Annie Russell Theatre Announces 85th Season - Join the Movement!

The Annie Russell Theatre, the longest running theatre in Central Florida, announces their 85th season! Running September 2017 through April 2018, the season is inspired by acts of revolution and resistance, big and small.

The Cradle Will Rock
Book, Music & Lyrics by Marc Blitzstein
Directed by Tony Simotes

Music Direction by Jason M. Bailey
September 29 - October 7, 2017

Written in 1937 by Marc Blitzstein, The Cradle Will Rock is a musical allegory about political corruption and corporate greed. Set in "Steeltown, USA," it follows the efforts of Larry Foreman to unionize the town's workers. He's thwarted at every turn by Mr. Mister, a local businessman who controls the town's factory, newspaper, and church. Cradle was originally produced by the Federal Theatre Project and directed by Orson Welles. Four days before its opening night on Broadway, the Works Progress Administration barred the opening of any projects due to "budget cuts." To circumvent the injunction on opening nights, the show was performed with Blitzstein playing piano on stage and the cast members singing their parts from the audience.

Sense and Sensibility
Written by Kate Hamill

Based on the novel by Jane Austen

Directed by Marianne DiQuattro
November 17 - December 2, 2017

A spirited new adaptation of the beloved Jane Austen novel follows the Dashwood sisters as they navigate life after the sudden death of their father, which leaves them financially destitute and socially vulnerable. Elinor, the "sense," is governed by her head, and Marianne is all heart and "sensibility." With a band of female gossips an ever-present reminder of the social mores of late 18th-century England, the play is boldly theatrical and refreshingly funny. Sense and Sensibility examines our reactions, both reasonable and ridiculous, to societal pressures. When reputation is everything, how do you follow your heart?

The Women of Lockerbie
Written by Deborah Brevoort
Directed by Eric Zivot
February 16 - 24, 2018

In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was destroyed by a terrorist bombing. The plane crashed into residential areas of Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 257 passengers and crew on board, and 11 people on the ground. Set seven years after the attack, The Women of Lockerbie is the fictional account of a couple from New Jersey who has come to the rolling hills surrounding Lockerbie to honor the anniversary of their son's death aboard the flight. They meet a group of women who are fighting the U.S. government to obtain the clothing of the victims found in the wreckage. The women, determined to convert an act of hatred into an act of love, want to wash the clothes of the dead and return them to the victim's families. A poetic drama about a community's response to terrible suffering, Lockerbie celebrates the triumph of love and connection.

9 to 5 The Musical
Music and Lyrics by Dolly Parton
Book by Patricia Resnick
Directed by Missy Barnes

Music Direction by Jason M. Bailey
Choreographed by Robin Gerchman
April 20 - 28, 2018

Subscription packages are $65, with discounts available for seniors, students, and Rollins alumni. Visit www.rollins.edu/annie to purchase a subscription online, or call the box office at (407) 646-2145.
407-646-2253 for questions.

Additional FREE sSeason oOfferings are provided by the student-produced and student-directed Second Stage Series, performed in the Fred Stone Theatre. The 2017-2018 Second Stage Series includes:

Eleemosynary
Written by Lee Blessing

Directed by Kaitlyn Harrington '18
October 25 - 28, 2017

The Flick

Written by Annie Baker

Directed by Nicholas D'Alessandro '18

February 7 - 10, 2018

On the Verge or The Geography of Yearning
Written by Eric Overmyer

Directed by Nicole Colangelo '18
April 11 - 14, 2017

For more information on the Department of Theatre and Dance at Rollins College, please visit www.rollins.edu/theatredance .

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