PETER PAN, IS HE DEAD? & More Set For Beck Center's 2009-2010 Season

The Beck Center for the Arts is proud to announce its 2009/2010 professional theater season featuring many crowd favorites and laughs on the Mackey Main Stage.

As the school year begins, join us for a childhood right-of-passage with the Tony Award-winning musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The laughs come at you non-stop, and the music is original and tuneful. Look for special celebrity guest "spellers" at each and every performance!

The Beck is also proud to continue its tradition of providing spectacular holiday entertainment for the entire family with the highly anticipated return of the musical Peter Pan, everyone's favorite tale of a boy who wouldn't grow up. The performances regularly sold out in 2008.

The season continues into 2010 with the regional premiere of Mark Twain's Is He Dead? This hilarious farce was written by Twain in 1898. Unearthed in 2003 from the Twain archives, it was faithfully adapted by David Ives and had its world premiere in December 2007.

Spring brings us a cornerstone in American musical theater, Fiddler on the Roof, the first production of this classic on the Beck's stage. Kalliope Stage's former artistic director, Paul Gurgol, makes his Beck directorial debut alongside one of Cleveland's most talented actors-George Roth as Tevye, the Milkman.

And wrapping up our season is the local premiere of Mel Brooks' deliriously funny musical The Producers. As someone once noted, "There won't be a dry seat in the house!"

"The 2009/2010 Beck professional theater season fills me with great hope," says Artistic Director Scott Spence. "Not only is Beck able to continue to offer some amazing local premieres of recent Broadway successes, but we are able to give our theater goers many great laughs along the way. And who doesn't need that in these challenging times?"

Subscriptions for the 2009/2010 professional theater season are now available. (The holiday show Peter Pan is not part of the subscriber series.) For more information, contact Linda Hefner at the Beck Center Box Office at 216.521.2540 ext. 29. Individual ticket sales begin August 3, 2009. Beck Center is located at 17801 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, just 10 minutes west of downtown Cleveland. Free onsite parking is available.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Music and Lyrics by William Finn

Book by Rachel Sheinkin
Directed by Scott Spence
September 18 - October 18, 2009

Six adolescent outsiders learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. The show's Tony Award-winning creative team has produced the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of characters for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time.

Peter Pan

A musical based on the play by James M. Barrie

Music by Mark Charlap and Jule Styne

Lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden and Adolph Green

Directed by Scott Spence

December 4, 2009 - January 3, 2010

Back by popular demand! The Lost Boys, Darling children, and the dastardly Captain Hook return for another high-Flying Musical adventure in Neverland. A holiday treat for the entire family.

Is He Dead?

A New Comedy by Mark Twain

Adapted by David Ives

Directed by Matthew Earnest

February 5 - 28, 2010

Written by Twain in 1898, Is He Dead? richly intermingles elements of burlesque, farce, and social satire. A group of poor artists in Barbizon, France, stage the death of a friend to drive up the price of his paintings. In order to make this scheme succeed, the artists hatch some hilarious plots involving cross-dressing, a full-scale fake funeral, lovers' deceptions, and much more.

Fiddler on the Roof

Book by Joseph Stein

Music by Jerry Bock

Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick

Directed by Paul Gurgol

March 26 - April 25, 2010

Fiddler on the Roof has touched audiences around the world with its humor, warmth, and honesty. It's universal theme of tradition cuts across barriers of race, class, nationality, and religion, leaving audiences crying tears of laughter, joy, and sadness. The Beck production features George Roth as Tevye.

The Producers

Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan

Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks

Directed by Scott Spence

July 16 - August 22, 2010

Bialystock and Bloom! Those names should strike terror and hysteria in anyone familiar with Mel Brooks' classic cult comedy film. Now a big Broadway musical, The Producers once again sets the standard for modern, outrageous, in-your-face humor. A truly "boffo" hit, winning a record 12 Tony Awards.

Programming at the Beck Center is made possible through the generous support of the Ohio Arts Council. Beck Center gratefully acknowledges the generous funding provided by the citizens of Cuyahoga County through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.

Beck Center for the Arts is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 organization that offers professional theater productions on two stages, arts education programming in dance, music, theater, visual arts, early childhood, and creative arts therapies for special needs students, and gallery exhibits featuring local and regional artists.

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