Elizabeth Nestlerode in Violet: The Musical

Violet: The Musical is coming to View, the new arts center in Old Forge, on Saturday, August 20, at 8 p.m. as part of the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts Summer Theatre Festival.

It stars Elizabeth Nestlerode as Violet, a young woman whose face was accidentally disfigured by an axe blade when she was 13.

Now in her mid-20s, Violet decides to travel by bus from North Carolina to Tulsa, Oklahoma to meet a televangilist who she believes can heal her scarred face.

The play takes place during the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s and during Violet’s bus trip to Tulsa, she is befriended by a white soldier and a black solder.

“It’s really an interesting story because of the parallels drawn between Violet’s disfigurement and the race issue affecting the black soldier,” Nestlerode said.

Nestlerode, who is performing a variety of roles for the Blue Mountain art center’s summer festival, is a senior at the University of Miami, working toward her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theater.

This is the second summer she has participated in the festival.

The festival’s touring company features professional actors as well as local talent, and Violet: The Musical, is one of their six productions being performed in 18 towns throughout the Adirondack region this summer, covering 2,000 square miles.

Nestlerode is also a director and was musical director of Nunsense the Musical, that was performed at View on June 25.

“I was responsible for teaching the music and working with the actors on all their singing parts. I also played piano for the show,” she said.

Nestlerode grew up in Seattle, Washington and attended an elementary school that offered a theater program which inspired her love of performing.

“I started doing shows in fourth grade and I really got into it. By the time I was in the eighth grade I was always looking to do a show,” she said.

Roles she has played in the past include Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Diana Morales in A Chorus Line, Olive in Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Betty Lanza in Mario Lanza.

As the lead in Violet, Nestlerode acts, sings and dances.

“There’s quite a range of music, some is from the 60s, and there’s also toe-tapping gospel numbers in the church scenes set in Tulsa,” she said.

The music was composed by Janine Tesori, who wrote the music for Thoroughly Modern Millie and other Broadway hits.

The lyrics are by Brian Crawley. The play premiered off-Broadway in 1997.

“I haven’t heard of another company doing a production of this show in the last seven to 10 years. It’s incredibly rare and it’s a hidden gem,” she said.

“We are thrilled to be welcomed by Alan Saban (performing arts manager at View) and to have the opportunity to bring our show to Old Forge.”

Tickets for Violet: The Musical or available by visiting the website at www.ViewArts.org, or by calling (315) 369-6411.