DINNER THEATER: CITY WILL BE TEST MARKETED IN MARCH

The unsinkable Molly Brown and the unflappable Mark Twain are coming to Cape Girardeau.

Both characters will appear as part of a special four-day, six-performance dinner theater show to be held at the Drury Lodge March 5-8.

Dick McHargue, a native of Twain's hometown Hannibal, Mo. is in Cape Girardeau this week to firm up plans to present the Twain and Company Musical Review, featuring the Molly Brown Players.

McHargue, an actor, producer, owner and operator of the Molly Brown Dinner Theater at Hannibal, wants to expand his operations, and Cape Girardeau is one of two sites being considered as a second place for a permanent dinner theater.

"The Twain and Company Musical Review, featuring the Molly Brown players, will be here March 5-8, with three dinner shows, two matinee performances and a lunch show," said Lyn Muzzy, who is accompanying McHargue around Cape Girardeau.

"This is more than just a dinner theater performance for Cape Girardeau," said Muzzy. "It could turn into a new business. If Cape Girardeau is selected, we're looking at a three-year commitment from McHargue."

The test performances here are being sponsored by the city Convention and Tourism Bureau and the Economic Development Department of the Chamber of Commerce.

Muzzy said a new dinner theater show in Cape Girardeau would be a big plus for the bus tour business here.

"McHargue is also in the new motorcoach tour business," said Muzzy. "He is well known throughout the state for his portrayal of Mark Twain and his participation in Missouri Tourism marketing programs. He feels he has the ability to pull motorcoach business into our city with his present connections."

Muzzy said the Convention and Visitors Bureau would also promote the show as an attraction for new motor-coach business to the city.

"We'll be conducting test shows at Cape Girardeau and Joplin," McHargue said Monday. "I like Cape Girardeau; it's on the river and provides an ideal scenario for Twain."

McHargue is Mark Twain. He is described as a master storyteller, comedian and acclaimed actor, and has appeared throughout the U.S. over the past 15 years.

"I'm looking forward to the performances here in March," he said. "I have visited the city a number of times, and have been looking at locations for a potential dinner theater. I have looked at five locations, but have narrowed that to a couple."

One of the prerequisites of a site is plenty of parking.

"We do attract a lot of tour-bus business," he said. "We need parking for buses as well as for area people."

McHargue said it is not coincidental that the Molly Brown show was designed at Hannibal.

"Molly Brown was a native of Hannibal," he said. "She left Hannibal as a youngster and married J.J. Brown, a Denver miner who became a millionaire."

Molly became famous following her trip on the ill-fated Titanic in 1912. When the "unsinkable" Titanic went down in April 1912, Molly, who was one of the survivors, attempted to take command of a lifeboat from a crewman who had refused to return to the scene of the sinking in search of more survivors.

The "Unsinkable Molly Brown" became the subject of a movie by the same name.

"We decided to combine Molly Brown and Mark Twain to provide a show that would attract musical and Twain fans," said McHargue. "The Molly Brown musical show opened in 1986 and still attracts large crowds to Hannibal."

The show is "professionally choreographed" and features singers and dancers who also serve as waiters and waitresses during the dinner," said McHargue.

"We don't want to increase the size of the show," said McHargue. "That's the reason we're looking for another location. We want to keep seating between 150 and 250."

During the test shows at Cape Girardeau, McHargue, as Mark Twain, will saunter in to add his own special blend of amusement.

"McHargue addresses audiences as the 70-year-old Twain might have," said Muzzy "He questions everything, and pokes mild fun at everyone from politicians to people attending the program."

McHargue as Twain also talks about Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, two of the characters created by Twain.

The first show at the Drury Lodge will be at 6:30 p.m. March 5. Dinner shows will also be presented at 6:30 p.m. March 6 and 7. A lunch show will be presented at noon March 8, and matinees will be presented at 1 p.m. March 6 and 7. No food is available at the matinees.

Additional information concerning prices and tickets are available by contacting the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, 335-1631.