New McCree Theatre Launches 2011-2012 Season’s Subscription Campaign

Charles H. Winfrey, executive director of the "New" McCree Theatre announced the theatre's line up of plays for the 2011-2012 Season. "We're calling our 27th Season a season of classics because all of the plays we've selected have withstood the test of time," Winfrey said.

Indeed, plays from the likes of August Wilson, Lorraine Hansberry, and an adaptation of Langston Hughes' classic, Black Nativity, complete the season.

September 29 - October 15, 2011, The Piano Lesson, by August Wilson. Set in 1936 Pittsburg during the aftermath of the Great Depression, The Piano Lesson follows the lives of the Sutter family in the Doaker Charles Household and an heirloom, the infamous piano. The play focuses on the arguments between a brother and a sister who have different ideas on what to do with the piano they own. The final question proposed by The Piano Lesson seems to ask, "what do you do with your legacy, and how do you best put it to use?"

December 1 - 17, 2011, Black Nativity Revisited: Christmas at a Crossroads, by Charles H. Winfrey. Adapted from Black Nativity by Langston Hughes. The Nativity scene comes to life as we revisit the birth of Christ, and how we have turned this great day into a day for the Moneychangers. This play is chock-full of the soulful sounds of Christmas, in addition to rhythm and blues, jazz, and gospel music. The play begs the question: "Have we strayed too far from the real meaning of Christmas?"

February 9 - 25, 2012, Two Trains Running, by August Wilson. Performances: The play takes place in the Hill District, an African American neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1969. It explores the social and psychological manifestations of changing attitudes toward race from the perspective of urban blacks. Old ways, versus the new, collide in this compelling drama, the 7th in Wilson's ten-part series dealing with African American life in 20th century America.

May 3 - 19, 2012, A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine HansberryThe Youngers are about to receive an insurance check for $10,000. This money comes from the deceased Mr. Younger's life insurance policy. Each of the adult members of the family has an idea as to what he or she would like to do with this money. This play focuses on Walter Lee's dream of becoming an entrepreneur and the conflict surrounding it. The title is derived from Langston Hughes' poem, "What happens to a dream deferred...does it dry up like a raisin' in the sun?"

Season's Ticket packages can be purchased for $40.00. Subscriptions for Senior citizens and students can be purchased at a reduced rate of $30.00 each. Tickets can be obtained at the theatre's office, 5005 Cloverlawn Drive, or by calling (810) 787-2200.

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