The Sheboygan Theatre Company will present a patriotic musical for the city’s Independence Day celebrations, entitled, We the People. Sponsored by the City of Sheboygan, the show is the kick off to what will be their Seventy Seventh Season, which is sponsored by The Stefanie H. Weill Charitable Fund and Acuity for the Arts. The show, which is free of charge, will be Saturday, July 3^rd, at 4:00 p.m. at the Fountain Park Band Shell. No tickets will be issued or required.

The free show has become an annual tradition for Independence Day festivities for over a decade now. We the People was written by Pat Cook with music and lyrics by Bill Francoeur. Michael Eberhardy directs and musical direction is by Sandra Kasten. The show, while entertaining with music, will portray to the audience the importance of our constitution in our past, present and future. It paints a picture by with several different vignettes portraying funny, touching and entertaining scenes. There is a true element of family in this family friendly musical because much of the cast is made up of family members and spouses.

We the People starts off with a town committee who has been given the job of putting a presentation together for their own town’s celebrations. They discuss what they should present and the vignettes are the fruition of those ideas. The committee is portrayed by Tom Clegg, Karen Irish-Lutze, Samantha Pool, Mike Roehl, Kim Coldren and newcomer William Schwab.

The chorus will take up the variety of different roles throughout the musical for the various vignettes. The adult chorus will include 9 newcomers, Art Winkler, Crystal Hodges, Darlene Nardi, Elaine Halverson, Jackie Fisher, Jean Sertich, Lee Steffen, Pam Steffen and Sarah Bjorn. The chorus will also include Theatre Company veterans including Barb Sertich-Kress, Bill Coldren, Deb Schlehlein, Debra Kelm, Jeff Kelm, Don Held, Karen Herman, Lee Tempas, Melissa O’Connell, Sharon O’Connell, Neil Beaton, Randy Wettstein and Sara Pittner.

Rounding out the cast will be eight children, Sirena Eberhardy, Cierra Coldren, Madisyn Coldren, Steven Thaves, Darren Covey, Michael Covey and newcomers Sophia Riemersma and Andi Roehl.

Making a cameo appearance will be Technical Supervisor and real-life Marine Corps Veteran, Eric Rautmann.

We the People features a set created by the Theatre Company's resident Production Manager/Designer, Dustin L. Uhl. Shari Roehl is Stage Manager, while Beverly Dulmes has designed the costumes and Dave Steinmeyer the sound effects. Nan Gibson and Lisa Masbruch are in charge of props, while Kyle Schwanke is master carpenter and Colleen Bertram the master painter.

In conjunction with the performance the Sheboygan Theatre Company will have a stand at Fountain Park featuring brats, hamburgers, soft drinks, pop corn, etc. Food service will begin at 10:00 a.m. and continue throughout the day. In the event of inclement weather the 4:00 p.m. show will be presented at Horace Mann Middle School.