Theatre Memphis Announces New Season

Theatre Memphis has made its play selections for the 2018-19 season and they include a variety of entertainment that touches many bases. Featuring musicals, comedy, drama, classics and new work, the season offers opti s and regional premieres to Memphis patrons.on

The 411 seat proscenium Lohrey Stage will begin the season with the energetic, family-friendly Disney musical Newsies. Set in 1899, the story celebrates ragged orphans and runaways that take on the newspaper moguls who they deliver for to fight for a cause and a better life. This energetic and irresistible show is filled with jaunty tunes and high-kicking musicals numbers. Dracula, an adaptation by William McNulty, will follow in the season line up as the profoundly evil Count himself is hunted to be destroyed, all the while using his physic and shape-changing abilities to confound his antagonists. To Kill a Mockingbird will be next on the stage. Harper Lee's Southern classic tale of a respected small town lawyer defending a wrongfully accused young black man is told from the perspective of a young girl whose curiosity and inconvenient presence creates some sanity in a hard fought situation. 1776, a musical with historical commentary, depicts a seminal event in American history with a funny and insightful book and a striking and memorable score. Next, a madcap comedy in all of its glory will be presented in the production of The Man Who Came to Dinner. An accident at a dinner party leads to an unexpected convalescence in the hosts' home. The extended stay leads to chaos which includes famous and glamourous visitors as well as homicidal maniacs and a complete children's choir. Closing the Lohrey Stage season will be Hairspray, a wildly popular musical. A Baltimore young girl lives out her dream, becoming an overnight TV dance celebrity, and along the way meets a colorful array of characters whose actions lead to social change. Of course, the family favorite, A Christmas Carol*, will be performed as a special holiday offering in December for the 41st consecutive year at Theatre Memphis.

Ladies and Legends: Songs of Stage and Screen and Such* will be an original Summer Showcase in July of 2018 featuring songstresses who have recently graced the Theatre Memphis stages with their strong vocals. Conceived and conducted by musical director Gary Beard, the show will include favorites from movies, Broadway shows and popular music ... all in a cabaret setting.

The 100 seat black box Next Stage season leads off with Heisenberg in which a mistaken identity leads to a life-affirming relationship between two unlikely strangers. The fast-paced and funny musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee comes up next with mid-pubescents who vie for the trophy in a spelling championship as they candidly disclose hilarious and touching stories of their home life. Following in the Next Stage will be a new adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's novel, Little Women. Four sisters and their mother lose a family fortune and struggle to support themselves. The girls grow to face their individual personal challenges and resolution comes through their connections, progress and success. The final show in the Next Stage is The Clean House. Playwright Sarah Ruhl presents a whimsical and touching story as we are shown there is humor and beauty to be found in life's most unlikely messes.

Season memberships for the 2018-19 season will be available March 9, 2018, by calling 901.682.8323. A full regular membership is $145 and includes six tickets. All tickets are good to use on any performance and can be used in any combination on any show, excluding A Christmas Carol, TM/PM cabarets and Summer Showcases, all of which are not part of the membership package. Season members do, however, receive discounts on tickets to these events and holiday and special offerings. Regular Memberships secured prior to April 13, 2018, will receive a $15 discount off the regular membership price. A new Prologue Membership is being offered to individuals 35 years old and younger. This membership involves buying a Member Card and receiving ticket discount prices on individual shows and member benefits. Call the box office for details at 901.682.8323.

All shows perform at 7:30pm on Thursdays, 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays with matinees on Sundays at 2pm, unless otherwise designated. Single ticket prices for adults are $35 for musicals and $25 for dramas/comedies, $15 for students. There is a $5 discount on full price adult tickets for military personnel and seniors 62 and older.

Dates for all productions are listed below:

2018-19 Season

SUMMER MUSICAL SHOWCASE

* Ladies & Legends: Songs of Stage and Screen and Such

July 13 - 29, 2018

LOHREY STAGE

Disney's Newsies (Regional Premiere)

August 24 - September 16, 2018

Dracula (Regional Premiere)

October 12 - 28, 2018

* A Christmas Carol, 41st Annual Production

November 30 - December 23, 2018

To Kill a Mockingbird

January 18 - February 3, 2019

1776

March 8 - 31, 2019

The Man Who Came to Dinner

April 26 - May 12, 2019

Hairspray

June 7 - 30, 2019

NEXT STAGE

Heisenberg (Regional Premiere)

September 21 - October 7, 2018

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

November 2 - 17, 2018

Little Women (New Adaptation)

February 8 - 24, 2019

The Clean House (Regional Premiere)

April 5 - 20, 2019

*NOT PART OF THE SEASON MEMBERSHIP PACKAGE BUT MEMBERS GET DISCOUNTS ON ADULT FULL PRICE TICKETS.

Theatre Memphis is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization located at 630 Perkins Extended @ Southern Avenue and is a community theatre whose mission it is to provide outstanding theatrical experiences to enrich the lives of our audiences and participants.

Visit our website at www.theatrememphis.org.

Theatre Memphis receives funding from ArtsMemphis and the Tennessee Arts Commission.