Westminster Music Theater will open its 2006-2007 season performing the charming musical The Baker’s Wife at Stuart Country Day School October 13, 14 and 15 at 8 p.m.

Old world charm permeates every moment of this bittersweet, wise and gently offbeat fable of life, love and bread.  The bickering residents of a small Provençal town at last find peace and contentment in the heavenly bread of the newly arrived baker and his attractive young wife, but when she is lured away by the attentions of a handsome young gigolo, the middle-aged baker loses all zest for life and baking, throwing the community into chaos.  Based on a film by Marcel Pagnol and Jean Giono, the play’s music and lyrics are by Stephen Schwartz, composer of the Broadway hits Pippin and Godspell.  The play’s book is by Joseph Stein, best known for Fiddler on the Roof.

Rick Joyce is stage director for the production and Mark Akens is music director.  In New York, Joyce has directed Ted Nusbaum’s Pischer, winner of the 31st Annual Samuel French Short Play Festival; Wasp by Steve Martin; Metamorphoses by Mary Zimmerman; The Lover by Harold Pinter and Sunday in the Park with George for the New School for Drama Theatre.  His international directing credits include Wit by Margaret Edson at the Fringe Club in Hong Kong and the Nha Hat Kich Theatre in Hanoi. He earned a Master degree in fine arts from The New School for Drama and a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College.

Mark Akens’ credits include musical director/pianist for productions of Once Upon a Mattress in Cooper City and orchestra conductor/keyboards for productions of Bat Boy, The Musical at Broward Community College.  Involved in theatre since he was 15 he has toured with Up With People and performed in clubs and theaters throughout the country. He is an accompanist at University Of Miami where he was music director of Baby! and played pit piano for Tintypes.

Westminster Music Theater is in its fourth season presenting productions in conjunction with Westminster’s music theater program.  Performers are students at Westminster Choir College of Rider University.  Stuart Country Day School is at 1200 Stuart Road in Princeton.  Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors.  For tickets or to receive Westminster’s 2006-2007 season catalog, call the box office at 609-921-2663.