Contra Costa Civic Announces 2015-16 Season: THE 39 STEPS, THE SECRET GARDEN & More

Contra Costa Civic Theatre (CCCT) today announced its 56th Main Stage season, which features a hilariously suspenseful homage to Alfred Hitchcock, a musical adaptation of a cherished children's story, a gripping reimagination of Martin Luther King Jr.'s last night, a brilliantly witty exploration of class, and the award-winning rock musical with its roots in the East Bay.

Opening the season will be The 39 Steps, by Patrick Barlow, directed by Michael Ross, returning to CCCT after his sold-out 2014 production of Spamalot. A fast-paced whodunit that combines 4 actors, 150 roles, a Hitchcock masterpiece, and a dash of Monty Python, The 39 Steps plays from September 25-October 18.

For the holidays, CCCT is pleased to present the beloved children's classic The Secret Garden, by Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman, directed and choreographed by Roger Welch in his Bay Area debut, with music direction by Kevin Roland. This spellbinding musical tale of healing, forgiveness, and renewal, with its unforgettable characters and soaring score, plays November 20-December 20.

Starting off the new year is Sarah Ruhl's boldly inventive The Clean House, directed by former Woman's Will Artistic Director Erin Merritt in her CCCT debut. Lane and Charles, a married couple, both doctors, have hired a housekeeper named Matilde, an aspiring comedian from Brazil who's more interested in coming up with the perfect joke than in housecleaning. The Clean House plays from February 12-March 6

Next up, CCCT presents the East Bay premiere of The Mountaintop by Katori Hall from April 15 to May 8, directed by Artistic Director Marilyn Langbehn. After delivering one of his most memorable speeches, an exhausted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. retires to his room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis while a storm rages outside. When a mysterious stranger arrives with some surprising news, King is forced to re-evaluate the meaning of his life, confront his destiny, and come to terms with his unfinished legacy. A compelling and thought-provoking reimagination of events the night before the assassination of the celebrated civil rights leader.

Closing out the season, American Idiot comes home to the East Bay where it all started. Based on Green Day's Grammy award-winning album, with book and lyrics by Billie Joe Armstrong, book by Michael Mayer, and music and lyrics by Green Day, this Tony Award-winning hit musical, which began life at Berkeley Rep, shatters old rules and breaks thrilling new ground for the American musical. Alex Perez, who helmed last season's smash-hit The Addams Family, will direct and choreograph with music direction by Kevin Roland; the production runs June 10-July 17.

Season subscriptions for CCCT's 2015-16 season go on sale in June. All performances take place at CCCT's intimate and fully accessible theatre in the Flynn building located at 951 Pomona Avenue in El Cerrito. Free parking is provided in the adjoining lot. For more information, visit www.ccct.org.

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