Bristol Riverside Theatre Announces 2010-11 Season

Bristol Riverside Theatre announces its 2010-11 season of four plays and one musical featuring Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Jeffrey Hatcher, Old Wicked Songs by John Marans, The Little Prince by Rick Cummins and John Scoullar, All My Sons by Arthur Miller, and Little Women with book by Allan Knee, music by Jason Howland and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein.

"We are very excited to be offering our audiences such varied programming next season. From re-imaginings of classics to an icon of the American theater canon to fun family fare, there is something for every theater taste," said Artistic Director Keith Baker.

"We are very excited by the popular response to our year-round programming. This season kicked off with our highest-ever attendance during the summer for our Musicale Series and continued with record sales for I Love You You're Perfect Now Change in the fall and a capacity audience for our first Jewish Theatre Festival this spring," said Managing Director Amy Kaissar.

The fall kicks off on September 28-October 17 with an updated retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of lust, love and horror, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Jeffery Hatcher. On the fog-bound streets of Victorian-era London, Henry Jekyll's experiments with exotic "powders and tinctures" have brought forth his other self-Edward Hyde, a sensualist and villain free to commit the sins Jekyll is too civilized to comprehend. The two sides battle each other in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse to determine who shall be the master and who his slave. Jeffrey Hatcher has written a sexy and smart play that honors the original but gives a more complex interpretation of mankind's dual relationship with good and evil.

Next up is the Pulitzer Prize-nominated drama Old Wicked Songs by Jon Marans on November 16-December 5. Old Wicked Songs is the story of Stephen Hoffman, an American piano prodigy who ventures to Vienna to study, hoping to shatter the artistic block that has plagued his career and reconnect with his music. Mirroring the structures and themes of the piece he studies, Schumann's song cycle Dichterliebe, this emotionally-packed drama explores the fascinating connections between art and guilt, compassion and identity.

The new year rings in on January 25-February 13 with a new take on the classic story The Little Prince by Rick Cummins and Johan Scoullar, adapted from the book by Antoine de Saint Exupery. Often assumed to be a children's story, The Little Prince is actually a tale for all ages about understanding how to laugh, love and cry again. In association with puppet creators Monkey Boys, (Avenue Q and Little Shop of Horrors), this beautiful new production uses life sized puppets, live actors, original music and magnificent sets to bring to life the heart-warming story of the Little Prince who gains rare and unique insights into love, loss, and laughter.

All My Sons, running March 15-April 3, was Arthur Miller's first great success. This winner of the 1947 Tony Award for Best Play is the story of the tragic consequences of a lapse from decency of an ordinary businessman during World War II. With a son missing in action during World War II, and the accusations that he knowingly manufactured and sold defective airplane parts that killed hundreds of American soldiers, Joe Keller's whole life is now in question. Arthur Miller's masterpiece hits the emotional bulls-eye.

The season concludes with the Broadway musical hit Little Women with music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and on May 3-22. Based on Louisa May Alcott's classic novel, Little Women follows the adventures of Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March as they grow up in Civil War America. Brought to life as an exhilarating new musical filled with glorious music, dancing and heart, this wonderful narrative soars with the sounds of personal discovery, heartache and hope, the sounds of a young America finding its voice.

BRT continues to augment the theater experience with a series of lifestyle-based audience add-on events during the run of each show including: Friday Festival, on the second Friday of each run featuring guest speakers providing background information on the play or the production; Wine-Down Wednesday on the final Wednesday of each run featuring a chance to wind down with complimentary wine, crudités, and dessert before the performance.; and Friday Singles Night, on the final Friday of each run for an opportunity to connect to theatre-goers and make new friends with a pre -performance party.

Subscriptions for the 2010-2011 Season are currently available starting at only $160 for a five-play series by calling the BRT Box Office at 215-785-0100 or visiting brtstage.org. Bristol Riverside Theatre is located at 120 Radcliffe Street in Bristol, PA.

Since 1986, BRT has brought consistently acclaimed professional theatre to Bucks County and maintained a long-term commitment to finding and developing new plays. The theatre is the recipient of over 50 Barrymore Award nominations for Excellence in Theatre, given annually by the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. In addition to its mainstage productions, the theatre serves as a cultural hub for the community, with such programs as children's theatre, community concerts and exhibitions of local visual arts. BRT is under the direction of Artistic Director Keith Baker, Founding Director Susan D. Atkinson, and Managing Director, Amy Kaissar. For information, visit www.brtstage.org.

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