The Barn Theatre Announces 2016 Summer Season!

The Barn Theatre, Michigan's oldest professional summer theatre, under the artistic leadership of Brendan Ragotzy, announced today the 70th Anniversary season of plays and musicals to be presented for the 2016 summer season at the landmark theatre.

The Barn Theatre, Michigan's oldest resident summer stock theatre company, is pleased to announce that it continues to operate under the non-profit entity, The Barn Theatre School for Advanced Theatre Training and will further its mission of bringing professional, high quality theatre to southwest Michigan while expanding its educational youth outreach and training programs. The very popular youth outreach, Backstage Xperience*, will be offered this season, once again, as well!

SPECIAL EVENT! BENEFIT GALA "70 YEARS OF MAGIC"
May 26, 2016 - 8:00 pm
Join us as we kick off the 70th Anniversary Season with an unforgettable evening of music and memories! Barnies from past and present will take you behind the Barn in song and stories. This special event is $45 per person. Reception will follow as well as a silent auction. Don't miss this fantastic evening that launches our showstopping 70th Anniversary season!

June 7 -12
Avenue Q
A little bit naughty and a whole lot of fun, Avenue Q is the Tony Award-winning musical that boasts "full puppet nudity". Part flesh, part felt and packed with heart, it's kind of like Sesame Street meets South Park. Life may suck on Avenue Q, but for a bright-eyed college graduate named Princeton, this is his new neighborhood. A tiny bank balance and a bunch of weird and wonderful friends and neighbors lead Princeton on a hilarious journey of self-discovery. If you're looking for a refreshing dose of political incorrectness, don't miss Avenue Q. (Adult Themes, Situations, and Language)

"The most fun onstage this year!" - The New Yorker

Music and Lyrics by Robert Lopez & Jeff Marx
Book by Jeff Whitty

June 14-19
Buyer & Cellar
Did you know that Barbra Streisand has a mall in the basement of her Malibu mansion? Alex More does and he has a story to tell! Scott Burkell stars as Alex, a struggling L.A. actor who finds himself with the odd job as her resident shopkeeper. In this outrageous comedy, he'll take you on a rollercoaster ride of fame and friendship at the outer reaches of American celebrity.

By Jonathan Tolins

"Hilarious! Beyond brilliant. This show will go down like butta'!" -Entertainment Weekly

June 21 - July 3
Guys and Dolls
The dice are hot and the hijinks are high in this odds on favorite as Nathan Detroit bets fellow gambler Sky Masterson that he can't make the next girl he sees fall in love with him. When the next girl he sees happens to be a pure-at-heart Salvation Army-type reformer, Masterson has his work cut out for him and the stage is set for a hilarious evening of complications. The colorful characters and bright, brassy score, which includes Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat, Fugue For Tinhorns, Bushel and a Peck and Luck Be a Lady make Guys and Dolls a real winner for the whole family.

"...the show that defines Broadway dazzle." - The New York Times

Book by Jo Swerling & Abe Burrows
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Based on the Idyll of Sarah Brown and characters by Damon Runyon

*Backstage Xperience show

July 5 - 17
Jesus Christ Superstar
A rock opera for the ages, this ground-breaking work by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice examines the last days of Jesus Christ through a decidedly contemporary lens. The zeal with which Christ's followers are hailing him as the Son of God becomes a source of dismay to his disciple Judas Iscariot. Fearing that this tide of religious fervor will provoke brutal repression by the occupying Romans, Judas must make his fateful choice between faith and betrayal. The critically acclaimed score includes Heaven on Their Minds, I Don't Know How to Love Him, What's the Buzz, Herod's Song, and Superstar.

"Jesus Christ Superstar gives everyone a reason to artistically rejoice!" The Los Angeles Times

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics by Tim Rice

July 19 - 31
Disney's The Little Mermaid
Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen's most beloved stories and the classic animated film, Disney's The Little Mermaid is a hauntingly beautiful love story for all ages. Ariel, King Triton's youngest daughter, wishes to pursue the human Prince Eric in the world above and bargains with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her tail for legs. But the bargain is not what it seems and Ariel needs the help of her colorful friends Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull, and Sebastian the crab to restore order under the sea. With its irresistible score, which includes Under the Sea, Kiss the Girl, and Part of Your World this fishy fable is sure to capture the hearts of young and old!

"I'd see it again in a heartbeat! Forget the kids: I oohed and aahed like a six-year-old. A musical that does justice to the lovely film from which it sprang." - The Wall Street Journal

Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater
Book by Doug Wright

*Backstage Xperience show

August 2 - 14
The Rocky Horror Show
Let's do the Time Warp again! The Rocky Horror Show is back with delicious, gender-bending abandon! One of the most popular shows we've ever produced, this all-new production promises a wickedly wayward evening that demands you check your old-fashioned assumptions at the door. Complete with sweet alien transvestites, killer rock music and outrageous humor, you won't want to miss this night at the Annual Transylvanian Convention! (Adult Themes, Situations, and Language)

"A socko wacko weirdo rock concert." - WNBC TV

Book, Music and Lyrics by Richard O'Brien

August 16 - 28
Singing in the Rain
One of the greatest movie musicals of all time has been faithfully and lovingly adapted by Broadway legends Betty Comden and Adolph Green from their original award-winning screenplay. All of the unforgettable scenes, songs, and dances come thrillingly to life, including the show-stopping title number, complete with an onstage rainstorm! Hilarious situations, snappy dialogue, and a hit-parade score of Hollywood standards make Singin' in the Rain the perfect entertainment for any fan of the golden age of movie musicals.

Screenplay by Betty Comden & Adolph Green
Songs by Nacio Herb Brown & Arthur Freed

"...a perfect offering for a stage musical." - The New York Times

*Backstage Xperience show

August 30 - September 4
Red, White and Tuna
Laughter has never been so patriotic as when two of our favorite actors, Joe Aiello and Scott Burkell return to the Barn to create all of the lovable, eccentric and utterly hysterical characters living in Tuna, Texas. Dressed in their finest polyester ensembles, they prepare for the 4th of July Tuna High School Class reunion, setting the stage for a show full of fireworks and fun!
By Ed Howard, Joe Sears & Jaston Williams

"a viciously funny excursion into small-town Texas politics, relationships, and heated gossip. - The Austin Chronicle

* The Backstage Xperience: The Barn Theatre School for Advanced Theatre Training is proud to announce The Backstage Xperience 2016 to be held in conjunction with the Barn Theatre performances of: GUYS & DOLLS June 23, 24, 29, 30 and July 1 and DISNEY'S THE LITTLE MERMAID July 21, 22, 27, 28, 29 and SINGIN IN THE RAIN August 18, 19, 24, 25, 26! Form your own group of four youth per every one chaperone, and don't miss this amazingly fun, FREE educational opportunity! Email: BsX@barntheatreschool.org for more information.
The Barn Theatre is located on Highway M-96 between Augusta and Galesburg. NEW PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE -- Tuesday through Saturday at 8:00pm and Sunday at 5pm. Single tickets are $37. Group discounts available. Barn Theatre Box Office opens May 16th at 10:00 am. For information call (269) 731-4121.