LES MISERABLES, FALSETTOS & Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID Set for Sharon Playhouse's 25th Season

TriArts Sharon Playhouse, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Simpkins and Managing Director Justin Ball, celebrates its 25thAnniversary Season with the award-winning musicals LES MISERABLES and Falsettos, along with Disney's The Little Mermaid, on the Mainstage. Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie and the new musical Nine Wives (by Douglas J. Cohen and Dan Elish) will play Stage 2 in the Bok Gallery. The Youth Theatre will present the Tony-winning Spring Awakening.

"With great anticipation, I look forward to our 25th Anniversary Season," artistic director John Simpkins said in a statement. "2014 will offer programming for our loyal patrons as well as our rapidly expanding new audience. Our new management structure, especially new Managing Director Justin Ball, will allow us to continue to expand our programming as well as increase the already high quality of theatre in the area."

Do You Hear the People Sing?
Sharon's 25th Anniversary kicks off the season with the Tony Award-winning musical LES MISERABLES from June 18-29. John Simpkins directs, with choreography by Nathaniel Shaw and music direction by Eric Kang.

Based on Victor Hugo's classic novel, LES MISERABLES is an epic and uplifting story about the survival of the human spirit. The magnificent score includes the classic songs "I Dreamed a Dream," "On My Own," "Stars," "Bring Him Home," "Do You Hear the People Sing?," "One Day More," "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," "Master Of The House" and many more.

The original New York production of LES MISERABLES premiered at the Broadway Theatre in 1987, later moving to the Imperial Theatre, where it played until 2003, for a total Broadway run of 6680 performances. Seen by nearly 65 million people worldwide in 42 countries and in 22 languages, LES MISERABLES is one of the world's most popular musicals. A second Broadway revival (the first was in 2006) will be presented March 2014.

What More Can I Say?
Next on the Mainstage (July 10-20) is Falsettos, the 1992 Tony Award-winning musical for Best Book and Musical Score that tells the tale of Marvin - who leaves his wife and young son to live with another man. His ex-wife marries his psychiatrist, and Marvin ends up alone. Two years later, this unlikely family is reunited for his son's bar mitzvah. Against the backdrop of the beginning of the AIDS crisis, Falsettos celebrates families of all kinds. The New York Times called the show "exhilarating and heartbreaking" and audiences everywhere have laughed and cried their way through William Finn's one of a kind theatrical voice. See the show that began the career of Finn - who would go on to write The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. John Simpkinsdirects, with choreography by Lee Wilkens and music direction by Joshua Zecher- Ross.

Falsettos opened at Broadway's John Golden Theatre in 1992 and ran for 487 performances and 23 previews. The cast included Michael Rupert, Stephen Bogardus, Chip Zien, Jonathan Carolee Carmello, Jonathan Kaplan, Heather MacRae, and Barbara Walsh.

Under the Sea
Based on the beloved Hans Christian Andersen tale and adapted from Disney's 2008 Broadway production, Disney's The Little Mermaid (running August 13-24) features the hit songs "Part of Your World," "She's in Love," and the Oscar-winning "Under the Sea." The musical was originally adapted from Disney's 1989 film and features lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater; Music by Alan Menken; and Book by Doug Wright. Jennifer Werner directs and choreographs, with music direction by Eric Kang.

Disney's The Little Mermaid is based on one of the most celebrated animated films of all time - and winner of two Academy Awards (Best Music, Original Score; Best Music, Original Song - "Under The Sea"). The musical opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in 2008 and ran 685 performances and 50 previews.

Following a successful 2013 debut season, Stage 2 (at the Bok Gallery) will play host to Tuesdays With Morrie, from July 3-6, written by Jeffrey Hatcher and Mitch Albom and based on the book by Mitch Albom. Based on one of the top selling memoirs of all time, it is the autobiographical story of Mitch Albom, an accomplished sports journalist driven solely by his career, and Morrie Schwartz, his former college professor. Sixteen years after graduation, Mitch happens to catch Morrie's appearance on a television news program and learns that his old professor is battling Lou Gehrig's Disease. Mitch is reunited with Morrie, and what starts as a simple visit turns into a weekly pilgrimage and a last class in the meaning of life. Critics hail the play as humorous, shattering, and powerfully unforgettable.

Also on Stage 2 (July 24 - 27) is the new musical Nine Wives, music and lyrics by Douglas J. Cohen and book and lyrics by Dan Elish. John Simpkins directs. Based on the novel, "Nine Wives," by Dan Elish, the musical tells the story of Henry Mann, a 32-year-old bachelor who discovers that the love of his life has met someone new and is about to get married. What's worse, he's been invited to her wedding! What follows are Henry's frantic attempts to find a woman he can take as his date - a potential future wife - to prove to his ex-fiancée (and the world) that he too is ready to move on.

The annual Youth Theatre production will be the Tony Award-winning musical, Spring Awakening, from August 1-3 on the Mainstage. Featuring book and lyrics by Steven Sater and music by Duncan Sheik. Spring Awakening is a rock musical adaptation of Frank Wedekind's 1891 expressionist play about the trials and tribulations, and the exhilaration of the teen years. Jason Brantman and Fiona Santos are directors and music directors.

Set in 19th century Germany, this folk-infused rock musical swept the 2007 Tony Awards. The source play holds adult authority figures responsible for keeping teenagers ignorant of biological and behavioral processes. The musical adaptation combines the story of teenagers taking steps toward adulthood with a contemporary score that reflects the timelessness of teenage angst. Sharon's Youth production will allow important dialogue to take place surrounding the show about teenage issues of body image and approaching adulthood.

Additional artists in residence for 2014 are Scenic Designers Michael Schweikardt and Caleb Levengood, Lighting Designers Chris Dallos andJamie Roderick, Costume Designer Michelle Humphrey, and Sound Designer Brad Berridge. The Playhouse also continues its unique partnership with NYU Steinhardt, enabling college students from Universities around the country to earn college credit for their participation in the 2014 Collegiate Company.

The Sharon Playhouse is located at the foot of the Berkshires in idyllic Sharon, CT, and just a few minutes from the Metro North (Wassaic) train station. Performances are Wednesday through Sunday (performance times vary). Single Tickets ($15-$47) are on sale now. Subscriptions run $40 - $110. For more information about the theatre and 2014 season, please visit www.triarts.net or call (860) 364-SHOW (7469).

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