Photo Flash: TheatreWorks New Milford Announces Their 2010 Season

Approximately 75 attendees, along with the Board of Directors of TheatreWorks, gathered for a few hours to mingle and nosh on food from New Milford's Ristorante Lucia and listen to acoustic songs provided by members of the local musical group, "My Dad's Truck."

"Homeward Bound believes that supporting the arts is not only very satisfying, but also good business for us," said Trip Rothschild, who co-founded Homeward Bound with his wife, Kathy Walsh. "More than ever in these difficult times, local businesses and local arts organizations need to deepen their collaborations to further their mutual interest in the economic and cultural health of their shared communities."

The evening culminated with a presentation of TheatreWorks' 2010 season which includes four main stage shows, four children's/young adult workshops, and three free staged readings.

"We're extremely grateful for this continued partnership between Homeward Bound and TheatreWorks," said TheatreWorks President, Richard Pettibone. "It's an honor to unveil our upcoming season in a local establishment that's as committed to providing a good product as we are. We're proud to announce that 2009 was nearly our most highly attended season, second only to 2008, which is due in no small measure to our loyal audience members. It's our continued duty, for lack of a better word, to build on that success and continue to provide the finest in local entertainment, at an affordable price, throughout the upcoming year."

Pettibone announced that the season will kick off in February with the Tony Award-winning musical comedy, THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE with Music and Lyrics by William Finn and Book by Rachel Sheinkin. The show follows the experiences of six disparate outsiders, in the throes of puberty, vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. Supervising the competition is a group of grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves. Willing participants from the theatre audience get to join in the fun, too. The show is under the direction of Beth Bonnabeau (New Milford).

In June comes the suspense thriller MAURITIUS, by Theresa Rebeck, and directed by Sonnie Osborne (New Milford). The stakes are high when half-sisters inherit a book of rare stamps that may include the "crown jewels" of the stamp-collecting world and could be worth millions. The
battle for possession takes a dangerous turn when three rival collectors enter the sisters' world, willing to go to any lengths to stake their claim on the find. Combining the best aspects of Hitchcock, Chandler, and Mamet, MAURITIUS is a gripping blend of sharp comedy and heart-pounding drama that simmers with constant surprise.

In September, EXIT THE KING by Eugene Ionesco, the comedy-drama that won the 2009 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play will open with director Jane Farnol (Gaylordsville) at the helm. EXIT THE KING is an absurdist exploration of ego and mortality set in the crumbling throne-room of the
palace in an unnamed country where King Berenger the First has only the duration of the play to live. Once, it seemed, he ruled over an immense empire and commanded great armies, but now his kingdom has shrunk to the confines of his garden wall. Refusing to accept his end, he is attended by his present and former Queens who must help him face the final inevitable truth of life: death.

Finally in December, John Cariani's romantic comedy ALMOST, MAINE rounds out the season under the direction of Glenn Couture (Ansonia). On a cold, clear, moonless night in the middle of winter, all is not quite what it seems in the remote, mythical town of Almost, Maine. As the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, Almost's residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and often hilarious ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. But The Bruises heal and the hearts mend - almost - in this delightful midwinter night's dream.

The TheatreWorks Kids shows announced for 2010 include THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE JR., INTO THE WOODS JR., and BROADWAY KIDS. RENT, JR. is planned for the Stage 2 (teens) program.

For more information, tickets, and subscriptions, visit WWW.THEATREWORKS.US or call the box office at (860) 350-6863.

TheatreWorks is an award-winning, volunteer non-Equity theatre company located at 5 Brookside Avenue, just off Route 202 (next to the CVS) in New Milford, CT.

Photo credit: Scott Wyshynski