Dreamwrights Reveals 2023 Season

ADAPTION is the theme for the 26th Season at DreamWrights Center for Community Arts located in York, PA. Many of the titles featured have seen many versions of these stories adapted from page to stage to screen and back again.

Artistic Director Gregory DeCandia points to the theme of adaptation as an "acknowledgment of the ever-changing ways we have to adapt as individuals and as a society to thrive and survive, particularly over the past few years."

When choosing these titles, DeCandia likens the process to figuring out an algebraic equation. "We begin with plays people propose to us directly, next we search for titles that speak to the strengthens of our volunteers, next we review the selections and see if it reflects the expressed wants and needs of our community. Finally, we seek a balance of these all elements allow a rallying theme to emerge to identify the season." Continuing from last year, each production will include a curated art gallery featuring works from local creators and artists.

The season will open with "Boeing Boeing" by Marc Camoletti, the most performed French Play in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records. The farce, set in the 1960s, follows Bernard, an American living in Paris, navigating the ins and outs of keeping his three flight attendant girlfriends away from one another when they all decide to pay him a visit on the same day. Directed by Izzy Masquelier, the production is currently in rehearsal and will premiere for just one weekend from Thursday, February 2nd until Sunday February 5th.

Opening on the Mainstage is the quirky and fun play with music "The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales", written by John Glore, based on the popular children's book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. In the tradition of DreamWrights, this production will include a multi-generational cast of performers spanning ages 7 to adult, and will be directed by DreamWrights Technical Director Jay Schmuck. Auditions will take place Sunday January 22nd and Tuesday January 24. For more information, visit the DreamWrights website.

In the Summer, the theatre brings the vibrant and infectious Tony Award Winning musical "In The Heights", written by "Hamilton" writer Lin-Manuel Miranda. The musical will be directed by Chris Velez, who previously directed the puppet based musical "Avenue Q" at DreamWrights this past year. "In the Heights" centers around a community living in Washington Heights over the course of three days, and incorporates Miranda's stylistic freestyle rap in it's score.

For the Fall, the theatre will bring to life the musical adaption of the beloved Ronald Dahl children's book, "Matilda". The musical is written by Dennis Kelly, with lyrics and music by Tim Minchin and was developed and brought to life by the Royal Shakespeare Company. After having success on Broadway and earning the Tony Award for "Best Book of a Musical", a film adaption was released on the streaming service Netflix. DreamWrights production will be directed by Amanda Nowell, who previously directed "Charlotte's Web" and "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe".

The holidays welcome two productions in rep - the all ages, family friendly "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and the much more adult oriented "The Eight: Reindeer Monologues". "The Eight: Reindeer Monologues" is a different kind of show, not appropriate for everyone, featuring an array of monologues going behind the scenes of Santa's Workshop to deliver the "real" story. Hilarious and delightfully uncensored, the play will premiere in the Studio theatre. On the Mainstage, with several afternoon performances scheduled, is the classic animated television special "A Charlie Brown Christmas," directed by Andrea Stephenson, and brought to life in a stage adaptation in which Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang discover the true meaning of Christmas.

New this year are the introduction of the DreamWrights mini-FRINGE festival and Cabaret Series. The word "fringe" is used to describe something not part of the mainstream; unconventional, peripheral, or extreme. Keeping that idea in mind, DreamWrights will invite performers and performances of all styles and genres from theatre, music, comedy, and dance to children's entertainment, spoken word, visual arts and so much more to utilize the expansive performance spaces in the theatre to bring their creative visions to life. When asked on the inspiration for creating a mini-fringe festival, Artistic Director Gregory DeCandia said, "The DreamWrights' inaugural mini-FRINGE is an homage to the York Fringe Festival and a direct response to the many who have lamented it's two-year absence. We wanted to provide a venue (seven venues in fact) for these artists to share what they have been working on. This festival allows DreamWrights to continue to provide opportunities for the community to utilize our 39,000 square feet of creative space." Information on how to apply for a performance spot in the DreamWrights mini-Fringe can be found online.

The DreamWrights Fall Cabaret Series will call in the areas most talented performers to share their stories amongst a creative community of artists. "This fall series highlights the charm and intimacy of our Studio black-box theater by featuring regional acts showcasing the best in cabaret, stand-up, improvisation, songwriting, spoken word, and more." Says DeCandia. "Once again DreamWrights' offers a chance for artists to share talents within the structure and promotional support a series can provide." With the creation of the mini-FRINGE Festival and Fall Cabaret Series, DreamWrights hopes to engage further with the larger creative community and expand on the idea of being a "Center for Community Arts".

For more information of the 2023 Theatrical Season, or to find out more about DreamWrights Center for Community Arts, visit their website.