Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre has discovered a real jewel and reveals it this spring as it stages the Midwest premiere of “Treasure Island: A Musical Adventure.” The tale of pirates and their exciting escapades, buried treasure, ships and distant shores is on stage April 9 through May 17.
A collaboration of award-winning guest director Marc Robin and actor Curt Dale Clark, “Treasure Island” is based on the classic novel by Robert Louis Stevenson. It tells the tale of young Jim Hawkins, the son of a deceased sea captain, who dreams of his own seafaring adventures. As fate would have it, he’s entrusted with a treasure map and embarks on his first voyage in search of the mysterious “Treasure Island.”
During his journey, the trusting Jim befriends the cook, Long John Silver, a one-legged pirate in disguise whose mutinous crew battles to commandeer the ship and collect the hidden fortune. It’s up to Jim to match wits with Long John Silver to keep the treasure out of the pirates’ hands.
“‘Treasure Island: A Musical Adventure’ has been its own creative adventure,” Robin, the show’s co-author and director said. He adds the production evolved from a 50-minute Theatre for Young Audiences presentation nearly a decade ago into the full-scale musical first presented in Lancaster, Pa., in 2008.
Bringing “Treasure Island” to Indianapolis provides the opportunity to show the musical’s ability to adapt to different theaters and stages, according to co-author Clark. Theaters across the country, from California to Chicago have also expressed interest, he added.
“Our first production in Lancaster gave people the impression that we were going to go from Lancaster to Broadway,” Clark noted. “We do have goals and aspirations for the show, and are willing to take the steps needed to take it there.”
Beef & Boards is a part of that process with the second-ever staging of “Treasure Island: A Musical Adventure.”
“After seeing this show’s premiere, we were very excited at the opportunity to present it in Indianapolis,” Doug Stark, owner and artistic director of Beef & Boards, said. “I see a great future for ‘Treasure Island.’”
Three members of the world premiere cast come to Indianapolis to reprise their roles. They include Rick Desloge as Jim Hawkins, Chris Dickerson as Tom Morgan and Curt Dale Clark as Dr. Livesay. Jamie Jackson plays the sly pirate Long John Silver.
There are 41 performances of “Treasure Island” scheduled in the intimate setting of Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre. Tickets range from $34 to $57, and include Chef Odell Ward’s specially prepared buffet with salad bar.
For reservations, call the box office at (317)-872-9664 any day between 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information or complete show schedule, visit www.beefandboards.com.
