Hershey Area Playhouse Announces Upcoming Dark Night Series Production

To kick off the New Year, Hershey Area Playhouse is proud to host the first of its 2017 Dark Night Series productions, December Songs, featuring Playhouse veteran soprano Sarah Zahn, on Saturday, Jan. 14, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Enjoy an evening of song with Zahn, who has also appeared at Servant Stage Company and Sight & Sound Theatre, and renowned American Music Theatre pianist Andy Roberts. Act one features December Songs, a 35-minute song cycle by Tony Award-winning composer Maury Yeston that has been reimagined for the stage by Jennifer Feldser, president of the Hershey Area Playhouse board of directors.

Drawing inspiration from Schubert's Wintereisse (Winter Journey), Yeston's December Songs follows a woman who has experienced the loss of love. Written for Carnegie Hall's centennial celebration in 1991, the 10 songs that comprise December Songs take the audience through a year of the woman's life in New York City as she fluctuates between happiness and chosen isolation, ending ultimately with hope.

The second half of the evening will feature surprise appearances by some of Zahn's favorite fellow singers as they serenade the audience with new and old musical theater favorites.

The event will be held at The Playhouse, located at the corner of Sand Hill Road and Cherry Drive, Hershey.

Tickets are $15 and are available via The Playhouse's website, www.HersheyAreaPlayhouse.com or by calling The Playhouse's box office at 717-533-8525.

The Playhouse adopted the term "Dark Night," a term used by theatres when there is not a performance scheduled, a few years ago as part of a vision to incorporate a wider variety of entertainment to complement its five mainstage shows. The Playhouse relaunched its Dark Night Series in 2016, bringing additional entertainment options, including different, edgier content shows to its mainstage. Several Dark Night productions are already scheduled for 2017 to include musical acts, as well as original works, comedy acts, and special events.