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The first time Cris Rook and William Shomos sang alongside each other in Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd" was in 1998 at the Star City Dinner Theater in the Haymarket. Years later, the pair returned to sing "Little Priest" — the classic duet of the Demon Barber and Nellie Lovett — for a Halloween show with the TADA Theatre and Lincoln's Symphony Orchestra in 2003. When the Nebraska Symphony Chamber Orchestra backed a TADA production of "Sweeney Todd" at Kimball Recital Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2006, Rook and Shomos reprised their roles again, too.
William Shomos (left) and Cris Rook will once again pair up to sing "Little Priest" from Sweeney Todd in "The Sondheim Tribute Revue" at the TADA Theatre. So when Cris' husband Bob Rook, TADA managing director, approached Shomos about taking part in a Sondheim tribute show, Shomos only had one question. Is Cris singing? "Because unless we got the right answer from that question this was a no deal," Shomos said with a laugh during a phone interview Monday.
"We're sort of partners in crime," Cris Rook said. The duo are among a number of performers in "The Sondheim Tribute Revue" opening at the TADA on Thursday. The Haymarket theater was recently granted permission from Music Theatre International on behalf of the Sondheim estate to produce the show, which will feature songs from musicals like "Follies," "Sunday In the Park With George," "Company," "Assassins," "Into the Woods," "Merrily We Roll Along" and "A Little Night Music.
" And, of course, there will be a little "Sweeney Todd" thrown in, with Shomos and Rook set to perform (you guessed it) "Little Priest," among other songs. "Cris and I have done this 'Little Priest' tune so many times in different situations, and it's one of the most creative, imaginative, fun, crazy duets that Sondheim ever wrote," Shomos said. "We find something new every time," Cris Rook added.
"When you're talking about Sondheim, it's just layers and layers." There's something to be said, too, about the chemistry the two have developed over the years, the trust on the stage. "You can have fun with a lot of different actors and put on really great productions, but really there's going to be very few people, where no matter how many years it's been since you've seen them, you walk through the door and you can pick it up immediately," Rook said.
"It's something you can't put your finger on." For Shomos, a professor of vocal music and the director of opera at UNL, performing allows him to step back from directing and, in essence, practice what he teaches. For this show, he had to learn "Flag Song" from "Assassins.
" "This is really valuable for me, because it reminds me of what my students do every day," he said. "And Sondheim has all these words, and it's words and words and words ..
. and it reminds me of exactly what I'm asking (my students) when I give someone a song and I say, 'Hey, all right, I want you have this text memorized in a week.' Sondheim is sort of the supreme test, because his words are so intense and so clever.
" To be able to do this show is meaningful for Bob Rook, who's directed a number of Sondheim shows in the past, including a regional tour of "Side by Side by Sondheim," a musical revue. Two years ago Robert Westenberg and Kim Crosby, actors from the original Broadway cast of "Into the Woods," also came to TADA for a master class and performance. "I love directing Sondheim, the older I get the more I understand him.
His legacy for musical theatre is unlike any other," Rook said. "The Sondheim Tribute Revue," split up into two six-song sets, will be performed on TADA's showcase stage with table seating and drinks available. Shows are Thursday, Sept.
6 and 13, at 7:30 p.m. and Sept.
8 and 15 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.
m. For ticket reservations, visit tadatheatre.com .
The E-edition is available to you every morning, and is updated throughout the day Izzy Grzbielski, 9, of Lincoln (left), and Abby Wilson, 6, race down the slide at the Antelope Park playground on Monday. The city hopes to replace the playground equipment at Antelope Park during the summer of either 2026 and 2027 and replace it with play equipment that meets today’s new standards for inclusive play. Flanked by state senators, Gov.
Jim Pillen signs LB34 during a press conference addressing the outcome of the special legislative session at the Capitol on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Lincoln. Ayana Robbins, of Omaha (top), makes her bed with help from her mom, Arvela (right), as her uncle, Melvin Tyree, installs a curtain rod underneath during UNL move in day on Wednesday in the Knoll Residential Center.
Nebraska's Nash Hutmacher (left) and Keona Davis walk into a patch of light during a team practice on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, at Hawks Championship Center. Eighth grade student Arrin Richardson works during study hall at Irving Middle School on Wednesday.
Last year, LPS began using digital hall passes in high schools and in January started the program at Irving. This year, all 12 middle schools are using it. Captured using a double exposure, state senators register their votes with red and green lights during a motion to end debate.
Fierce opposition from a bipartisan group of lawmakers to Gov. Jim Pillen's tax plan kept the Legislature from ever voting directly on the proposal on Tuesday. Tae'veon Coleman, 7, (left) waits to cast his line as the sun sets during a Community Lake day hosted by Big Gumdrop Outdoors at Oak Lake Park on Friday, Aug.
9, 2024, in Lincoln. Big Gumdrop Outdoors, is ,a nonprofit created by Elijah Riley, a Lincoln native and UNL student, to help kids connect with nature and play outside. Scott Middle School sixth grade teacher Eric Nelson tries to catch cheeseballs on a shower cap covered in shaving cream during an end-of-the-day pep rally at Scott Middle School on Monday.
The goal was to catch as many cheeseballs with your head while they were thrown by a student partner. Framed through the grate of a fire pit, Olivia Dagget-Keagle, 9, blows out the fire on her blackened marshmallow during a Community Lake day hosted by Big Gumdrop Outdoors at Oak Lake Park on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, in Lincoln.
Big Gumdrop Outdoors, is ,a nonprofit created by Elijah Riley, a Lincoln native and UNL student, to help kids connect with nature and play outside. Nebraska's Bergen Reilly hits a ball next to teammate Andi Jackson during a team practice, Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, at the Devaney Sports Center.
A bicyclist rides along the Billy Wolff Trail near the Union Plaza Amphitheater on Wednesday. After 13 straight days of highs of 90 degrees or above, including 100 on Monday, a cool front brought relief to Lincoln, with a high of only 75 on Tuesday. Wednesday's high, which reached into the upper 80s, will likely be the warmest for several days.
The National Weather Service forecasts highs in the 70s to around 80 through the weekend, about 10 degrees below normal for this time of year. Jordan Jones, 6, and her brother Sincere, 7, (from left) react while riding the Super Drop ride at the Heart of America Carnival during the Lancaster County Super Fair at the Sandhills Global Event Center on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Lincoln.
Todd Heiser of Lincoln makes one of five trips of the day to drop off tree debris at a collection site at Holmes Lake Park on Monday. J.J.
Yost, assistant director of Parks and Recreation, said the debris drop-off site at Holmes Lake has been one of the busiest — and it's also one of the smallest. The city has brought equipment to all the drop-off sites to consolidate tree debris. At Holmes Lake, workers also used a grinder to further process debris.
Yost said the city is encouraging residents to use other sites, which include Seng Park (south of the ballfields); Woods Park (south lot off of J Street); Oak Lake Park (main lot off of Charleston Street); and Hofeling Enterprises, 2200 South Folsom Court. City parks sites will accept debris until Aug. 19.
Nowear BMX's Sam Bussell (top right) performs a trick on his bike during a performance at the Sandhills Global Event Center on Saturday. Wilber native David Rogers, 10 (first right) holds his cousin William Mays, 3, as they dance during the 63rd annual Wilber Czech Festival held in Downtown Wilber on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024.
A wild horse jumps onto its back as it tries to throw off a rope held by Troy Graybill (from front) Chris Hajek, and Scott Graves as they try to saddle it during the wild horse race a during the final day of Nebraska's Big Rodeo at the Garfield County Fairgrounds on Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Burwell. Nebraska Capitol groundskeepers Lexis Funk (left) and Heather Dinslage collect fallen tree branches Thursday in Lincoln. JC Brager's Sawyer Bokowski (left) fields a ball as Papillion-La Vista South's Derek Geist runs to third base during the second inning of a National division Class A Legion baseball tournament game against on Saturday, July 27, 2024, at Den Hartog Field.
Harry Tompkin, owner of Palace Glass Co., hands off a piece of stained glass to Kelly Mathes (from left) as they sort through inventory on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Lincoln. After 43 years of creating stained glass, Harry Tompkin plans to close his shop by September.
Most of the remaining pieces are rejuvenation projects or those that were planned before his decision to close. Burwell's Keelin Swett, 12, blows a bubble with her gum while waiting in the staging area behind the chutes during the final day of Nebraska's Big Rodeo at the Garfield County Fairgrounds on Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Burwell. New teachers gather for the Lincoln Public Schools New Educator Kickoff on Monday at Southwest High School.
Bob Swanson uses a chainsaw to clean up large fallen branches after a storm pummeled the city Wednesday in Lincoln. Quade Peterson of Litchfield is dragged underneath a wild horse while attempting to saddle it in the wild horse race competition during the final day of Nebraska's Big Rodeo at the Garfield County Fairgrounds on Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Burwell. Akroyd Darkgrove, played by Shade Ingraham (left), has popcorn thrown at him by Jacob Parman, 7, of Fargo, North Dakota, during a performance of "Phantom of Darkgrove" at the Denman and Mary Mallory Kountze Memorial Theatre at Eugene T.
Mahoney State Park in July. Audience interaction is a big part of what makes the melodramas at the park special, crew members said. The crowd is encouraged to respond vocally to musical cues throughout the play and throw popcorn at the villain.
Noah Wong, 7, unzips backpacks for the assembly line to place school supplies inside it during Spreetail's annual Back(Pack) to School Event on Friday. Nebraska Volleyball head coach John Cook poses for a photo in front of the chutes before the Grand Entry on the final day of Nebraska's Big Rodeo at the Garfield County Fairgrounds on Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Burwell. Matt Rhule (center) leads a group of participants inside to cool off during his "She's Got Game" girls football camp on Saturday, July 27, 2024, at Memorial Stadium.
Nazar Durzhynskyi, 9, focuses on keeping the ball off the ground using his racket while participating in a practice drill during a tennis camp held for Ukrainian children at Woods Tennis Center on Thursday. Contact the writer at [email protected] or 402-473-7225.
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