Courtesy Photo The cast of Rogers City Community Theatre’s “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” gathers for a photo, taken by co-director Cozy Janowiec. Pictured in back, from left, are Ashlynn Coburn, Aria Newman, Allison Marx, Baylee Lijewski, Mike Marx, Charlotte Heidmann, Ivy Janowiec, Emma Getzmeyer, Audrey Coburn, David Coburn, Ed Perrault, Lily Janowiec, Cas Haske, Brooke Crawford, Kaitlyn Starnes, and Daniel Janowiec. Pictured in front are Lexy Kennedy, Amelia Wertman, Paisley Brandt, Audrianna Douglas, Noelle Glomski, Bella Getzmeyer, Jordan Janowiec, Walter Janowiec, Sammy Coburn. Pictured in the car are Jeff Janowiec and Hallie Janowiec.

ROGERS CITY — Rogers City Community Theatre has rescheduled the opening of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” to Thursday, due to power outages from severe weather hitting Northeast Michigan over the weekend.

The show will now run for one weekend only, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $20 per seat for adults, and $10 per seat for students. All tickets purchased for the original weekend will be honored for the rescheduled shows. If you had purchased tickets in advance and are not able to attend at the rescheduled times, please email rogerscitytheatre@gmail.com for a full refund. The productions will be held at the Rogers Theater, 257 N. Third St., Rogers City. If you have questions, call 708-808-7228.

Co-directed by the father and daughter team of Jeff Janowiec and Cozy Janowiec, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” is a musical based on the beloved 1968 film version of Ian Fleming’s children’s book. The play follows the adventures of absent-minded inventor Caractacus Potts, his dear Truly Scrumptious, his father and his two children in the flying car called Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. They get into a plethora of shenanigans in their efforts to outwit a child-hating Baron and Baroness and their Child Catcher henchman.

“It’s a really fun musical adventure,” Jeff Janowiec said. “It’s got this car that has magical qualities to it, where it can sail on the seas, it can fly in the air, and it’s really something that Vulgarians really want, especially the Baron and his wife. They really want this car, so that’s the set up for what adventure we get into with ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.’ It’s a great family-friendly blockbuster that I think everybody’s going to love.”

He said the production has been in the works since January, and the cast and crew have been doing an amazing job working together.

“What you see on stage is what Cozy and I are bringing forth, but she’s been doing a tremendous job putting things together and spending a lot of time on her own to make sure that everything is just right for the play,” Jeff Janowiec said of his 18-year-old daughter.

“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” features a cast of 28 actors of all ages.

“It’s actually a large production,” Jeff Janowiec said. “We’ve got a range of ages, from 6 years old to … well, a lot older than that. It’s really a fun cast and we’ve got a lot of energy, especially with the youth up there on stage with us. Honestly, a lot of the youth and their parents were really happy that we opened it up to the youth so that they could come and participate … so I’m glad that we were able to do this for them.”

He said the weather has proved challenging at times.

“Weather has taken a toll on a lot of practice times, however, everyone has been studying their lines, everyone has been rehearsing their music, and I’m very impressed with all of the actors,” Jeff Janowiec said, adding that parents of the young actors have been very accommodating. “There’s a lot of time and effort being put into it, and everybody has been showing up with smiles on their faces, and we’re enjoying working together.”

He added that the crew has been wonderful to work with, as well.

“I’ve also got a good stage manager, and we’ve also got wonderful assistants helping out,” he said, adding that April Coburn is assistant director and props manager. “And her husband, David Coburn, created Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the car, and it’s going to be a lot of fun to see that car up on stage. He really put a lot of good time into it. Al Hoeft also has just done a tremendous job putting things together for the set, and then Brad Schulwitz has really come through with great projections, and he’s putting in a lot of good sound effects on this play, as well.”

The set, props, and costumes will be a sight to behold, with a breakfast-making machine, a fun fair with balloons, a bicycle, and much more. He added that Al Hoeft and David Coburn have been putting together a life-sized music box in which a live doll will be inside it, singing a song. Ed Perrault, who plays zany Grandpa, also created an outhouse for the production.

“We actually had to take down some items on the stage to make room for all the props that we have that we’re going to be using,” Jeff Janowiec said. “Honestly, this scale production, of what we’re putting into it and what the audience is going to experience, is not normal. At least for us, it’s not normal. We haven’t really done this full of a production … It really is a big effort.”

In addition to co-directing, Jeff Janowiec also stars as Caractacus Potts. Hallie Janowiec plays Truly Scrumptious; Edward Perrault plays Grandpa Potts; Baylee Lijewski plays Baron Bomburst, Morris men, and factory worker; Charlotte Headman plays Baroness Bomburst; Kaitlyn Starnes plays the Child Catcher, Junkman, factory worker, and English crowd member; Ashlynn Coburn plays the Toymaker, Coggins, factory worker, English crowd member, and Vulgarian; Ivy Janowiec plays Jenny Potts; Audrey Coburn plays Jemima Potts; Samantha Coburn plays Boris; Walter Janowiec plays Goran; David Coburn plays Lord Scrumptious; Alison Marx plays Soldier, Vulgarian, English crowd member, and factory worker; Mike Marx plays a Vulgarian, English crowd member, Captain, and Chef; Lily Janowiec plays Morris men, factory worker, Vulgarian, English crowd member, and inventor; Daniel Janowiec plays an inventor, Sid, English crowd member, and factory worker; Jordan Janowiec plays a member of the children’s ensemble and Edison; Lexi (Cas) Haske plays an inventor, English crowd member, Violet, factory worker, and Vulgarian; Maggie Ryan plays Ms. Philips, English crowd member, and Vulgarian; Brooke Crawford plays a turkey farmer, English crowd member, inventor, factory worker, and Vulgarian; Paisley Brandt plays a member of the English crowd and children’s ensemble; Noelle Glomski plays a member of the children’s ensemble, English crowd, and factory worker; Aria Newman plays Morris men, factory worker, Vulgarian, English crowd member, and children’s ensemble member; Audrianna Douglas plays a member of the children’s ensemble, English crowd, and factory worker; Bella Getzmeyer plays a member of the children’s ensemble, English crowd, factory worker, and Morris men; Emma Getzmeyer plays a Vulgarian, English crowd member, factory worker, Morris men, and inventor; Amelia Wertman plays a member of the children’s ensemble, English crowd, and factory worker; and Lexy Kennedy plays a member of the children’s ensemble, English crowd, and factory worker.

Crew members include: April Coburn as assistant director and props manager; Pennie Hoeft as producer and costume designer; Lily Janowiec as choreographer; Donna Klein in charge of marketing and advertising; Denise Perrault as stage manager; Brad Schulwitz as projection designer and sound designer; Marsha Schulwitz as projection supervisor; Al Hoeft and David Coburn on set design and props; Val Schalk on costumes; Baylee Lijewski on props and microphones; Edward Perrault on set design; Gabbi May as spotlight operator; Noah Hanson on lighting; Alex Czarnecki on microphones; and Mary Parsons on advertising.