From left are Tom Orr as Pete Bartel, and Jill Keating as Keely Stevens in “Pete ‘n’ Keely.” The musicians are keyboardist Drew Minton, drummer Brian McDougal, and bassist Lily Zappie. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

MAYVILLE – During the summer months, patrons may be hard-pressed to find musical theater performed in venues around Chautauqua Lake.

John Keating would like to change that as he has a new entertainment option. It’s kind of like a summer stock program.

Recently, he sat down with Ben Webb, president of Webb’s, and together they came up with a plan for musical theater performances, and Keating became the managing director of Jim and Sally Webb’s Performing Arts Series inaugural season at Webb’s Captain’s Table Restaurant, 115 West Lake Road-Route 394, Mayville.

“But here’s summer, with thousands of people coming, and we just thought it was an entertainment option that should be attractive,” Keating said.

The first show in the series is “Pete ‘n’ Keely. The basis of the musical is in 1968 Pete Bartel and Keely Stevens reunite for a live TV special reliving their illustrious musical career on TV in Las Vegas showrooms, and at the top of the Hit Parade. The only catch is that they have not spoken to each other since their big breakup at Caesar’s Palace many years ago. The book is by James Hindman, original music by Patrick S. Brady, and original lyrics by Mark Waldrop, Brady and others.

“So we then thought, well, it’s summer. And then we both agreed that we wanted something that would be easy, and you just go and have a good time. And you can always say ‘that was a nice evening,'” Keating added.

Keating is no stranger to musical theater.

A retired history teacher from Sherman Central School, Keating is known for writing books for several musicals. He spent many weekends commuting between his Mayville home and Pittsburgh. In the Pittsburgh he joined the Musical Theatre Artists of Pittsburgh (MTAP) and quickly became recognized for his many theatrical abilities, he said.

In 2022 his off-Broadway musical “Just Beyond Balboa” was selected by The Theater Center, in New York City, for its incubator program where there was a staged reading.

Keating said that some Broadway performances are topic-heavy, and that is not his vision. He wants to keep it light, light easy and simple.

“Pete ‘n’ Keely is just three roles: Pete, Keely and a stage manager. There is also a three-piece band to accompany the performance.

Keating’s vision is in the tradition of musical theater and summer stock with comedy, dancing girls, goofy skits and dumb lyrics.

“And you walk away and say, ‘I felt good,’ and walk out with a smile on your face. So that was the goal. That’s what we’re trying to establish, and to fill sort of a void,” he added.

The cast includes Jill Keating as Keely Stevens, Tom Orr as Pete Bartel, and Brandon Milanowski as the stage manager.

Jill Keating has performed in “Jane Eyre” with the Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre at the Mr. Rogers Studio. She has danced with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and was selected for the nation tour of “Big River” by Roger Miller. She taught for the Chautauqua Dance Department.

Orr is an experienced actor, singer, writer, producer and cabaret artist from Philadelphia. He has appeared at the Claridge Hotel Casino in Atlantic City, N.J., Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia, and Bucks County Playhouse in Pennsylvania.

Milanowski has appeared in “Pump Boys and Dinettes” at Jamestown Community College, and “Assassins” at the Ray Evens Seneca Theater in Salamanca.

The three-piece band is keyboardist Drew Minton, a teacher at Sherman Central School; drummer Brian McDougal from Chautauqua Lake Central School; and bassist Lily Zappie from Chautauqua Lake Central School.

The 90-minute performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8:15 p.m. For information about tickets please visit webbscapatainstable.com or call (716)753-3960.