Runaway Bride---The Opera

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

No, the new show isn't a way for actress Julia Roberts to prove that she has a terrific set of lungs. In fact, the new opera isn't a take off of the 1999 film version of "Runaway Bride." Rather, the musical is using the story of real-life runaway bride Jennifer Wilbanks as its inspiration.

"Runaway Bride" will be appearing at a local Minnesota theater in the form of a rock opera. The show is scheduled to open in October at the Red Clay Theatre and Arts Center in Duluth. If you decide to attend don't expect to see a comedic spoof of Wilbanks' infamous disappearance before her scheduled 2005 wedding. Instead, the theater's owner said, the rock opera will show how her Wilbanks' Georgia community united and bonded over the experience, which included a massive search for the bride-to-be before she turned up a few days later.

The owner of the Duluth theater told local newspaper reporters that while he hasn't read the script, he understands that Wilbanks and her then-fiancé, John Mason, will only be "minor characters."

You'll recall that Wilbanks got her nickname "runaway bride" after jumping on a bus before her wedding and making up a story about being kidnapped and sexually assaulted. As it turned out, she got cold feet and fled to New Mexico. She later recanted her story, saying she ran away because of personal issues. Wilbanks pleaded no contest to telling police a phony story. She was sentenced to community service and was made to pay restitution to police. Not too long ago she made news again when split with her fiancé. (Rumor has it both are working on book deals to publicly tell their own sides of the incident.)

As for the show's creators, they say Wilbanks' story makes for great theater because it "involves dramatic and engaging situations."

Would you buy a ticket to see the show?

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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