The Lower Dauphin Falcon Foundation (LDFF) will present its annual Musical Dinner Theatre, featuring a performance of the musical "Guys and Dolls" by Lower Dauphin High School students on Friday, March 4, at 5:30 p.m. at the school, located at 201 S. Hanover St., Hummelstown.

The one-plate buffet-style meal will be served in the cafeteria before the play begins at 7 p.m. The menu for the evening will include grilled chicken, penne pasta and tri-colored tortellini with marinara and Alfredo sauces, fresh-baked breadsticks, tossed salad with dressings, roasted red bliss potatoes, steamed carrots and assorted desserts and beverages.

The catered meal will be prepared and served by Chartwells Food Service. After eating their dinners in the school cafeteria, attendees will move into the theater to enjoy the show.

There will be separate prices for adults and for students and seniors. The ticket price includes a show ticket. Tickets must be purchased by Friday, Feb. 25, by calling 717-566-5393. For more information, visit http://ldfalconfoundation.org/index.php/events.

"(The dinner) is run by and sponsored by the foundation in conjunction with the musical department," explained Angela Anspach, LDFF treasurer/program manager, noting that a portion of the proceeds from the dinner theater will go toward grants that benefit Lower Dauphin students, as well as the high school music department.

The dinner theater has been presented for the past 13 years by the LDFF, but this year for the first time, it will include Alumni Night. Musical director Kevin Strawser is encouraging alumni from previous musical productions to attend this year's musical and the dinner beforehand to socialize with former classmates and friends.

"Everyone is invited, whether they directed, acted on stage or (were members) of the orchestra," Anspach noted.

Lower Dauphin High School's tradition of staging musicals began in 1961. "Guys and Dolls" is the only musical that has been performed twice prior to this year. The first time was in 1982 under the direction of Judith Witmer; Strawser was a member of that cast. The musical was performed again in 1994 under the direction of Rudolph Sharpe. For the 1982 and 1994 productions, Linda Hummel served as musical director, Stephen Kisler served as stage manager, Jere Moser served as technical director and Marie Weber served as orchestra director.

Sharpe has directed 16 musicals during his tenure at Lower Dauphin High School, and Witmer directed six musicals and served as pianist for the first two years in a three-member pit orchestra. This year's production of "Guys and Dolls" will be the 26th musical that Strawser has directed.

The LDFF's dinner theater was not held in 2021 because of the pandemic. "The school shut down the week after we held our dinner theater in 2020," Anspach noted. "(For this year), people (can) space out, and you can wear a mask."

For more information about the LDFF, visit http://www.facebook.com/LDFalconFoundation or http://ldfalconfoundation.org/index.php or email foundation@ldsd.org.