THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME and More Highlight Garden Theatre's 10th Anniversary Season

The Garden Theatre, located at 160 West Plant Street in historic Winter Garden, is pleased to announce the 2017 - 2018 Theatre Season, running from September 2017 - May 2018.

The Garden Theatre is proud to welcome Evoyent, a Deloitte Network Company, as the 2017 - 2018 Season Sponsor.

In addition to the six full-length theatrical presentations, the season will be dotted with weekend events such as brand-new summer boutique experiences, concerts and dance, as well as movies and holiday offerings.

Subscriptions will go on sale April 1 for current subscribers, May 1 for new subscribers, and June 1 for single tickets at gardentheatre.org or by calling the Garden Theatre Box Office at 407-877-GRDN (4736).

"The driving force behind our tenth anniversary season decisions was the core question of 'How does our Garden continue to grow?'" says Consulting Artistic Director, Rob Winn Anderson.

One of the decisions was to find unique partnerships to present to audiences, and as a result, the Garden Theatre will be presenting six productions as part of the professional theatre series and introducing a new artistic concept in partnership with Florida Fashion Theatre with two boutique experiences that combine film, ballet, fashion and digital effects.

In addition to these new, elevated 'boutique' experiences, part of the mission to grow the Garden forward is the creation of a new series of shows within the season. These will be branded as the Avant Garden series.

"Through the years we have produced shows with unfamiliar titles or that have pushed creative boundaries in ways we hope have challenged audiences," according to Anderson. "The Avant Garden series has been created to give a home to these shows and allow our audiences to embrace the questions these shows might present."

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Jesus Christ Superstar
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber | Lyrics by Tim Rice
Produced by Garden Theatre
September 8 - October 1, 2017

This stirring rock opera from the perspective of Judas Iscariot follows Jesus Christ during his last seven days on Earth. With material borrowed from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, this musical follows the meteoric rise of Jesus' popularity, the devotion and doubts of his disciples, and the radical response by the church priests. Jesus Christ Superstar was the first of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice tradition of recording an album first and then creating a musical from it. Composer Webber won the Drama Desk Award for Most Promising Composer in 1972 and Jesus Christ Superstar was also Tony-nominated for Best Original Score.

The Odd Couple
Male & Female Versions, alternating performances
By Neil Simon
Produced by Garden Theatre
October 13 - 29, 2017

This classic comedy discovers what happens when persons of opposite personalities and lifestyles become unlikely roommates. Prolific American playwright Neil Simon brought slovenly Oscar Madison and fastidious Felix Ungar to the stage in 1965, and won the Tony for Best Author of a Play. The Odd Couple went on to become a film and a successful television series. In 1985, Simon revised the play for a female cast in a contemporary setting, in which Olive Madison and Florence Ungar become the mismatched roommates after a marital separation. From a male or female perspective, hilarity results when the worlds of these endearing characters collide! The show will be performed in rep with both male and female versions playing each weekend.

Annie
Book by Thomas Meehan | Music by Charles Strouse | Lyrics by Martin Charnin
Produced by Garden Theatre
November 25 - December 23, 2017

Hoping for a life outside her dreary orphanage, little orphan Annie charms her way into the heart of a New York millionaire during the Depression. The only person standing in the way of Annie's dream is the scheming, gin-soaked matron of the orphanage, Miss Hannigan. One of the world's best-loved Broadway musicals comes to life with a rousing score including "It's the Hard-Knock Life," "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile," "Easy Street," "I Don't Need Anything But You" and the eternal anthem of optimism, "Tomorrow."

The Lieutenant of Inishmore
By Martin McDonagh
Produced by Beth Marshall Presents
February 2 - 25, 2018

The Lieutenant of Inishmore is a feared Irish terrorist who has no qualms of torturing, mutilating and murdering his enemies. The one life he does value is that of his beloved black cat, Wee Thomas. After Wee Thomas is found with a crushed skull, a heartbroken Mad Padraic becomes hell-bent on finding the person responsible and the vividly gruesome violence and carnage that ensues makes for an extremely dark, yet hilarious comedy that explores the absurdity of political violence.
An Avant Garden production

A Tennessee Walk
By Rob Winn Anderson
Produced by Garden Theatre | Southeastern United States Premiere
March 16 - 31, 2018

Dark secrets abound in the hills of Tennessee in this Southern Gothic tale. It's 1916, and a circus elephant named Mary is sentenced to die in a horrible way after killing a man during a parade in Kingsport. Mary's execution, demanded by the hysterical public, becomes a media event. At the same time, Bobbie Coleman, a young girl of twelve, is experiencing her own horror as tragedy besets her closest friend, Willa Fay. Fast forward eighty years, when a freelance journalist attempts to break Bobbie's silence and at long last find the out the truth of that fateful time. True-life stories and fictional storytelling are weaved together for an unforgettable tale by Central Florida-based playwright Rob Winn Anderson, who in 2011 won the SART ScriptFEST competition and the 2012 Southern Playwrights competition for this work.
An Avant Garden production

The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Music by Alan Menken | Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz | Book by Peter Parnell
Produced by Garden Theatre
April 27 - May 27, 2018

In this epic musical based on the Victor Hugo novel, Quasimodo, the deformed bell-ringer of Notre Dame longs to escape his captivity by the Archdeacon Frollo and partake in the Feast of Fools in 15th-century Paris. Initially enthralled by the revelry, he is treated cruelly by the boisterous crowd until a beautiful and sympathetic gypsy named Esmeralda comes to his rescue. Quasimodo is captivated by her free spirit, as is the Archdeacon and the handsome Captain Phoebus. Frollo's mission to cleanse Paris of lechery and foreigners - including the gypsies - conflicts with his desire, and, in the end, Quasimodo must make the choice to leave his sanctuary of stone and become a hero to the one he loves.

Garden Theatre Boutique Experiences:

A Tribute to Audrey Hepburn
Produced by Florida Fashion Theatre
June 22 - 25, 2017

The sophistication and style that made Audrey Hepburn the icon she was is lovingly recreated through dance, fashion and film. Florida Fashion Theatre brings an immersive and innovative experience, transporting audiences to Hollywood's Golden Age and Audrey Hepburn's most famous films, including Roman Holiday, Sabrina, Funny Face and Breakfast at Tiffany's. Authentic costume reproductions by Ryan Camp, merged with extraordinary ballet performances and state-of-the-art digital projections create a boutique theatrical experience unlike any other. A special VIP Premiere Experience will be available for opening night.

Hitchcock - Master of Suspense
Produced by Florida Fashion Theatre
August 10 - 13, 2017

The unique spine-tingling intrigue and romance of Alfred Hitchcock films is brought to life through dance, fashion and film. Florida Fashion Theatre brings an immersive and innovative experience focused upon the Master of Suspense's cool blondes, including authentic costume reproductions by Ryan Camp of the timeless fashions worn by America's very own princess, Grace Kelly. The boutique theatre experience features six of Hitchcock's films including North By Northwest, Rear Window, Vertigo, The Birds, To Catch A Thief, and of course Hitchcock's most memorable work, Psycho. This imagery, merged with extraordinary ballet performances and state-of-the-art digital projections create a theatrical experience unlike any other. A special VIP Premiere Experience will be available for opening night.

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Located in the heart of historic downtown Winter Garden on Plant Street, the Garden Theatre is a nonprofit organization committed to enriching, engaging and entertaining through creative experiences. The 299-seat theatre, which re-opened in 2008, is an historic, atmospheric, professional performing arts venue in a Mediterranean Revival style. The Garden Theatre hosts live plays, concerts, movies and more to the residents of and visitors to the city of Winter Garden. For tickets or additional information, contact the Garden Theatre Box Office at 407-877-GRDN (4736) or visit gardentheatre.org.