How will Hot Summer Nights top last year's A Chorus Line?

        This year University of Cincinnati's straw hat theater series will feature the area's No. 1 musical star Pam Myers in Hello, Dolly! to keep the box office phones ringing.

        Ms. Myers, a College-Conservatory of Music grad and Tony nominee for Company, will play the busybody with the Broadway belt starting July 7.

Pam Myers

        “How excited am I to be directing this woman in this role she's never done before?” says a gleeful Richard Hess, returning as the series' artistic director.

        For its 20th anniversary season, Mr. Hess is thinking “fun, family, blockbustery summer enjoyment.”

        Hot Summer Nights will open July 5 with Once Upon a Mattress followed by You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown opening July 6. The three musicals will continue in repertory through Aug. 18.

        Mattress, a zany musical take on The Princess and the Pea, will feature CCM faculty member and alum Patricia Linhart as Queen Aggravain. Ms. Linhart was a member of the inaugural Hot Summer Nights in 1980.

        Charlie Brown is based on Charles Schulz's beloved comic strip and stars Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the whole gang for a day in the life of the hapless but hopeful Charlie Brown.

        Looking at the 20th anniversary, Mr. Hess says, “I'm so proud we're alive and doing what we're doing and that we've had such an impact on Cincinnati. I'm eager to give this valentine of a season back to our audiences.”

        All performances take place in CCM's Patricia Corbett Theater.

        Subscriptions to the 2001 Hot Summer Nights season are $56.25. Renewal information will be sent to subscribers in mid-February with a May 4 renewal deadline. New subscriptions will be filled after that date. Single tickets to all performances go on sale June 25.

        For more information or to receive a subscription brochure, contact the CCM box office at (513) 556-4183.

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