For the Scarpa family and the Youth CONNection players, no song title rings truer than “There’s No Business Like Show Business!” Gary and Francesca Scarpa, now in their 35th year as directors, will direct the Youth CONNection Players, now in its 28th summer, in the Irving Berlin classic, “Annie Get Your Gun,” to be presented by the Youth CONNection at air-conditioned Shelton High School at 8 p.m. on July 22, 23, 29, and 30.
The Scarpas began their directing career with the Shelton High School Drama Club in May of 1976 when they directed “The Music Man.” They were married a month later. In 1983, the couple founded the Youth CONNection, and in 2005, they opened Center Stage Theatre in Shelton, where they present a full season of six productions yearly.
Director Gary Scarpa said, “In recent years, Fran and I have had the the help of our two adult daughters, Mia and Gina. In this case, Mia has choreographed the show and is co-directing with me. It’s great to work together as a family!”
The Youth CONNection is a community theatre group for high school and college students. The group is committed to providing quality and affordable musical theatre to residents of Shelton and surrounding communities. In recent years, the group has produced “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” “The Music Man,” “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” “Kismet,” “The King and I”,” Seussical,” and “Annie.”
“Annie Get Your Gun” is the story of love and rivalry between competitive sharpshooters Annie Oakley and Frank Butler as they perform in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. The role of Annie Oakley was immortalized on Broadway by the legendary Ethel Merman, and, in more recent years, Bernadette Peters and Reba McEntire have thrilled audiences in the role. Considered Irving Berlin’s greatest achievement in theater, this story remains one of Broadway’s most enduring triumphs. One of the best loved musicals of all time, “Annie Get Your Gun” has some of the greatest songs ever written for the American musical theatre including “There’s No Business like Show Business,” “Anything You Can Do,” “Doing What Comes Naturally,” “I’ve Got the Sun in the Morning,” and “Moonshine Lullaby”.
Scarpa said: ““As we celebrate our 35th year directing young people in theatre, my wife Fran and I fee very fortunate to be still producing great shows like ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ with amazingly talented high school and college students, and with support from a wonderful community in Shelton and the surrounding towns, without whom we could not be doing this three and one half decades later!”
The cast features Shelton residents Melissa Rampton as Annie Oakley, Kyle Attanasio as Frank Butler, Justin Zenchuk as Buffalo Bill Cody, Fiona Bryson as Dolly, Jenna DeCarlo as Winnie, John Corraro as Tommy, and Andrew Petersell as Chief Sitting Bull. Also in the cast are Josh Hahn , Ali Dunne, and Sara Poppa from Derby; Kellen Schult from Ansonia; and Hannah Reis from Beacon Falls.
Sharing the directing duties with the Scarpas is their daughter Mia Scarpa. Tickets are $ 20 for adults and $ 10 for students and can be obtained by calling 203 – 225-6079 or online by visiting www.centerstageshelton.com.
