Middlebury Community Players to Perform THREEPENNY OPERA at Town Hall Theater, 4/25-28

Performed over 10,000 times since its Berlin premier in 1928, Threepenny Opera, a musical reworking of John Gay's Beggar's Opera from 1728, mixes gangster comedy with an ardent criticism of early 20th century capitalism as it pitches an "army" of professional beggars against a group of gangsters who pillage the homes of London's wealthy at night.

The leaders of both groups, Mr. Peachum and Macheath (the fabled Mac the Knife), never get their hands dirty since they have mastered the art of delegating crime, but their rivalry becomes unpleasant when Peachum's daughter Polly decides to marry the charismatic Macheath. Such a violation of property laws needs punishment, and Peachum pulls out all of the stops have his undesired son-in-law caught and hanged.

Written and first performed a year before the Wall Street crash of 1929, the Threepenny Opera is still a play that makes audiences ponder the relationship between capital, power, gender, and society. Bertholt Brecht's dramaturgical mastery, his sense of timing, his excessively funny dialogues, and especially Kurt Weill's jazz-inspired music make the Threepenny Opera wildly fascinating and entertaining.

Director/Producer Bettina Matthias leads the production team of conductor Hannah Rommer, co-producer Algy Layden and stage manager Katy Svec. The cast of 17 includes Matthew Winston as Macheath, David Harcourt and Sarah Stone as Mr. and Mrs. Peachum, Mimi Bain as Polly Peachum, and Kevin Commins as Tiger Brown. For a full cast list, please visit: www.middleburycommunityplayers.org.

Threepenny Opera will be performed Thursday, April 25 through Saturday, April 27 at 8 pm, with matinees Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28, at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $20 general/$15 students and may be purchased at 382-9222, www.townhalltheater.org, at the THT Box Office (Mon-Sat, Noon-5 pm) or at the door.