1812 Productions Sets 20th Anniversary Season

1812 Productions is pleased to announce its 2016-2017 theatre season. The 2016-2017 season is 1812 Productions' 20th anniversary season and includes a variety of original, scripted, and revival works in styles classic and contemporary. As we begin our journey into the next 20 years, we take this time to celebrate the comedy styles that have sustained 1812 Productions on Philadelphia's artistic landscape-from vaudeville to farce to political comedy- and we look to the creative teams that have been an integral part of 1812 Productions' history. Our 20th anniversary season will pair three mainstage comedy productions with three limited engagement events, including classic material and several 1812 originals. In addition to our regular season, we will also present a week-long festival of work by local solo artists as part of 1812's Jilline Ringle Solo Performance Program. All performances during our 20th anniversary season will take place at Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey Street, in Center City. 1812 Productions' Co-Founder and Producing Artistic Director, Jennifer Childs, says of this milestone season, "1812 Productions is named for an address, 1812 Pine Street, where fellow Co-Founder Pete Pryor and I lived for several years with a rotating group of actors, dancers, painters, film-makers, musicians and sculptors. It was a place where a group of friends made something out of nothing and laughed a lot. Twenty years later I am so thrilled to still be making funny things with many of those same friends and many new friends and artistic collaborators. Our 20th anniversary season is a celebration of those ebullient relationships."

Our season begins with our annual political comedy This Is The Week That Is: The Election Special. As the American people get ready to elect a new president, the creative team behind 1812's smash political satire This Is The Week That Is team will be on the beat. We'll break down the headlines and bring Philadelphians answers to their burning political questions with satirical wit, a song or two, and a script that changes with the news. This Is The Week That Is: The Election Special will play from September 29th to November 7th, 2016. Opening Night will be Wednesday, October 5th, 2016 at 7pm. This Is The Week That Is: The Election Special is presented as part of The June and Steve Wolfson Family Foundation Series.

In December, 2016, 1812 Productions will present The Holiday Show (official title to be announced), an original comedy with music written by Jennifer Childs. It's Christmastime in 1943. War is raging on the other side of the Atlantic and, here at home, a group of neighbors gather at their local VFW to make the most of what they have. 1812's latest original comedy brings us an oddball friendship between a trio of singing sisters, an out-of-work Catskills comic, a limping piano player, and their grumpy Scrooge-like landlady. This 1812 original is a heartfelt and hopeful comedy that looks at making something right with all the wrong people. The Holiday Show will play from December 1st thru December 31st, 2016. Opening Night will be Wednesday, December 7th, 2016 at 7pm. The Holiday Show will be presented as part of The Phoebe and Otto Premiere Series with support from Wyncote Foundation. The Holiday Show welcomes Honorary Producers Sharon and Jeff Weiss.

1812 Productions will close its season with Happy Birthday, a farce from Marc Camoletti, adapted by Beverly Cross. Infidelities and mistaken identities abound when Bernard decides to have a birthday party for his mistress-with his wife in attendance. Friends, lovers, and two strangers named Brigit are all caught on a merry-go-round of bedrooms and birthday cake in this comedy from the author of Boeing Boeing. Happy Birthday was a long-running success in London and we are excited to present this new production starring real-life married couples Greg Wood & Susan Riley Stevens and Scott Greer & Jennifer Childs. Happy Birthday will play from April 27th thru May 21st, 2017. Opening Night will be Wednesday, May 3rd, 2016 at 7pm.

2015-2016 Special Limited Engagements
The first of our 20th anniversary special events is Cherry Bomb, a two-night only concert event. We're delighted to welcome back 1812's wildly successful original musical about, "the worst act in vaudeville,' The Cherry Sisters. This special concert presentation will feature performances from all of the show's original cast members including Mary Martello, Maureen Torsney-Weir, Mary McCool, Charlotte Ford, Megan Bellwoar, Scott Greer, and Dave Jadico.Cherry Bomb will play for two performances only, Monday, December 12th and Tuesday, December 13th, 2016 at 7:30pm.

In 2017, 1812 Productions gathers Patsy, Uncle Shotsie, favorite This Is The Week That Is actors, and special guests from 20 years of 1812 to star in The 1812 Game Show Spectacular!-a hilarious mash-up of Matchgame, Pyramid, and The Price is Right. The 1812 Game Show Spectacular! will be performed Monday, February 20th and Tuesday, February 21st, 2017 at 7:30pm.

Finally, 1812 Productions will present the newest chapter in its An Evening Without... series with An Evening Without The Brits. Over the past six years, 1812 has celebrated classic humorists like Steve Martin, Phyllis Diller, Woody Allen, David Sedaris, and others. Now we're heading across the pond to bring audiences a brief history of British comedy from The Goons to Monty Python to Ab Fab. An Evening Without The Brits will be performed Monday, May 15th and Tuesday, May 16th, 2017 at 7:30pm.

JillineFest
As 1812 Productions celebrates its 20th anniversary season, we also commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Jilline Ringle Solo Performance Program. The Jilline Ringle Solo Performance Program was established in 2006 in memory of Jilline Ringle, a powerhouse solo performer best known for her original works including Shut Up and Kiss Me, La Dolce Vita, and the very popular Mondo Mangia. The mission of the Jilline Ringle Solo Performance Program is to support the creation, development and production of work by solo artists across a variety of disciplines-theater, performance art, and cabaret. The program has provided support funds and workshop time to more than 20 solo artists and collaborators in its 10 year history. This anniversary festival, JillineFest, is a week-long showcase of work from five of the program's supported artists including Jessica Bedford, Hallie Martenson, Tracie Higgins, Caroline Dooner, and Mary Carpenter. JillineFest will begin its run with a special cabaret night featuring performances by Mary Martello, Jen Fellman, Tara Tagliaferro, Sarah Gafgen and others. JillineFest will run from Monday, July 11th thru Friday, July 15th, 2016, with all performances taking place at 7:30pm. All tickets to these performances are $20, or patrons can purchase a festival pass to attend any performance for $50. All proceeds from JillineFest will support the continued life of the Jilline Ringle Solo Performance Program, allowing more solo artists to take advantage of the creative space and support funds it provides for years to come.

Company History
1812 Productions is the only professional theater company in the country dedicated to comedy. Their education program, 1812 Outreach, has received multiple nominations and been awarded the Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service. 1812 Productions is the recipient of an honorary citation from the City of Philadelphia for outstanding work and commitment to the Philadelphia arts community. In 2010, they were honored as one of only 10 theaters in the country to receive a National Theatre Company grant from the American Theatre Wing, founder of the Tony Awards.