Song and dance Young singers serve up dinner and a show

Three hours of entertainment.

That's what "Sing, America, Sing!", a production put on by Mike Dumey, is all about. Dumey and eight student performers -- ranging from high school freshmen to juniors in college -- give a show that takes the audience on a musical roller coaster like no other.

The songs range from big band selections ("It Don't Mean A Thing if It Ain't Got That Swing") to country ("All My Exes Live in Texas") and Broadway tunes ("On My Own" from "Les Miserables").

"I like to say that our show is like Missouri weather," Dumey said. "If you don't like it, wait about 15 minutes and it will change."

A buffet dinner catered by Port Cape precedes the song and dance production. And cast members not only entertain during the show, they serve the drinks and clean the tables before it.

This is the second year Brodrick Twiggs has been in "Sing, America, Sing!" A 10th-grader at Cape Girardeau Central High School, Twiggs is both anxious and excited about giving his all in the show. His favorite part of any performance, he said, is opening night. His favorite song he sings in the production is "Trouble" from "The Music Man." The rapid-fire delivery makes the song a showstopper.

Katherine Rollins is also a sophomore at Central. Two years ago she played Belle in Dumey's production of "Beauty and the Beast." This is her second year with "Sing, America, Sing!," continuing the musical traditions that her sister inspired her with years before.

Suzanne Burke is just starting her first year at Southeast Missouri State University. The Central graduate loves to perform "Leader of the Pack" and anything from the Broadway set. She hopes to continue her performing career and is majoring in musical theater.

Sami Gross, a Central senior, is performing in "Sing, America, Sing!" for the first time, but she's no stranger to the stage. Last year she played Sandy in Central's production of "Grease," and also played Shelby in the production of "Steel Magnolias" with the community theater group River City Players.

Clayton Hill's life is filled with music. The Southeast junior works at Best Buy and has performed with his band at the River City Music Festival. For him, taking a part in "Sing, America, Sing!" was a no-brainer.

"I like to be in the middle of stuff," he said, calling the production a chance to goof around and have a blast.

The producer and director, Mike Dumey, has the most experience of them all, and it shows. Burke, also a veteran of Dumey's production, said, "He can pull stuff out of us we never knew we had."

For more information and tickets, call 334-7602.