Bristol Riverside Theatre Sets Updated 2016-17 Season

Bristol Riverside Theatre announces two changes to its 30th Anniversary Mainstage season. The season will kick off with A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline by Dean Regan on September 27-October 16. Patsy Cline defined the term "crossover hit" by dominating country, blues, pop and gospel charts in the 1950s and early '60s. Featuring over 20 of Patsy's unforgettable hit songs, this toe tappin', foot stompin' tribute traces her career from the early days of singing in honky tonks, through her rise to fame at the Grand Ole Opry, to her triumph at Carnegie Hall. The production will feature BRT veteran Jessica Wagner whose portrayal of Patsy in Always, Patsy Cline was one of BRT's highest grossing productions.

BRT will also present the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic Driving Miss Daisy by Alfred Urhy on January 24-February 12. Taking place in Georgia, from 1948 to 1973, Driving Miss Daisy tells the story of the unexpected friendship that develops between a fiercely independent Jewish widow and her African-American chauffeur. When Daisy's son decides she's too old to drive anymore, he hires Hoke to drive for her. Daisy and Hoke's relationship gets off to a rocky start, but they gradually form a close friendship, one that transcends racial prejudices and social conventions.

"We've been blown away by how many requests we continue to get to bring back Always, Patsy Cline so we are delighted to discover another show, A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, that features her great songs but delves into her impact from a new perspective," said BRT's Artistic Director Keith Baker. "For years we have been trying to get the rights to Driving Miss Daisy, and when these became available to us we seized the opportunity to present it in our Anniversary season."

With a nod to the past and a vision of the future, BRT's season also includes Working: A Musical adapted from the book by Studs Terkel and featuring new music by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) on November 1-20, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's Jesus Christ Superstar on March 21-April 16 and Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution on May 9-28.

Since 1986, BRT has brought consistently acclaimed professional theatre to Bucks County. The theatre is the recipient of over 80 Barrymore Award nominations for Excellence in Theatre, given annually by Theatre Philadelphia. In addition to its mainstage productions, the theatre serves as a cultural hub for the community, with such programs as children's theatre, educational programming, and exhibitions of local visual arts. Entering its 30th Anniversary Season, BRT is under the direction of Artistic Director Keith Baker, Founding Director Susan D. Atkinson, and Interim Managing Director Amy Kaissar. For information, visit www.brtstage.org.