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closeParadise Theatre debuts ‘42nd Street’
Local company adds tiered seating
Susan Schell
of the Gateway
When the musical “42nd Street” opened at Paradise Theatre on Friday, the actors and actresses sang and tap-danced in a bigger and better theater. The company, run by Jeff and Vicki Richards, recently completed a remodel, installing an expanded stage and tiered-style seating that was once just a flat floor.
“It’s a huge improvement,” Vicki Richards said. “With the mezzanine seating, you can see the dance formations and choreography, and you can see people’s feet. We can seat more people, but it still gives you a cozy feeling.”
The actors are excited about the new setup, too. Rusty Flounders, who plays director Julian Marsh in the show, said the venue increases the quality of the seating. This is Flanders’ third play with Paradise.
“When I first came in and saw the raised seats, I was in shock,” said actress Krista Curry of Gig Harbor, who plays Peggy Sawyer. “They’re really going in a great direction.”
Richards said the group previously had held out on a remodel because they weren’t sure if they would stay at 9911 Burnham Drive in Gig Harbor. The theater shares a building with the Turning Point Community Church.
“We wanted to improve the quality of the room, and we have partnered with the church, who are happy to have us here,” she said. “One of the good things is that we can rent this space back to the community for different functions. There seemed to be such a need. When we looked around for this type of space before, we couldn’t find anything.”
The remodeled theater has two “corporate boxes” that can be reserved by groups or individuals.
“We’re still working on getting a nice ticket counter, and we will have a real nice concession area,” Richards said. “We’re looking for a counter to purchase or have donated to the theater.”
The show, “42nd Street,” will run through May 10. It has all the excitement, sounds and glamour of a Broadway musical with actors who take their performances seriously while having a good time. The cast’s energy reverberates through the room.
Curry is studying at the Tacoma School of Arts and holds a 3.97 grade-point average. She starred in her first show at Chapel Hill Presbyterian Church when she was 6.
“I know I want musicals to always be a part of my life,” she said. “But I want to be realistic.”
Curry enjoys wearing period costumes and loved the fashions of the 1930s, when the musical takes place. She said she has always loved the cast recording of “42nd Street.”
“I’ve always wanted to sing that song on stage,” she said. “That was the whole reason I tried out for this play. And I like to tap dance a lot.”
Renee Smith, who plays Dorothy Brock, is a veteran with Paradise Theatre and played in “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
“I love big musicals,” she said. “They’re just a joy to be a part of.”
“We’re very much a big family here,” said Stacee Kramer, who plays Ann Rielly. “We bond so much during the rehearsals. Paradise can’t get rid of us. We keep coming back.”
This particular production has a special place in Richards’ heart. In the 1980s, she was cast in the play at the Shubert Theater in Los Angeles during its first national tour. The show lost the theater to “Cats,” and Richards went on to find other work. But she always was interested in the play.
“I’ve always wanted to be a part of it —‘42nd Street’ is exciting,” she said. “I just love the show, and it was fun to choreograph.
“We really want to get the local folks in. There’s so many people who have never seen a show here. We want people to know they don’t have to go to Seattle to see some great theater.”