LONG WAY DOWN, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, and More Set For Olney Theatre's 23-24 Season

Olney Theatre Center announced its 85th season. The season includes past Tony Award-winners and nominees (Ink, Fiddler on the Roof, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), a World Premiere based on an acclaimed young adult novel (Long Way Down), plays that push genre boundaries like horror (The Brothers Paranormal) and fuse traditional folklore with electronic vocal sampling and looping, (Islander: A New Musical), a gender-swapped revamp of an audience favorite (Ken Ludwig's Lend Me a Soprano) and a wickedly funny and poignant solo performance that combines drag, food, and family history (Avaaz).

Additionally, at its annual gala on Saturday, Olney Theatre announced the renaming of its 428-seat house as the Roberts Mainstage, in acknowledgment of the ongoing generosity and support of Roberts Oxygen and Bob and Eveline Roberts. The Roberts Mainstage is one of four stages at Olney Theatre, including the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab, the 1938 Original Theatre, and the newly renovated Root Family Stage at Omi's Pavilion, scheduled to open in July 2023.

Said Olney Theatre's Artistic Director Jason Loewith, "I've worked with our staff and the community around us to curate a season that speaks to diverse audiences, tackles tough issues, and never forgets that people want to leave the theater buoyed by creativity, humanity, and hope." He continued, "So we'll be ghost-hunting with a pair of Thai-American siblings in The Brothers Paranormal, celebrating the Iranian New Year in Avaaz, riding an elevator with a young Black man struggling to escape the cycle of gun violence in Long Way Down, and transforming a Scottish folktale into a living sonic tapestry in Islander.

"Our co-producing partnership with Round House Theatre in Bethesda continues with Ink - the most incisive play about the contemporary media landscape you'll ever see. The funniest, too, as those who saw James Graham's Labour of Love in 2018 will well-remember. I can't wait to direct this Tony-nominated play with an ensemble featuring my colleague and fellow-artistic director Ryan Rillette, alongside Cody Nickell, Kate Eastwood Norris, and more! We'll also continue our longstanding relationship with DMV native Ken Ludwig, who brings his newest fantastic farce to the Roberts Mainstage"

"And, of course, it wouldn't be an Olney season without big musicals," added Loewith. "And with Fiddler on the Roof, we've got one of the biggest ever. It's never a bad time to do Fiddler. Still, with rising anti-Semitism, the war in Ukraine, and quickly evolving social changes roiling the culture, we felt this was a potent moment to take a reimagined look at Tevye, his daughters, and the people of Anatevka. Then, when summer comes around, we'll all be ready for a good time with Beautiful: The Carole King Musical."

Of course, the most beloved add-on to the Olney season is the annual return to the Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab of Paul Morella's solo performance of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. This will be the 14th edition of the holiday favorite, a family tradition for many of our patrons who return Christmas after Christmas.

Curtain times for all Olney Theatre productions will change for the 2023-2024 Season. Most evening performances will begin at 7:30 pm and matinees at 1:30 pm. Also, select Sunday evening performances at 7:00 pm will be added to the schedule of each run.

In another change of note, complementary printed program books will only be available for to Season and All-Access Members, as well as donors above the $100-level, and for purchase to all other patrons for $2. Digital programs will be available for free viewing and download for all patrons.

The four musicals and four plays form the heart of the Classic Membership season, available for patrons to purchase now online or via the box office (301-924-3400). Prices range for new members from $120 - $320, depending on the selected package. Olney's All-Access Membership can be purchased for three months at a time and allows unlimited attendance at all Olney Theatre productions, presentations, and events during the purchased period. All-Access Memberships covering performances in the months of July, August and September will go on sale in June, along with single tickets. The All-Access memberships include admission to Olney's summer program Olney Outdoors, which will be announcing its summer lineup in May.

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