'RED HOT PATRIOT', DEAD MAN'S CELL PHONE and More Set for Cape May Stage's 2015 Theatre Season

Cape May Stage (CMS), Cape May's premiere professional not-for-profit Equity theatre, has announced its exciting 2015 Season. The selection of six plays continues the company's commitment to creating theatrical productions at the highest level of artistic excellence, as well as its tradition of introducing new works to the area. The company proudly presents an exciting selection of works written entirely by female playwrights in an effort to bring visibility to the female voice in theatre. CMS continues its mission to foster education through its artistic programming while continuing to serve as a vital, cultural, and economic resource for Cape May and the surrounding areas.

Roy Steinberg, who has served as CMS' Producing Artistic Director since 2009, has thoughtfully chosen the slate for the upcoming 27th season. "As the father of a daughter, and also a husband, it is important for me to use this art form to better understand my world and my community," he notes. "This concept of an all-female playwrights season resonates within the theatre community, as well, because men write the majority of plays produced. Yet, many of our most important writers are women."

CMS has mounted productions in recent years written by notable women including Suzan Lori Parks, Katori Hall, Yasmina Reza, and Theresa Rebeck and seeks to continue that momentum in 2015. "I wanted to build upon the organization's successful National Playwrights' Symposium held annually in May, by choosing to open next season featuring a playwright who attended the program this past spring," Steinberg notes. "I chose Red Hot Patriot because journalists bear witness and Molly Ivins' trenchant wit resonates in today's world even more brightly than when it first appeared."

Other notable playwrights featured in 2015 will include Sarah Ruhl (MacArthur Fellowship and PEN/Center Award winner), Jane Wagner (Drama Desk Award, Emmys), and regional playwright Marlena Lustik, whose holiday production, Merry Melodies, will receive its world premiere at CMS on November 28, 2014. Steinberg adds, "With the plays I've chosen for next season, I'm looking forward to presenting characters and families whose relationships, struggles, and joys will be familiar to audiences and whose stories are all told by women."

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Cape May Stage's 2015 theatre schedule features the following six main stage productions:

"Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins"

By Margaret Engel and Allison Engel

May 20-June 12, 2015

The unsinkable Molly Ivins, Austin's no-holds-barred newspaper columnist and best-selling author, tells it like it is in this side-splittingly funny play. A true Texas original, Ivins was the rowdy raconteur stirring up trouble in the old boy's club and ridiculing those she deemed too big for their britches -- earning her a widely read syndicated column and a seat next to Mark Twain as one of America's beloved satirists. Written by twin journalist sisters, Red Hot Patriot celebrates Molly's courage and tenacity -- even when a complacent America wasn't listening -- in a play that is nothing short of kick ass.

"Mary Mary"

By Jean Kerr

June 17-July 24, 2015

A warm and witty portrayal of a marriage gone hilariously awry. Mary and Bob, a nearly-divorced couple meet over taxes, when a Valentine's Day snowstorm traps them in an apartment with three others: their lawyer, a handsome film hero, and Bob's young and wealthy fiancé. Sparks fly all over again in this Broadway hit comedy by Jean Kerr.

"Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe"

By Jane Wagner

July 29-September 4, 2015

Trudy, a bag lady, takes us, along with a group of intergalactic visitors, on a magical journey of discovery during which we ponder the meaning of soup, art, fried clams, and the color scheme of Howard Johnson's. Known as Lily Tomlin's one-woman tour-de-force, this award-winning comedy features thirteen characters and eight brilliantly interwoven stories revealing our society at its best and its worst.

"Dead Man's Cell Phone"

By Sarah Ruhl

September 9-October 9, 2015

When Jean answers the cell phone of a recently deceased café patron, she holds on to the device to keep the man alive in a strange yet significant way. Jean's quiet life is turned upside-down as she's thrust into a world of mysterious strangers, shady business deals, and the potential for true love. A story about memory, redemption, and connection -- and disconnection -- in a technology obsessed world, Ruhl's comedy is a mesmerizing reflection of today.

"Trying"

By Joanna McClelland Glass

October 14- November 15, 2015

A cross-generational tour-de-force ensues when Sarah, a young secretary from the Canadian prairie, finds herself working for the aging Francis Biddle, Attorney General during World War II and the primary American judge on the postwar Nuremberg Trials. This intimate and inspiring story, based on the playwright's own experience, has been acclaimed by audiences and critics in the United States and Canada.

"A Cape May Christmas"

By Marlena Lustik

November 27, 2015-January 2, 2016

This world premiere holiday family-friendly holiday production, combining fireside storytelling with the holiday classics. Intertwining tales of Saint Nicholas and Cape May's historic hero Captain Mey, we lovingly celebrate the warmth of a contemporary Santa and Mrs. Claus on a secret visit to our seaside resort.

Subscriptions are now available through the CMS Box Office for the 2015 season. Subscribers to six-play packages receive a 15-50% discount off single ticket prices and guaranteed same seats throughout the season. Six and three-play packages are offered for opening nights from $135-$270 and preview night packages start at $114 for adults and $99 for seniors 62+. Anytime Passes are also available, with a 15% savings off single ticket prices. Anytime Passes are available in increments of 3, 6, or 12 and allow the ultimate in flexibility while still receiving a discount. All subscribers are entitled to the full slate of benefits which includes free even exchanges.

Subscriptions can be purchased three ways: call the theatre office at 609-770-8311; visit the website at www.capemaystage.org or purchase directly at the box office. All subscriptions expire on January 2, 2016. Some restrictions may apply. Don't miss a single moment of this very special season. For more information call 609-770-8311.

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