Greater Boston Stage Company Announces 19th Season

Greater Boston Stage Company is pleased to announce its Season 19 Mainstage programming which includes adaptations of beloved holiday classics, a new look at a classic quartet of musicians, a collaboration with Front Porch Arts Collective, and three premieres: an East Coast, U.S., and World Premiere.

The 2018-2019 season opens with Associate Artistic Director, Ilyse Robbins, kicking off the season directing Being Earnest, a 1960's musical take on Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. Next up is our second offering of the Don Fulton New Play Project, the World Premiere of The Salonniéres, written by acclaimed local playwright Liz Duffy Adams. You can see GBSC favorite William Gardiner playing the role of the angel-in-training, Clarence, in an adaptation of the beloved holiday film It's a Wonderful Life written by our own Producing Artistic Director, Weylin Symes. For the younger family members, Tiny Tim's Christmas Carol will be playing in rep with It's a Wonderful Life for the holiday season. Two more musical offerings usher in 2019: First, Onegin, a U.S. Premiere musical adaptation of Pushkin's novel starring Sarah Pothier (The Addams Family; Jonah and the Whale) and Christopher Chew (The Secret Garden; Jonah and the Whale); and then, the wildly popular story of some of the greatest musicians of the 20th century, Million Dollar Quartet. To finish off our season, The Front Porch Arts Collective joins us to co-produce a swashbuckling new adaptation of The Three Musketeers.

"The titles we chose for this season examine familiar stories or historical events through a contemporary lens and offer up fresh perspectives on stories you may already know and love. We are excited to offer three premieres in Season 19, supporting our commitment to the forward-facing portion of this season's theme: 'looking backward, looking forward.' We are also committing to the future of American theatre through our co-production with The Front Porch Art Collective on The Three Musketeers, and our Don Fulton New Play Project offering of The Salonnieres by renowned playwright Liz Duffy Adams," shares Producing Artistic Director Weylin Symes.

The Don Fulton New Play Project is named after the donor whose major philanthropic commitment made it possible. This project represents Greater Boston Stage Company's pledge to produce a World Premiere play each year as part of the Mainstage series. Our Season 19 World Premiere will be The Salonniéres, written by Liz Duffy Adams who says, "I'm thrilled to be working with GBSC on the world premiere of my play, The Salonniéres-their commitment to new work and collaborative process is exactly what I love to be involved in."

Dawn Simmons, Director of The Three Musketeers and Artistic Director of The Front Porch Arts Collective says about the company, "The Front Porch Arts Collective exists to advance racial equity in Boston through theater. We use our art to examine the interactions between race, culture, economics, ability, gender, and sexuality from a black and brown perspective." And about collaborating, "We are so lucky to have received an outpouring of support from our colleagues and collaborators in the Boston theatre community. Three local companies, Lyric Stage Company of Boston, Central Square Theater and Greater Boston Stage Company stepped up and offered to co-produce The Front Porch Arts Collective's inaugural season. With these partnerships we aspire to engage and facilitate dynamic conversations surrounding the Black and Brown experience across our city. We are excited to embark on this bold adventure by taking on Dumas' classic tale for Greater Boston Stage Company's audiences."

Memberships are now on sale for Greater Boston Stage Company's Season 19. All Access, Flex Pass, 6-Show, 4-Show, Girls' Night and Senior Matinee Memberships are available from $125-$375. For more information or to purchase a Membership, call GBSC's Box Office at 781-279-2200, or visit www.greaterbostonstage.org.

GREATER BOSTON STAGE COMPANY'S SEASON 19 MAINSTAGE SHOWS:

BEING EARNEST

September 13-October 7, 2018

A New Musical

Book and Lyrics by Paul Gordon

Music by Paul Gordon and Jay Gruska

From the Play by Oscar Wilde

East Coast Premiere

Directed by Ilyse Robbins

1960's musical twist on a beloved romantic comedy

London,1965. The sounds. The colors. Skirts are getting shorter, hair is growing longer, and times are changing fast. This exuberant new musical moves Oscar Wilde's masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest to a Carnaby Street flat, where a wild comedy of romance and mistaken identities ensues.

THE SALONNIÉRES

October 25-November 11, 2018

by Liz Duffy Adams

World Premiere

Don Fulton New Play Project

Directed by Weylin Symes

Fairytales, Facades, and the French Feminist Revolution

In pre-Revolutionary Paris, a young girl is promised in marriage to a Duke to pay off her father's debts. She flees to the literary salon of her late mother's friends: aristocratic women who conceal radical politics within reinvented folk tales. Which of them is her fairy godmother, and which the cruel stepmother? Is the Duke a Prince Charming or a Beast? And is the maid just a maid, or the hero of a story none of them knows they are in?

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

November 29-December 23, 2018

Adapted from Frank Capra's original screenplay by Weylin Symes

Featuring William Gardiner* as Clarence

A Christmas tradition comes alive on stage

Get into the Christmas spirit with our version of one of the most iconic films ever made. When misfortune befalls George Bailey on Christmas Eve, guardian angel Clarence swoops in to remind him of all the good he has done in the lives of those who love him most. Make a visit to Bedford Falls for the timeless message that faith, hope and family make life truly wonderful.

TINY TIM'S CHRISTMAS CAROL

December 8-23, 2018

Written by Ken Ludwig and Jack Ludwig

Joyful, family-friendly spin on a holiday classic

Tiny Tim is determined to have his father home for Christmas day even if it means teaching Ebenezer Scrooge a lesson in Christmas cheer! Adapted from the classic Charles Dickens' novel by Tony Award winner Ken Ludwig ('Twas the Night Before Christmas) and his son Jack, this heartwarming hour-long Christmas tale is full of family fun for all ages.

ONEGIN

Pronunciation: ah-nyay-gin

March 14-April 7, 2019

Based on the Poem by Pushkin & the Opera by Tchaikovsky

by Amiel Gladstone and Veda Hille

U.S. Premiere

Directed by Weylin Symes

Featuring Sarah Pothier* and Christopher Chew*

Thrillingly passionate contemporary musical

"one of those rare theatrical moments... it is a show destined for greater things." Vancouver Presents

"You're lucky to be alive right now...because you get to see Onegin" -The Georgia Straight

When innocent Tatyana falls in love with self-obsessed aristocrat Onegin, he rejects her - arousing passionate love letters, noble duels, and second chances. This sweeping musical adaptation of the Pushkin poem poses the powerful question: "Look around, look around, look around, do you see someone worth dying for?"

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET

April 25-May 19, 2019

By Floyd Mutrux and Colin Escott

Two Act version revised by Hunter Foster

Directed by Ilyse Robbins

Elvis Presley. Johnny Cash. Jerry Lee Lewis. Carl Perkins.

A historic quartet brought together by an extraordinary moment.

This Tony Award-winning smash hit is the exhilarating true story of the famed 1956 on-the-fly recording session at Sun Records that brought together icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for one of the greatest jam sessions ever. Million Dollar Quartet brings that legendary Memphis night to life, featuring a score of hits including "Blue Suede Shoes," "Great Balls of Fire," "Walk the Line," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Who Do You Love?," "Matchbox," "Folsom Prison Blues," "Hound Dog" and more.

THE THREE MUSKETEERS

June 6-30, 2019

Co-produced with The Front Porch Arts Collective

Written by Catherine Bush

Adapted from the Novel by Alexandre Dumas

Directed by Dawn M. Simmons

Swash-buckling riff on a classic tale

It's all for one and one for all as D'Artagnan and the three musketeers fight to protect the ones they love from the sinister exploits of Cardinal Richelieu. With a cast of predominantly black and brown actors, this action-packed, humor-filled and romantic take on Alexandre Dumas' classic tale reminds us that with strength, courage, wit. wisdom, and friends, you should always fight for what you believe in.

*denotes member of Actors' Equity Association.

ABOUT GREATER BOSTON STAGE COMPANY:

We bring vibrant professional theatre and dramatic education beyond the boundaries of Boston, featuring world and regional premieres alongside fresh interpretations of familiar work. Within this setting, we uniquely foster the artists of tomorrow by providing ongoing performance and employment opportunities to our company of current and former students. Now in its 19th Season of live theatre in Stoneham, MA, Greater Boston Stage Company produces seven Mainstage shows, presents a series of Special Events, and runs year-round classes, lessons, and fully staged productions through The Young Company for students in grades 1-12.

Box Office: (781) 279-2200

Box Office Hours: Mondays - Fridays, 11am to 6pm; Saturdays, 1pm to 6pm

Location: 395 Main Street, Stoneham, MA 02180

Website: www.greaterbostonstage.org

Flagship Season Sponsors: StonehamBank and the Stoneham Savings/Salem Five Charitable Foundation

Thrifty Thursday Sponsor: Melrose Bank

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