Barrington Stage Company Announces 2018 Season Featuring WEST SIDE STORY, DOLL'S HOUSE PART 2, and World Premieres
By: Julie Musbach Jan. 11, 2018
Barrington Stage Company and Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, has announced the 2018 season, which will feature three world premieres, including a major new musical from Tony Awards winners William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin, a new play from Off Broadway Alliance Award winner Lloyd Suh, and the first major production of a work from an exciting young playwright, Rachel Lynett.
"This is the year of women's stories at BSC," said Artistic Director Julianne Boyd. "Whether it's three generations of women whose entire lives are defined by that fabulous invalid, the theatre (The Royal Family of Broadway); or a woman who walked out on her family 15 years earlier and makes an unexpected visit home (A Doll's House, Part 2); or a baker who struggles to find her voice in a changing world (The Cake); or the first female Chinese immigrant to enter the United States (The Chinese Lady); or an African American woman who is called upon to be the face of her race by her well-meaning friends? (Well-Intentioned White People) - these are stories we want to share with our audiences now."
The 2018 season at BSC will begin with Typhoid Mary by Mark St. Germain (Freud's Last Session), directed by Matthew Penn ("Law & Order"); the World Premiere of The Royal Family of Broadway, with a book by Tony Award winner Rachel Sheinkin (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), music and lyrics by Tony Award winnerWilliam Finn (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Falsettos, Artistic Producer of BSC's Musical Theatre Lab), based on the original play by George S. Kaufman & Edna Ferber and an original adaptation by Richard Greenberg, choreographed by Tony Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Joshua Bergasse (On The Town, "So You Think You Can Dance") and directed by Tony Award winner John Rando (On The Town, Urinetown); a production of The Cake, by Bekah Brunstetter (writer/producer of NBC's "This Is Us") and directed by Jennifer Chambers (Better); and a production of A Doll's House, Part 2, by Obie Award winner Lucas Hnath (The Christians, Red Speedo) directed by Helen Hayes Award winner Joe Calarco (BSC's Ragtime, The Burnt Part Boys).
The 2018 season will continue with the World Premiere of The Chinese Lady by Lloyd Suh (Charles Francis Chan Jr's Exotic Oriental Murder Mystery) and directed by Ralph Peña (Microcrisis), presented in a co-production with the Ma-Yi Theater Company; and will include a previously announced production of West Side Story, based on conception by Jerome Robbins, with a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Choreographed by Robert La Fosse,and directed by Julianne Boyd (BSC's Company, BSC's American Son), West Side Story will be presented in celebration of the 100th birthdays of Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins. West Side Story was originally produced on Broadway by Robert E. Griffith and Harold S. Prince by Arrangement with Roger L. Stevens.
The season will conclude with the World Premiere of Well-Intentioned White People, by Rachel Lynett (Breathe Me In); and The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, directed by Julianne Boyd.
The 2018 Youth Theatre Production, presented at the Berkshire Museum (39 South Street) in Pittsfield, MA, will be Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach, featuring words and music by Oscar and Tony Award winners Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (La La Land, Dear Evan Hansen) and a book by Timothy Allen McDonald (The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley). Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach is based on the book James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl, and will be directed and choreographed byJulianne Katz (BSC's Bye Bye Birdie).
THE 2018 BSC SEASON INCLUDES:
TYPHOID MARY
By Mark St. Germain
Directed by Matthew Penn
Previews begin May 23, 2018
Opens May 27, 2018
Runs through June 16, 2018
On the St. Germain Stage
This is the story of Mary Mallon, known better as Typhoid Mary, in her personal battle between religion and science. This searing drama captures the polarity Mary created and her steadfast conviction in her beliefs vs. the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
The World Premiere of THE ROYAL FAMILY OF BROADWAY
Book by Rachel Sheinkin
Music and Lyrics by William Finn
Based on the original play by George S. Kaufman & Edna Ferber
and an original adaptation by Richard Greenberg
Choreographed by Joshua Bergasse
Directed by John Rando
Previews being June 7, 2018
Opens June 13, 2018
Runs through July 7, 2018
On the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage
Set in the 1920's and loosely based on the Barrymores, The Royal Family of Broadway is a masterful love letter to the Great White Way. Written by William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin, the creators of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Royal Family of Broadway is choreographed by Joshua Bergasse and directed by John Rando, the team behind BSC's recent production of The Pirates of Penzance and the Tony nominated revival of On The Town.
THE CAKE
Directed by Jennifer Chambers
Previews begin June 21, 2018
Opens June 24, 2018
Runs through July 14, 2018
On the St. Germain Stage
Faith, family and frosting collide in this touching and timely new comic drama written by Bekah Brunstetter, writer/producer for NBC's "This Is Us." "A Christian conservative baker, a gay wedding and a smart, funny play." (Los Angeles Times)
A DOLL'S HOUSE, PART 2
By Lucas Hnath
Directed by Joe Calarco
Previews begin July 12, 2018
Opens July 15, 2018
Runs through July 28, 2018
On the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage
A Doll's House, Part 2 explores, in uproarious fashion, the emotional chaos that results when a wife (Nora) returns to the home she left 15 years earlier. The New York Times raves, "The best play of the year. This is a great comedy."
The World Premiere of THE CHINESE LADY
By Lloyd Suh
Directed by Ralph Peña
Presented in a Co-Production with the Ma-Yi Theater Company
Previews begin July 19, 2018
Opens July 25, 2018
Runs through August 11, 2018
On the St. Germain Stage
In 1834, Afong Moy was brought from Beijing to America and put on display as the "Chinese Lady." Over the next 45 years, she performed in a side show for the American public that both defined and challenged her own view of herself, while witnessing stunning changes surrounding what it means to be American.
WEST SIDE STORY
Book by Arthur Laurents
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Choreographed by Robert La Fosse
Directed by Julianne Boyd
Entire original production directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins
Originally produced on Broadway by Robert E. Griffith and Harold S. Prince by Arrangement with Roger L. Stevens
Previews begin August 3, 2018
Opens August 8, 2018
Runs through September 1, 2018
On the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage
The world's greatest love story takes to the streets in this landmark Broadway musical. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is transported to modern day New York City as two young lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs. Their struggle to survive in a world of hate, violence and prejudice is one of the most innovative, relevant and deeply moving musicals of our time.
The World Premiere of WELL-INTENTIONED WHITE PEOPLE
By Rachel Lynett
Previews begin August 16, 2018
Opens August 22, 2018
Runs through September 8, 2018
On the St. Germain Stage
After a racial attack she wants to forget, Cass is pushed into "making an example of it" by her well-intentioned (white) friends and classmates. Well-Intentioned White People explores race and friendship and how "good intentions" are not always the best intentions.
THE GLASS MENAGERIE
By Tennessee Williams
Directed by Julianne Boyd
Previews begin October 3, 2018
Opens October 7, 2018
Runs through October 21, 2018
On the Boyd-Quinson Mainstage
A drama of exquisite beauty, The Glass Menagerie is one of the greatest American plays of the 20th century. Reality and illusion collide in this emotional family drama.
2018 Youth Theatre production
Roald Dahl'S JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH
Words and Music by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
Book by Timothy Allen McDonald
Based on the book James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Directed and Choreographed by Julianne Katz
Opens July 25, 2018
Runs through August 12, 2018
At the Berkshire Museum
Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach is a brand-new take on this "masterpeach" of a tale. Featuring a wickedly tuneful score and a witty and charming book, this is an adventurous musical about courage and self-discovery.
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Single tickets for the 2018 season will be on sale March 6, 2018.
ABOUT Barrington Stage Company
Barrington Stage Company is a professional award-winning Equity regional theatre located in the heart of the Berkshires, in Pittsfield, MA. It was co-founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and has a three-fold mission: to present top-notch, compelling work; to develop new plays and musicals; and to find fresh, bold ways of bringing new audiences into the theatre-especially young people. Barrington Stage garnered national attention in 2004 when it premiered William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin's musical hit The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee which later transferred to Broadway, where it won two Tony Awards. In 2009, BSC premiered Mark St. Germain's Freud's Last Session which later moved Off Broadway and played for two years. St. Germain's Becoming Dr. Ruth (which premiered at BSC as Dr. Ruth, All the Way in 2012) played Off Broadway at The Westside Theatre in 2013. BSC's all-time record-breaking musical, On the Town, was originally produced at BSC in 2013. In 2014, it opened on Broadway where it was nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival. In 2016, Barrington Stage swept the? first Annual Berkshire Theatre Awards by winning 20 out of the 25 awards. In 2016, BSC produced three World Premieres: Presto Change-O, Broadway Bounty Hunter, and American Son, which won the Laurents/Hatcher Award for Best New Play. In 2017, BSC won the Best of the Berkshires Reader's Choice for Best Live Theatre and produced the much-lauded revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Company, starring Aaron Tveit.
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