Penguin Rep Announces 2022 Season Lineup

After a government mandate and Covid-19 safety concerns shut down theatrical productions on its stage for two years, Penguin Rep Theatre will resume presenting plays, comedies and musical revues starting mid-March, artistic director Joe Brancato announced today.

"Penguin is back and better than ever," Brancato said, "and at this time of renewal we look forward to sharing stories that uplift and inspire. We are thrilled that we will return with artists like Jennifer Apple, Freedom Bremner, Thomas Caruso, Cary Gitter, two-time Tony Award-winning designer Brian Ronan, Paul Shapiro, and Mark Waldrop, among many others who will help us light up the theatre again."

According to executive director Andrew M. Horn, "we have planned an expanded season that builds on what audiences love about the Penguin Rep Theatre experience --- new works in the inviting environs of our repurposed barn in Stony Point, New York - and brings it into a new, more accessible chapter with lower ticket prices."

The 2022 season - the professional Equity theatre's 44th - follows a successful series of musical concerts and events produced inside and outside the historic structure and continues Penguin's commitment to new works with four world premieres.

Kicking off the season from March 18 through March 27 is SMALL, written and performed by Robert Montano and directed by Jessi D. Hill.

A bullied young man finds strength and gains respect as a jockey atop a racehorse but what happens when he begins to (literally) outgrow his dream? SMALL follows Montano's real-life roller-coaster ride from Belmont Park Racetrack to starring roles on Broadway where he has been directed by Rob Marshall, Hal Prince, Jerome Robbins and George C. Wolfe, appeared with Chita Rivera in KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN, and sang and danced with Peter Allen in LEGS DIAMOND. He also partnered Catherine Zeta-Jones in the film CHICAGO.

The season continues April 2 through April 10 with FAR FROM THE HOME I LOVE, a concert presentation of the iconic songs from FIDDLER ON THE ROOF as reimagined by bandleader extraordinaire Paul Shapiro with a unique multicultural take. The concert, which features four musicians, three singers, and lots of heart and soul, will be presented for eight performances only.

Up next from April 29 through May 15 is I AND YOU, a new play about youth, life, love, and the mystery of human connectedness by Lauren Gunderson, one of the country's most widely produced authors for the stage.

The last thing Caroline wanted was a classmate named Anthony walking into her bedroom to work on a school project. But as the two let down their guards and share their secrets, they embark on a journey of exploration that will leave audiences breathless.

I AND YOU is directed by Thomas Caruso, Outer Critics Circle Award and Lucille Lortel nominee who staged the Broadway national tours of MATILDA, GHOST and MASTER CLASS.

From July 8 through July 24, Penguin will produce BREATH & IMAGINATION: THE STORY OF Roland Hayes, an inspirational musical play by Daniel Beaty.

Before Paul Robson and Marian Anderson, there was trailblazing African-American vocalist Roland Hayes. Born the son of a slave, Roland turned adversity into opportunity, and, at his peak in the 1920s, was the highest paid singer in the world.

BREATH & IMAGINATION soars with spirituals and operatic arias as it traces Hayes' journey from a plantation in Georgia to performing for royalty in Europe.

From August 12 through September 4, Penguin will present the world premiere of THE VIRTUOUS LIFE OF JOSEPH ANDREWS. Inspired by Henry Fielding's novel, this rollicking comic romp through 18th-century England is the latest by Cary Gitter, author of THE SABBATH GIRL, and will be directed by Mr. Brancato.

a??

Misadventures abound for handsome, naïve Joseph Andrews, a servant abandoned as a baby, tutored by the clueless Parson Adams, pursued by the lecherous Lady Booby, tempted by the wily chambermaid Betty, but in love with the forbidden Fanny.

Closing the season from September 30 through October 23 is another world premiere production - NOW COMES THE FUN PART, with lyrics and direction by Mark Waldrop, music by Jeffrey Lodin, and book by James Hindman and Lynne Halliday.

a??

Turning 50 may be tricky but ... now comes the fun part! Uplifting, laugh-out-loud funny, and surprisingly touching, this new musical revue celebrates in songs and scenes what happens after one reaches the milestone marked by the arrival of an AARP card in the mail.

Performances are scheduled at Penguin's intimate, 108-seat theatre, located at 7 Crickettown Road. "The converted barn, circa 1880, has never been more inviting" (The New York Times). Says Mr. Horn, "it's theatre so close you can feel it, with comfy upholstered seats and no seat more than 30 feet from the stage." The theatre is air conditioned, handicapped accessible, and has plenty of free parking.

During the lengthy shutdown, Penguin made physical modifications to its venue to make the theatergoing experience safer and more comfortable. Air filtration was upgraded, air circulation modified to ensure increased exchange of inside and outside air, and high-intensity UVC light installed inside the ductwork to remove airborne and surface contaminants.

Performances of I AND YOU, BREATH & IMAGINATION, THE VIRTUOUS LIFE OF JOSEPH ANDREWS, and NOW COMES THE FUN PART will take place: Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m., Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Saturday evening at 8:00 p.m., with matinees on Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

There are also matinees scheduled at 2 p.m. on Fridays, March 18 (SMALL), April 29 (I AND YOU), July 8 (BREATH & IMAGINATION), August 12 (JOSEPH ANDREWS), and September 30 (NOW COMES THE FUN PART).

Additional details about Penguin's upcoming season, including resumption of its popular new play reading series, will be announced at a later date.

Tickets for SMALL are $35 each.

Tickets for FAR FROM THE HOME I LOVE are $30 each.

Individual tickets for mainstage productions are priced at $39 (including facility fee and service charge). Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more and young people (30 and under). Ticket prices have been reduced on average 25% from 2019.

Discounted season tickets for I AND YOU, BREATH & IMAGINATION, THE VIRTUOUS LIFE OF JOSEPH ANDREWS, and NOW COMES THE FUN PART are on sale now. Prices start as low as $104 for the four plays, a savings of 35% off the cost of individual tickets.

To order tickets or for further information, visit Penguin Rep's website at www.penguinrep.org or call 845-786-2873.

Over the past four decades, Penguin Rep has produced more than 150 celebrated shows, including premieres by accomplished and emerging playwrights, for over 400,000 patrons, and grown from a summer theatre to become one of the Hudson Valley's most influential nonprofit cultural institutions, reaching tens of thousands of theatergoers each year at its home, in New York City and beyond - with its work moving to Off Broadway and to stages across the country and around the world.

For example, as part of its 25th anniversary season, the acclaimed Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles is presenting TRAYF, Lindsay Joelle's play that was developed and originally produced at Penguin, from March 1, 2022 through April 10, 2022.

To post a comment, you must register and login.