Chester Theatre Company Announces Full Casting for 35th Season

Full casting has been announced for Chester Theatre Company's 2024 season. 

“Welcoming back artists who have collaborated with us repeatedly and who share our passion for Chester's mission and love for our audiences is among the greatest pleasures of producing here,” enthused Co-Producing Artistic Director Tara Franklin “Actors Hero Marguerite and Abuzar Farrukh, directors Keira Naughton and James Warwick, designers Christina Beam, Ed Check, Lara Dubin, Travis George, Nathan Leigh and James McNamara, and stage managers Meg Lydon and Mark Johnson are people we are so fortunate to call our artistic family.”

“We're also thrilled to see the CTC family grow as we welcome extraordinary artists who haven't worked at Chester Theatre Company yet,” added Co-Producing Artistic Director James Barry, “We're so proud to have revered Berkshire-based actors Diane Prusha and Ken Cheeseman grace the Town Hall stage this summer, as well as actors you may recognize from their extensive TV, film, and theatre careers such as Catherine Lloyd Burns, Meghan Maureen McDonough and Greg Stuhr in their CTC debuts. We're pinching ourselves thinking about the talent we've managed to assemble for CTC's 35th season."

The Season:

The Thin Place

Written by Lucas Hnath

Directed by Gabrielle Farrah

June 20-June 30

Everyone who ever died is still here, just in a different part of here. Linda can communicate with them. And if you believe, she can make you hear them, too — in the thin place, the fragile boundary between our world and the other one. With acuity and relentless curiosity, Lucas Hnath's play transforms the theater into an intimate séance, crafting an unnerving testament to the power of the mind, which has a mind of its own.

The play stars Berkshire Theatre Critic's Association award winning actors Tara Franklin (CTC's Circle Mirror Transformation, Tiny Beautiful Things, On the Exhale) as Hilda, and Diane Prusha (The Children, The Wharton Comedies, Roman Fever at Shakespeare & Company) as Linda. The cast also features Jordan Bellow (Richard II at Theatre For A New Audience, California at Clubbed Thumb) and Tabitha McKown (Miracle Worker and American Primitive at Berkshire Theatre Group) in their CTC debuts.

Lara Dubin, CTC Resident Designer, will design lights. Longtime Chester collaborator James McNamara will design sound. Celebrated Berkshire-based theatre artist Arthur Oliver will design the costumes. Yichen Zhou makes her CTC debut designing the set. Meg Lydon, who has been a part of many Chester seasons, returns to stage manage.

Unreconciled (World Premiere)

Written by Jay Sefton and Mark Basquill

Directed by James Barry

July 4-14

Unreconciled is the true, autobiographical story of an adolescent actor cast as Jesus in a play directed by a pedophile priest. This virtuosic solo performance brims with heart, humor, and empathy, chronicling a survivor's journey as he confronts his past and discovers the courage to use his voice. After the overwhelmingly positive response to last summer's midseason workshop production, CTC is honored to produce this vital new play's world premiere.

Unreconciled stars Easthampton, MA based theatre artist and therapist Jay Sefton (What the Constitution Means to Me at WAM/BTG/Cap Rep, The Ladyslipper at The Majestic). CTC Co-Producing Artistic Director James Barry (CTC's The Making of a Great Moment, BTG's Working and Million Dollar Quartet) has been developing the piece with Sefton over the past year and will direct.

Nick Hussong (Tony nomination for Skeleton Crew at MTC) will design the Set and Projections. James McNamara is slated to design lights, and sound will be designed by Nathan Leigh. Mark Johnson returns to stage manage.

Will Sacrifice (World Premiere)

Written by Julie McKee

Directed by Keira Naughton

July 25-August 4

This brand new comedy invites us in to Bridget's fraught marriage to Nigel and their cramped NYC apartment. Bridget's stagnant career convinces her to search for a country escape in the post 9/11 real estate gold rush up in the Lower Catskill Mountains. Armed with a limited budget and plenty of nervous enthusiasm, she enlists the aid of Mr. Sunshine to help her realize her dream.

Award winning playwright Julie McKee's works have been performed in the US, New Zealand and Germany and she has received fellowships from New York Foundation of the Arts, Sundance Playwrights Lab., MacDowell Colony, VCCA, and St. James Cavalier in Malta. 

Keira Naughton (CTC's Title & Deed, Curve of Departure, To the Moon and Back) returns for her fourth season. The play stars Catherine Lloyd Burns (Search Party, Malcom in the Middle) as Bridget, Ken Cheeseman (Shutter Island, Olive Kitteridge) as Nigel, and Greg Stuhr (25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee on Broadway) as Mr. Sunshine. All three actors are making their CTC debuts.

Travis George (CTC's Guards at the Taj, Mary's Wedding) designs scenery, Lara Dubin will be lighting the show, Deborah Brothers will design the costumes, and David Wiggall will design sound. Alexis Wells will stage manage.

Big Big Sky (American Premiere)

Written by Tom Wells

Directed by James Warwick

August 8-18

Kilnsea, East Yorkshire. Angie and Lauren are closing up the café for another winter; the birds have gone south and taken the tourists with them. The last visitor is Lauren's dad Dennis, stopping by for his pasty and beans. But there's another arrival - one that's unforeseen and life-changing for them all. This beautifully tender play explores nature's influence on love, friendship and family, reminding us that anyone who's lost can be found, even in the remotest of places.

James Warwick (A Walk in the Woods, The Children, Lunar Eclipse at Shakespeare & Company) returns to Chester for his ninth production, where past credits include Madagascar starring Jo Rupp and High Dive with Jennifer Roan. The cast stars Co-Producing Artistic Director and Berkshire Theatre Critics Award winner James Barry as Dennis, Abuzar Farrukh (CTC's Guards at the Taj, Disgraced, Berkshire Theatre Critics Association award for INVASION! at Ancram Opera House) as Ed, Hero Marguerite (CTC's Circle Mirror Transformation, Hartford Stage's A Christmas Carol) as Lauren, and Meghan Maureen McDonough (Dark Matter, Chicago PD, Grey's Anatomy) as Angie.

Ed Check will design scenery, Lara Dubin designs lights, Christina Beam designs costumes, and Nathan Leigh is designing the sound. Nathanial Bokaer will stage manage.

In addition, CTC will be offering a special mid-summer special event:

It Goes Without Saying

Written and performed by Bill Bowers

Directed by Martha Banta

Produced by CTC's 2024 Intern Company

July 18-19

Bill Bowers (The Lion King, The Scarlet Pimpernel on Broadway) returns to CTC after starring in last season's production of The Making of a Great Moment which transferred Off-Broadway to Urban Stages. This widely acclaimed solo piece takes you on a scenic tour of Bill's life thus far, from his childhood in the wilds of Montana, to outrageous jobs as a performer across the country, to the whirlwind of Broadway and studying with the legendary Marcel Marceau.

Tickets

All performances will take place at the Town Hall Theatre, 15 Middlefield Road, Chester, Wednesday through Sunday. Check www.chestertheatre.org for specific dates and times. Single tickets and subscriptions are on sale now at www.chestertheatre.org or 413.354.7771. Box office phone hours are 11am to 3pm Monday and Wednesday until the end of May. Check the website for phone hours June-August.

Individual ticket prices are $55.00. Chester and Middlefield residents, and members of the military and their families may purchase discounted tickets by calling the box office. CTC also participates in the Massachusetts Cultural Council's Card to Culture program, and those tickets can also be purchased over the phone. Student Rush $10 tickets are available day of show. Special rates for groups of ten or more are available.

About Chester Theatre Company

Founded by a former Artistic Director of Dublin's Abbey Theatre, Vincent Dowling, Chester Theatre Company is an award-winning professional theatre company known for presenting high quality, contemporary productions with top-notch actors, directors, and designers from across the country since 1990.

For further information, please call CTC at 413.354.7770, or visit www.chestertheatre.org.

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