'Guys and Dolls' to open Little Theatre season

SULLIVAN – Broadlands native Doug Wilson, star of TLC's "Moving Up," "Trading Spaces" and "America's Ugliest," will star as Sky Masterson in "Guys and Dolls," which will open the 51st summer season at the Little Theatre on the Square in Sullivan.

"Guys and Dolls" will be presented June 11-22.

While growing up in central Illinois, Wilson performed at area theaters such as the Sunshine Dinner Playhouse in Champaign and at theaters at the University Of Illinois and in Villa Grove. Some of his roles here included Frank Butler in "Annie Get Your Gun," Harold Hill in "The Music Man" and Danny Zuko in "Grease."

Joining him in "Guys and Dolls" at the Little Theatre will be Little Theatre company members Jack Milo, Michael Haws and Glory Kissel.

The remaining summer shows at the Little Theater will be "Cabaret," June 25-July 6; "West Side Story," July 9-20; "Gypsy," July 23-Aug. 3; and "All Shook Up!," Aug. 6-17.

The fall season will bring to Sullivan Cindy Williams and Eddie Mekka, both stars of TV's "Laverne & Shirley," to perform in the comedy "It Had To Be You" from Nov. 6 to 16. The two played Shirley and Carmine, respectively, on the hit TV show from 1976 through 1983.

Williams recently played Mrs. Tottendale in the Broadway production of "The Drowsy Chaperone" and is currently starring in "Nunsense." Mekka starred in two shows at the Little Theatre, in "Pippin" in 1979 and "Dames at Seas" in 1983. "It Had To Be You" will be directed by Michael Weber, who directed "Mid-Life! The Crisis Musical," in March at the Little Theatre.

The rest of the 2008 fall season will include "Altar Boyz," Oct. 23-26 and a stage version of the classic holiday movie, "A Christmas Story," Dec. 12-21.

Tickets for any of the 2008 summer or fall shows may be ordered by calling the box office at 728-7375. For a complete schedule and pricing information, visit online www.thelittletheatre.org.

The Little Theatre is an Illinois nonprofit enterprise operated by The Little Theatre On The Square Inc., a board of central Illinois residents. The professional theater program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council. The Little Theatre was named a Partner in Excellence by the Illinois Arts Council and is a member of the National Alliance for Musical Theatre and the Illinois Theatre Association.

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