OFC Creations (Opportunities For Creativity) and the Lyric Theatre have announced the Rochester area premiere of The Bodyguard the Musical from May 3 through 12. Based on the 1992 film of the same name, the stage musical features Whitney Houston’s greatest hits.
The story follows former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, as he is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge; what they don’t expect is to fall in love.
A romantic thriller, The Bodyguard features a host of classics including “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” “So Emotional,” “How Will I Know,” “I’m Every Woman,” “Saving All My Love,” “Run to You,” “I Have Nothing,” and one of the biggest selling songs of all time – “I Will Always Love You.”
Starring in the iconic Whitney Houston role of Rachel Marron will be Sable Stewart. Stewart is a well know Rochester actor and director, most recently seen as Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act at the Kodak Center, Gary Coleman in Avenue Q at Blackfriars Theatre, and as Yitzhak in Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the 2018 Rochester Fringe Festival.
Yvana Melendez will join Stewart on stage as Rachel’s sister, Nicki Marron. Melendez is an accomplished vocal performer most recently being seen in Hands On a Hard Body at Blackfriars Theatre, Mary Poppins at the Kodak Center, and In the Heights at the East End Theatre.
Artistic director, Eric Vaughn Johnson, will lead Stewart, Melendez, and a cast of twenty as they present the Rochester area premiere of The Bodyguard. Johnson is the Executive Director of OFC Creations and the Board President of the Greece Performing Arts Society.
Judith Ranaletta joins the team as the vocal director after working with Johnson on numerous projects. Ranaletta served as the Vocal Music and Drama Director at Greece Athena High School known for her large scale musicals of Phantom of the Opera, West Side Story, and countless others. Rounding out the team is Terri Vaughan as choreographer.
The Bodyguard the Musical will be performed Fridays and Saturdays, May 3, 4, 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays, May 5 and 12 at 2 p.m., at the Lyric Theatre Main Stage, 440 East Avenue, Rochester.
Tickets range from $30 to $40 with a VIP package at $50. Tickets are now on sale at www.OFCCreations.com, www.LyricTheatreRochester.org, or by calling 256-0444.
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