QCT to present ‘Little House on the Prairie, The Musical’ in December; 33 people make up cast

QUINCY — “Little House on the Prairie, The Musical,” the stage adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s popular “Little House” books, makes its debut at Quincy Community Theatre this December.

The musical follows Ingalls as she and her family journey west in the 1880s to settle in De Smet, S.D. However, life on the prairie brings with it unexpected hardships and tragedies – from raging prairie fires to devastating blizzards. Through it all, Ingalls perseveres and grows from a free-spirited child to a young pioneer woman preparing for adulthood while remaining true to herself and her family.

“Little House on the Prairie, The Musical” features a cast of 33 performers. They are:

The cast includes: 

• Jayden Dreyer as Laura Ingalls
• Julie Ginos as Caroline “Ma” Ingalls
• Aaron Speckhart as Charles “Pa” Ingalls
• Clara Louthan as Mary Ingalls
• Abby Twaddle as Carrie Ingalls
• Jeremy Kurfman as Almanzo Wilder
• Josh Carlson as Robert Boast
• Lily Twaddle as Nellie Oleson
• Vicky Vail as Eliza Jane Wilder
• Patrick Hedges as Owen
• Chris Seals as Mr. Oleson
• Sarah Goodapple as Mrs. Oleson
• Doug Tenhouse as the town’s doctor
• Devin Boccardi as Mr. Brewster
• Zoey Griffin as Mrs. Brewster
• Alec Eaton as Cap Garland
• Dominic Zanger as Willie Oleson
• Aly Young as Ida
• Addison Wetzel as Minnie
• Blake Stone as Clarence Brewster
• Quinton Miller as Tommy
• Sarah Predmore as Ruby
• Cecilia Bruening as Martha and
• Addison Zanger as Blanche

Completing the cast are ensemble members Richard Hessling, Justin Twaddle, Mason Ellison, Barrett Whitfield, Olivia Jones, Christina Helm, Gretchen Wolfmeyer, Samantha Lowenberg and Evelyn Ginos.

In a press release, director Brandon Thomsen said, “We have assembled an absolutely stunning cast to bring to life not only Laura’s stories but also a story of community. This musical speaks to the American spirit of family and hard work and how our unique selves, when brought together, can lift one another. As these pioneers did, so too will our cast and production team come together with their individual gifts to create something truly special.”

“Little House on the Prairie, The Musical” is under the direction of Thomsen, with vocal direction by Elizabeth Mannhardt, choreography by Alison Shafer, scenic design by Sabrina Brookshire, lighting design by Elizabeth Schweitzer, costume design by Blaine Shepherd and stage management by Rowan Cafun. Props will be handled by Drew Quintero and Lindsey Stroot.

Ticket prices start at $24 and go on sale Monday, Nov. 14. Performance dates are Dec. 9-11 and Dec. 15-18. Thursday-Saturday performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday performances at 2 p.m. Seating is reserved. The performance on Sunday, Dec. 18, will be signed by Jessica Lewis for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

QCT will host Discovery Night at 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 28. This free event invites the audience backstage to take a look at the process of bringing this story to life. See the costumes, set pieces, hear from the director and designers and watch a portion of the rehearsal.

Audiences are invited to continue the conversation and meet the cast with a question-and-answer session following the performance on Friday, Dec. 16.

For more information, visit 1qct.org or call the QCT box oOffice, located in the Oakley-Lindsay Center, at 217-222-3209.

“Little House on the Prairie, The Musical” is sponsored by Quincy Medical Group, Quincy Town Center and WGEM. QCT’s 2022 season is sponsored by Gardner Denver.