FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, NOISES OFF & More Set for Palo Alto Players 2024-25 Season

Palo Alto Players has revealed its 94th season titled SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIONS THEATRE! The 2024-25 line-up begins in September 2024 and includes CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY THE MUSICAL, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, NOISES OFF, a multi-Tony Award-winning blockbuster musical to be announced in June 2024, and SWEAT. All performances are held at the Lucie Stern Theater located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. Subscriptions are on sale now online or by phone at 650.329.0891. Single tickets go on sale later in the year. 

“From sugary sweet to extra salty, Palo Alto Players is taking a sojourn into some seriously savory stage stories in our 2024-25 season!” said Artistic Director Patrick Klein. “Grab your golden ticket to five productions that will leave you breathless with heart, humor, and humanity.”

Palo Alto Players’ 94th season kicks off in September 2024 with CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY THE MUSICAL, the delectable show based on Roald Dahl’s classic book about Charlie Bucket and four other Golden Ticket winners' journey through Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory. Following that in November is the perennial classic musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, that tells the story of milkman Tevye as he tries to protect his daughters and instill them with traditional values in the face of changing social mores. In January 2025, the company will present "The funniest farce ever written!" (New York Post), NOISES OFF which follows the hysterical antics of a harried cast of a show opening that night as they stumble through their final dress rehearsal where things couldn't be going any worse. In April 2025, Palo Alto Players will be the first Bay Area community theatre granted the rights to present a multi-Tony Award-winning hit musical to be announced in June 2024. Closing out the season in June 2025, join us for Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-Winning Drama SWEAT, the story of a group of friends who have spent their lives sharing drinks, secrets, and laughs while working together on the factory floor in industrial Pennsylvania that has been called “breathtakingly timely” (The Wall Street Journal).

In chronological order, Palo Alto Players’ 2024-25 season is as follows: 

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY THE MUSICAL

September 7 - 22, 2024 (preview September 6) 

Book by David Greig

Music by Marc Shaiman

Lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman

Based on the novel by Roald Dahl

Songs from the Motion Picture by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newl

The enigmatic Willy Wonka is opening the gates to his fabled factory…but only to a lucky few. Impoverished young Charlie Bucket and four other golden ticket winners embark on a life-changing journey through Wonka’s off-kilter world that includes chocolate waterfalls, nutty squirrels, and of course Wonka’s crew of mischievous Oompa-Loompas. CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY features an original score composed by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray) yet features treasured songs from the 1971 film including "Pure Imagination," "I've Got a Golden Ticket," "Oompa Loompa Song," and "Candy Man." The whole family will be gobstopped by this dazzling and heartwarming tale of humility, curiosity, and hope.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

November 9 - 24, 2024 (preview November 8)

Based on Sholem Aleichem stories by special permission of Arnold Perl

Book by Joseph Stein

Music by Jerry Bock

Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick

In the Little Village of Anatevka, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF introduces us to Tevye, a poor milkman, and his five daughters. With the help of a colorful and tight-knit Jewish community, Tevye tries to protect his daughters and instill them with traditional values in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia. Rich in historical and ethnic detail, and layered with comedy and pathos, the multi-Tony award-winning FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is sure to charm and captivate the entire family.

NOISES OFF

January 18 - February 2, 2025 (preview January 17)

By Michael Frayn

Brace yourself for comic chaos! The Opening Night performance of the comedy “Nothing On” is just hours away, and as the harried cast stumbles through their final dress rehearsal, things couldn't be going any worse. Lines are forgotten, love triangles are unraveling and sardines are flying everywhere… and we haven’t even reached intermission! Can the cast pull their act together on the stage even if they can't behind the scenes? Full of shocking surprises and gut-busting humor, NOISES OFF is the classic show-within-a-show known as “the funniest farce ever written!”

TBA Multi-Tony-Award Winning Musical

April 19 - May 4, 2025 (preview April 18) 

In April 2024, Palo Alto Players will be the first community theatre granted the rights to present a blockbuster multi-Tony Award-winning hit musical that due to restrictions with the licensing house, cannot be announced until June 2024. Stay tuned to learn more this June. 

SWEAT

June 14 - 29, 2025 (preview June 13)

By Lynn Nottage

Filled with warm humor and tremendous heart, the Pulitzer Prize-winning play SWEAT tells the story of a group of friends who have spent their lives sharing drinks, secrets, and laughs while working together on the factory floor in industrial Pennsylvania. But when layoffs and picket lines begin to chip away at their trust, the friends find themselves pitted against each other in a heart-wrenching fight to stay afloat. 

For more information or to purchase season subscriptions, visit the company online at paplayers.org, by phone at 650.329.0891, or in person at the Box Office at the Lucie Stern Theater located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto, Tuesday-Friday 11am - 4pm PT. Subscription prices (starting at just $150 for all five productions) are available now. Special discounts for seniors, educators, military, youth, and patrons under 30 are also available. Some restrictions may apply. In addition to significant savings, subscribers receive other benefits such as priority seating, free ticket exchanges, and discounts on the purchase of additional single tickets. 

In cooperation with The City of Palo Alto, Palo Alto Players performs at the Lucie Stern Theater (unless otherwise indicated) located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto, California. Use of this facility is made possible through support from The City of Palo Alto, Community Services Department, Division of Arts and Sciences, and from our patrons. 

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