By Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, II

Directed by David Lowenstein

Choreographed by David Wanstreet

October 9 – 24

 

There’s a bright golden haze on everything about this landmark musical, from Richard Rodgers’ vibrant score, to Oscar Hammerstein’s delightful lyrics and book, to the sparkling characters that populate a particular slice of the Oklahoma Territory. Add a Box Social, a surrey with a fringe on top, and some eye-popping choreography, and all you can say is “Oh, what a beautiful play!”

 

Oklahoma was the first musical written by the team of Richard Rodgers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics). The original Broadway production opened in 1943 at the St. James Theatre. A film version in 1955, starring Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones, received two Academy Awards, one for Best Scoring of a Musical Film. The 2002 revival by Producer Cameron Mackintosh, directed by Trevor Nunn and choreographed by Susan Stroman, featured Patrick Wilson in the role of Curly and Andrea Martin as Aunt Eller. Oklahoma! was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (1944), a special Tony Award for its 50^th Anniversary (1993), four Laurence Olivier Awards including Best Musical Production (1999), a New York Drama League Award for Best Musical of the Century (1999), and was the first Broadway musical to be honored with a commemorative stamp from the United States Postal Service.

 

The Bald Soprano and The Chairs

By Eugene Ionesco

Directed by Rodney Hudson

November 13 - 22

 

These masterworks of the Theatre of Absurd soar to the heights of the ridiculous with word-twisting, innovative comedy. Eugene Ionesco, a giant of 20^th century playwriting, took all the conventions of the stage and turned them upside down to offer stunning perspectives on theatre and the world it reflects. With a strong sense of the outrageous, Ionesco reminds us that, "The human drama is as absurd as it is painful." 

 

Both one-act plays, The Chairs and The Bald Soprano, will be presented in one evening of theatre. Ionesco’s first play, The Bald Soprano, received its debut in 1950 at the Théâtre des Noctambules under the direction of Nicolas Bataille. Inspired by Ionesco’s experiences learning English, The Bald Soprano explores the decline of language. The Chairs is considered a defining example of Theatre of the Absurd in its exploration of the absurdity of the human condition. First performed in 1952, its 1998 run on Broadway received seven Tony nominations.

 

Music by Kim Oler

Lyrics by Alison Hubbard

Book by Sean Hartley

Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott

Directed and choreographed by Anthony Salatino

November 24 – December 27

 

What  we cherish most—family, sacrifice, determination, hope and love—never goes out of style. All of Louisa May Alcott’s classic characters are here: warm and loving Marmee, vivacious Amy, sweet and dreamy Meg, tender-hearted Beth, handsome and charming Laurie, Aunt March, Professor Bhaer, and of course the passionate and funny Jo. Brimming with 20 beautiful songs, this new musical captures all the struggle, romance and deep emotions of Alcott’s beloved tale. Celebrate your holidays with the March family. A collaboration with Syracuse Stage.

 

Little Women was workshopped in Syracuse University’s 2007 New Play Workshop Program, spearheaded by Marie Kemp, Assistant Professor in the Department of Drama.The songwriting team of Alison Hubbard and Kim Oler received a prestigious Richard Rodgers Award for the musical score. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott was written and published in two parts in 1868 and 1869, and was an immediate success, selling 2000 copies.

 

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Elizabeth Ingram

February 19 - 28

 

In this early comedy Shakespeare cheerfully parodies love and friendship, as two best friends fall for and fall out over the same woman. A genuine precursor to the later great comedies (this is first of the Bard’s plays to feature a woman disguised as a man), the seeds of Shakespeare’s genius are on full display in this farcical romp. Check out a character named Launce and his dog Crab.

 

Two Gentlemen of Verona,inspired by the Spanish romance Diana Enamorada, has been produced by The Royal Shakespeare Company in 1960, 1970 and 1991 with celebrities in various roles: Helen Mirren as Julia, Patrick Stewart as Launce, and Ian Richardson as Proteus. In 1926, Robert Atkins staged the play with John Gielgud as Valentine.

 

By John Murray and Allen Boretz

Directed by Robert Moss

March 26 – April 3

 

This comic delight from the 1930s is a real treat for anyone who loves theatre and especially for those who love the people who make theatre. An unscrupulous Broadway producer struggles to find a backer for his new show, which he knows will be a smash hit. Holed up in a Times Square hotel with 19 hungry actors and a ballooning room service bill, he tries to forestall eviction by concocting a series of ever more preposterous events. A gem from an era of great American comedy.

 

Room Service was first performed in 1937 and ran for 500 performances on Broadway.  The show inspired two films: the Marx Brothers’ 1937 Room Service and the 1944 Frank Sinatra musical film Step Lively. After its initial Broadway run, Room Service was revived in 1963 and 1970. Alan Arkin directed a revival in 1986 for the Roundabout Theatre Company with Mark Hamill playing the role of Miller, the playwright. www.roomservicetheplay.com

 

I Love You Because  

Music by Joshua Salzman

Book and lyrics by Ryan Cunningham

Directed by Marie Kemp

April 30 – May 15

 

Ah, New York, city of romance, where relationships end badly, and where those on the rebound fall for the wrong person. Such is the world of I Love You Because.This infectiously entertaining modern day musical love story is filled with witty and incisive lyrics and a rich and tuneful score. A quirky and slightly nutty take on modern dating. Think Friends with terrific songs and dancing. 

 

Joshua Salzman and Ryan Cunningham developed I Love You Because as graduate students in New York University’s Musical Theatre Writing Program. Since its critically acclaimed Off Broadway run in 2006, productions have spread around the world. The New York Times called the show “infectiously entertaining! Filled with wit and zest . . . terrific refreshing fun.” www.iloveyoubecausethemusical.com