Amy Bentley-Smith Features Editor
Daggett Dances In "World Goes 'Round"
In between serving as president of the city's Public Corporation for the Arts board of directors, singing in both a 1940s trio and her church choir, and performing a one-woman play she wrote, Lucy Daggett still managed to squeeze in time for Musical Theatre West's latest production of "World Goes 'Round."

To Daggett, the world seems to go 'round the stage.

She grew up surrounded by acting and music.

Her parents were both in the business and had actually met during summer stock. When they began their family, they emphasized the importance of the arts to their children, Daggett said. Daggett, her brother and sister all began performing at an early age and received support from their parents when they decided to make the arts their career. Daggett's brother has performed on Broadway and her sister is an opera singer.

As a stage actress, Daggett has performed all over the country.

But through the years Long Beach remained her home, she said, because it's the best place to live.

"People always feel that Long Beach is the poor cousin of Los Angeles, but it's not," Daggett said. "We have our own museums, theaters, wonderful neighborhoods. This city has a lot of committed people. I love Long Beach."

But living in Southern California as a stage actress has meant having to be flexible because there's not a lot of musical theater left, she said.

"If you want to work, you have to be willing to travel or do a lot of different things," Daggett said. "Thankfully, there are so many things you can do in this business."

She should know. Daggett does everything from performing at weddings and doing voice-over work to singing in groups and in professional productions. Last year, she also wrote the one-woman play she's currently performing called "Art, Sex and the High Seas."

But those things have been put on hold temporarily for "The World Goes 'Round." For the past couple of weeks, Daggett and the rest of the MTW cast of have been busy rehearsing for this non-stop revue of John Kander and Fred Ebb's body of work, including "Chicago," "Cabaret," "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and "Zorba the Greek." The curtains open this Saturday.

Daggett, who has been in several MTW productions, including "Phantom," in which she played one of her favorite characters, the evil opera diva, said she believes audiences will be wowed by this show not only because the music and numbers are so amazing but because it's not a typical revue.

"I've done so many revues, Cole Porter, Sonneheim and a lot of the time the music is broken up by dialog, putting the music into context," Daggett said. "With this, the songs are put into context but with the actors in character. What's special about this show is that the music is so enduring.

"It's a combination of big dance numbers and melancholy ballads and funny, fun stuff. Everyone gets a chance to strut his or her stuff. It's a very talented cast and John Vaughn, the director, has done a great job of pulling it all together. It will be a highly entertaining evening."

"The World Goes 'Round" also stars Adrian Zmed, Paige Price, Jennifer Shelton (also from Long Beach) and Branch Woodman, with musical direction by Darryl Archibald.

The show runs through May 11 at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 Atherton St. Show times ares at 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; at 2 p.m. Saturdays (except for April 26) and 8 p.m. and at 2 p.m. Sundays.

Tickets range from $20 to $45, with discounts available for children and teachers and groups of 12 or more, and rush tickets on sale prior to curtain. Tickets are sold at Musical Theatre West's office, 1800 Palo Verde Avenue, Ste. E, by calling 430-2324, or online at www.musical.org. Tickets are not sold at the Carpenter box office. For details, call 430-2324.

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