Award-winning musical with British twist kicks off season for Premiere Playhouse

This paid event listing is sponsored by The Premiere Playhouse.

If you like the Beatles, British humor and fantastic local talent, snag your ticket to “Blood Brothers.”

This Emmy Award-winning musical by Willy Russell is set in Liverpool in the 1960s and will be coming to the Belbas Theater in the Washington Pavilion Sept. 23-Oct. 3.

“This is one of those productions that, like ‘Steel Magnolias,’ will make you laugh and laugh until sudden tragedy makes you cry,” said director Robin Byrne.

The show is particularly meaningful to Byrne, who grew up in the north of England around the same time the kids in the show are growing up in the same place.

“I knew kids exactly like these characters. I grew up alongside them in the ’60s. I was one of them,” he said.

The show begins with a 30-minute pre-performance tribute concert to the Beatles. Throughout “Blood Brothers,” there are about a dozen subtle and not-so-subtle references to the Fab Four in the set, dialogue, action and costumes, Byrne said.

“It should be fun for the audience to see how many they can spot,” he said.

“Blood Brothers” tells the story of the Johnstone twins, separated at birth and raised in different financial circumstances. A wonderful musical score is used to unfold this tale of comedy and tragedy.

“There is occasional strong language throughout the show, and parents of younger audience members should be aware of that. Otherwise, this is a show for all ages from teenagers and upwards,” Byrne said.

The show marks the first of the season for the rebranded Premiere Playhouse, formerly Sioux Empire Community Theatre. It’s also a fifth show in addition to the regular four-show season, leading to the Belbas as an alternative venue to the Orpheum, which typically hosts the performances.

“We really like the Belbas because of its comfort and intimacy, and we will be doing more shows there in the future,” Byrne said.

“We are no longer the old community theater that we once were – the company was reborn under new leadership and has been restaffed with theater professionals. We are now a professional theater company that serves the community by providing opportunities for volunteers onstage, backstage and in our scene shop. We encourage people to get involved and develop their skills under true professional guidance.”

The actors you’ll see in “Blood Brothers” represent a sampling of the talent that exists in Sioux Falls, he said.

“We are thrilled to see new, young actors becoming involved in this show, and truly believe there is a wealth of immense talent to showcase on the stage,” he said.

“Our vision is to be diverse, inclusive, accessible and collaborative, and it is wonderful to see all of these qualities embodied and represented in this production. When you think about A-list actors, at one time they were just ordinary members of their communities working alongside others in their daily lives. I know that all communities have the capacity to produce A-list talent, and Sioux Falls in particular is such a phenomenal community that is capable of so much.”

There are still tickets available for “Blood Brothers” either directly through the Washington Pavilion box office at 605-367-6000 or by visiting thepremiereplayhouse.com.

“The cast and crew on this show are to be commended on their talent and hard work. They were so easy to work with and have made directing it a pleasure,” Byrne said.

“I never just take on a play or musical and lift it off the page, then drop it on the stage. I always look to do something different with it, and the cinematography is an example of that treatment – as is the inclusion of the hidden Beatles references. This is without a doubt one of the greatest musicals ever written, and a show you cannot afford to miss.”