Langhorne Players Announce 72nd Season Of Plays Worth Talking About

The critically-acclaimed Langhorne Players, who perform at the historic Spring Garden Mill in Tyler State Park in Newtown, have announced the five shows comprising their upcoming seventy-second season. The Bucks County-based theatrical company is known for presenting plays worth talking about, and that tradition will continue in 2019. Among the plays to be produced this season are two Pulitzer finalists, a Tony-winning spoof, a timely political satire, and a sweet drama about a historical figure with strong ties to the Philadelphia and Bucks County area. This season will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you think.

Langhorne Players' season begins in April with Gina Gionfriddo's Becky Shaw, a class-conscious 2009 Pulitzer finalist about a blind date gone wrong. Part satire, part modern comedy of manners, this scathing black comedy about ambition, family dysfunction, and the cost of being truthful will play April 26-28, May 2-5, and May 8-11, 2019.

The second show of the season is Marjorie Prime by Jordan Harrison, a touching drama set in the near future when a woman with Alzheimer's discusses the story of her life with a dashing young man: the holographic projection of her deceased husband as he looked in his early 30s. This 2015 Pulitzer finalist is a haunting meditation on aging, memory, identity, and technology. It plays June 7-9, 13-16, and 19-22, 2019.

Following this is Trying by Joanna McClelland Glass. A two-person play about how generations interact and learn from each other, Glass's 2004 dramedy is about Francis Biddle, former Attorney General under Franklin Roosevelt and the Chief Judge and Nuremburg, in his final year of life. Biddle's family hails from Philadelphia and Bucks County, and Biddle himself practiced law her for many years. The story of the judge and his young Canadian secretary plays July 12-14, 18-21, and 24-27, 2019.

The fourth show is the acclaimed satire Church & State by Jason Odell Williams. Langhorne Players presents the first Pennsylvania production of this subversive dramatic comedy about a Republican U.S. Senator who has a crisis of conscience days before his re-election, calling into question his stance on God and guns. It runs August 16-18, 22-25, and 28-31, 2019.

Wrapping up the season is the beloved parody The 39 Steps by Patrick Marlow, based on the John Buchan novel and Alfred Hitchcock film. One of the most successful comedies in recent years, this spoof follows Richard Hanay as he unravels the mystery of the thirty-nine steps while outrunning a shadowy spy ring. This Tony, Drama Desk, and Olivier Award-winning comedy runs October 4-6, 10-13, and 16-19, 2019.

Shows are performed Friday-Sunday on weekend one; Thursday-Sunday on weekend two; and Wednesday-Saturday on weekend three. Friday and Saturday shows are at 8:00pm; Wednesday and Thursday shows are at 7:30pm; and Sunday shows are 3:00pm. All tickets are $18.00 each cash or check or $19.00 credit card. The 73-seat theatre is located at 1440 Newtown-Richboro Rd in Newtown, Pennsylvania and often sells out. To reserve tickets, call (215) 860-0818 and leave a message or purchase ahead of time at www.langhornplayers.org. Season tickets are also available for all five shows for $85.00 cash or check (mail to P.O. Box 643, Newtown, PA 18940) or $88.00 credit card, with a special discount of $161.00 for two tickets to opening night performances only, which includes a wine and cheese reception with the cast and creative team; these may be purchased from the Langhorne Players website. Wednesday performances include a talkback following the performance, when the audience is invited to stay and ask questions of and give feedback to the cast and producers.

For a season brochure, to reserve single tickets, or for more information, please call (215) 860-0818. Single and season tickets may be purchased in advance at www.langhorneplayers.org