RUMFORD – The chorus of the Rumford Association for the Advancement of the Performing Arts has been making music for 35 years. This year’s annual musical will feature tunes from its plays, dinner theater and past musicals as it celebrates the milestone.

The show is titled “The Way We Were” and takes place at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, in Muskie Auditorium of Mountain Valley High School.

This is also the last fall/winter musical directed by Judy Kuhn who has been involved with RAAPA for 34 years, including 25 as director.

“I knew I wanted to do a final show,” said Kuhn, who has turned over the directorship of the 2004 Christmas show to Bob Bohren.

This year’s musical is not a Christmas show. Kuhn wanted to direct a last musical, but she now spends winters in Florida. So the musical is as late as it can be. She leaves for Florida the day after the second show.

The 53-voice chorus of 41 women and 12 men will sing music from their cabaret and dinner theater productions, from some of the musicals that were presented in the 1970s and 1980s, and from past Christmas/winter productions. The fourth scene of the nearly two-hour program will be devoted to a sing-along of patriotic music with a slide show and a featured special solo by Elaine Michaud in remembrance of Sept. 11.

“This is a very expensive show. There are so many costumes,” said Kuhn.

Songs from such productions as “Oklahoma,” “The Mikado,” “The Music Man,” and “Guys and Dolls” will be performed, along with dinner theater numbers including “All That Jazz” and “Cabaret.”

A troupe of six dancers, chosen from 15 who auditioned, will perform three numbers under the choreography of Connie Zadakis Porter who had choreographed many of RAAPA’s musicals. Dancers are Cindy Bohren, Deb Boudreau, Penny Carver, Amber Laliberty, Desiree Murphy and Alyssa Radmore.

Tickets, at $10 each, may be purchased from any RAAPA member, or from several businesses in Rumford, Mexico, Dixfield and Andover.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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