Sherburne Music-Theater Society Ensemble with Music Director  Kylie Davis. (Submitted photo)

SHERBURNE – On Friday and Saturday, August 18 and 19th at the Earlville Opera House, Sherburne Music-Theater Society’s musical production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang will take the stage and bring you on a fantasmagorical musical adventure! Based on the beloved 1968 film version of Ian Fleming's children's book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is one family-friendly blockbuster that audiences will find "Truly Scrumptious."

This production embraces the concept of community and is truly a “family affair”. This production welcomes the Lingo family back to the SMTS fold. For several years in the 1980’s and into the 1990’s, Buff Lingo was a regular in SMTS’ productions, including Paint Your Wagon, The Fantasticks, Oklahoma!, Li’l Abner, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Mame, South Pacific and Kiss Me Kate. Robbie Lingo (his son) also accompanied him as a young boy in several of those shows. We are happy to welcome Buff back (as Lord Scrumptious) and this time he brings not only his son, Robbie Lingo (who plays The Toymaker), but also two grandchildren, Clara and Russel Lingo who are making their SMTS debut as Jemima Potts and part of the children’s ensemble, respectively.

The Lingo family is not the only “family affair” within the cast and crew. Clark Vischi (playing the Child Catcher) is joined by his dad, Christian Vischi (Inventor); McKennah Jones (playing the Turkey Farmer & Chef) is joined by her sister, Sophia Jones (part of the Children Ensemble); Lauren Koppenheffer (playing Goran) has her two children, Alice and Eleanor with her making their stage debut as part of the Children’s Ensemble; and brother and sister, Lilly and Gideon Conant are both part of the ensemble. Almost every cast member is being supported by someone working behind the scenes on this production. Ella and Olivia Babcock, making their SMTS debut as part of the Children’s Ensemble, and their mother is the choreographer, Jacquie Babcock. When you see the program, you can match up almost everyone in the cast with someone in the crew. The cast includes: Dalton Cross (Caractacus Potts), Taylor Proctor (Truly Scrumptious), Ryker Jones (Jeremy Potts), Clara Lingo (Jemima Potts), Michael Moren (Grandpa), Cameron Carpenter (Baron Bomburst), Bethany Garrison (Baroness Bomburst), Clark Vishi (the Child Catcher/Junkman), Robbie Lingo (Toymaker), Liza Taylor (Boris), Lauren Koppenheffer (Goran), Buff Lingo (Lord Scrumptious/Coggins), Brody Burke (Sid), Amelia Casscles (Miss Phillips/Violet), McKennah Jones (Turkey Farmer/Chef), plus the Ensemble: Ella and Olivia Babcock, Calista Beers, Vera Belush, Gideon and Lilly Conant, Seth Hamilton, Sophia Jones, Alice and Eleanor Koppenheffer, Russel Lingo, Vincent Oldick, Geoffrey Volzer, Evie Krivit, Ainsley Grawrock, Jess Richardson, and Christian Vischi.

This family atmosphere has been created by the director of the production, Jenni Larchar. Her goal was to bring together community members of all ages to sing, dance, act, build, sew, gather, network and socialize. She envisioned the opportunity for families to work together on the production, each member having different strengths and interests that would build the production, from performers to managers to prop collectors. She has succeeded. Jenni relocated to upstate NY from Cleveland, Ohio in 1998 and has made a name for herself in the music culture in our area. She is well known for her work with youngsters at Friends of Rogers Environmental Education Center in Sherburne and Chenango Nursery School in Hamilton, and more recently Musical Theater Camp at the Earlville Opera House. She is a Licensed Music Together® Center Director and Teacher and carries her expertise into many other settings, including performance, and private music instruction from her studio, Jenni’s Music in Sherburne. Jenni has taken the stage as vocalist and actress in many performances, and for SMTS she stood out as Dorothy in their 2006 production of “Wizard of Oz”. Her teaching has led her to many young musicians and actors, giving them opportunities for learning and improving their craft. Assisting Jenni are musical director, Kylie Davis, choreographer, Jacquie Babcock and production manager Lindsey Hurley.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a high-flying, fun-filled adventure for the entire family. Show times are Friday, August 18th at 7:00pm, Saturday, August 19th at 1:00pm AND 7:00pm – three opportunities to see this fun, family show!

Tickets are available by going to https://earlvilleoperahouse.showare.com/ChittyChittyBangBang. You may also stop by the Earlville Opera House and purchase tickets in person. $15 for Adults, $10 for Seniors/Students. PLEASE NOTE: Online Ticket sales are only open until noon on the day of performance. Only Cash/Check payments are accepted at the door.

Sherburne Music-Theater Society is an award-winning community theatre whose dedication to excellence, while providing an opportunity for talented local thespians and musicians to utilize their skills, has provided many audiences with memorable performances and statewide recognition.

This program is made possible with public funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by The Earlville Opera House.

– Information from Sherburne Music-Theater Society