INTO THE WOODS Kicks Off The Center for the Arts' 20th Anniversary Season Tonight

The Center for the Arts is pleased to announce its 2016 Season - a "Season of Celebration" as the company celebrates its 20th Anniversary. The season is comprised of eight Main Stage shows and three Gallery shows.

The season kicks off with Into the Woods, which will run tonight, January 8 - 24. Written by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim, the show takes everyone's favorite storybook characters and brings them together for a timeless yet modern classic. The TONY Award-winning book and score tell the story of a Baker and his wife who wish to have a child, Cinderella who wishes to attend the King's Festival, and Jack who wishes his cow would give milk. When the Baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of a Witch's curse, the two set off on a journey to break the curse. As they journey into the woods, we see other characters we have come to love - Rapunzel, the Princes Charming, even the Big Bad Wolf. Eventually, everyone's wishes are granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later in Act Two.

The second show of our season is Dreamgirls, running February 12 - 28. Dreamgirls, with music by Henry
Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen follows the story of a young female singing trio from Chicago,
Illinois called "The Dreams", who become music superstars. Deena, Lorrell, and Effie enter a talent show held in New York's Apollo Theatre. At the contest, they attract the attention of a sly tongued talent agent named Curtis Taylor, Jr. Curtis' connections get the girls hired as backup singers for rising pop singing star. They go on tour and are widely acclaimed. As the show progresses, Curtis falls in love with Effie, the full-figured lead singer, but as his love interest changes, he also makes changes to the group - eventually replacing Effie with a thinner singer. The Dreams go on to achieve international stardom and a string of chart-topping hits.

For our third show, which is the first show of our Gallery Season, we are presenting Edward Albee's masterpiece - Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff, running March 25 - April 3. The show is set on the campus of a small, New England university. It opens with the main characters, George and Martha coming home from a party at two o'clock in the morning. Despite the late hour, they are expecting guests: a new professor and his wife. Honey and Nick arrive and walk into a brutal social situation. As the evening progresses, George and Martha use Honey and Nick as pawns as a means for expressing their own unhappiness. They play verbal warfare with each other and manipulate everyone to an unhappy end. Made famous by the movie starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, the much lauded play has won numerous Tony and Drama Desk awards and continues to be considered one of modern drama's finest works.

For our fourth show of the season, we are presenting 42nd Street, May 13 - 29. This wonderful musical tells the story of a humble, nai?ve young actress named Peggy Sawyer who has come to audition for a new Broadway musical. Although Peggy misses her chance to join the chorus, she soon catches the eye of the famous director, Julian Marsh, and he gives Peggy her big break. On opening night, the show's leading lady, Dorothy Brock, falls and breaks her ankle. Panic spreads through the company, as the show is doomed for closure, until it is suggested that Peggy take the roll. In only thirty-six hours, Peggy learns twenty-five pages, six songs and ten dance numbers and becomes a star.

Next, we are presenting Beyond Therapy for our second Gallery show running June 17 - 26. Written by Christopher Durang, Beyond Therapy is a quirky comedy about a lonely woman (Prudence) who replies to a personal ad and meets an eccentric, outspoken bisexual man (Bruce) who wants Prudence to be the mother of his children (and this is five minutes into their first conversation). If Bruce sounds like he needs to be in therapy, he is. So is Prudence. However, both of their therapists are even more mentally messed up than the distraught main characters. Often called Durang's best play, Beyond Therapy is a classic farce that will keep you laughing from beginning to end.

For July, the sixth show of our season is 1776 which we will present July 8 - 24. The musical 1776 follows John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Richard Henry Lee and Thomas Jefferson as they attempt to convince the members of the second Continental Congress to vote for independence from the shackles of the British monarchy by signing the Declaration of Independence. With a Book by Peter Stone and Music and Lyrics by Sherman Edwards, 1776 is a funny, insightful, and compelling drama that brings a seminal event in American history to life on the stage. 1776 puts a human face on the pages of history as we see the men behind the national icons: proud, frightened, uncertain, irritable, charming, often petty and ultimately noble figures determined to do the right thing for a fledgling nation.

Our next Main Stage production will feature our youth as we present The Legend of Pocahontas. This contemporary pop musical follows the classic story of Pocahontas and how she became who she was as an adult. The tale of Pocahontas is a well-known and frequently told one -- but this remarkable story sticks closer to the historical reality of her life, rather than the embellished version created by some other filmmakers and storytellers. Pocahontas led a calm, peaceful life as a small girl, but when strangers arrive in her tribe's native land and attempt to take over, her life course changes drastically. The show tells truthful account of the Algonquin Indians as they are invaded and taken over by Europeans. How Pocahontas later grows into an intelligent woman and becomes the wife of John Rolf, as well as a diplomat between the Native Americans and European peoples. The Legend of Pocahontas combines history and storytelling with energetic choreography and beautiful, original, plot-moving musical numbers.

Next on our Main Stage will be Suite Surrender, running September 16 - 25. The play tells the story of Athena Sinclair and Claudia McFadden - two USO stars who have a long standing rivalry between them; and when they inadvertently end up in the same Presidential Suite at the luxurious Palm Beach Royale Hotel in Florida the scene is set for sheer disaster. Mayhem and madness erupt as their handlers try to keep them apart, the hotel does everything in its power to keep them happy and the US Navy boys nearly burn the house down. Mistaken identities, overblown egos, double entendres and one pampered little lap dog round out this fall- down-laughing riot of a comedy.

The Ninth show in our season is based on a Mel Brooks classic comedy. A show that has been called scientifically- proven, monstrously good entertainment...and the only place you'll witness a singing and dancing laboratory experiment in the largest tuxedo ever made: Mel Brook's Young Frankenstein, running October 14 - 30. This wonderful musical follows the story of the bright young Dr. Frankenstein as he attempts to complete his grandfather's masterwork and bring a corpse to life. Together with his oddly shaped and endearing helper Igor as well as his curvaceous lab assistant Inga, and in spite of his incredibly self-involved madcap fiance? Elizabeth, Frankenstein succeeds in creating a monster - but not without scary and quite often hilarious complications.

For third Gallery series show we are presenting The Dixie Swim Club - November 11 - 20. Five Southern women, whose friendships began many years ago on their college swim team, set aside a long weekend every August to recharge those relationships. Free from husbands, kids and jobs, they meet at the same beach cottage on North Carolina's Outer Banks to catch up, laugh and meddle in each other's lives. The show focuses on four of those weekends and spans a period of thirty-three years. As their lives unfold and the years pass, these women increasingly rely on one another, through advice and raucous repartee, to get through the challenges (men, sex, marriage, parenting, divorce, aging) that life flings at them. And when fate throws a wrench into one of their lives in the second act, these friends, rally 'round their own with strength and love. The Dixie Swim Club is the story of these five unforgettable women-a hilarious and touching comedy about friendships that last forever.

Our holiday show to close our season will be A Christmas Story, The Musical, running December 2 - 18. Which is the hilarious account of Ralphie's desperate quest to ensure that this most perfect of gifts ends up under his tree this Christmas. This new musical based on the classic 1983 movie, which itself was based on stories by legendary radio humorist Jean Shepherd, features funny and heartfelt songs by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul and a faithful yet inventive book by Joseph Robinette. A Christmas Story, The Musical captures holiday wonder with such deliciously wicked wit that is sure to delight children and grown-ups alike!

Located at 110 West College Street in Murfreesboro, TN, the Center for the Arts, Inc. is a recognized 501c3 organization and is supported in part by generous grants provided by The City of Murfreesboro, The Community Foundation and The Tennessee Arts Commission.

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