ROGERS AT RIDER: Rider University students (from left) Allie Wiatrowski, Samantha Flahive, Forrest Filiano, and Etta Grover will appear in Rider’s production of Will Rogers Follies Thursday, May 1 through Sunday, May 5 in the Theater in the Bart Luedeke Center on the Rider University campus in Lawrenceville.

Rider University Musical Theatre presents Peter Stone, Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Cy Coleman’s musical Will Rogers Follies May 1-5 in the Theater in the Bart Luedeke Center on the Rider University campus in Lawrenceville. Robin Lewis is the director and choreographer and Nathan Hurwitz is music director.

Will Rogers is famous for his saying, “I never met a man I didn’t like.” This revue contains snippets of his famous homespun style of wisdom and common sense, and tries to convey the personality of this quintessentially American figure. The show touches on issues that are just as current today as they were in Will Rogers’ era: the environment, politics, diversity, and #MeToo. These topics will be explored in a special panel discussion following the preview performance on Wednesday, May 1. Panelists include Dr. Michael Brogan, Dr. Donna Clovis, Melissa Grennberg, Robin Lewis, Pamela Pruitt, Frank Rusciano and Rider theatre students.

Director and choreographer Robin Lewis is a faculty member in the musical theatre department at Rider University. His Rider credits include Bonnie & Clyde, White Christmas, Catch Me If You Can, All Shook Up, The Full Monty, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and The Producers. His film credits include choreography for Bernie and performances of Fosse and at the Tony Awards. Broadway credits include Fosse, Beauty and the Beast and A Christmas Carol. His tour credits include The Producers, A Chorus Line, Hello, Dolly!, Beauty and the Beast, Where’s Charley? (Kennedy Center) and Jubilee (Carnegie Hall).

Nathan Hurwitz, music director, has studied acting with Stella Adler, directing with Jack Garfein and conducting with Lehman Engel. He is currently an associate professor at Rider University. His third book, A Singer’s Guide to the Literature of the American Musical Theatre, has just been published by Routledge. He has both performed and delivered academic papers around the world. Broadway credits include Blood Brothers, Dream and Phantom of the Opera.

Rider’s Musical Theatre productions feature students enrolled in the University’s highly regarded Musical Theatre program, as well as other talented students selected by audition. Graduates of the program are appearing on Broadway, in national touring productions and in major regional theaters. Its productions offer the community the opportunity to see aspiring actors in the early stages of their careers.

Rider University is located at 2038 Lawrenceville Road in Lawrenceville.

The preview performance is Wednesday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. Performances are Thursday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 4 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 5 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online at www.rider.edu/arts or by calling 609-896-7775. General admission preview tickets are $9 for adults and $5 for students and seniors and are only available at the door. For more information, visit www.rider.edu/arts.