An event every day that begins at 7:00 pm, repeating until February 16, 2025
An event every week that begins at 7:00 pm on Sunday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, repeating until March 2, 2025
SPRINGFIELD, Missouri (Jan. 23, 2025)–Springfield Contemporary Theatre continues its 29th season with the raucous musical comedy, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, running weekends February 14-March 2 at the Historic Fox Theatre in Springfield, Missouri.
Based on a story by Larry L. King inspired by a real-life brothel, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, written by King and Peter Masterson, tells the story of the Chicken Ranch, known since the 1890s as one of the better pleasure palaces in all of Texas. Governors, senators, mayors, and even victorious college football teams frequent Miss Mona’s cozy bordello, until a crusading do-gooder television commentator from Houston focuses his cameras and his righteous indignation on the institution. The score, with music and lyrics by Carol Hall, combines Nashville with Broadway and features the hit song “Hard Candy Christmas,” which is still heard frequently over the holiday season.
Following the success of the Tony-nominated 1978 Broadway production, a feature film adaptation of Whorehouse premiered in 1982. Starring Dolly Parton as brothel owner Miss Mona Stangley and Burt Reynolds as town Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd, the film was a box office hit and earned Golden Globe nominations for Best Picture and Best Actress for Parton.
Springfield Contemporary Theatre's production features direction and choreography by Logan Torbet, whose previous work with SCT includes direction for Rock of Ages and choreography for Urinetown: the Musical. The creative team also includes music director Jonathan Raney, who will conduct the six-piece band that can be seen playing live onstage.
The cast of 21 volunteer performers includes both accomplished theatre veterans from the Springfield and Branson area, as well as some making their theatrical stage debut! Kelly Osborne leads the cast as Miss Mona, with David DePriest as Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd. Others in the cast include Kaleb Norman as the overly righteous Melvin P. Thorpe; Erin O’Dell as Miss Mona’s sidekick, Jewel; Sophie Stoebel as the overlooked waitress Doatsey Mae; Robert Reed as the governor; Allen Grymes as the senator; S.P. Everett as newspaper editor Edsel Mackey; Sarah Tweedle, Zoe Spry, Kirstin Hildebrand, Melody Boyen, Allegra Schaeffer, Kathryn Williams, Emma Elliot, and Kirstyn Cullers appear as Miss Mona’s girls; and Kaleb Patterson, Austin Fischer, JT Kendall, Jacob Estes, and Eli DePriest appear as the spirited football players, The Aggies.
Single adult tickets for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas are $35, with senior, student, student rush, and opening night discounts available. Two "Pay What You Want" performances will be offered for this production on February 20 and 27. Post-Show Discussions with members of the cast and creative team will be held following the performances on February 16 and February 20. For tickets, visit SpringfieldContemporaryTheatre.org or call 417-831-8001.
Springfield Contemporary Theatre, a non-profit corporation, boldly connects and engages our community with inclusive high-quality entertainment. SCT is dedicated to the production of contemporary works and works that can be re-energized through a contemporary view, theatre that can uplift us and transform us, theatre created by the community for the community. SCT is the resident company of the Historic Fox Theatre on Park Central Square in downtown Springfield. Now in its 29th season, SCT was housed from 1995-2012 at the historic Vandivort Center Theatre (now the Hotel Vandivort) and from 2013-2020 at SCT's Center Stage at Wilhoit Plaza. Springfield Contemporary Theatre is a member of Springfield Regional Arts Council. Financial assistance for this project has been provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.
Event Details:
Location: The Historic Fox Theatre, 157 Park Central Square, Springfield, MO
Box Office: SGFTheatre.org / 417-831-8001, 11a-2p Tuesday-Friday
Dates: February 14-16, 20-23, 27-28 & March 1-2
Ticket Price: $35 Adults / $32 Senior & Student /
$12 Student Rush / $30 Opening Night Special
Special Performances:
Opening Night-Reception following performance - Friday, February 14
Post-Show Discussions - Sunday February 16, Thursday February 20
"Pay What You Want" Performances - Thursday February 20 & 27
