Finian's Rainbow was the spring 2003 musical at Lee, opening on April 3 at Lee University’s Dixon Center.

This delightful production had the audiences clapping to the Irish music, gasping at the unbelievable stage sets, and laughing a lot at “Og” the leprechaun.

Dr. Sharon Carbaugh directed this show with the help of Ruth James who directed the music, Kathy Cheek who directed the dance, Shane Fuller and Jon Wills who designed and built the stage sets.  Dr. Michael J. Laney, chair of the Communication & the Arts Department said, “The sets were out of this world, and Kathy Cheek and Ruth James took the choreography and vocal performance to a new level.”

The story began with Finian McLonergan and his daughter, Sharon, as they left Ireland for their magical fantasy.

They arrived in the American state of Missitucky circa 1945 with a magical crock of gold which had been stolen from the leprechaun, Og.  Finian buried it in the ground believing that it would grow bigger.  Rawkins, a state senator, was determined to get her hands on the gold.  Through many twists and turns; love, wealth, happiness, and equality descended on Rainbow Valley, Missitucky.

The cast included Kirt Johnson, Sarah E. Hockett, Tony Brittain Lance, Lloyd Smith, Jennifer Baisden, Andrea M. Piershale, Jessica Rutherford, John Jewell, Tony Avnaim, April Auger, Daniel Brooks, Joshua George, Jared Hitchcock, Justine Kubanda, Steve Morgan, Aubrie Schlecht, Crystal Simonds, Christina Tuttle, and Monica Wolfe.

Lena Barber, President’s Office, said "It was so exciting and infectious, we saw it twice and Katie, our daughter, went back two more times.  The characters were quality; veteran actors we were familiar with and some we hadn't seen before, which made it dauntingly fresh!"