UNIVERSITY THEATRE PRESENTS 1915 JEROME KERN MUSICAL

George Kralemann is Mr. Eddie Kettle

Susan Essner is Mrs. Elsie Darling.

Alden Field is M. de Rougemount

Leslie Stevens is Mme. Matroppo

Joshua rhine is Mr. Dick Rivers

Amy Diebold is Miss Elsie Lilly

Dan Akre is the Steward

Director Dennis and musical conductor Ellen Seyer

Honeymoon couples Patrick Rebmann, Susan Essner, George Kralemann, and Tina Schaefer

In most of the situation comedies on TV these days, the action takes place in only one or two locations and many of the characters are bubble-brained all-American folks snared in comic situations.

Earlier this century, a similar formula produced a quartet of musical comedies, called the Princess Theatre shows, that set the standard for musical theater of the day.

One of them, "Very Good Eddie," will be presented by the University Players beginning Friday at the Forrest H. Rose Theatre.

It is the first musical to be presented by the university since 1990's "The Fantasticks."

With music by Jerome Kern, the 1915 hit "Very Good Eddie" is a farce about two honeymooning couples who get mixed up -- physically and emotionally -- while on a Hudson River cruise.

Director Dennis C. Seyer also is handling the scenic and lighting design and technical direction. The choreography, musical staging and musical direction are by Ellen Seyer, the director's wife.

Dennis Seyer says the musical was chosen because it is both doable and occupies an important place in the history of musical theater.

"Even though the title is not well known, the students can adapt to it rather quickly as far as the vocals and dancing and acting," he said.

"And it is a learning experience for the students. They see where the show fits in in the annals of American musical theater."

The earliest American musicals, which date to 1866, were simply popular song vehicles with thin plots. Some were operettas and others variety shows that eventually evolved into vaudeville.

Later, Tin Pan Alley composers wrote songs that producers snapped up for various shows.

But "Very Good Eddie" and its Princess Theatre companions, "Nobody Home," "Oh, Boy!" and "Oh, Lady, Lady," featured music wholly written by Kern. And the songs, as Seyer explains in his director's notes, "would have more than a passing relevance to what was happening in the plot."

The musical fulfilled the goal of New York's Princess Theatre of offering intimate, scaled-down shows with small casts. It ran for 341 performances in the 299-seat theater, and was revived in 1975 for a Broadway run nearly as long as the original.

The first act takes place aboard a Hudson River Dayliner, popular weekend getaway vehicle for New Yorkers at the turn of the century. As many as 3,000 passengers would take the boats to Yonkers, Tarrytown, Poughkeepsie and other towns.

To get the effect of movement, Seyer and his crew have painted a Hudson River Valley diorama that is propelled by bicycle gears.

The set for the second act at the Honeymoon Inn largely consists of a hallway with doors. "You can't have a farce without a lot of doors," Seyer quips.

The musical required a great deal of construction, including the lattice work show portal and the Catskill-esque show drop.

Seyer traveled along the Hudson River last summer doing research for the musical, stopping by the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, N.Y., to gather information about dayliners.

He describes the 2 1/2-hour "Eddie" as a family show with plenty of fast-paced movement and dancing.

Audiences are most familiar with Kern's work in "Showboat," which produced such tunes as "Old Man River" and "Only Make Believe."

Another Kern musical, "Roberta," featured "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes."

"Babes in the Wood" is the only Kern classic from "Eddie."

The orchestra conducted by Ellen Seyer will include Dan Cotner and Ann Swanson on keyboards, and percussionist Mary Blisgrove.

The cast includes Dan Akre, Joshua Rhine, Leslie Stevens, Amy Diebold, Alden Field, Tina Schaefer, George Kralemann, Patrick Rebmann, Susan Essner, Jeni Kafka, Amy Monfort, Halli Matthews, Jenny Adams, David Evans, Brandon Neilson, Marty Strohmeyer and Jason Shaffer.

Costume coordination is by Diana Mays and make-up by Leslie Stevens.

The stage manager is April Elliott, and Tiffany Lambermont is the assistant director.

"Very Good Eddie" will be presented at Friday, Saturday, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 19 and 20. All performances are at 8 p.m. with the exception of Nov. 18, which will be at 8:30 p.m.