View more photos of the Shine! dress rehearsal by clicking Here

With its cast of more than fifty from every walk of life, dozens of Broadway-quality costumes, a nine-person live orchestra and many, many hours of rehearsing behind them, the curtain will finally rise on the latest musical fundraiser for the Greenville Area Arts Council this week.

“Shine!” which features local talent in an all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza, opens tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at the Ritz Theatre. Additional performances are set for Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m.

“We have some new faces on stage this year, along with old favorites,” said “Shine!” director Nancy Idland.

“We have lots more wonderful costumes created by Miss Bobbie (Gamble) and our talented team of seamstresses, and we’ve also been able to recycle some of the great costumes from our past two years for totally new looks. And our orchestra is doing a fantastic job. It really adds to the fun of the show. There’s a lot of talent in that building, let me tell you.”

At total of 26 songs are featured in the two-act show, including tunes from the hit musicals “Chicago” and “Billy Elliot” and a celebration of 50 years of Motown.

A tribute to the Land of Oz comes in the second act, with songs from “The Wiz,” “Wicked” and “The Wizard of Oz.”

Elementary age children in the city will be treated to a special performance of the show on Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. at the Ritz.

“I am so thrilled this opportunity for the Friday morning performance worked out for us, to bring the magic of live theatre to our local children. I know it will be an event they will never forget,” Idland said.

Tickets for “Shine!” are $20 for adults and $15 for students.

All profits go to fund the artistic fees for the GAAC’s annual season.