Cortland Rep's Summer Season to Include RUMORS, CHICAGO, et al.

Cortland Repertory Theatre, one of New York State's longest running professional summer theatres, will celebrate its 40th year of quality live theatre in the summer of 2011. Producing Artistic Director Kerby Thompson says "Because CRT is so often called 'a gem of a theatre', the season will be dubbed "The Ruby Jubilee" since the ruby is 40th anniversary gemstone."  As in the past few seasons, all six mainstage productions will be making their CRT debut.
 
The summer begins from June 8 - 18 with Rumors, the only "farce" written by America's favorite comedy playwright, Neil Simon. In this contemporary comedy, four well-to-do couples gather in the posh home of New York City's Deputy Mayor to celebrate his 10th anniversary, only to discover there are no servants, the hostess is missing, and the host has shot himself through the earlobe. Concerned about a possible scandal without knowing the "who", the "why" and the "what happened", all the guests frantically try to conceal the events of the evening from the police, the media and each other. Confusions and miscommunications mount, and the evening spins off into hilarity.
 
Next up from June 22 - July 9, is a three-week run of CRT's version of the Academy Award winning film and the most successful Broadway revival in history: the sassy, jazzy Chicago.  This electric musical boasts a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, with lyrics by Ebb and music by John Kander. In the jazz-age story, Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly are two "killer-dillers" who vie for the spotlight and the headlines in search of the "American Dream": fame, fortune and acquittal from the murders they may (or may not) have committed.  The exciting brassy score is one of the best in all of musical theatre, including the songs "All That Jazz", "Mr. Cellophane", "Razzle Dazzle" and many more.
 
Following next, from July 13 - 30 is the family favorite Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with music by Andrew Lloyd Weber (best known for "Phantom of the Opera") and lyrics by Tim Rice. The Biblical saga of Joseph and his coat of many colors comes to vibrant life in this delightful musical parable. Set to an engaging cornucopia of musical styles, from country-western and calypso, to bubble-gum pop and Elvis Presley rock 'n' roll, this Old Testament tale emerges both timely and timeless. This fast, frothy and fun musical will get the whole family singing along to this beautiful story.
 
CRT has a reputation for staging excellent productions of murder mysteries, and this year will be no different with the classic "who-dun-it" A Murder is Announced adapted by Leslie Darbon from Agatha Christie's novel, running from August 3 - 13.  One of Christie's infamous detectives, the ever nosey Miss Marple, makes her appearance for the first time on the CRT stage as she tries to solve the spine-tingling mystery. It all begins when the residents of Miss Blacklock's Victorian home are shocked to read an announcement in the local newspaper which states the time and place of a murder...in their very home!  Curious neighbors just happen to drop by at "murder" time, and what follows is a classic Christie puzzle of mixed motives, concealed identities and a race against the clock before the murderer strikes again.
 
Up next is a wickedly funny dark comedy, The Smell of the Kill by Michele Lowe, which runs from August 17 - 27.  Nicky, Debra and Molly are three "desperate housewives" who have tolerated one another during once-a-month "couples dinners" for years. As their unseen, uncaring husbands play golf in the dining room, the women gather in the kitchen and reveal to each other that their marriages are on the brink of disaster. When the men accidentally lock themselves in a walk-in basement meat locker used for storing deer meat, the women are faced with a life-or-death decision. Should they release the men or let them "chill"...permanently? This hysterical dark comedy will leave the audience warm with laughter!
 
CRT closes the season from August 31 - September 10 with a "comedy with music" that follows in the footsteps of last season's hit "Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks":  Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins by Stephen Temperley.  This "fictional biography" is based on the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins, a wealthy society eccentric who suffered under the delusion that she was a great operatic soprano. In fact, she was completely incapable of producing two consecutive notes in tune. Nevertheless, mobs of fans packed her recitals, stuffing handkerchiefs in their mouths to stifle their laughter, which Mrs. Jenkins blissfully mistook for cheers. Told through the eyes of her talented accompanist, the play is a heartfelt and funny tribute to "The Tone-Deaf Diva" who brought joy to thousands as well as a humorous look at self-perception and the unpredictable nature of friendship.
 
For the younger generation of theatre lovers, the CRT Kids program offers a stage version of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz based on the story by Frank Baum and adapted by Steve and Kathy Hotchner. In this participation play, a spunky Dorothy finds herself over the rainbow and confronted by Glinda the Good Witch who worries as much about her vegetable garden as she does about Dorothy getting back to Kansas.  Children from the audience participate by oiling the Tin Man, stuffing the Scarecrow and hiding Dorothy from the Wicked Witch of the West in a forest they create themselves. Even Toto is here, and there's a surprise twist with what happens to the Wizard himself. Kids and big people will love it!  Performance dates will be announced later in the year.
 
CRT also reminds ticket buyers that the CRT Box Office is still located at 37 Franklin Street in Cortland.  The future "CRT Downtown" location at 24 Port Watson Street is under construction, and will be for some time to come.  The CRT website at www.cortlandrep.org has complete information on ticket prices and hours of business. Subscriptions and group sales are being taken at this time, and order forms for gift certificates and subscriptions are available online. For more information, call 800-427-6160.  Individual tickets will go on sale starting May 23, 2011.
  
 

To post a comment, you must register and login.