VIDEO: Get A First Look At The Canadian Premiere Of HOLIDAY INN at Drayton!

By: May. 23, 2018
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Shake the winter blues away! Check in to the biggest holiday party of the year as the new Irving Berlin musical Holiday Inn makes its triumphant Canadian premiere in Drayton. Don't be fooled - this spectacular musical comedy is not just about the traditional "holiday season" - it spans a full year of celebrations from Thanksgiving and Christmas to Valentine's Day, Easter and more.

Based on the beloved 1942 Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire film, this tap-happy musical features twenty iconic songs from Irving Berlin's phenomenal musical catalogue including "Blue Skies," "Cheek to Cheek", "Steppin' Out With My Baby", "Easter Parade," and many more. Holiday Inn is on stage at three venues in Ontario: May 16 to June 3 at the Drayton Festival Theatre; September 13 to September 30 at the Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend; November 22 to December 30 at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge (formerly Dunfield Theatre Cambridge).

Popular nightclub trio Jim Hardy, Ted Hanover, and Lila Dixon suddenly part ways when Jim decides he's had enough of show business. He leaves the bright lights behind to settle down on a farm in Connecticut, but quickly discovers life isn't quite the same without a little song and dance. After meeting Linda Mason, a spirited schoolteacher with talent to spare, the pair turn the farmhouse into a fabulous inn with dazzling performances to celebrate each holiday. When Jim's best friend Ted tries to lure Linda away to be his new dance partner in Hollywood, Jim finds himself competing for her affections. Can he win her heart?

Check out highlights from the show below!

Renowned Director and Choreographer Michael Lichtefeld takes the helm of this premiere production. Lichtefeld has an impressive list of credits including a number of musicals on Broadway and Off-Broadway, many seasons at the Stratford Festival, and past Drayton Entertainment hits including White Christmas, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Anything Goes, South Pacific and more.

Joining Lichtefeld is Music Director Jeannie Wyse, Set Designer David Boechler, Costume Designer Rachel Berchtold, and Lighting Designer Kevin Fraser.

VIDEO: Get A First Look At The Canadian Premiere Of HOLIDAY INN at Drayton!
Zach Trimmer and Company in Holiday Inn, Drayton Entertainment, 2018.

A dazzling cast has been assembled for this grand-scale production including Zach Trimmer as Jim Hardy, the heartbroken nice-guy who retires from showbiz but still longs to shine. Jayme Armstrong is the sweet, small-town schoolteacher Linda Mason, whose budding talent creates a rivalry for her affections.

VIDEO: Get A First Look At The Canadian Premiere Of HOLIDAY INN at Drayton!
Jayme Armstrong and Zach Trimmer in Holiday Inn, Drayton Entertainment, 2018.

Newcomer Zachary Scott Berger is the irrepressibly charming playboy Ted Hanover, Jim's best friend and occasional foe. Hailing from New York, Berger has appeared in the U.S. National Tours of Jekyll & Hyde and Hello Dolly! and in numerous productions across the country including 42nd Street, Into The Woods, and Sting's The Last Ship.

Alexandra Herzog makes her Drayton Entertainment debut as the vivacious starlet Lila Dixon, who is reluctant to give up the stage for a quieter life in the country with Jim.

VIDEO: Get A First Look At The Canadian Premiere Of HOLIDAY INN at Drayton!
Zachary Scott Berger, Alexandra Herzog and Company in Holiday Inn, Drayton Entertainment, 2018.

Funny man Keith Savage takes on the role of wily agent Danny, while Laura Caswell is brassy handywoman, Louise Badger, who helps Jim fix up his farm - and a few other things. William Thompson is Charlie Winslow, a plucky local boy who keeps serving Jim with bank papers regarding the farm's dire financial straits.

VIDEO: Get A First Look At The Canadian Premiere Of HOLIDAY INN at Drayton!
William Thompson, Laura Caswell and Zach Trimmer in Holiday Inn, Drayton Entertainment, 2018.

Carla Bennett, Micah Enzil, Timothy Gledhill, Josh Graetz, Kayla James, Kelsey Lacombe, Melanie McInenly, Gray Monczka, Matthew Rossoff, and Margaret Thompson round out the talented cast.

Holiday Inn premiered at the Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut in 2014, and was subsequently workshopped on a bigger stage at The Muny in St. Louis in 2015. It finally opened on Broadway at the Roundabout Theatre Company at Studio 54 in the fall of 2016. The production was filmed for PBS and presented at movie theatres around the world in late 2017. The licensing rights for the production became available shortly thereafter, and Drayton Entertainment is the first professional theatre company in Canada to be granted the rights to produce the show.

Tickets are $46 for Adults and $27 for youth under 20 years of age. Tickets for groups of 20 or more and select Discount Dates are $37. HST is applicable to all ticket prices. Tickets can be purchased online instantly at www.draytonentertainment.com/holiday-inn, in person at the Box Office or by calling toll free at 1-855-DRAYTON (372-9866).



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