'PUMP BOYS,' 'STARCATCHER' & More Set for Weston Playhouse Theatre Company's Summer Season

The award-winning Weston Playhouse Theatre Company launches its 79th season with a sizzling summer program of Broadway shows and talent. Three stages come alive with remarkable stories, tuneful scores, and star-studded casts - the best of Broadway and a little bit of Hollywood, all in the heart of Vermont!

The Weston MainStage opens with a Broadway favorite recently revived in New York's famed Encores series: "Pump Boys and Dinettes." Weston's cast features composer/performer Joe Iconis (NBC's "Smash") and members of his posse of actor/singer/musicians who accompany themselves on piano, guitar, bass, and kitchen utensils. This fresh take on a much-loved tribute to life on the roadside promises a rousing time and slices of homemade pie!

Next up, Broadway actor/director Michael Beresse returns to Weston to deliver the Tony-winning "Peter and the Starcatcher." "It's exciting and part of our mission," says Artistic Director Steve Stettler, "to bring the latest Broadway hits to Vermont." A cast of twelve including Rose Hemingway, who starred with Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette in Broadway's "How to Succeed in Business...," plays more than 100 characters in this delightful prequel to Peter Pan.

The Broadway classic "Guys and Dolls" sports an appropriately stellar cast. Sean Palmer ("Sex and the City," Broadway's "The Little Mermaid") and Jeff Award-winning actress Andrea Prestinario join Weston returnees Sam Lloyd, Jr. ("Desperate Housewives," "Scrubs") and Marissa McGowan (Broadway's "Les Mis" and "A Little Night Music") as the unforgettable Sky Masterson, Sarah Brown, Nathan Detroit, and Miss Adelaide.

On the heels of a celebrated Broadway revival, Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie" hits the Weston stage in August. Broadway actress Amy Van Nostrand, seen opposite Christopher Lloyd in Weston's celebrated "Death of A Salesman," stars as the indomitable Amanda Wingfield. "The Glass Menagerie" travels north from Weston to Burlington's Flynn Center and then south to Florida's Gulfshore Playhouse to deliver this classic to a record-breaking audience.

Opening the company's OtherStages series on its intimate second stage, Weston's Young Company performs the family-friendly "Junie B. Jones the Musical." Handpicked from the country's top undergraduate musical theatre programs,Young Company members have moved on to leads in Broadway's "Wicked," "Jersey Boys," and "The Book of Mormon." Discover Broadway's stars of tomorrow in this lively adaptation of a children's favorite.

"The Other Place," seen in New York starring Laurie Metcalf, is another hot title heading to Vermont this season. Broadway and Weston veterans Susan Haefner and David Bonanno head the cast of this psychological drama that Vermont Life picks as a must-see for the summer. The OtherStages rounds out with Cass Morgan's new play with music, "The Road to Where." Morgan (Broadway's "Memphis" and "Mary Poppins" and co-creator of "Pump Boys and Dinettes") writes and stars in this enchanting musical journey, accompanied by a trio of talented musicians.

The theatrical magic continues with Weston's legendary after-hours Cabaret -- voted "best place for a nightcap" by Yankee Magazine. Enjoy drinks, snacks and an hour-long music and comedy revue in the company's downstairs lounge. A new Cabaret follows each of the company's MainStage productions through August 22, providing an "up close and personal" glimpse of Weston's Young Company and Equity guest stars. Call the Weston Box Office now for Show, Cabaret, or Dinner reservations at (802) 824-5288 or visit westonplayhouse.org.

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