“Company,” March 12 through 15

Thursday, March 12, through Sunday, March 15

Augustana College's Brunner Theatre Center, 3750 Seventh Avenue, Rock Island IL

A groundbreaking achievement whose original Broadway production received six Tony Awards and whose most recent New York presentation won the Tony for Best Revival of a Musical, composer Stephen Sondheim's and author George Furth's Company enjoys a March 12 through 16 run in Augustana College's Brunner Theatre Center, the legendary work a resonant dramatic comedy by an artist the New York Times calls “one of the most sophisticated composers ever to write Broadway musicals.”

On the night of his 35th birthday, Robert, the protagonist of Company, struggles to think of a wish to make as he blows out his birthday candles. His circle's lone bachelor among his married friends – or, as he calls them, “those good and crazy people” – Robert is uncertain whether he should simply be happy with his lot or whether he should wish for his own romantic partner. Over a series of dinner parties, first dates, and thoughtful conversations, Robert attempts to understand the pros and cons of marriage from his diverse and frequently hilarious pals, and begins to make sense of his own persistent bachelorhood. An iconic musical whose 1970 debut production earned a record-setting 14 Tony nominations, Company is a mature, intelligent, and wildly funny look at relationships, vulnerability, and, per the title of the show's signature song, “being alive.”

Directing and choreographing Company is Shelley Cooper, the assistant director of theatre arts whose previous musicals for the college have included The Prom, Nine, Cabaret, and The Threepenny Opera. As part of her director's notes, Cooper states: "To me, Company is all about exploring human nature and the relationships in our lives that are extremely challenging, but ultimately, it's what makes life worth living. But did I mention it’s a challenge? In the case of Company, Bobby wants it to feel 'right.' Bobby (and most human beings, lets be honest) want to minimize the red-flags, the deal breakers, the surprises. [Yet] doesn’t the very idea of searching for love that’s easy, perfect, or risk-adverse make the offer to share it with another person a little less meaningful?"

Maureen Holmes and Rob Elfline serve as the production's co-music directors, with additional members of Cooper's creative team including: assistant director Ludovica Chiovini; stage manager Linnea Strack; lighting designer and technical director Michael Turczysnki; production manager Alyssa Ogrodny; dance captain and assistant choreographer Karly Duber; props designer William Melver; sound designer Joe Burch; and costume designer Becki Arnold.

Portraying Company's Bobby is Augustana senior Kaden Micklos, who last spring played Barry in the college's The Prom and has appeared in Black Box Theatre productions of Cooper's Ordinary Days and Songs for a New World. Joanne and Amy, two of the more significant women in Bobby's life, are respectively enacted by Sylvia Hughes and Jensen Stoneking. (Brennan Hampton, Stpehanie Skrabacz, and V Bechtel respectively serve as understudies for the Bobby, Joanne, and Amy roles.) Nearly two dozen student talents, meanwhile, compose the musical's ensemble: Adele Bartlein; Santino (Tino) Bedolla; Danny Bilanicz; Ava Coussens; Maya Cronfel; Avery Dennis; Georgi Fiegley; Alyson Garcia; Angela Georgakis; Lexi Horn; Madeline Hutchinson; Chloe Knobloch; Abby Malina; Phoenix Martin; Francesca Mastrangeli; Lex Mikulski; Joshua Nelson; Austin O'Connor; Aaron Randolph IV; Dev Reed; DJ Roberts; Maya Smith; and Callum Tait.

Company will be performed in the Brunner Theatre Center of Rock Island's Augustana College from March 12 through 15, with performances Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. Admission is $10-15, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)794-7306 and visiting Augustana.edu/arts/ticket-office.