The Sunny Hours Highlights

These video highlights are from a performance of The Sunny Hours premiere at ACT in the Tri-Cities WA, August 1-4, 2024.

Wide Open Swing

Young Catherine reveals her feelings about the close of summer, and the upcoming school year.

50 Cents

Of course, we love all the songs, but this one's really fun, fun, fun. Both performers and creators have a special soft spot for the song, but keep that a secret!

Now attending Seattle College, the students learn about a Hiyu Coulee hiking club hike led by the College Jesuit Priests. After nearly burning down the chemistry lab, and hungry for a break from books and jobs, the students each manage to scrape up 50 cents to sign up for the hike.

Really

An infamous family story emerges -- via a video flashback within the scene -- as three of Catherine's adult children reflect on their Mom and their childhood.

Gallery

From a World Premiere Performance of
The Sunny Hours in Richland, WA

young couple about to start a waltz together

characters George and young Catherine discuss their relationship

male students frozen on staircase in animated positions

lead character present day Catherine and daughter Ella conversing about Catherine's college memories

three male students lament that the couldn't find any dirt on a classmate

Present day Catherine and daughter Ella in lounge chairs outside

characters gathered in song, with beautiful sunsets behind them

Cast List

The Sunny Hours...
A Story of Resilience, Destiny and Love

The Sunny Hours is based on the life of a real person, Catherine, born in Seattle in 1922. The story goes backward and forward in time as Catherine reflects on her life, and shares her memories with her daughter, Ella. The action opens in a 1940s Seattle neighborhood ballroom where we encounter many of the characters, and there are hints of events to come. Catherine, a spirited girl ahead of her time, overcame much adversity to attend college—unusual for a young woman of the era. At college Catherine and her friends join a hiking club, led by the college Jesuit Priests, which offered them much needed (and affordable) relief from books, work and the lingering pall of the Depression. Soon Catherine meets 'him', and plans her strategy to get 'him', including enlisting friends to help, starting with getting the scoop on 'him'. Having no success, she dates George…then a bit of destiny occurs. Moving forward in time, we meet Catherine’s adult children. They reflect on their Mother’s rich life and experiences, including childhood memories. Throughout her life, despite all the challenges Catherine encountered – through the Great Depression, a Polio epidemic, WWII, the COVID 19 pandemic and everything in between, plus raising 12 children - Catherine always overcame, found joys to savor and made all the sunny hours in her life count.