Penobscot Theatre Company Announces 2018-2019 Season

Penobscot Theatre Company proudly announces its 2018-2019 Season, an assortment of plays and musicals professionally produced and staged at the company's historic home, the Bangor Opera House. The season will open just after Labor Day and extend into early July with a surprise seventh show, to be announced at a later date. "If there's a unifying theme for our 45th season," said Producing Artistic Director Bari Newport, "it's family. Through these compelling stories we'll introduce families of various stripes-from nuclear to nontraditional, embattled to emboldened-while growing our own family of subscribers."

With packages starting at $115 per adult ($65/student), the full subscription series includes: The Graduate, adapted by Terry Johnson, based on the novel by Charles Webb and the screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry (September 6-30, 2018), tells the story of Benjamin, who has excellent grades, very proud parents and, since he helped Mrs. Robinson with her zipper, a fine future behind him. A MAINE PREMIERE Wait Until Dark by Frederick Knott, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher (October 18-November 4, 2018) is a classic thriller involving a sightless woman who must outsmart some sinister crooks in a deadly game of cat and mouse. Honky Tonk Laundry by Roger Bean with musical arrangements by Jon Newton (January 31-February 24, 2019) offers foot-stompin', knee-slappin' fun, featuring country hits made famous by Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, The Dixie Chicks, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline and more. A MAINE PREMIERE

Ripcord by David Lindsay-Abaire (March 14-April 31, 2019) is like The Golden Girls meets the The Odd Couple. When cantankerous Abby is forced to share her quarters in an assisted living facility with an infuriatingly chipper woman, she takes matters into her own hands and meets her match in hilarious fashion. Fun Home, with music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by Lisa Kron (April 25-May 12, 2019), won five Tony Awards including Best Musical in 2015. Based on the autobiographical graphic novel by Alison Bechdel, it is a powerful story of love and loss, discovery and acceptance. A MAINE PREMIERE

Among the most prized benefits of subscription are discounted tickets to Penobscot Theatre Company's special holiday production. This year's offering, running December 6-30, 2018, is the Maine premiere of Elf the Musical, based on the popular film starring Will Ferrell. This modern classic follows Buddy, a long-legged, wide-eyed man who was raised as an elf in Santa's village, in his quest to find his biological family in the Big Apple. The run will include four matinees especially for students and extra matinees for general audiences. A variety of flexible and affordable subscription packages are available, including three-show subscriptions for those who live elsewhere for a portion of the year, and FlexPasses, four-, five- or six-packs of tickets patrons may use to see what they like when they like. "We understand that people are busier than ever these days, so our subscriptions are designed with flexibility in mind," said Executive Director Mary Budd. "Subscribers are always free to exchange their tickets once per production at no charge if something comes up."

For more information about the 2018-2019 season, please call the box office at 207-942-3333 or visit the company's website at www.penobscottheatre.org. Subscriptions for the new season will be on sale to the general public starting April 9.

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