It has its roots in ancient Rome, began its modern appearance as a short story and eventually made it to the Broadway stage and the silver screen as a musical.
And in two weeks, it will appear on a Cheney stage near you.
Named one of the best American musical films ever made in 2006 by the American Film Institute, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" will be performed by the Cheney High School Drama Club in a three-day run at Eastern Washington University's Showalter Hall Auditorium.
Based on the ancient Roman legend of "The Rape of the Sabine Women" and turned into a 1937 short story by Stephen Vincent Benét, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" was made into a motion picture in 1957 starring Hollywood greats Howard Keel and Jane Powell and choreographed by Michael Kidd. The story is set in Oregon Territory in 1850 and tells the adventures of Adam Pontipee, who marries Milly within a few hours of their first meeting, and his six backwoodsmen brothers attempts to meet, and later reclaim, six women as their wives.
The movie received an Oscar for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture and was nominated for four others, including Best Picture. It's known for Kidd's unusual choreography that turns normal frontier activities such as chopping wood or raising a barn into exciting and intricate song and dance arrangements.
It was the latter that required the high school's drama club to move the performance from their regular venue of the Little Theatre to the much larger stage at Showalter Auditorium, club advisor Rita Tingley said. The university has assisted the club by allowing them to practice on Mondays and Tuesdays at Showalter, with the rest of the week's practices taking place on the Little Theatre stage and in the entrance hallway space outside.
"The stage (Little Theatre) is too small," Tingley said in an after practice interview Jan. 27. "Even this (points to hallway) isn't as big as Showalter."
"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is a much more intricate and involved production than the club's latest in December, "Sing for Your Supper." Where "Sing for your Supper" had dialogue with songs interspersed throughout, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is singing and dancing through virtually the entire performance.
Tingley said the musical has been rearranged recently. Audience members attending the high school performance who are familiar with the movie will likely notice some of these, such as the song "Lonesome Polecat," which originally was a stand alone number sung by the brothers, but is now a chorus accompanying a song performed by the brides.
Tingley likes the new arrangement, and thinks those attending the performances will too.
"It's a quicker pace," she said.
"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" will be performed at Eastern's Showalter Auditorium Thursday – Saturday, Feb. 19 – 21. Curtain call is at 7 p.m. Ticket prices are $10 adults and $5 for individuals under age 18.
John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].
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