PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES, PETER AND THE STARCATCHER & More Set for Weston Playhouse's 2015 Season

Vermont's oldest professional theatre company has a new slogan: "Celebrating the classics. Nurturing the new." And that is just what it intends to do for the company's 2015 season. At a recent event for donors, subscribers, business partners and community leaders held at the new Manchester Community Library, Producing Artistic Director Steve Stettler announced a season that offers something for everyone.

When asked how they go about choosing a season, Stettler shared that he and fellow producing directors Malcolm Ewen and Tim Fort discuss what new works are available and then what classics feel timely. "In making the final choices, we think about favorite directors, designers, and actors who could bring each piece to life; we think about its audience appeal; and we think about its producing demands. The result, we trust, is a stimulating and well-rounded mix."

Weston's 2015 offerings will include the following:

June 25 - July 12, Weston's Young Company opens the season with a musical version of the popular kids' books by Barbara Parks, Junie B. Jones. This fun and fanciful hour-long musical stars the outspoken and precarious Junie B. as she deals with first-grade struggles on the bus, in the lunchroom, in the classroom and at recess. With daytime performances and discounted pricing, this is a fun and affordable outing for families with K-5th graders.

Opening the Playhouse MainStage, from June 30 - July 11, it's Pump Boys and Dinettes. Audiences will enjoy a nostalgic visit to the Double Cupp Diner, where sisters Prudie and Rhetta Cupp serve coffee and pie while the Pump Boys next door sell high octane gasoline. Together, they deliver a series of tale-telling country songs written in part by Weston favorite and Broadway veteran Cass Morgan. Recently revived in New York's popular Encores! concert series, the show originally received raves both off and on Broadway and continues to be a regional theatre favorite with its infectious charm and universal appeal.

July 16 - July 25, a truly magical experience awaits at the Playhouse with the recent five-time Tony winner Peter and the Starcatcher. Based on the novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, this play with music is "a grown-up's prequel to Peter Pan." In it, a dozen actors play more than 50 unforgettable characters, on a quest to discover how Peter Pan became the Boy Who Never Grew Up.

At Weston's intimate OtherStage, from July 23 - August 9, you are invited to The Other Place. In this brilliantly crafted work by contemporary playwright Sharr White, a successful neurologist becomes unhinged as her husband files for divorce and her daughter elopes with a much older man. But nothing is as simple as it seems. Weston favorites David Bonanno and Susan Haefner will have all who travel to The Other Place thinking about it long after they leave.

On the MainStage from July 30 - August 22, it's the blockbuster Broadway musical Guys and Dolls. Set in Damon Runyon's mythical New York City, the show is packed with small-time gangsters and long-lashed ladies. Favorite songs include "Luck Be a Lady" and "A Bushel and a Peck." A classic musical as only Weston can realize it, Guys and Dolls is a guaranteed fun night at the Playhouse for all.

From August 27 - September 5 at the Playhouse, Weston launches a new multi-year commitment to "American Masters" with Tennessee Williams' timeless drama, The Glass Menagerie. This four-character memory play recently revived on Broadway catapulted Williams from obscurity to fame when it opened in 1944. In it, an aging Southern Belle longs for her youth and a better life for her children. The Glass Menagerie will reach a wide audience through Weston's annual School Matinees and in a special final performance at the Flynn Center in Burlington.

From August 13 - August 30, Weston will present an exciting new work on its intimate OtherStage. Negotiations are still underway, so watch the company web site for more details.

All summer long: Weston Playhouse Theatre Company is dedicated to making theatre as affordable as possible, especially for their Vermont friends and neighbors. Make note of VTix: for each performance at the Playhouse, there are 25 seats available for just $25. And at the OtherStage, there are 15 seats for just $15. These are first-come, first-served, for Vermonters, once tickets go on sale. Students are always 1/2 price. And don't forget about dinner at the Café at the Falls and the popular after-hours Cabaret.

For more information, go to www.westonplayhouse.org. For future announcements, sign up for Weston's eNews under the "Connect" header. Remember that theatre gift certificates make great holiday presents, and donations are not only appreciated, but essential to the non-profit theatre company. Certificates and tax-deductible donations can be arranged by calling 802-824-8167 x108. Single tickets go on sale May 1, 2015.

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