"Carousel" begins at Goodspeed

Hard to believe, but it's been 30 years since Goodspeed Opera House has staged a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.

The theater is back at it, though, presenting "Carousel" starting Friday.

"Carousel" is arguably Rodgers and Hammerstein's most powerful musical. The story, based on Ferenc Molnar's play "Liliom," brings together a guileless factory worker and a brash carousel barker. He's killed during a robbery, but returns as a ghostly presence to help his daughter and wife.

The score is rich with such songs as "If I Loved You," "You'll Never Walk Alone," "June is Busting Out All Over" and "Soliloquy."

Guiding the Goodspeed production is Rob Ruggiero, who last year directed "Show Boat" there. Playing star-crossed lovers Billy Bigelow and Julie Jordan are James Snyder (who was in "Cry-Baby" on Broadway) and Teal Wicks ("Wicked" on Broadway).

- KRISTINA DORSEY

"Carousel," Goodspeed Opera House, 6 Main St., East Haddam; opens Friday and runs through Sept. 23; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Wed., 7:30 p.m. Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri., 3 and 8 p.m. Sat., and 2 p.m. Sun.; also, 2 p.m. on select Thursdays and 6:30 p.m. on select Sundays; tickets $27-$77.50; (860) 873-8668, goodspeed.org.