The Theatre Guild of Oceanside is bringing a Golden Age gem back to the local stage with its upcoming production of “Carnival!” on Dec. 6, at 8 p.m., and Dec. 7, at 2 p.m., at Oceanside School No. 6. The performance marks the guild’s annual return, a tradition revived four years ago after a 25-year hiatus, and continues a renewed momentum that members say is growing each season.
Each year, TGO stages one full production. As soon as the curtain falls, planning begins for the following year’s production.
Stage and musical director Bruce Bider has witnessed the arc of the guild’s history firsthand. One of the first stage shows he ever saw as a child was a TGO production in the same auditorium — then known as the Boardman Junior High School auditorium — where this year’s musical will be staged.
“We always get a core group of people who have been with us before, but we also get a lot of new people, too,” Bider said. “It makes me feel like we’re building something.”
Founded in 1968, the guild thrived for decades, and became a fixture of Oceanside’s arts scene before weakening in the 1990s as members aged and moved away. The theater went silent until Oceanside schools Superintendent Dr. Phyllis Harrington approached Bider in 2022 with the idea of bringing it back. The revival not only reignited nostalgia among former members, but also drew a new generation of performers who had never seen the guild in its early years.
“Carnival!” stands out for its unique tone and storytelling. “‘Carnival!’ is a very different show,” Bider said. “It’s not as well-known as ‘Oklahoma!’ It’s got light and dark elements. There’s comedy, but there’s also very intense relationship dynamics.”
His directing style, Bider said, focuses on building the emotional arc of each moment. “I try to think of the show as a whole piece, and then break the scenes down,” he said. “As I’m reading each scene, I look at what the audience’s takeaway is supposed to be — what the characters are feeling, thinking, experiencing. We rehearse in fragments, and then put everything together and polish it as an entire entity.”
Bider added that audiences can expect a visually rich production. “Visually and musically, the show is very vibrant,” he said. “I want the audience to be moved and incredibly entertained.”
Bider also emphasized the guild’s commitment to honoring the writers’ original vision, noting that while Broadway has seen a trend of reimagined classics, he believes authenticity resonates most.
“My job is to bring to life what the writers put on that page,” he said. “With different actors, scenery and costumes, every production is already original. We don’t have to start changing the tone or the text that made the show was it is.”
Cast members say the experience has been both challenging and rewarding.
Ed Tupper, who plays Grobert and grew up performing, said the unfamiliar score pushed him creatively. “It’s always nice to learn something new,” Tupper said. “I didn’t know any of the music except for ‘Love Makes the World Go Round.’ I get to expand my voice; I get to learn new things.”
Ensemble member Jeffrey Gedacht, who has been involved in every production since the guild’s revival, said the show’s novelty is part of the excitement.
“Everyone knows ‘Oklahoma!’ but this is completely new,” Gedacht said. “It’s a challenge, which is really fun. You’d be surprised to see the kind of talent that’s just in the local community. It’s a great conduit to teach younger generations about these classical musicals.”
Making his guild debut, Mitchell Kessler, playing Mr. B.F. Schlegal, said he hopes the community will recognize the rarity of seeing a show like “Carnival!” live.
“This is a unique opportunity for members of this community to see a hit from the Golden Age of Broadway which is rarely produced,” Kessler said. “It’s a true hidden gem of a show.”
This weekend’s performances will also feature a special guest. Broadway veteran Anita Gillette, who starred as Lili Daurier in the original production of “Carnival!” in 1961, will attend the Dec. 7 performance. After the show, celebrity interviewer and musical theater historian Richard Skipper will host a live onstage conversation with her.
Other cast members include Ryan McNeely, as Jacquot, reprising a role he first played at age 11; Joseph Massimillo, as Paul Berthalet; and Jess Abbotts, as Lili Daurier.
For many involved, the show is more than a performance — it is a collaboration built on passion. “It’s a labor of love,” Kessler said. “When you are with other people who are striving to create this magic, it’s thrilling.”
