MOUNT VERNON -- Cornell College Lyric Theatre presents Stephen Schwartz's musical "The Baker's Wife," a lilting parable about the dangers of hasty love, Jan. 29 through Feb. 1 in Kimmel Theatre of Youngker Hall.
Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for seniors and non-Cornell students. To reserve tickets, call 895-4293.
Based on the film "La Femme de Boulanger" by Marcel Pagnol and Jean Giono, the musical centers around the inhabitants of a rural village in Provence, France, who have been without a baker for seven weeks. They have begun to bicker ceaselessly. Finally, Aimable the baker arrives with his young wife, Genevieve, and all is resolved -- until a young, strapping local handyman seduces Genevieve away from her older husband. Crushed, Aimable's bread-making desire vanishes, too. Coming to his aid, the villagers work to lure back Genevieve.
The musical score by Schwartz -- famous for the stage productions of "Godspell," "Pippin" and "Working" -- was considered among his best work.
Music direction is by Jonathon Thull, Cornell voice instructor, Lyric Theatre founder and artistic director, and chorus master for the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre's recent production of "La Traviata."
The Cornell production is directed by Ken Sonkin of San Francisco. He has worked with numerous companies including the American Conservatory Theatre, Berkeley Rep, Marin Shakespeare Festival, Pennsylvania Centre Stage, Denver Center Theatre Company, Pacific Alliance Stage Company and Sacramento Theatre Company. For three years he was director of the Theatre Artists Institute, the professional actor training program for the American Musical Theatre of San Jose, and served as artistic director of the Regency Center in San Francisco.
