Photo Flash: Contemporary Theater Company PETER AND THE STARCATCHER and UNNECESSARY FARCE

Shows under the stars, laughter spilling from the theater, and kids enjoying a snacktivity break - it's all in store for this summer at the Contemporary Theater Company!

First up, the theater brings music and magic to life in the delightful Peter and the Starcatcher by Rick Elice based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson with music by Wayne Barker.

"Peter Pan has always been a favorite story of mine," says director Maggie Cady, "In Peter and the Starcatcher you see how a namesless orphan becomes the confident Peter Pan with the help of a young girl named Molly, the starcatcher. It's a really funny and touching script, and we're having a wonderful time playing with it!"

Cady says that the production combines pure silliness with beautiful physical theater, making it a great show for adults and children alike.

"Our cast works to draw you into the story," says Cady. "They create the environment with their bodies, forming boats, walls, water, and fearsome crocodiles. It's beautiful as well as really really funny!"

Peter and the Starcatcher runs Fridays and Saturdays June 22 - July 28.

Next up is Unnecessary Farce by Paul Slade Smith, a modern farce full of hilarious twists and turns. A pair of rookie cops try to set up a sting, but it all goes wonderfully wrong.

"There are so many things in Unnecessary Farce that I am excited to explore," says director Rebecca Magnotta. "My head is buzzing with ideas, from doughnuts to bagpipes. This show is going to be the perfect try-not-to-pee-your-pants summer comedy."

Unnecessary Farce runs Fridays and Saturdays August 3 - September 1.

In addition to the mainstage shows, the company will present Shakespeare on the Saugatucket, Wednesdayand Sunday free shows on the theater's outdoor performance patio with a brand new bar added for this summer. This year they tackle two of Shakespeare's most famous works, A Midsummer Night's Dream in July and Romeo & Juliet in August.

Want something adventurous and exciting? The Contemporary Theater Company is known for their fun improv shows, and this summer is no exception. Thursday nights in June through August at 7 pm, teams will meet in the ultimate improv showdown - Theatresports. Come cheer and boo as teams compete to be champions. Year-round on Friday nights at 9:30 pm, they perform Micetro Improv, a competition where you decide who wins!

Let's not forget the littlest of audience members! At the Contemporary Theater Company there's something for the whole family with summer camps for youth and children's shows on Fridays at 5:30 pm on the performance patio Saturdays at 10:30 am in the theater August 3-18. This year it's all about theater created by kids and for kids. They stage a play written by the Youth Writing Camp students in We Wrote a Play!

Go have some laughs and enjoy the summer at the Contemporary Theater Company.

Calendar of Events

Micetro Improv

Every Friday at 9:30 pm
Our troupe of improvisers make up scenes and songs on-the-spot. It's fun, it's real, and every performance is truly unique! The players vie for your vote to be the Micetro Champion and win the coveted Bucci Helmet!

Tickets: $8, Box Office: 401-218-0282, Website: http://contemporarytheatercompany.com, Email: info@thecontemporarytheater.com, The Contemporary Theater Company, 327 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879

Peter and the Starcatcher by Rick Elice, Music by Wayne Barker

Previews: June 22-23 at 7 pm

Performances: June 29-30, July 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28 at 7 pm

A world where Peter Pan is just an orphan, Neverland is just an island, and one girl can control the power of the stars. In this beautiful and hilarious family-friendly comedy, we see how Peter Pan got his name, how Captain Hook lost his hand, and how the two became the greatest nemeses in literature!

Tickets: Adult - $25, Student - $15, Thursdays are Pay-What-You-Can ($18 in advance)

Box Office: 401-218-0282, Website: http://contemporarytheatercompany.com, Email: info@thecontemporarytheater.com, The Contemporary Theater Company, 327 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879

Shakespeare on the Saugatucket: A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Wednesdays and Sundays in July at 7 pm
Enjoy Shakespeare's magical comedy of fairies and lovers under the stars and amongst the flowers on the banks of the Saugatucket River.
Tickets: Free, Box Office: 401-218-0282, Website: http://contemporarytheatercompany.com, Email: info@thecontemporarytheater.com, The Contemporary Theater Company Performance Patio, 321 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879

Theatresports
Thursdays June - August at 7 pm
Come cheer on your favorite team, boo the judges, and laugh along as improvisers make up everything on-the-spot!
Tickets: $10, Box Office: 401-218-0282, Website: http://contemporarytheatercompany.com, Email: info@thecontemporarytheater.com, The Contemporary Theater Company, 327 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879

Family Shows

Fri 5:30 pm (patio) and Sat 10:30 am (theater) Aug 3-18

See the creative minds of our summer campers in all their glory! Come enjoy the play written by our Young Writers Camp onstage!

Tickets: $5, Children under five pay their age, Box Office: 401-218-0282, Website: http://contemporarytheatercompany.com, Email: info@thecontemporarytheater.com, The Contemporary Theater Company, 327 Main Street and Performance Patio at 321 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879

Shakespeare on the Saugatucket: Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare
Wednesdays and Sundays in August at 7 pm
Star-crossed lovers meet under the night sky in the famous play of passion, revenge, and human folly.
Tickets: Free, Box Office: 401-218-0282, Website: http://contemporarytheatercompany.com, Email: info@thecontemporarytheater.com, The Contemporary Theater Company Performance Patio, 321 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879

Unnecessary Farce by Paul Slade Smith

Previews: Aug 3-4 at 7 pm

Performances: Aug 10-11,17-18, 24-25, 31, Sept 1 at 7 pm

A police sting operation goes hilariously wrong as the bumbling mayor leads them to the heart of the Scottish mob. When you hear those bagpipes, you know it's trouble! Full of physical comedy, lovable characters, and kilts, this farce is very necessary for your summer!

Tickets: Adult - $25, Student - $15, Thursdays are Pay-What-You-Can ($18 in advance)

Box Office: 401-218-0282, Website: http://contemporarytheatercompany.com, Email: info@thecontemporarytheater.com, The Contemporary Theater Company, 327 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879

The Father by Florian Zeller, Translated by Christopher Hampton

Preview: Sept 14 at 7 pm

Performances: Sept 21-22, 28-29, Oct 4-5 at 7 pm, Sept 30 at 2 pm on the CTC Performance Patio (in the theater in case of rain)

Now 80 years old, André was once a tap dancer. He lives with his daughter, Anne, and her husband, Antoine. Or was André an engineer, whose daughter Anne lives in London with her new lover, Pierre? And where is his watch? From the point of view of a dementia patient, The Father is a touching and remarkable look at how we hold on when life no longer makes sense.

Tickets: Adult - $25, Student - $15, Previews are Pay-What-You-Can ($18 in advance), Senior Day Sunday - $18

Box Office: 401-218-0282, Website: http://contemporarytheatercompany.com, Email: info@thecontemporarytheater.com, The Contemporary Theater Company, 327 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879

Little Shop of Horrors Music by Alan Menken, Book and Lyrics by Howard Ashman

Previews: Oct 19-20, Performances: Oct 26-27, Nov 3, 8-10, 15-17 at 7 pm, Nov 4, 11, 18 at 2 pm

?There's a total eclipse of the sun. A plant appears. Seymour's life will never be the same. When the plant gets hungry, Seymour has some difficult choices to make. How far is he willing to go to feed the beast? Come see this beloved musical take the stage!

Tickets: Adult - $25, Student - $15, Previews are Pay-What-You-Can ($18 in advance), Senior Day Sunday - $18

Box Office: 401-218-0282, Website: http://contemporarytheatercompany.com, Email: info@thecontemporarytheater.com, The Contemporary Theater Company, 327 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879

Photo credit: Seth Jacobson Photography