Virginia Stage Season 39 is Off to Record Start

Tickets for Virginia Stage Company's Season 39 have been on sale for just a few days and have broken multiple sales records, seeing more than a threefold increase on opening day over last season. This combined with season membership sales, that have already exceeded all of last season, shows promise for what was anticipated to be Virginia Stage's most blockbuster season in years.

With beloved subject matter such as Ring of Fire, the story of Johnny Cash, Pride and Prejudice, and Sherlock Holmes' The Hound of the Baskervilles, Virginia Stage hopes to throw open the doors to the community and show that theatre is an art form meant for everyone. To compliment these exciting productions, Virginia Stage is also producing the Pulitzer Prize Winning Drama Disgraced and taking audiences on a trip back to the civil rights era with The Parchman Hour: Songs and Stories of the '61 Freedom Riders. By popular demand, returning are A Christmas Carol and one of the most Popular Productions in Virginia Stage History, the gospel musical Crowns.

Season tickets are available now from $99 - $299, including flexible "Theatre-On-Demand" packages that allow you to come to whatever show you would like. Single tickets range from $20 - $79, with discounts for military, students, and groups. More info and tickets at vastage.org.

RING OF FIRE: THE MUSIC OF Johnny Cash

CREATED BY Richard Maltby, Jr. AND CONCEIVED BY William Meade

September 13 to October 1, 2017

Explore love, family, and heartache through the tumultuous biography of Johnny Cash. This energetic and exhilarating musical rocks more than two dozen of Cash's iconic hits. This production is most enjoyed by ages 10 and up.

THE PARCHMAN HOUR: SONG AND STORIES OF THE '61 FREEDOM RIDERS

BY MIKE WILEY

October 25 to November 12, 2017

In this co-production with Norfolk State University Theatre Company, journey through the Deep South with the pioneers who fought discrimination and paved the way for the future. Adapted from real life accounts of the 1961 Freedom Rides, this play shares these struggles through music that ranges from Bob Dylan to spirituals. This stirring play contains racially charged language and scenes of violence and is recommended for patrons 13 and older.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

BY Charles Dickens, ADAPTED BY PATRICK MULLINS

December 6 to December, 24 2017

It wouldn't be the holidays without Dickens' A Christmas Carol at the Wells Theatre. Experience the childlike wonder of this heartwarming story that follows the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future as they take Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey of redemption where he learns the power of kindness and compassion. This play is recommended for all ages and, in our opinion, is better the more kids you bring.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

BY JANE AUSTIN

ADAPTED BY Joseph Hanreddy AND J.R. Sullivan

January 17 to February 4, 2018

This stage adaptation of Jane Austen's most beloved novel will sweep you away with its witty, fast-paced exploration of expectations that has become the template for modern romance. Sparks fly when the charming, vibrant Elizabeth clashes with the aloof, enigmatic Mr. Darcy. Romantic repartee will be best appreciated by ages 10 and older.

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

ADAPTED FROM SIR Arthur Conan Doyle'S NOVEL BY STEVEN CANNY AND John Nicholson

February 21 to March 11, 2018

3 actors play more than 20 characters in this hilarious spoof of beastly proportions. A fast-paced comedic ride, filled with verbal and visual ingenuity, follows the dynamic pair of Watson & Holmes as they debunk a family 'curse.' "A sublimely funny adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic," this production is appropriate for ages 8 and up.

DIGRACED

BY Ayad Akhtar

April 4 to April 22, 2018

Akhtar's Pulitzer Prize-winning play sits you at the table for delectable drama where secrets are exposed and prejudices unearthed. At a dinner party hosted by a Pakistani-American lapsed Muslim and his Caucasian wife and attended by his African-American law partner and her Jewish husband, tensions rise when the conversation turns to religion, the economy, and Islamophobia; what could go wrong? This production contains strong language, moments of violence, and powerful subject matter. It is recommended for audiences 16 and older.

CROWNS

BY ReGina Taylor, ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK BY Michael Cunningham AND Craig Marberry

May 9 to May 27, 2018

One of the most Popular Productions in Virginia Stage's history returns! In this gospel musical, 17-year-old Yolanda travels south in a coming of age story that is a testament to love, sisterhood, and family, where she learns that a hat can be more than a fashion statement. Multi-generations of women tell stories of life's most memorable moments with their hats serving as allegories about the wonders of life - all with a flair of "hattitude." This production is recommended for ages 8 and up.

More information at: vastage.org/season39

Press Interviews can be set up with members of the cast, crew, creative team, or staff of VSC. All reviews are welcome and tickets can be provided to anyone who wishes to see the production for these purposes.

Virginia Stage Company is Hampton Roads' leading theater destination, serving an audience of nearly 70,000 annually both at the Wells Theatre and throughout the community. Virginia Stage's mission is to "enrich, educate, and entertain the region by creating and producing theatrical art of the highest quality."

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