Bradford Kenney News

The Ogunquit Playhouse is thrilled to announce that it is the recipient of the prestigious Moss Hart Award for the 2013 production of West Side Story.

The Ogunquit Playhouse lost a dear friend when Henry J. Weller, Jr. passed away on June 25, 2014. Mr. Weller was the General Manager of the Ogunquit Playhouse from 1950 to 1997, and worked in partnership with John Lane from the beginning when John first purchased the theatre in 1950, during the heyday of the Summer Stock Circuit and the establishment of the Council of Summer Theatres (COST) that John Lane initiated.

Through the efforts of the Ogunquit Playhouse Children's Theater Camp, there's a good chance you'll see a future star of the theater in one of the upcoming summer performances produced for younger audiences.

Visitors at the famed Ogunquit Playhouse can now get a behind the scene tour of this historic theater. See what the actors see from the backstage area and beyond.

The Ogunquit Playhouse, America's Foremost Summer Theatre, will be one of the first regional premieres of the Broadway musical sensation The Addams Family. The frightfully delightful world of Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Grandma, Wednesday, Pugsley and, of course, Lurch come to spooky and spectacular life in this all new story, based on the bizarre and beloved characters created by cartoonist Charles Addams. The magnificently macabre family is put to the test when outsiders come to dinner, hurling them into a night that will change their lives forever. This new musical comedy was created by Jersey Boys' authors Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and Drama Desk Award winning composer/lyricist Andrew Lippa. Executive Artistic Director Bradford Kenney said, 'This hilarious family friendly musical has now been seen around the world and we are delighted to create our own production of this spooky, kooky, warm and wonderful, musical comedy. It will be a full scale extravaganza with show stopping musical numbers and all the fun you would expect from America's first family of fright.' The Addams Family is on stage October 1 through 26. Come pay a call on the Addams Family - they're dying to meet you.

The Ogunquit Playhouse, America's Foremost Summer Theatre, is honored to be one of the first regional theatres in the nation to produce the astonishing international musical sensation Billy Elliot and to be selected by Cameron McIntosh to be the American Northeast premiere of his hit musical stage adaptation of The Witches of Eastwick.

The Ogunquit Playhouse is introducing a Local Heroes offer for police officers, firefighters and emergency medical service personnel in honor of their service to our local communities. Emergency service personnel are invited to purchase special two-for-one tickets (limit of 4 tickets total per person) to select performances of Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story starring Kurt Jenkins, on Sunday, October 6 at 7PM, Thursday, October 10 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, October 13 at 7PM.

'The show still has the energy of those brilliant young collaborators toiling on together and shining that diamond,' says BT McNicholl of his latest project, a new production of West Side Story which opens at the Ogunquit Playhouse September 5 and runs through September 28. The Broadway writer-director is thrilled to have the opportunity 'to take a fresh look' at the Bernstein-Sondheim-Laurents-Robbins classic and to bring to it 'our own aesthetic.'

The Ogunquit Playhouse is going Technicolor with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's irresistible story of Joseph, his jealous brothers and one very colorful garment in this delightful musical parable that swirls on stage next week, July 31 through August 25

It was with this amusing phrase that Margaret Caroline Struthers loved to describe her talented actress daughter, Sally. And, indeed, for several generations of television and theatre audiences, Sally Struthers has reigned as a comedienne. The vivacious, outgoing, blonde actress is currently back at the Ogunquit Playhouse for her thirteenth production in eleven seasons where she is playing Mrs. Meers in Thoroughly Modern Millie. A perennial favorite at this famed seaside summer stage, Struthers has starred in their productions of (among others) Hello, Dolly! The Full Monty, Fiddler on the Roof, Always, Patsy Cline, and Chicago.

May 22 through October 20, the Ogunquit Playhouse 'invites fans to sing, dance, laugh and most of all dream with some of Broadway's most beloved and spectacular shows.'

The new family musical special, The Christmas Rose, features a cast of over 400 and stars the multiple Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning actress Jane Seymour and legendary Broadway actor and Tony nominee Lee Roy Reams. The Christmas Rose, with music and story by PBS composer Tim Janis, follows a young orphan named Annabelle, played by thirteen year old Bailey Grey, into the desert where she crosses paths with everyone from the three wise men and singing angels to Mary and Joseph, while being pursued by a team of desert bandits. The Christmas Rose is created in association with the Ogunquit Playhouse and is on stage at Carnegie Hall one night only Thursday, November 29 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available by calling (212) 247-7800 or online at www.carnegiehall.org. In honor of Thanksgiving, a special holiday offer of 30% off all tickets is available starting Friday, November 23 at 11a.m. and ending Monday November 27 at 11:59p.m. by using code GIV15704.

BroadwayWorld has a photo of Carson Kressley starring as Mr. Applegate in the Ogunquit Playhouse production of Damn Yankees (the new Red Sox version) alongside Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro, Bradford Kenney, Ogunquit Playhouse Executive Artistic Director and Jeffry Denman, Director/Choreographer, enjoying a moment at the cast party following the opening of Damn Yankees.

Rotary International invites all to join them and the Ogunquit Playhouse in the fight to eradicate Polio worldwide by purchasing a ticket to ALWAYS, PATSY CLINE, on "Rotary Night," tonight, May 31, 2012 at the Ogunquit Playhouse. For every ticket sold that evening, the Ogunquit Playhouse will donate a portion to the York Rotary Club. This year's goal is to raise over $5,000 to support Rotary International's goal of eliminating worldwide polio. Tickets start at $39 per person. To order tickets call the Playhouse Box Office at 207.646.5511 or visit Ogunquitplayhouse.org.

The Ogunquit Playhouse, America's Foremost Summer Theatre, is set to celebrate its 80th Anniversary season today, May 23 to October 21, 2012. The lineup offers a mix of Broadway's most enduring musical classics, along with some of the hottest new shows on stage today. Executive Artistic Director, Bradford Kenney explains, "A milestone anniversary deserves a year made up of Broadway's greatest classics, retrospectives of the Playhouse's biggest hits, and of course a brand-new Broadway musical from one of America's greatest song writers, Dolly Parton."

Rotary International invites all to join them and the Ogunquit Playhouse in the fight to eradicate Polio worldwide by purchasing a ticket to ALWAYS, PATSY CLINE, on "Rotary Night," Thursday, May 31, 2012 at the Ogunquit Playhouse. For every ticket sold that evening, the Ogunquit Playhouse will donate a portion to the York Rotary Club. This year's goal is to raise over $5,000 to support Rotary International's goal of eliminating worldwide polio. Tickets start at $39 per person. To order tickets call the Playhouse Box Office at 207.646.5511 or visit Ogunquitplayhouse.org.

The Ogunquit Playhouse, America's Foremost Summer Theatre, is set to celebrate its 80th Anniversary season May 23 to October 21, 2012. The lineup offers a mix of Broadway's most enduring musical classics, along with some of the hottest new shows on stage today. Executive Artistic Director, Bradford Kenney explains, "A milestone anniversary deserves a year made up of Broadway's greatest classics, retrospectives of the Playhouse's biggest hits, and of course a brand-new Broadway musical from one of America's greatest song writers, Dolly Parton."

The Ogunquit Playhouse announced that it has received ten Independent Reviewers of New England Award (IRNE) Nominations for its 2011 production of Miss Saigon, including Best Musical in the "Large Theatre" category.

The Ogunquit Playhouse recently held their Annual Meeting at Clay Hill Farm Restaurant in Cape Neddick, Maine, where the Board of Directors appointed a new slate of officers for 2012.