THE JEDI HANDBOOK Comes to Adirondack Theatre Festival's 24th Summer Season

The 24th season of the Adirondack Theatre Festival will feature the nostalgia-filled dramatic comedy The Jedi Handbook. The show will open at the Charles R. Wood Theater, located at 207 Glen Street in downtown Glens Falls, and run from July 21st-27th, with a preview on July 20th. Performances will start at 7:30pm and will include a matinee on Wednesday, July 25th. Tickets range from $34-$45 and can be purchased at the Wood Theater Box Office, online at ATFestival.org, or by calling (518) 480-4878.

The Jedi Handbook is a coming of age story about a young boy who survives growing older with help from The Force. Experiencing the Star Wars franchise anew, through the eyes and imagination of a kid, The Jedi Handbook takes us on a nostalgic journey back to an era we can all relate to - our childhood. The show has only been seen once in its entirety in Calgary, and ATF will be working with the playwright on a new, condensed version.

Stephen Massicotte is a Canadian born actor and playwright. He graduated with a BFA in drama from the University of Calgary, where he would later help found Ground Zero Theatre and The Shakespeare Company. Massicotte has written many plays, as well as operas, film, and fiction. He has written plays such as Mary's Wedding, The Oxford Roof Climber's Rebellion (winner of the Gwen Pharis Ringwood Award for Drama at the Alberta Literary Awards and the Carol Bolt Award for Drama), and The Clockmaker (winner of a Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding New Play and the Toronto Theatre Critics' Association Award for Best Canadian Play).

The Jedi Handbook stars Sam Kebede (Mission Hamlet), Janet Krupin (Bring it On: The Musical), Lucy Lavely (One Man Two Guvnors), and Sid Solomon (King Kong). It is directed by Chad Rabinovitz, ATF's Producing Artistic Director. Designers include Shane Cinal (Scenic), Shannon O'Donnell (Costume), Jon Fredette (Sound), Jeffrey L. Small (Lights), and Douglas Seldin (Fight Choreographer).

"The Jedi Handbook is a coming of age story that checks in on a young boy's life as each of the first three Star Wars films are released. When A New Hope is released, he's moving to a new town and learning to make friends. With Empire Strikes Back, he and his best friend are dating girls for the first time. And with Return of the Jedi, he's moving apart from his friend and having to sell his Star Wars toys. Ultimately, it's a story about whether growing older means that you have to grow up. It's a heartfelt and hysterical human story that is just as great if you're a fan of the films or if you've never even seen them (but seriously, how could you not have seen them?) I can't say enough good things about this show!" - Chad Rabinovitz

Founded in 1994, ATF is a non-profit, professional theatre. Each summer ATF produces a season of theatre for an audience of both locals and tourists (9,000+) using professional artists from New York City and across the country. Last summer yielded a record-breaking season of sold-out performances, nearly doubling attendance and subscribership in just the past two years. ATF operates under a Small Professional Theatre Agreement with Actors' Equity Association. ATF is the only professional summer theatre in the Capital District, Saratoga and Adirondack regions of upstate New York solely committed to producing new and contemporary works of theatre. Its 24th season is comprised entirely of new works.