Tatum Theatre, and the performance follows. The admission price of $30 includes a buffet meal, the show and sales tax. The box office is open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call (601) 318-6221 to make reservations or to be added to the mailing list.