JONESBOROUGH REPERTORY THEATRE

Performances Wednesday & Thursday, July 1 & 2 at 7 p.m. Friday & Saturday, July 3 & 4 at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., & 5 p.m. Sunday, July 5 at 2 p.m. & 5 p.m.

Jonesborough Repertory Theatre presents its annual 1940’s USO Show during the Jonesborough Days Festival, July 1 – 5. This is JRT’s 6^th USO production.

For JRT, USO shows began in the summer of 2005. "We were striving to bring back the great entertainment of the 1940’s…the true purpose of the music and the reason it was so uplifting for a generation just over the Depression and finding itself in the middle of another world war," says Kathleen Buttolph, JRT’s artistic director.

JRT’s productions of the USO are portrayed as live radio broadcasts. People of the 40s clung to their radios. The radio, much like our TV’s today, was the center of a home. Radios were the primary means of immediate communication for a world in war. Buttolph observes, "That’s hard for us to imagine in our world of 24 hour cable news."

According to one historical source, "Early in 1941, entertainment industry professionals helped the USO begin ‘Camp Shows’ with the entertainers waiving pay and working conditions to bring live entertainment to the troops at bases within the United States. With America's entry into World War II, ‘USO Camp Shows’ expanded to bring live entertainment to Americans fighting overseas."

JRT will host ten performances throughout the week (July 1 -5). Come out to celebrate with family and friends as WJRT radio station takes you back with 40’s music and dance. You'll hear classic 40s hits like Rosie the Riveter, Route 66, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy and so much more. JRT ends the show with a salute to our veterans through the Armed Forces Medley.

This year’s cast is the largest ever. Directed by Jennifer Schmidt and Choreographed by Kristin Smith. The USO Women are Shelley Bolt, Summer Buchannan, Michele Chapman, Shannon Frazier, Janette Gaines, Kim Jones, Roxanne Logan, Jennifer Mrozek, Laura O'Bryan, Nancy Peak, Brittany Pealer, Susan Saam, Jennifer Schmidt, Katelyn Smith, Kristin Smith, Sharon Squibb, Lexi Turner, Pam Williams, and Tammy Williams. The USO Men are Jonathan Baker, Josh Baldwin, Ben Bolt, Bob Browning, Todd Mrozek, Josh O'Bryan, Dennis Smith, and Don Squibb. USO Band members are Howard Bloom, Rob Brown, Stacia Brown, Barb Knisley, Alex Mink, Jonathan Reed, and Lucas Schmidt.

USO Crew includes Technical Director, Mike Schmidt; Lighting Director, Scott Hardy; Light Board Operator, D.J. Smith; Sound Assistant, Gabby Wexler; and JRT Artistic Director, Kathleen Buttolph.

The USO performances fill the weekend starting on Wednesday, July 1 at 7 p.m. Then July 2 at 7 p.m., July 3 and 4 at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. and July 5 at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

 Main Street Café & Catering will be hosting the opening night gala after the July 1^st show.

Cost is $10 General Admission
$5 for Veterans & Students

For information on tickets or to make a reservation, please call the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center at 423-753-1010.

The Jonesborough Repertory Theatre is located at 125½ West Main Street, Jonesborough, across from Jonesborough Presbyterian Church, next door to the Historic Eureka Inn. We hope to see you there!

A big thank you to our sponsor - The Johnson City Power Board.