concludes its 2024-25 season with the world premiere production of “The National Pastime,” a provocative psychological thriller about state secrets, sonic weaponry, stolen baseball signs and the father and son relationship in the middle of it all.

Written by acclaimed playwright and University alumnus Rogelio Martinez ’93, “The National Pastime” is directed by Johanna McKeon and will run June 11-29 in the Archbold Theatre at ���ϲ����� Stage, located at 820 E. Genesee St. in ���ϲ�����.

“Creating new work is both a vital and essential aspect of our mission,” says Artistic Director Robert Hupp. “We’re delighted that Central New York audiences will be the first to experience Rogelio Martinez’ thrilling new drama. We commissioned ‘The National Pastime’ in 2021; it is as timely and engaging as any work we’ve done this season. If you’re a fan of spy thrillers or insider baseball or a great evening of theatre, then this production is for you.”

In New York, Josemaria is questioned by the CIA as he travels from Cuba to see his son, Yuri, who defected to play Major League Baseball. In Havana, American “cultural liaison” Val is experiencing debilitating symptoms that develop after mysterious sounds bombard the embassy halls. And in Houston, the Astros are developing a code that will ultimately help their batters clinch a World Series win. These intertwining stories play out in the lingering shadow of the Cold War as the two nations continue their dangerous, decades-long dance, begging the question: When the national pastime is corrupt, what comes next?

“The National Pastime” was commissioned by ���ϲ����� Stage and first premiered as a reading in the 2022 Cold Read Festival of New Plays. This year, Cold Read becomes the Julie Lutz New Play Festival, with events surrounding the world premiere production of “The National Pastime.” Festival curator and ���ϲ����� Stage Associate Artistic Director Melissa Crespo and Resident Playwright Kyle Bass will join “The National Pastime” playwright Rogelio Martinez for a talkback, discussing the play’s journey from conception to fully staged world premiere, immediately following the 7:30 p.m. performance on Thursday, June 12.

The cast for “The National Pastime” includes Erick González (“Native Gardens”) and Joe Cassidy, John J Concado, Cherrye J. Davis, Jorge Sánchez Díaz, Alejandro Hernandez and Frank Rodríguez, all making their ���ϲ����� Stage debuts.

The design team includes sets by Andromache Chalfant, costumes by Andrea Lauer, lighting by Christopher Brown, sound design by Tony Award-winner Cody Spencer (Broadway “The Outsiders”) and video design by Stephen Stivo Arnoczy.

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $30 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets may be purchased online at , by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office. Pay-What-You-Will performances for “The National Pastime” are June 11-15 inclusive; prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one-hour before curtain, are on June 15, 21 and 26; the Post-Show Talkback will take place on Sunday, June 22, after the 7:30 performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has its open-captioned performances scheduled for June 18 and 29 at 2 p.m. and June 24 and 28 at 7:30 p.m., as well as an audio-described performance on Sunday, June 28, at 2 p.m. and an ASL interpreted performance on June 21 at 2 p.m. The Sensory Friendly/Relaxed performance of “The National Pastime” is scheduled for Tuesday, June 24, at 7:30 p.m.

Trivia Night for “The National Pastime,” hosted by “Jeopardy!” champion Dillon Hupp, will be held on Thursday, June 12, at 6 p.m. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance are required to participate. Pre-registration at is recommended.

Support for the 2024-25 season includes season sponsors the Slutzker Family Foundation, the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation and Advance Media New York. Special thanks go to presenting sponsor George S. Bain and show sponsors NBT Bank and the ���ϲ����� Mets. The community partner for “The National Pastime” is La Casita.

continues its 2024/25 season with celebrated actor and playwright Kate Hamill’s whirlwind adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility.” Directed by Jason O’Connell, “Sense and Sensibility” will run April 23-May 11 in the Archbold Theatre at ���ϲ����� Stage, located at 820 E. Genesee St. in ���ϲ�����.

“Kate Hamill’s first play, her adaptation of Jane Austin’s ‘Sense and Sensibility,’ has been at the top of our season lists ever since we produced her version of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ a few years ago,” says Artistic Director Robert Hupp. “’Pride and Prejudice’ was a ���ϲ����� Stage fan favorite and now, with Jason O’Connell returning to direct ‘Sense and Sensibility,’ I know audiences are in for a special treat. I’ve loved this adaptation of ‘Sense and Sensibility’ ever since I saw it in New York City over ten years ago. Its over-the-top theatricality and humor, combined with its honest and heartfelt compassion and warmth, make it just the kind of theatrical experience we all need right now.”

“Sense and Sensibility” follows the Dashwood sisters—the pragmatic and practical Elinor, and the younger, romantically-minded Marianne—as they search for stability after the death of their father leaves them financially and socially unmoored in 18th-century England. While navigating the strict and strident niceties of their upper-class circles, the Dashwoods endure heartbreak, experience windfalls of love and fortune and dodge the never-ending gossip of the age.

Hamill, whose zippy adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” played to rave reviews at ���ϲ����� Stage in 2019, transforms “Sense and Sensibility” into an irreverent romp, giving Austen a playful update while preserving the wit and charm that has made the original such a beloved tale for more than 200 years.

“’Sense and Sensibility’ was my first play—written in 2013—and while it’s rare for me to go back to an older play, I simply could not resist joining this re-imagination for ���ϲ����� Stage, one of my favorite places to work, directed by my husband,” says Hamill. “This is an especially important play for me; not only is it an essential part of the beginning of my playwriting career, but Jason and I also fell in love while I was writing and developing this play, and it’s such a treat to bring his version to these audiences.”

O’Connell returns to direct after leading the ���ϲ����� Stage production of Hamill’s “Pride and Prejudice” and performing in last season’s “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express.” He was also seen, with Hamill, in “Talley’s Folly” and “The Play that Goes Wrong,” and as Salieri in “Amadeus,” directed by Robert Hupp. He originated the roles of Edward and Robert Ferrars in the off-Broadway run of “Sense and Sensibility,” alongside Hamill as Marianne.

“I am always thrilled to return to ���ϲ����� Stage, an artistic home away from home if ever I’ve known one,” says O’Connell. “And I’m especially excited to revisit this first play of Kate’s and to show audiences all the things that I felt about her and her work, back when I was first caught up in the whirlwind of her particular brilliance. This production is something of a love letter to the beginnings of our journey together, full of love and laughter—and a touch of madness!”

Hamill, who earned the top spot on American Theatre Magazine’s list of Most-Produced Playwrights of the 2024-25 Season, returns to the Archbold Theatre in the cast of “Sense and Sensibility,” and is joined by Jamie Ann Romero as Elinor and Olivia AbiAssi as Marianne, with Gina Daniels (“Noises Off”), Jeff Gonzalez (“Pride and Prejudice,” “Amadeus”), Angie Janas (“Pride and Prejudice,” “The Play That Goes Wrong”), James Ragen (“A Christmas Carol”) and Blake Segal (“Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express”) in a variety of roles. Rounding out the ensemble and making their ���ϲ����� Stage debuts are Amelia Gallagher, Salma Mahmoud, Keshav Moodliar, Chris Thorn and Maggie Weller.

The design team for “Sense and Sensibility” includes choreography by Steph Paul, sets by Brittany Vasta (“Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill”), costumes by Raven Ong, lighting by Dawn Chiang (“King James,” “Dial M for Murder”) and sound by ���ϲ����� Stage resident sound designer Jacqueline R. Herter, with dialect coaching by Holly Thuma (“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” “Once”) and intimacy coordination by Yvonne Perry (“Dial M for Murder”).

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $30 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets may be purchased online at , by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office. Pay-What-You-Will performances for “Sense and Sensibility” are April 23-27 inclusive; prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one hour before curtain, are on April 27, May 3 and 8; the Post-show Talkback will take place on Sunday, April 27, after the 7:30 p.m. performance.

���ϲ����� Stage has its open-captioned performances scheduled for April 30 and May 11 at 2 p.m. and May 6 and 10 at 7:30 p.m., as well as an audio-described performance on Saturday, May 10, at 2 p.m. and an ASL interpreted performance on May 3 at 2 p.m. The Sensory Friendly/Relaxed performance of “Sense and Sensibility” is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m.

���ϲ����� Stage Trivia Night, a friendly competition hosted by “Jeopardy!” champion Dillon Hupp, will be held on Thursday, April 24, at 6 p.m. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance are required to participate. Pre-registration at ���ϲ�����stage.org is recommended.

Support for the 24/25 season includes season sponsors the Slutzker Family Foundation, the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation and Advance Media New York. The community partner for “Sense and Sensibility” is Friends of the Central Library (FOCL).

The six show subscription season, including a full schedule of educational, family and community related programming will run Sept. 10, 2025, to June 21, 2026. Subscription packages are on sale now at www.syracusestage.org or at the Box Office, 315.443.3275.

“We’re thrilled to announce an ambitious and exciting season of powerful theatrical stories for Central New York,” says artistic director Robert Hupp. “We’ve spent the past year exploring dynamic narratives, assembling creative teams and building partnerships that ensure our ability to create entertaining, one-of-a-kind theatrical experiences that you can’t get anywhere else. Our work is created specifically for the wonderful people of Central New York, and we can’t wait to share with everyone these bold, fun, vibrant plays and musicals in the year ahead.”

Subscription season at a glance:

“The Hello Girls” (Sept. 10 to 28, 2025), “The 39 Steps” (Oct. 22 to Nov. 9, 2025), “A Christmas Story” (Nov. 25 to Dec. 28, 2025), the world premiere of�� “Relentless” (Feb. 4 to 22, 2026), “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” (March 11 to 29, 2026) and “Disney’s Frozen The Broadway Musical” (May 13 to June 21, 2026).

Opening the season is “The Hello Girls,” a new American musical inspired by the incredible true story of the first women to join the U.S. Army as bilingual telephone operators during WWI.

Originally commissioned by Prospect Musicals in New York City, “The Hello Girls” opened off-Broadway in 2018 to coincide with the centennial anniversary of the groundbreaking journey taken by the real-life Hello Girls, from the frontlines in France to their decades-long fight to be recognized back home. Writing for The New York Times, critic Laura Collins-Hughes called the production “a rather thrilling thing—smart, human and sardonically feminist.”

With a rich jazz and ragtime flavored score from Peter Mills, ���ϲ����� Stage’s new production of “The Hello Girls” is directed by co-writer Cara Reichel and is a co-production with Michael Cassel Group (Broadway: “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” “Pretty Woman The Musical,” “The Cher Show”) and runs Sept. 10 to 28, 2025.

In October, ���ϲ����� Stage celebrates the return of a raucous comedy/mystery: The two-time Tony Award-winning “The 39 Steps,” playwright Patrick Barlow’s rollicking sendup of Hitchcock’s 1935 spy-thriller. Last seen at Stage in 2010, “The 39 Steps” runs Oct. 22 to Nov. 9, 2025.

For the annual holiday show, audiences are invited to relive one memorable December with the Parker family and “A Christmas Story,” the charmingly nostalgic play based on the 1983 film and humorist Jean Shepherd’s childhood reveries. Marking the first time Hupp directs a show in the festive winter slot, “A Christmas Story” runs Nov. 25 to Dec. 28, 2025.

In the new year ���ϲ����� Stage will present “Relentless” by Rae Binstock, a world premiere drama about legacy and loyalty set in the world of professional boxing. Directed by associate artistic director Melissa Crespo (“Primary Trust,” “Once,” “What the Constitution Means to Me”), “Relentless” depicts the intimate bout between a former contender and her old coach over whether to sell their iconic gym in a gentrifying Brooklyn. Building on ���ϲ����� Stage’s commitment to produce new work, this world premiere is co-produced by Sing Out, Louise! Productions (Broadway: “The Notebook,” “& Juliet,” “Hadestown”) and runs Feb. 4 to 22, 2026.

“It’s always thrilling to direct a new play for the first time, and Rae Binstock’s ‘Relentless’ is sure to be a crowd pleaser,” says Crespo. “With the International Boxing Hall of Fame located just 20 minutes east of ���ϲ�����, ‘Relentless’ is an electrifying glimpse into the world of boxing.”

“Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” the powerful and poetic Tony-Award winning entry in Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright August Wilson’s historic “Century Cycle,” comes to ���ϲ����� Stage in the spring. The show is the seventh title in the 10-play cycle to be produced at Stage, and the first Wilson play presented at the theatre since 2014’s “The Piano Lesson.” Directed by Timothy Douglas, who led the ���ϲ����� Stage productions of Wilson’s “Jitney” (2002) and “Gem of the Ocean” (2007), “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” runs May 13 to June 21, 2026.

And as the summer approaches, ���ϲ����� Stage offers families a thrilling and entertaining way to cool off with “Disney’s Frozen The Broadway Musical,” a spectacular musical based on the hit animated film. Featuring Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf the lovable snowman, “Disney’s Frozen The Broadway Musical” is a co-production with the ���ϲ����� Department of Drama and the first professional production of the musical in Central New York. Directed by Amy Anders Corcoran, with music direction by Brian Cimmet and choreography by Marjorie Failoni, the show will close out the subscription season and runs May 13 to June 21, 2026.

“We are so excited for families to experience ‘Disney’s Frozen The Broadway Musical’ live on stage for the first time in Central New York,” says managing director Carly DiFulvio Allen. “With the songs and characters you know and love, this joyful production showcases the power of sisterhood and asks us to consider how far we would go for true love. With no seat further than 50 feet from the stage, you’re never far away from the magic, music and spectacle of this beautiful show. I can’t wait for audiences to experience it this spring”

Supporting each production is a strong line-up of supplementary special event programming, including Prologue, a series of insightful pre-show conversations, talkbacks with cast and creative teams, community nights with show-specific activities and the return of Tuesday evening performances featuring a complimentary “Tacos and Trivia” event hosted by “Jeopardy!” Champion Dillon Hupp.

In addition, ���ϲ����� Stage will offer a host of educational and community outreach programs, the return of Sensory Friendly/Relaxed performances for select shows and an array of accessibility offerings throughout the season including audio description, open captioning, ASL interpretation and the M&T Bank Pay-What-You-Will program.

In the fall the Children’s Tour resumes performances live in elementary schools with “My Robot” by Finegan Kruckemeyer. Directed by Katherine McGerr, this delightful story explores the relationship between a young girl and her mechanical friend, and supports socio-emotional learning, understanding poetic language, creative thinking and STEM based problem solving.

]]> /blog/2025/02/24/syracuse-stage-celebrates-friendship-and-fandom-with-king-james/ Mon, 24 Feb 2025 15:52:40 +0000 /?p=207811 �� continues its 2024/2025 season with Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright Rajiv Joseph’s “King James,” a slam dunk celebration of basketball, friendship and fandom. Directed by Jamil Jude, “King James” is a co-production with Indiana Repertory Theatre and will run Feb. 26 to March 16 in the Archbold Theatre at ���ϲ����� Stage, 820 E. Genesee St., ���ϲ�����.

“Sporting events, like theatre, offer that rare opportunity to bring people together, to share common, communal experiences,” says artistic director Robert Hupp. “We invite everyone—sports fans and not so much sports fans—to join us for this amazing new play about friendship: the ups and downs, the complexity and the care that reflects what it means to love something bigger than ourselves, and each other.”

2004. Cleveland. First round draft pick LeBron James is poised to become one of the greats, while two superfans bond over a pair of season tickets and the arrival of “the King” to the Cavaliers’ court. But LeBron has other plans, and his “decision” will transform Matt and Shawn’s friendship into a high-stakes game of shifting loyalties, brutal upsets and the bittersweet thrill of life’s buzzer-beating redemptions. A sharp, unflinching and intimate look at the space that sports occupy in today’s America, Rajiv Joseph’s “King James” invites us to find common ground beyond our hometown team while comically measuring the distance between fan and fanatic.

“King James” features Quinn M. Johnson as Matt and Enoch King as Shawn (Photo courtesy of ���ϲ����� Stage)

“Sports can bring disparate people together, and yet, the fanaticism of some can further the divides in our world,” says director Jamil Jude. “As an avid sports fan, I fully embrace the ups and downs of being a sports fan—it is as close as one can get to the pathos of live theatre!”

“King James” features Quinn M. Johnson and Enoch King as Matt and Shawn, the two basketball-obsessed Clevelanders brought together under LeBron’s reign. The design team includes star players from previous ���ϲ����� Stage productions, including sets by Czerton Lim (“Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express”) and lighting by Dawn Chiang (“Dial M for Murder”). Making their ���ϲ����� Stage debuts are designers Ari Fulton (costumes) and Mikaela Fraser (sound).

Jude is a highly accomplished director, producer, playwright and dramaturg focused on bringing socially relevant art to the community. He is the artistic director at Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta and is the co-founder of the New Griots Festival, which is dedicated to celebrating, advocating and advancing the careers of emerging Black artists in Minneapolis–St. Paul. Jude attended Colgate University, where he played football as a cornerback.

Joseph is an award-winning dramatist and screenwriter whose plays include “The North Pool,” “Animals Out of Paper,” “Gruesome Playground Injuries,” “Guards at the Taj” and “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo,” which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2010. “King James” premiered at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre and the Center Theatre in Los Angeles in 2022, with Glenn Davis as Shawn and Chris Perfetti (“Abbott Elementary”) as Matt. Directed by Kenny Leon, the production transferred to New York City and played off-Broadway at the Manhattan Theatre Club in 2023.

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $30 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets may be purchased online at ���ϲ�����Stage.org, by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office. Pay-What-You-Will performances for “King James” are Feb. 26 – March 2 inclusive; Prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one-hour before curtain on March 2, 8 and 13; the Post-show Talkback will take place on Sunday, March 9 after the 7:30 p.m. performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has open-captioned performances scheduled for March 5 and 16 at 2 p.m. and March 11 and 15 at 7:30 p.m., as well as an audio-described performance on Sunday, March 15 at 2 p.m. and an ASL interpreted performance on March 8 at 2 p.m. The Sensory Friendly/Relaxed performance of “King James” is scheduled for Tuesday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m.

In conjunction with the ���ϲ����� Symposium, ���ϲ����� Stage will present a panel discussion with former ���ϲ����� Orange athletes Eric Devendorf and Eric Jackson, moderated by former editor of ESPN.com Javier Maymi-Perez. The discussion will examine the role of sports in building community through fandom and how it can result in unexpected friendships and lasting connections. This free community event will be held on Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. in the Sutton Pavillion at ���ϲ����� Stage, before the first preview of “King James.”

���ϲ����� Stage is pleased to continue its Trivia Night, a new event for the 24/25 season. Free for ticket holders, Trivia Night invites audiences to go head-to-head for a chance to win exciting ���ϲ����� Stage prizes, in a friendly competition hosted by “Jeopardy!” champion Dillon Hupp, and includes free pizza. Trivia Night for “King James” will be held on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance are required to participate. Pre-registration at ���ϲ�����stage.org is recommended.

Support for the 24/25 season includes season sponsors the Slutzker Family Foundation, the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation and Advance Media New York. The community partner for “King James” is Eric Devendorf’s ED23 Hoops.

]]> /blog/2025/02/18/a-walrus-in-the-body-of-a-crocodile-continues-department-of-dramas-2024-2025-season/ Tue, 18 Feb 2025 19:56:57 +0000 /?p=207613 The ���ϲ����� Department of Drama continues the 2024/2025 season with the uniquely engaging “A Walrus in the Body of a Crocodile” by MJ Kaufman, directed by Daniella Caggiano. Performances will be held Feb. 21 to March 2 in the Storch Theatre at the ���ϲ����� Stage/SU Drama Complex, 820 East Genesee St. Tickets are available through the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office at or by phone at 315.443.3275.

A farcical exploration of language and gender, “A Walrus in the Body of a Crocodile” transcends worlds through absurdity when strangers on a train, a surreal support group and a frat party collide. After all, who needs sense when you have a walrus in the body of a crocodile?

In “A Walrus in the Body of a Crocodile,”��Kaufman uses poetic dialogue and wild, often hilarious moments to challenge the roles society imposes on us while asking deeper questions about how we define ourselves. Director Daniella Caggiano explains: “There’s a moment in the play when a character says, ‘When you don’t make a choice about who you are, the world makes it for you.’ I’m hoping ‘Walrus’ will remind audiences that gender isn’t just something that gets assigned to you, it is something we can consider and create and personalize to make it truly our own.”

A whimsically humorous exploration of identity, desire and the limitations of language, “A Walrus in the Body of a Crocodile” is an innovative and mind-bending play that will set the stage a buzz at the Storch Theater.

The cast includes Jude Chong, Maya Landry,��G.B. Bellamy,��Hazel Kinnersley,��Mallika Cadin and�� Harrison Wei (understudy).

]]> /blog/2025/01/29/syracuse-stage-announces-appointment-of-carly-difulvio-allen-as-managing-director/ Wed, 29 Jan 2025 14:35:17 +0000 /?p=207192 has announced that Carly DiFulvio Allen has been named the theatre’s new managing director. DiFulvio Allen currently serves as the associate general manager at Disney Theatrical Group for productions of�� “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast”��worldwide. Beginning March 1, she fills the position at ���ϲ����� Stage previously held by Jill A. Anderson.

Carly DiFulvio Allen

While at Disney Theatrical Group, DiFulvio Allen served on the advisory committee for Ensemble, an employee-led network with the goal of fostering and celebrating an inclusive culture, and was the founding member and co-chair for a parents and caregivers sub-committee.

Prior to Disney Theatrical Group, DiFulvio Allen was the company manager for Roundabout Theatre Company at the Todd Haimes Theatre (formerly the American Airlines Theatre) for 25 Broadway productions. Highlights from her tenure at Roundabout include the original Broadway production of “The 39 Steps,” the Broadway revival of “On the Twentieth Century” with Kristen Chenoweth and the original Broadway production of “Violet” starring Sutton Foster.

“We are thrilled to welcome Carly to ���ϲ����� Stage,” says Bob Hupp, artistic director. “Her background in New York City nonprofit theatres, and her recent work with Disney Theatrical Group, are perfectly suited to the leadership role she’ll assume when she joins us in March. Carly’s experience, her Central New York roots and her people-centered approach to our work make her a dynamic and exceptional addition to Stage leadership. We’re excited to introduce her to everyone this spring, and I very much look forward to partnering with her to help ���ϲ����� Stage make the strongest possible contribution to the cultural life of Central New York.”

DiFulvio Allen’s arrival at ���ϲ����� Stage is a homecoming of sorts. A Rochester native, she received theatre management and integrated marketing communications degrees from Ithaca College.

“I am thrilled to be joining the remarkable team at ���ϲ����� Stage and returning to Central New York,” she says. “���ϲ����� Stage’s now 50-year legacy of quality and inspired storytelling is a testament to the support, enthusiasm and engagement of this vibrant community. I look forward to working together to explore new opportunities for expanding Stage’s vision of reimagining what is possible for regional theatre.”

���ϲ����� Stage board of trustees chair Richard Driscoll says DiFulvio Allen is an ideal match for the company with its relationship to both Central New Yorkers and the professional theatre community. “The Board of Directors is excited to welcome Carly DiFulvio Allen as our new managing director at ���ϲ����� Stage. Her deep experience in the theatre industry and ties to Central New York will make her a perfect partner with our Artistic Director Bob Hupp and the rest of Stage’s amazing staff,” he says.

Board of trustees president Herm Frazier echoes Driscoll’s sentiment. “I am confident Carly’s enthusiasm, coupled with her experience in theater will make her a perfect fit for ���ϲ����� Stage,” he says.

DiFulvio Allen’s hiring concludes an extensive nationwide search led by Management Consultants for the Arts, with longtime ���ϲ����� Stage board of trustees member and former board chair Nancy Green chairing the search committee.

The ���ϲ����� Stage 24/25 season continues this year with the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Primary Trust” by Eboni Booth (through Feb. 9), an Indiana Repertory Theatre co-production of “King James” by Rajiv Joseph (Feb. 26 to March 16), Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility” by Kate Hamill (April 23 to May 11) and the Julie Lutz Cold Read world premiere of “The National Pastime” by Rogelio Martinez (June 11 to 29).

will hold a reading of Mary Chase’s classic comedy “Harvey,” directed by associate artistic director Melissa Crespo and featuring a cast comprised entirely of local actors, including ���ϲ����� Department of Drama faculty members and ���ϲ����� Stage artistic director Robert Hupp.

“Harvey” will be presented in the Archbold Theatre at ���ϲ����� Stage, 820 E. Genesee St., ���ϲ�����, New York, on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are free of charge and must be reserved in advance at .

The Pulitzer Prize-winning play, which tells the story of a good-natured man whose best friend is an invisible six-foot-tall rabbit, served a major inspiration for playwright Eboni Booth’s “Primary Trust,” which will Jan. 22 through Feb. 9 in the Archbold Theatre.

“It’s wild how similar and uniquely different Harvey and Primary Trust are from one another,” Crespo says. “The first won the Pulitzer Prize in 1945, while the second won in 2024. Both plays deal with kindness and the importance of community care. I hope theaters around the country are encouraged to produce both plays in conversation with one another. It’s especially exciting to have a cast of local actors perform in ‘Harvey’ on top of the ‘Primary Trust’ set, which happens to be set in Central New York.”

“Harvey” premiered on Broadway in 1944 and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1945. The playwright adapted her own script into an Oscar-winning film in 1950, starring Jimmy Stewart as Elwood P. Dowd. “Harvey” was last seen on Broadway in 2012, starring Jim Parsons, for which he received a Tony nomination.

About Harvey

Elwood P. Dowd insists on including his friend Harvey in all of his sister Veta’s social gatherings. Trouble is, Harvey is an imaginary six-and-a-half foot-tall rabbit. To avoid future embarrassment for her family—and especially for her daughter, Myrtle Mae—Veta decides to have Elwood committed to a sanitarium. At the sanitarium, a frantic Veta explains to the staff that her years of living with Elwood’s hallucination have caused her to see Harvey also, and so the doctors mistakenly commit her instead of her mild-mannered brother. The truth comes out, however; Veta is freed, and the search is on for Elwood, who eventually arrives at the sanitarium of his own volition, looking for Harvey. But it seems that Elwood and his invisible companion have had a strange influence on more than one of the doctors. Only at the end does Veta realize that maybe Harvey isn’t so bad after all.

Harvey

• By Mary Chase
• Directed by Melissa Crespo
• Stage managed by Rachel Mondschein

Cast (in alphabetical order)

• Tanner Effinger (Elwood P. Dowd)
• Robert Hupp (Judge Gaffney)
• Lilli Komureck (Veta Simmons, Betty Chumley)
• Alexis Martin (Myrtle Simmons)
• Krystal Osborne (Miss Johnson, Nurse Ruth Kelly)
• Derek Emerson Powell (Dr. Lyman Sanderson)
• Blake Segal (Duane Wilson, E.J. Lofgren)
• Holly Thuma (Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet)
• Karis Wiggins (Dr. William R. Chumley)

welcomes the new year with playwright Eboni Booth’s “Primary Trust,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about best friends, new beginnings and the undeniable power of everyday kindness. Directed by ���ϲ����� Stage Associate Artistic Director Melissa Crespo (“Once,” “What the Constitution Means to Me,” “Native Gardens”), “Primary Trust” will run Wednesday, Jan. 22, to Sunday, Feb. 9, in the Archbold Theatre at ���ϲ����� Stage, 820 E. Genesee St., ���ϲ�����, New York.

“Stage’s production of ‘Primary Trust’ is brought to life by a superb cast and creative team,” says Artistic Director Robert Hupp. “We’re eager to share this timely play so beautifully directed by our associate artistic director, Melissa Crespo. It’s just the right story at just the right time.”

In Cranberry, New York, a small town just east of Rochester, 38-year-old Kenneth has a good job, a great boss and Bert, the best friend a guy could ask for. But his boss is moving to Florida, the bookstore he works at is closing and Bert? Well, he’s imaginary. As he confronts the traumas that led to his isolated existence, Kenneth must tend to old wounds, forge new friendships and let go of the things he no longer needs.

“Eboni Booth’s beautiful play ‘Primary Trust’ about friendship and the smallest of chances is exactly what we need in our sometimes-lonely world,” says Crespo. “I hope Central New York audiences will particularly appreciate a story that’s set in their backyard.”

Garrett Turner (Kenneth) returns to ���ϲ����� Stage after playing Anger in the world premiere of “Thoughts of Colored Man,” and he is joined by Bjorn DuPaty, making his ���ϲ����� Stage debut as Bert. The actors reunite after sharing a dressing room as understudies for the Broadway production of “Thoughts of Colored Man” in 2022.

Rounding out the cast of “Primary Trust” are Eunice Woods as Corinna, Wally’s Waiters and Bank Customers; Paul DeBoy (“Native Gardens,” “The Christians”) as Clay, Sam and Le Pousselet Bartender; and Armando Gutierrez (“Once”) as musician.

Bringing the fictional Central New York town of Cranberry to life is a design team that includes sets by Ann Beyersdorfer (“What the Constitution Means to Me,” “Yoga Play”), costumes by Carmen Martinez (“Once,” “What the Constitution Means to Me”), lighting by Alejandro Fajardo (who worked with Crespo’s “El Otro Oz,” a NYTimes Critics Pick), sound by ���ϲ����� Stage resident sound designer Jacqueline R Herter (“Once,” “What the Constitution Means to Me,” “A�ԲԲ���ܰ��Բ�”) and original music by cast member Armando Gutierrez.

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $30, with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets may be purchased online at , by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office. Pay-what-you-will performances for “Primary Trust” are Jan. 22–26 inclusive; Prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one-hour before curtain on Jan. 26, Feb. 1 and Feb. 6; the Wednesday at 1 lecture will take place on Jan. 29 before the 2 p.m. matinee; the post-show talkback will take place on Sunday, Feb. 2, after the 7:30 p.m. performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has its open-captioned performances scheduled for Jan. 29 and Feb. 9, at 2 p.m. and Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m., as well as an audio-described performance on Sunday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. The sensory friendly/relaxed performance of “Primary Trust” is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

���ϲ����� Stage is pleased to announce the addition of trivia night, a new event for the 24/25 season. Free for ticket holders, trivia night invites audiences to go head-to-head for a chance to win exciting ���ϲ����� Stage prizes, in a friendly competition hosted by “Jeopardy!” champion Dillon Hupp with free pizza. Trivia night for “Primary Trust” will be held on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance are required to participate. Pre-registration at is recommended.

In conjunction with “Primary Trust,” ���ϲ����� Stage will present a free reading of “Harvey” by Mary Chase. The play, about a man whose best friend is an invisible 6-foot-tall rabbit, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1945, was made into an Oscar-winning film starring Jimmy Stewart and was a major inspiration for Booth’s “Primary Trust.” The reading will take place in the Archbold Theatre on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m., with free tickets available at ���ϲ�����Stage.org.

Support for the 24/25 season includes season sponsors the Slutzker Family Foundation, the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation and Advance Media New York. The community partner for “Primary Trust” is ACR Health.

Primary Trust

• By Eboni Booth
• Directed by Melissa Crespo
• Scenic design by Ann Beyersdorfer
• Costume design by Carmen Martinez
• Lighting design by Alejandro Fajardo
• Sound design by Jacquline R Hertetr
• Original music by Armando Guttierez
• Stage management by Kristine Schlachter*
• Casting by Bass/Valle Casting

CAST (in alphabetical order)

• Paul DeBoy* (Clay, Sam, Le Pousselet Bartender)
• Bjorn DuPaty* (Bert)
• Armando Gutierrez* (Musician)
• Garrett Turner* (Kenneth)
• Eunice Woods* (Corinna, Wally’s Waiter, Bank Customer)

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

“This year, we invite everyone to make ���ϲ����� Stage a part of your holiday celebration,” says Robert Hupp, ���ϲ����� Stage’s artistic director. “Stage’s production of ‘Cinderella’ is a magical treat for the young and the young at heart. We’re eager to share our new production with Central New York; we promise you’ll make memories that will last a lifetime.”

Originally premiering as a live television program in 1957 with Julie Andrews in the title role, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” is a magical celebration that proves dreams come true, if only we dare to wish. This “enchanted” version of the beloved musical is based on the 1997 television film, featuring Brandy as the would-be princess and Whitney Houston as her fairy godmother, and boasts a cast of 30 spectacular performers made up of Broadway veterans, professional actors from around the country and students from the Department of Drama.

“This version of ‘Cinderella’ is absolutely joyous and feels fresh and accessible for a modern audience of all ages,” says director Melissa Rain Anderson. “The heart of the story centers on the possibility of making a dream come true and the will to do something incredible with it. This classic fairytale charms with enchanted animals, soaring love songs and hilarious characters to entertain. Come see how we transform a plain pumpkin into a glimmering carriage and dancing mice into four regal horses with magical surprises along the way.”

Returning to ���ϲ����� Stage after appearing in last season’s “A Christmas Carol,” Department of Drama junior Madison Manning plays the title role in this fantastical and dazzling storybook come-to-life. The cast also features Trisha Jeffrey as Fairy Godmother, Darell Morris Jr. as Prince Christopher, Ann Arvia as Stepmother, David Lowenstein (“A Christmas Carol,” “Disney’s The Little Mermaid”) as King Maximillian, Celia Madeoy (“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” “Elf the Musical”) as Queen Constantina, Blake Segal (“Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express,” “Our Town”) as Lionel and Department of Drama seniors Sydney Carmona, Adeera Harris and Zach Asnis as Joy, Grace and Charles the Cat, respectively.

The design team for “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” features many names familiar to ���ϲ����� Stage audiences, including sets by Kimberly Powers (“A Christmas Carol,” “Disney’s The Little Mermaid”), costumes by Ryan J. Moller (“Matilda The Musical”), wigs by Bobbie Zlotnik (“Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express,” “Tender Rain”), lighting by Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz (“A Christmas Carol,” “Disney’s The Little Mermaid”), sound by ���ϲ����� Stage resident sound designer Jacqueline R. Herter and projections by David Murakami.

Richard Rodgers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (book and lyrics) were amongst the most celebrated songwriters of their time, with works that helped shape not only musical theatre as an artform, but popular culture writ large. Their first show, “Oklahoma!” in 1943, changed the landscape of contemporary operetta, and ushered in a golden age of American musicals, defined in part by their landmark works including “Carousel,” “South Pacific,” “The King and I” and “The Sound of Music.” Their adaptation of “Cinderella” premiered in 1957, and was their only musical written specifically for television audiences. The show was re-staged in 1965 for broadcast with Lesley Ann Warren in the title role, and again in 1997, notably featuring a multiracial cast. “Cinderella” premiered on Broadway in 2013, with an updated score and book. Oscar Hammerstein died in 1960 at the age of 65; Richard Rodgers survived his writing partner by nearly 20 years, passing away at the age of 77 in 1979. Today, their musicals are perennially produced in theatres large and small, seen on television screens around the world and enjoyed by audiences, young and old, who re-discover their timeless stories anew.

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $30 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets may be purchased online at ���ϲ�����Stage.org, by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office. Pay-What-You-Will performances are Nov. 22–Dec. 1 inclusive; Prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one-hour before curtain on Dec. 1, 7 and 19; the Post-show Talkback will take place on Sunday, Dec. 15 after the 7:30 p.m. performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has its open-captioned performances scheduled for Dec. 4, 15 and Jan. 4 at 2 p.m. and Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m., as well as an audio-described performance on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. The Sensory Friendly/Relaxed performance is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 4 at 2 p.m.

���ϲ����� Stage is pleased to announce the addition of Trivia Night, a new event for the 2024-25 season. Free for ticket holders, Trivia Night invites audiences to go head-to-head for a chance to win exciting ���ϲ����� Stage prizes, in a friendly competition hosted by “Jeopardy!” champion Dillon Hupp. Trivia Night will be held on Thursday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance are required to participate. Pre-registration at ���ϲ�����stage.org is recommended.

“Pippin,” the Tony Award-winning musical, runs Oct. 11-20 in the Storch Theatre at the ���ϲ����� Stage/SU Drama Complex.��

Heir to the Frankish throne, the young prince Pippin is in search of the secret to true happiness and fulfillment. He seeks it in the glories of the battlefield, the temptations of the flesh and the intrigues of political power (after disposing of his father, King Charlemagne the Great). In the end, though, Pippin finds that happiness lies not in extraordinary endeavors, but rather in the unextraordinary moments that happen every day.

“We have assembled an extraordinary artistic team–composed of award-winning creators, distinguished faculty, and accomplished alumni–to help us re-imagine and re-invigorate this timeless story of the search for purpose,” says Ralph Zito, professor and chair of the department of drama. “As always, our students have embraced the task with distinction, and we look forward to sharing the results of their creative work.”

Originally premiering on Broadway in 1972, “P����辱��” takes audiences on a magical and miraculous journey, while encouraging us all to find our own “Corner of the Sky.”

DETAILS

‘P����辱��’

• Book by Roger O. Hirson
• Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
• Directed by Torya Beard
• Choreography and associate direction by Kevin Boseman
• Music direction by Brian Cimmet
• Additional choreography by Adesola Osakalumi
• Scenic design by Ningning Yang
• Costume design by Jessica Crawford
• Lighting design by Andy LiDestri
• Sound design by Kevin O’Connor
• Wig design by Dylinn Andrew
• Dramaturgy by Molly Evert
• Stage managed by Maya Rose Zepeda

Cast

• Pippin: Connor English
• Leading Player: Kendall Stewart and Gwendalyn Rose Díaz
• Fastrada: Lili Williams
• Catherine: Emily Pellecchia
• Charles: Nyobi Boddie
• Bertha: Izzy Scampoli

Ensemble

• Samantha Jade Berman
• Emily Castillo-Langley
• Michael DiLeo
• Malvina Lucchini
• Caroline Marchetti
• Justin Roach
• Tobias Rytting
• Bridgette Sanders (Theo)
• Nicolette Smith
• Gillian Stoltz
• Truman Tinius (Lewis)

Swings

• Mallika Jain Cadin
• Cate Gould
• Evan Leone
• Declan Paul McMahon
• Katie Wood

Additional Credits

• Co-Dance Captains: Mallika Jain Cadin, Nicolette Smith
• Assistant Director: Ella Claudine Femino
• Associate Choreographer: Nicolette Smith
• Assistant Scenic Designer: Luke Daniel Blumencranz
• Assistant Lighting Designer: Harry Mullin, Reyna Sanchez
• Assistant Stage Managers: Katrina Barrett, Fotini Lambridis
• Rehearsal Pianist: Dan Williams

Margot Wendice is happily married to Tony, and the couple share a charming life and a modest flat in 1950s London. But not all is as it seems—Margot has been involved with the famous American crime writer Maxine Hadley and is being blackmailed by a mysterious stranger who threatens to expose the affair to her husband. But Tony already knows, and he has just hatched a plot of deadly revenge.

“I’m thrilled to direct our season opening production of ‘Dial M for Murder,’” says Robert Hupp, artistic director. “I am a huge fan of this genre, and we had so much fun creating last season’s ‘Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express’ that I couldn’t wait to kill off more characters on our stage.”

Written by Frederick Knott in 1952, “Dial M for Murder” was adapted into a 1954 Alfred Hitchcock film starring Grace Kelly, and again in 1998 as the loose remake “A Perfect Murder” with Gwenyth Paltrow as the unsuspecting wife. Hatcher’s adaptation, which premiered at San Diego’s Old Globe in 2022, gives Knott’s clever original a fresh coat of paint, notably infusing the script with a touch of light comedy and a swifter pace for modern audiences.

Says Hupp, “‘Dial M’ is less of a murder mystery and more of a psychological thriller. While the setting, 1950s London, remains the same as the Knott play and the Hitchcock film, our playwright, Jeffrey Hatcher, updates the storyline to raise the stakes and create even more tension in this powerful, suspenseful story. I think our audience will love the cast we’ve assembled for ‘Dial M,’ and I can’t wait to share this deliciously dangerous play with everyone in Central New York.”

“Dial M for Murder” features (assistant professor in the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Department of Drama) as Margot Wendice, Avery Clark as her scheming husband Tony and Krystel Lucas as Maxine Hadley. The ensemble rounds out with J.D. Webster as Inspector Hubbard and John Long as the killer-for-hire Lesgate. The design team includes sets by Stanley Meyer, costumes by Lux Haac, lighting design by Dawn Chiang, sound design by Tony Award nominee John Gromada (“The Trip to Bountiful”) and hair and wigs by Brittany Hartman, with fight choreography by D.C. Wright. Blake Segal serves as the production’s dialect coach and Yvonne Perry as the intimacy coordinator.

Born in China to missionary parents in 1916, Knott studied law at Cambridge University and achieved the rank of major in the British Army before finding fame with 1952’s “Dial ‘M’ for Murder.” The play aired on the BBC before critically acclaimed productions in London’s West End and on Broadway. Called “notoriously unprolific” in a 2002 obituary, Knott only wrote three other plays during his lifetime—“Mr. Fox of Venice” (1959), “Write Me a Murder (1961) and “Wait Until Dark” (1966)—but made enough from his work to live comfortably in Manhattan with his wife, actress Ann Hillary. Knott’s intricately plotted mystery plays continue to entertain audiences throughout the world with revival productions and new adaptations, including American playwright Hatcher’s stylish updates of “Wait Until Dark” and “Dial M for Murder”.

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $25 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets may be purchased online at , by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office. Pay-what-you-will performances for “Dial M for Murder” are Oct. 16-20 inclusive; prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions, take place one hour before curtain on Oct. 20, 26 and 31; the post-show Talkback will take place on Sunday, Oct. 20, after the 7:30 p.m. performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has its open-captioned performances scheduled for Oct. 23 and Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. and Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m. The performance on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 2 p.m. is an audio described performance with Spanish language open captioning. The sensory friendly/relaxed performance of “Dial M for Murder” is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 7:30 p.m.

Support for the 2024/25 season includes season sponsors the Slutzker Family Foundation, the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation and Advance Media New York. The community partner for “Dial M for Murder” is the ���ϲ����� International Film Festival.

The is pleased to announce the 2024/25 season, consisting of six productions: “P����辱��” (Oct. 11 – 20), “Twelfth Night” (Nov. 15 – 23), “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” (Nov. 22 – Jan. 5 and co-produced with ���ϲ����� Stage), “A Walrus in the Body of the Crocodile” (Feb. 21 – March 9), “What the Moon Saw, or I Only Appear to Be Dead” (March 28 – April 6) and “Little Women” (May 2 – 10). All productions will run in the Storch Theatre, with the exception of “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” which will be held in the Archbold Theatre. Tickets are available through the by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage / SU Drama Complex, 820 East Genesee St.

“Each of these plays explores the fundamental question of how we become the person we are meant to become,” says Department of Drama Chair Ralph Zito. “Over the course of the season, an exciting combination of student, faculty and guest artists will bring their considerable talents to bear on a collection of stories both familiar and unfamiliar, examining them in fresh and exciting ways.”

Featuring music and lyrics by Grammy and Oscar-winning composer Stephen Schwartz with a book by Roger O. Hirson, “Pippin” opens the Department of Drama season this fall. Originally premiering on Broadway in 1972, “P����辱��” introduces audiences to a mysterious troupe of actors as they tell the story of a young prince setting off on a magical and miraculous journey to find his own “Corner of the Sky.” Directed by Torya Beard, who describes the production as an examination of “the ways young people interact with the tools they have” to “learn more about themselves,” this Tony Award-winning musical runs Oct. 11 to 20.

Up next is Shakespeare’s delicious comedy “Twelfth Night.” Set on the island paradise of Illyria, the play follows shipwrecked Viola as she befriends a duke, a lady and a parade of rascals while searching for her twin brother Sebastian, who was lost at sea. Disguised as the dashing Cesario, Viola becomes entwined in the island’s drama, discovering the power (and lunacy) of love in its many forms. Directed by Will Pomerantz, “Twelfth Night” runs Nov. 15 to 23.

Celebrate the holidays with this season’s annual co-production with ���ϲ����� Stage, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” with music by Richard Rodgers, book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and adapted for the stage by Tom Briggs from the teleplay by Robert L. Freedman. Forced to satisfy the whims of her cruel stepmother and stepsisters while dreaming of a better life, Cinderella is given a chance at happiness when a Fairy Godmother transforms her into a princess and whisks her to the Royal Ball. Featuring additional music from the 1997 television film starring Brandy and Whitney Houston, this “enchanted” production of the classic musical is directed by Melissa Rain Anderson, with music direction by Brian Cimmet and choreography by Jessica Chen, and will run Nov. 22 to Jan. 5.

The spring semester begins with “A Walrus in the Body of a Crocodile,” a zany, constantly evolving exploration of language, gender, and identity by MJ Kaufman. A lonely subway car, a crowded support group, a stifling writers’ workshop and a raucous frat house serve as the ever-changing backdrop in this nesting doll of a play about the identities we choose to share and the ones we’re forced to hide, even from ourselves. Directed by Daniella Caggiano, “A Walrus in the Body of a Crocodile” runs Feb. 21 to Mar. 1.

Next is “What the Moon Saw, or I Only Appear to Be Dead,” a fantastical collage of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales told through a post-9/11 lens, by Stephanie Fleishman. Traveling to Shanghai to celebrate his 200th birthday, Andersen encounters mermaids, a street urchin, a supermodel, teenagers in love, a cabdriver, firemen and husks of humans who appear as ghouls in this “kaleidoscopic meditation on how we move through calamity” inspired by Andersen’s fragile, timeless tales. Directed by Danyon Davis, “What the Moon Saw” runs Mar. 28 to Apr. 6.

The season concludes with “Little Woman,” with a book by Allan Knee, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and music by Jason Howland. Following the adventures of Jo, Meg, Beth, Amy and their beloved mother Marmee, this Tony Award-winning musical tells of the March sisters’ adventures during the American Civil War as they discover their passions, endure heartache, and find the courage to persevere in this ultimate coming of age story. Based on the celebrated novel by Louisa May Alcott and directed by David Lowenstein, “Little Women” runs May 2 to 10.

Five-play subscriptions are or by calling ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office at 315.443.3275. Subscribers have access to discounted tickets for “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” which is not part of 5-play subscription packages. Single tickets for all shows are also available.

DETAILS

“P����辱��”
Based on original story and characters by Damon Runyon
Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Book by Roger O. Hirson
Directed Torya Beard
Oct. 11-20

“Twelfth Night”
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Will Pomerantz
Nov. 15-23

“Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella”
Music by Richard Rodgers
Book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Adapted for the stage by Tom Briggs
From the teleplay by Robert L. Freedman
Directed by Melissa Rain Anderson
Co-produced with ���ϲ����� Stage
Nov. 22 through Jan. 5

“A Walrus in the Body of the Crocodile”
By MJ Kaufman
Directed by Daniella Caggiano
Feb. 21 through March 1

“What the Moon Saw, or I Only Appear to Be Dead”
By Stephanie Fleishman
Directed by Danyon Davis
March 28 through April 6

“Little Women”
Book by Allan Knee
Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein
Music by Jason Howland
Directed by David Lowenstein
May 2-10

“We’re kicking off this season with rollicking comedy,” says Robert Hupp, artistic director for the production. “We thought this was the best possible choice to welcome back audiences to ���ϲ����� Stage. Nobody does comedy better than The Second City because every show is different: From their greatest hits sketches to on-the-spot improv, the audience gets to join in the fun at every performance. We invite folks to take a break from their routine and join us for a good laugh at ���ϲ����� Stage.”

Directed by Marla Cáceres with music direction by Kai Elise, “The Second City 65th Anniversary Show” features songs, sketches and characters written by some of Second City’s illustrious alumni—including Tina Fey, Keegan-Michael Key, Stephen Colbert, Bill Murray, Eugene Levy and many more—and is brought hilariously to life by an all-star ensemble including Tina Arfaee, Cat McDonnell, Zoe McKee, Bill Leitz, Preston Parker and Cassidy Russell.

Rooted in the groundbreaking improvisational games pioneered by Viola Spolin, The Second City opened its doors on a snowy Chicago night in December of 1959, and a comedy revolution began. Today, The Second City is a world-class entertainment company—with a touring company, training programs and live theatres in Chicago, Toronto and New York City—and continues to be at the forefront of improv and sketch comedy while bringing laughs to more than one million audience members a year.

Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Performances on Friday, Sept. 27 and Saturday, Sept. 28 begin at 6:30 p.m. with a second show scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Tickets start at $30 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets may be purchased online at , by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office. Pay-What-You-Will performances for “The Second City 65th Anniversary Show” are Sept. 18-29 inclusive; Trivia Night, hosted by “Jeopardy!” champion Dillon Hupp will take place on Thursday, Sept. 19, before the 7:30 p.m. performance; and a Happy Hour event on Thursday, Sept. 26, prior to the 7:30 p.m. performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has its ASL-interpreted performance scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28, at 6:30 p.m.

“The Second City 65th Anniversary Show”

Directed by: Marla Cáceres
Music direction by: Kai Elise
Stage management by: Indigo Coar

Cast (in alphabetical order)

• Tina Arfaee
• Cat McDonnell
• Zoe McKee
• Bill Letz
• Preston Parker
• Cassidy Russell

Understudies

• Zoe Agapinan
• Holly Barras
• Deb Duncan
• Eric Greenbaum
• Dani James
• Maz Lazerine
• Katie Dreher

���ϲ����� Stage, in partnership with 100 Black Men of ���ϲ�����, announced that the company’s 2024/25 season will officially begin with “Citizen James, or the Young Man Without a Country”—a powerful and illuminating live world premiere production from resident playwright Kyle Bass on Aug. 2-3 at 7:30 p.m. in the Archbold Theatre, 820 E. Genesee St., ���ϲ�����.

Directed by Joann Maria Yarrow, the live world premiere of “Citizen James” will be presented as a two-night-only free celebration beginning on Aug. 2 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Baldwin’s birth—coincidentally, it is also the birthday of actor James Alton, who portrays Baldwin in the play.

Originally incubated as part of the Stage’s Backstory program and presented as a streaming-only event in the 2020/2021 season, this one-man show about a young James Baldwin follows the Paris-bound aspiring author and activist as he is seeking refuge from the racist violence of America in the 1940s, on his way to becoming a towering literary figure and a still-relevant voice of the Civil Rights movement.

“In his novels, essays, stage plays, speeches and interviews, James Baldwin was and remains a singular observer and chronicler not only of the Black American experience but of the American experience—a nation in conflict with itself,” says Bass. “Long one of my literary heroes, in ‘Citizen James’ I was interested in creating a portrait of Baldwin as a young, gifted, Black and unknown artist already possessed of the deep feeling, trenchant intellect, urgent concern and piercing insight that would become the hallmarks of his writing, his social activism and his international persona.”

“100 Black Men of ���ϲ����� is thrilled to grow its partnership with ���ϲ����� Stage this summer in celebrating James Baldwin’s Centennial,” says Claude Greene, president, 100 Black Men of ���ϲ�����. “We are grateful to CNY Arts and to New York State for providing the funding that allows us to further our mission to rebuild a sense of community in our backyards, and it is a privilege work alongside Kyle Bass as he shares Baldwin’s still-relevant genius with ���ϲ�����.”

“Kyle Bass’ text is a brilliant homage to the genius of James Baldwin, his conflicts and struggles as an artist, and how they reflect our own contemporary times,” says Yarrow, who also serves as the ���ϲ����� Stage director of community engagement. “It is uncompromising, inspiring and a celebration of 100 years of creative activism and social change.”

���ϲ����� Stage will also host a pre-show event on Aug. 2 beginning at 6 p.m. to celebrate Baldwin’s indelible contribution to American culture. Featuring a showcase of books, fashion, records and art from community partners 100 Black Men of ���ϲ�����, Black Citizens Brigade, Black Cub Productions, Community Folk Art Center and ���ϲ����� Libraries, the event will be catered by Our Vegan Corner and Hope Café with music by DJ Bella J from One the One DJ Center in ���ϲ�����.

The Friday, Aug. 2, performance will conclude with a post-show panel discussion, featuring playwright Kyle Bass, Joan Bryant, associate professor of African American studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Cjala Surratt, owner of Black Citizens Brigade. The panel will be moderated by Community Folk Art Center executive director Tanisha Jackson. The Saturday, Aug. 3, performance will also feature a post-show talkback with Bass, Alton and Yarrow.

“Citizen James” is made possible through the CNY Arts Grants for Regional Arts and Cultural Engagement regrant program thanks to a New York State Senate Initiative supported by the State Legislature, the Office of the Governor and administered by the New York State Council on the Arts.

The Friday, Aug. 2, performance for “Citizen James” is sold-out. Tickets for the Saturday, Aug. 3, performance can be purchased by visiting and following the ticketing link.

It is one year after the End of Theatre and 12-year-old Nim Dullyn has just witnessed his first droll—an underground performance of comedic excerpts from famous plays. Seduced by the magic of the stage, Nim joins an illegal theatre troupe and sets out for the city, with the beastly Roundheads—a group of fundamentalists who deem theatre an abomination—hot on their trail.

“Meg Miroshnik is an exciting young American playwright, and this is only the second fully-staged production of this inventive play that imagines a place and time without theatre,” says Madeoy. “It has everything: danger, deception, revolt, romance, comedy, cosplay, poetry, punk rock, fights, songs and spectacle. I’m thrilled for ���ϲ����� audiences to experience it.”

Inspired by the 17th-century theatre closures of Puritan England, “The Droll” is a daring and darkly funny play that celebrates our need to come together in the act of collective storytelling.

Details

‘The Droll (Or, a Stage-Play about the END of Theatre)’

• By Meg Miroshnik
• Directed by Celia Madeoy
• Scenic design by Alexis Wilner
• Costume design by Sofia Pizer
• Lighting design by Mairead Cummins
• Sound design by Kevin O’Connor
• Music composition by Eleni Stavros
• Fight and intimacy choreography by Alec Barbour
• Clown and movement direction by Richard Dent
• Dialect coaching by Blake Segal
• Dramaturgy by Antonia Portales
• Stage managed by Kit Verweij

Cast

• Roundhead……………………………………………………..Jim McMahon James
• Killingworth…………………………………………………………….Anthony Tibolla
• William Rifel……………………………………………………………………Will Nissen
• Margaret Killingworth…………………………………………………….Micaiah John
• Nim Dullyn………………………………………………………………Hazel Kinnersley
• Thomas Dread Rosey………………………………………………….Nathan Ayotte
• Doll Cutpurse………………………………………………………….Sarah Cummings
• Roundhead Spy, Ensemble, Swing……………………………………..Kyle Hejlik
• Roundhead Spy, Ensemble, Swing……………………………………Jamie Mack

Additional Credits

• Fight Captain: Kit Verweij
• Consultants: Meegs Longacre, Tatiyyanah Queen-Asia Hope Nelums
• Assistant Director: Zach Asnis
• Assistant Scenic Designer: Evan Hoover
• Assistant Lighting Designer: James Klemmer
• Assistant Stage Managers: Sami Renea English, Grace Mineiro

Directed by Christine Albright-Tufts, performances of “Touch(ed)” will be held April 5-14 in the Loft Theatre at the ���ϲ����� Stage/SU Drama Complex, located at 820 East Genesee St. Tickets are available through the or by calling 315.443.3275.

Performances of “Touch(ed)” run April 5-14 in the Loft Theatre at the ���ϲ����� Stage/SU Drama Complex.

Set in a remote cabin in the woods, “Touch(ed)” follows Kay, a middle school science teacher from New York City, as she cares for her sister, who has just been released from a psychiatric facility after years of treatment. Desperate to reconnect and help heal what modern medicine has failed to, Kay and her novelist boyfriend, Billy, begin to coax her sister back to normalcy with home-cooked meals, board games and good, old-fashioned rest and relaxation. But when Billy starts taking her sister’s recovery into his own hands, Kay is forced to confront a terrifying prospect: Finally taking care of herself.

“I’m so excited that our students have the opportunity to bring to life a play that deftly explores themes of mental health and suicide with thoughtfulness and care,” Albright-Tufts says. “The play manages to find joy in the darkness while honoring the struggles of those who face these illnesses.”

Savagely funny, unapologetically modern and surprisingly tender, Wohl’s “Touch(ed)” is a skillfully observed drama about navigating life, love and loss in an age of endless anxieties.

continues its 50th Anniversary Season with “�������’s,” Lynn Nottage’s Tony-award nominated comedy following the formerly incarcerated cooks of a rundown truck stop diner on their quest to craft the perfect sandwich. First seen on Broadway in 2021, “�������’s” is directed by Chip Miller and will run Jan. 31 to Feb. 18 in the Archbold Theatre at ���ϲ����� Stage, 820 E. Genesee St., ���ϲ�����. It is co-produced with Portland Center Stage.

Tucked away on some seldom traveled stretch of road, Letitia, Rafael and newcomer Jason work under the watchful eye of Clyde, who runs her eponymous dive like a prison warden: It’s her way, or the highway. But under the tutelage of the sage-like Montrellous, the cooks learn to channel �������’s antipathy into inspiration and use their kitchen skills to craft a recipe for a brighter future. Set outside of Reading, PA, “�������’s” is a workplace comedy about horrible bosses, the revelations that come from hitting rock bottom and the power of art to redeem all who choose to eat at its table.

“I am so grateful to ���ϲ����� Stage and Portland Center Stage for the opportunity to dive into Lynn Nottage’s excellent play,” said Director Chip Miller. “With humor and heart, ‘Clyde’s’ is a meditation on how we access our humanity after we’ve been robbed of it and the power of a collective to make small, but significant steps towards redemption through the act of nourishing others. I cannot wait to explore the rich and delicious world of these characters with this incredible team of collaborators.”

The “�������’s” production team includes Britton Mauk (sets), Dominique Fawn Hill (costumes), Marika Kent (lights), Phil Johnson (sound) and Dylinn Andrew (hair and wigs). The cast includes Andrea Vernae* as Clyde, Setareki Wainiqolo* as Montrellous, Orion Bradshaw* as Jason, Lauren Steele* as Letitia and Pascal Arquimedes* as Rafael.

“We are pleased to partner with our colleagues at Oregon’s Portland Center Stage to bring this powerful and timely story to life for Central New York,” said Bob Hupp, ���ϲ����� Stage artistic director. “Lynn Nottage is a preeminent theatrical storyteller and ‘�������’s’ is one of her best. After seeing it on Broadway in 2021, I felt confident ‘�������’s’ would be a story that would engage our community and I’m thrilled to share this funny, compelling play with everyone as part of our 50th Anniversary season.”

Lynn Nottage’s plays include the Pulitzer-prize winning “Ruined,” “By The Way, Meet Vera Stark,” “MJ The Musical” and “Intimate Apparel,” which was performed at ���ϲ����� Stage in 2006. Born in Brooklyn in 1964, Nottage is a 2007 MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship recipient, was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2019 and currently teaches playwriting at Columbia University.

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $25, with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets may be purchased online at , by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office.

Pay-What-You-Will performances for “�������’s” are from Jan. 31 through Feb. 4 inclusive; Prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one-hour before curtain on Feb. 4, 10 and 15; the Post-show Talkback will take place on Sunday, Feb. 11, after the 7:30 performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has its open-captioned performances scheduled for Feb. 7 and 18, at 2 p.m. and Feb. 17, at 7:30 p.m., as well as an audio-described performance on Sunday, Feb. 17, at 2 p.m.

The Slutzker Family Foundation is the Presenting Sponsor for the 50th Anniversary Season. Additional season support comes from the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation and Advance Media New York. The community partner for “�������’s” is the Center for Community Alternatives.

�������’s

• Written by Lynn Nottage
• Directed by Chip Miller
• Co-Produced with Portland Center Stage
• Scenic design by Britton Mauk
• Costume design by Dominique Fawn Hill
• Lighting design by Marika Kent
• Sound design by Phil Johnson
• Hair and Wig design by Dylinn Andrew
• Production Stage Manager: Bianca Mercado-Boller*
• Casting: Bass/Valle Casting

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

The production runs Nov. 24 to Dec. 31 in the Archbold Theatre at ���ϲ����� Stage, 820 E. Genesee St., ���ϲ�����.

Melissa Rain Anderson, who dazzled audiences last season with “Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” returns to direct this co-production of “A Christmas Carol,” along with music director Brian Cimmet, choreographer Andrea Leigh-Smith and New York City-based 2 Ring Circus, together taking this timeless tale to new heights.

“This is absolutely my favorite adaptation of ‘A Christmas Carol,’” says Anderson. “There is so much heart and joy woven into this classic holiday ghost story, and 2 Ring Circus’ work blends seamlessly into the production, using historic Victorian clowns and acrobatic lamplighters, as well as phantoms and ghosts that fly above the action and above the audience.”

Featuring a cast of over three dozen performers, “A Christmas Carol” joins seasoned pros from across the country with students from the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Department of Drama and local young actors making their ���ϲ����� Stage debuts in a music-filled spectacle that charts Ebenezer Scrooge’s soul-searching holiday sojourn, with help from a host of otherworldly spirits.

The production team, many returning from last year’s “Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” includes Kimberly Powers (scenic design), David Kay Mickelsen (costume design), Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz (lighting design), Jacqueline R. Herter (sound design), Ryan Moller (wig design) and Blake Segal (dialect coach).

Anderson adds, “Kim Powers’ scenic design allows the audience inside our magical world with steps leading out into the aisles, giving an immersive feel to the evening. We are grateful to share the true spirit of the holidays with the ultimate story of redemption, kindness, generosity and love.”

“We’re thrilled to create this all-new production of the quintessential holiday classic for our 50th season,” says Bob Hupp, artistic director. “This one has something for everyone; it’s a treat for young and old alike.”

With scores of memorable characters and iconic moments, Hellesen’s adaptation retains the playful, joyous and sometimes ominous tone of Dickens’ source material, while sprinkling in mesmerizing theatrical flair and spirited holiday songs like “Home at Christmastide” and “Wassail.”

“I love this particular adaptation of ‘A Christmas Carol’ because it’s wonderfully faithful to Dickens’ novella and it brings to life the celebratory flavor of the season,” adds Hupp. “It’s also visually spectacular, which is something we’ve come to expect from this visionary creative team. It’s the perfect holiday celebration.”

Published in 1843 just days before Christmas, Dickens’ tale of generosity’s triumph over greed became an instant hit and is often credited with revitalizing the holiday tradition in England and the United States. “A Christmas Carol: In Prose, Being a Ghost Story of Christmas” has since been adapted countless times for the stage and screen and continues to be a touchstone of popular culture today; Scrooge’s emphatic “Bah, humbug,” and Tiny Tim’s declaration of “God Bless us, everyone,” are phrases known the world over.

Charles Dickens, widely considered amongst the greatest writers of English literature, authored some 15 novels, including “Oliver Twist,” “Great Expectations,” “The Pickwick Papers” and “A Tale of Two Cities.” He died in 1870, at the age of 58, and is buried at Poets’ Corner of Westminster Abbey in London, England.

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $40 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets may be purchased online at , by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office.

Pay-What-You-Will performances for “A Christmas Carol” are Nov. 29 to Dec. 3 inclusive; prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one-hour before curtain time on Dec. 3, 9 and 14; the post-show talkback will take place on Sunday, Dec. 3, after the 7:30 performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has its open-captioned performances scheduled for Dec. 6 and 17 at 2 p.m. and Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m., as well as an audio-described performance on Sunday, Nov. 4, at 2 p.m.

In addition, ���ϲ����� Stage will have a Spanish language open-captioned performance of “A Christmas Carol” scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 30, at 7:30 p.m. With a translation commissioned from Claudia Quesada, this one-night only event is the first time ���ϲ����� Stage has offered this Spanish language option for the Central New York Community.

A special sensory friendly and open captioned performance is scheduled for Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. The sensory friendly performance provides a welcoming environment that lets all patrons enjoy themselves freely without judgment or inhibition. This live theater experience invites autistic individuals, as well as those living with ADHD, dementia and other sensory sensitivities, to enjoy a performance in a “shush free” zone. House lights will be dimmed, but not turned out completely, patrons may move about as necessary for their comfort and patrons will not be discouraged from vocalizing during the performance. Fidget toys and other materials will be provided for patrons. All tickets to the sensory friendly performance are $35 and include a 100 percent refund right up to the start of the show if unable to attend.

The Slutzker Family Foundation is the Presenting Sponsor for the 50th Anniversary Season. Additional season support comes from the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation and Advance Media New York.��The community partner for “A Christmas Carol” is Interfaith Works of Central New York.

Climb aboard the haunted vessel the Mary Whalen with 15 other passengers and embark on a fully immersive, multisensory theatrical journey to uncover the truth behind the tragic murder of a young girl. But beware: beyond the distant sound of crashing waves and the wail of a foghorn lies a world of frightful visions that will linger long after you return to port.

For director Ricky Pak, “Ghost Ship” provides a rare opportunity to craft a theatrical horror experience that not only frightens, but also invites audience members to ponder the meaning behind the tragedies in our everyday lives: “Our job as storytellers is to reflect more deeply on the story, the circumstances, our characters, and figure out: How did we end up here?” Pak says. “Whenever you look at any sort of real horror story, at the root of that is tragedy.”

Pak also aims to highlight the classic nature of the play, emphasizing that “Ghost Ship” is, although nontraditional in a theatrical sense, storytelling in its most basic form. He says, “What are the tragic elements of the story, of the characters, of the situation, and how do we focus on that, making it no different than any Shakespearean or Greek tragedy?”

“Ghost Ship” will engage all five senses, enhancing the atmosphere and bringing the chilling tale of the Mary Whalen to life in the Storch Theatre. “In this show, we’re going to see things. We’re going to hear things. We’re going to feel things—actually physically feel things,” Pak says.

The level of multi-sensory experience will be determined by each participant, and audience members who do not wish to be engaged with physically during the performances can express their preference before showtime, while still enjoying “Ghost Ship” and its spine-tingling delights.

“Ghost Ship” sets sail multiple times per day Nov. 10-18.

“Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill”

continues its 50th Anniversary Season with “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” by Lanie Roberston, a jukebox musical that takes an unflinching look at the life and times of legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday. The production runs from Oct. 18 to Nov. 5, in the Archbold Theatre at ���ϲ����� Stage, 820 E. Genesee St., ���ϲ�����.

Born Eleanora Fagan in Philadelphia in 1915, Billie Holiday began singing in Harlem nightclubs as a teenager, adopting a stage name that honored actress Billie Dove and her father Clarence Halliday. She quickly rose to fame, praised for the dramatic, emotional renderings she gave of jazz, swing and blues standards, employing her warm timbre, unique vocal phrasing and loose, improvised musicality.

Directed at ���ϲ����� Stage by Jade King Carroll, “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” dramatizes one of Holiday’s final concerts, given at the title venue in Philadelphia in 1959, just four months before she died of cirrhosis of the liver. Featuring a collection of Holiday’s most celebrated hits–from the tender, romantic “When a Woman Loves a Man” and ”What a Little Moonlight Can Do,” to the defiant, mournful ”God Bless the Child” and “Strange Fruit”–the play paints a portrait of a tortured yet brilliant artist grasping for a legacy, determined to share the joy and sorrow of jazz with those who need to hear it most.

“Billie Holiday was a trailblazing artist who had a profound impact on the American musical scene,” says Bob Hupp, artistic director. “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome this amazing cast and creative team to ���ϲ����� Stage and cannot wait for our audiences to experience the power and passion of Holiday’s music with this intimate and moving production.”

Nicknamed “Lady Day” by a music partner, Holiday led an often tumultuous life; after a difficult childhood, she struggled with drugs and alcohol, entered a series of troubled relationships and was arrested for narcotics possession in 1947. Because of legal issues and her ailing health, Holiday’s career suffered a downturn in the 1950s, but she remained a beloved and influential vocalist throughout her lifetime and is today considered one of the most important figures in American popular music. Holiday died on July 17, 1959, in New York City, leaving behind a collection of iconic recordings that earned her four posthumous Grammy Awards, and collectively inspired generations of artists to sing the blues. First staged at the Vineyard Theatre in 1986, “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” premiered on Broadway in 2014 with Audra McDonald in the title role, earning her a sixth Tony Award for Actress in a Play.

Tracey Conyer Lee, last seen at ���ϲ����� Stage in former artistic director Tazewell Thompson’s “Constant Star” in 2003, reprises the role of Billie Holiday in this new production, having played the famed singer seven times at theatres throughout the country. Joining Lee onstage is music director Gary Mitchell Jr. as Jimmy Powers, Holiday’s pianist, with DeVaughn Jackson providing bass accompaniment. The production team is led by director Carroll, with scenic design by Brittany Vasta, costume and wig design by Karen Perry, lighting design by Mary Louise Geiger and sound design by ���ϲ����� Stage resident sound designer Jacqui Herter.

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $40 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets may be purchased online at , by phone at 315.443.3275 or in person at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office.

Pay-what-you-will performances for “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” are Oct. 18-22 inclusive; prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one-hour before curtain time on Oct. 22, 28 and Nov. 2; the post-show talkback will take place on Sunday, Oct. 29 after the 7:30 performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has its open-captioned performances scheduled for Oct. 25 and Nov. 5 at 2 p.m. and Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m., as well as an audio-described performance on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 2 p.m.

A special sensory-friendly and open-captioned performance is scheduled for Oct. 31, at 7:30 p.m. The sensory-friendly performance provides a welcoming environment that lets all patrons enjoy themselves freely without judgment or inhibition. This live theatre experience invites autistic individuals, as well as those living with ADHD, dementia and other sensory sensitivities, to enjoy a performance in a “shush-free” zone. House lights will be dimmed but not turned out completely, patrons may move about as necessary for their comfort and patrons will not be discouraged from vocalizing during the performance. Fidget toys and other materials will be provided for patrons. All tickets to the sensory-friendly performance are $35 and include the option for a 100 percent refund right up to the start of the show.

The Slutzker Family Foundation is the presenting sponsor for the 50th Anniversary Season. Additional season support comes from the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation and Advance Media New York. The community partner for “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill” is the ���ϲ����� Chapter of Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority.

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill

• Written by Lanie Robertson
• Musical arrangements by Danny Holgate
• Directed by Jade King Carroll
• Music direction by Gary Mitchell, Jr.
• Scenic design by Brittany Vasta
• Costume and wig design by Karen Perry
• Lighting design by Mary Louise Geiger
• Sound design by Jacqueline R. Herter
• Stage Manager: Laura Jane Collins
• Casting: Bass/Valle Casting

“Is it wrong to gamble, or only to lose?” asks librettist, composer, and lyricist Frank Loesser through the charming yet impulsive Sky Masterson. The scene is 1950s New York City: Gangsters run loose, showgirls perform at nightclubs and missionaries work to convert the city’s lost souls. Nathan Detroit, purveyor of a high-stakes craps game, makes a devious bet with Sky Masterson, and it’s not just money that’s on the line. If Nathan wins, he’s $1,000 richer and Sky must convince the innocent Sarah Brown to run off with him to Havana, Cuba. And the stakes are even higher for Nathan’s unwitting fiancé, Adelaide; it’s hard to plan a trip to the altar when the man of your dreams is constantly gambling away your wedding funds.

Director Banji Aborisade adds a new layer to the timeless musical with the addition of a Reader. “I thought, what better way to do it than to bring in the lens of someone from today because it only adds to the material and doesn’t take away from it,” says Aborisade. “I think it is super exciting, which makes me double down on the fact that I think the show is timeless—every generation can bring a different understanding to it. And we can deepen, and honor, what the writers originally wrote with today’s knowledge and push it forward.”

For Aborisade and his team, “Guys and Dolls” is both a celebration of how the world has progressed since the 1950s and the people who may not have been recognized in that time but directly affected and inspired the world we live in today. It is also an opportunity to explore how some things have not progressed at all. “The show is so deeply about relationships, and about change,” he said. Can relationships old and new sustain the trials and tribulations that come with differing morals and lifestyles? Can Nathan run the illegal craps game without getting caught by the police or his fiancée? Can Sky and Sarah have a genuine relationship when their romance is based on a bet?

Details

‘Guys and Dolls’

• Based on the original story and characters by Damon Runyon
• Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser
• Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
• Directed and Choreographed by Banji Aborisade
• Music direction by Brian Cimmet
• Scenic design by Robert John Andrusko
• Costume design by Katharine Tarkulich
• Lighting design by Ethan Newman
• Sound design by Kevin O’Connor
• Fight and intimacy choreography by Alec Barbour
• Dialect coaching by Blake Segal
• Dramaturgy by Alethea Shirilan-Howlett
• Stage managed by Tess Vocalina

Cast

• Zach Simpson Sky Masterson
• Jessica Cerreta Sarah Brown
• Diego Echeverria De Cordova Nathan Detroit
• Sydney Kamel Miss Adelaide
• Ethan Shavelson Nicely-Nicely Johnson
• Ian Purcell Benny Southstreet
• Jaemon Crosby Arvide Abernathy
• Mackenzie Furlett General Cartwright
• Morgan Perry Lt. Brannigan
• Alice Meyer The Reader
• Thomas Locke Harry the Horse, Ensemble
• Justin Zimmerman Rusty Charlie, Ensemble
• Adam Forward Big Jule, Ensemble
• Ally Ebert Ensemble
• Connor English Ensemble
• Samantha Harnick Ensemble
• Morgan Lewis Ensemble
• Madison Marie Manning Ensemble
• Jaelynn Ricks Ensemble
• Blaise Rossmann Ensemble
• Emma Sucato Ensemble
• Axel Vera Ensemble
• Rileigh Very Ensemble

Swings

• Lauren Grace Holland
• Caroline Marchetti
• Hayden Poe
• Austin Rose
• Alex Russ
• Lili Williams

Understudies

• Thomas Locke (Sky Masterson)
• Rileigh Very (Sarah Brown)
• Adam Forward (Nathan Detroit)
• Mackenzie Furlett (Miss Adelaide, Big Jule)
• Connor English (Nicely-Nicely Johnson)
• Hayden Poe (Benny Southstreet)
• Austin Rose (Arvide Abernathy, Rusty Charlie)
• Ally Ebert (General Cartwright)
• Caroline Marchetti (Lt. Brannigan)
• Morgan Lewis (Harry the Horse)

Additional Credits

• Assistant Director: Samantha Croco
• Assistant Choreographer: Samantha Harnick
• Assistant Scenic Designer: Alexis Wilner
• Assistant Costume Designer: Sofia Pizer
• Assistant Lighting Designers: Maddy Clark, James Klemmer
• Assistant Stage Manager: Rachel Mondschein
• Dance Captain: Ally Ebert
• Fight Captain: Jaemon Crosby
• Intimacy Captain: Tess Vocalina

This transformational gift launches ���ϲ����� Stage’s 50th-anniversary��fundraising campaign, raising $2.5 million to ensure the vitality, innovation and sustainability of ���ϲ����� Stage for the next 50 years.

A gift of $1 million from the estate of the late George Wallerstein honors his late wife, Julie Haynes Lutz, by establishing the Julie Lutz New Play Development Fund.

Lutz was a ground-breaking astronomer and professor who loved traveling, the outdoors, music, food and theatre. She was a champion of the arts and was deeply committed to issues around diversity and inclusion. The Julie Lutz New Play Development Fund recognizes these interests and will specifically support new play activity, developing and producing exciting new work for the theatre.

“This gift marks a leap forward in ���ϲ����� Stage’s continuing commitment to foster and develop relationships with the most exciting artists working in the American theatre today, with a particular focus on sharing stories from underrepresented communities,” says Jill A. Anderson, ���ϲ����� Stage’s managing director. “Dr. Lutz’s love of theatre and commitment to social justice is forever memorialized by this remarkably generous gift.”

The first production under the umbrella of the Julie Lutz New Play Development Fund was the 2023 world premiere of “Tender Rain” by Kyle Bass, ���ϲ����� Stage playwright in residence. Bass’ original work has long been a cornerstone of ���ϲ����� Stage, with shows like “Possessing Harriet” and “salt/city/blues” offering patrons the opportunity to see brand new plays and engage with stories that put their own community front and center.

“New plays and new voices are the lifeblood of a relevant theater,” says Bass. “In this regard, Julie Lutz’s extraordinary gift to ���ϲ����� Stage and the new play development fund it endows will touch artists and audiences beyond our walls. It allows us to develop, launch and grow new and exciting works into the world.”

The transformational nature of the Lutz Fund will continue to support the development of work in the vein of past Stage world premieres, like the 19/20 season production of Keenan Scott II’s “Thoughts of a Colored Man” which later opened at the John Golden Theatre in New York City, the joyful, Broadway-bound musical “How to Dance in Ohio,” and last season’s powerful East Coast premiere of “Espejos: Clean,” directed by associate artistic director Melissa Crespo.

The Julie Lutz New Play Development Fund grew from Lutz’s love of theatre, but also from her affectionate bond with her son-in-law, Bob Hupp, artistic director at ���ϲ����� Stage. Lutz had a particular fondness for new work, which was heightened during the pandemic. At the suggestion of her daughter, Clea Hupp, Lutz experienced the work of ���ϲ����� Stage by streaming productions at her home in Seattle, Washington.

It was during this online-only season, when professional theaters across the nation were shuttered, that the idea of establishing a new works fund was born to help support the playwrights and artists—especially those from communities whose stories are underrepresented in American theatre—who create that new work, now and for years to come.

In addition to supporting new play development and production, prioritizes two primary areas: programming sustainability and capital investments, as well as providing resources for the Stage’s ongoing operational needs post-COVID.

���ϲ����� Stage seeks to create a permanent Education and Community Engagement Fund, ensuring the continuation of vital programming essential to our community. Capital investments will be used to update equipment and technical tools available to the Stage production teams, including new accessibility, lighting, projection and sound equipment, as well as production communication systems.

“Some of my earliest childhood memories involve my parents getting dressed up to go to Daggy Theater to see a show,” says Lutz’s daughter, Melissa Lutz Blouin. “When we lived in London for a year on sabbatical, she took us to shows in the West End. We went to see plays when we visited her in Seattle. Her love of performance continued throughout her lifetime.”

Julie Haynes Lutz died Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at 77. She was one of the country’s first female astronomers, receiving a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1972. Her research focused on planetary nebulae, gas clouds formed by expiring stars. From 1971-96, she worked at Washington State University, serving first as the planetarium director and later as the Boeing Distinguished Professor of Mathematics and Science Education and director of the astronomy program. Lutz chaired the Department of Pure and Applied Mathematics from 1992-96 and was active in improving primary and secondary school science education. She also served as the director of the Division of Astronomical Sciences for the National Science Foundation from 1990-92 and as president of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific from 1991-93.

In 2000, she began working at the University of Washington as a NASA educator and was a professor emeritus. She was a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 2004, the United Negro College Fund gave Julie and her second husband, George Wallerstein, the President’s Award for their long-term fundraising activities for the organization.

The is pleased to announce the 2023/2024 season, consisting of six productions: “Guys and Dolls” (Oct. 6 – 15), “Ghost Ship” (Nov. 10 – 18), “A Christmas Carol” (Nov. 24 – Dec. 31 and co-produced with ���ϲ����� Stage), “Head Over Heels” (March 1 – 9), “Randy’s Dandy Coaster Castle” (March 29 – April 14) and “The Droll (Or, a Stage-Play About The End of Theatre)” (April 19 – 28).

This season offers several unique opportunities for audiences, providing a more immediate experience of the characters and action. “Ghost Ship” is a fully immersive, multi-sensory theatrical experience with a limited audience of only 16 ‘passengers’ per performance and a 45-minute runtime. Due to the length of the show, multiple performances will be held each evening. “Randy’s Dandy Coaster Castle” gives the audience the feel of being part of the employee’s breakroom and will be performed in the Loft Theatre instead of the Storch Theatre, where most Department of Drama productions are held.

To accommodate the unique theater experiences and seating of this season, the Department of Drama is offering a three-play subscription for 2023/2024. This subscription includes tickets for “Guys and Dolls,” “Head Over Heels” and “The Droll (Or a Stage-Play About the End of Theatre).” Single tickets will be available for “Ghost Ship,” “A Christmas Carol” and “Randy’s Dandy Coaster Castle” with discounts available for subscribers.

“I am excited for the opportunities the upcoming season provides–not only for our audiences but also for our student performers and designers,” says Drama Department Chair Ralph Zito. “Not only are we presenting our usual wide range of stories, but we are also digging deeply into the way those stories are told as we explore immersive theater, intimate storytelling and new ways to incorporate music and dance.”

“Guys and Dolls,” is based on the story and characters of Damon Runyon, music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, directed and choreographed by Banji Aborisade with musical direction by Brian Cimmet. Topping Entertainment Weekly’s list of the ‘Greatest Musicals of All Time,’ “Guys and Dolls” is everything we love about musical theater. Nathan Detriot needs serious dough to keep his craps game afloat and his marriage-minded girlfriend, Adelaide, happy. When Nathan makes a bet with high-roller Sky Masterson, his problems appear to be solved. Featuring unforgettable show tunes like “Luck Be a Lady” and the irrepressible “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat,” “Guys and Dolls” will put a spring in your step and a smile on your face.

Up next, “Ghost Ship” by Philip Valle and directed by Ricky Pak is referred to as a tragedy without explanation and a mystery without escape by its playwright. Calling on its audience to climb aboard the ghastly Mary Whelan as they re-live a 19th-century murder trail, “Ghost Ship” is a 45-minute sensory voyage not for the timid of heart. Based on true events–and a mysteriously incomplete record–it was honored by the Kennedy Center in 2019 with ten national awards, including Outstanding Theatrical Creation.

The co-production with ���ϲ����� Stage is the iconic “A Christmas Carol,” by Charles Dickens, adapted by Richard Hellesen and David Deberry, with musical orchestration by Gregg Coffin. Located in the Archbold Theatre, this holiday season brings a tried-and-true family favorite to ���ϲ����� with the greatest ghost story ever told. Melissa Rain Anderson directs the treasured production, which runs from Nov. 24 to Dec. 31. Featuring the awe-inspiring 2-Ring Circus from New York City, this beautiful and timeless message of generosity’s triumphing over greed is sure to warm your heart and fill your soul when the weather turns cold.

The spring semester begins with “Head Over Heels,” by Jeff Whitty, adapted by James Magruder and directed by Kiira Schmidt-Carper and Kathleen Wrinn, with musical direction by Brian Cimmet. A hilarious and sexy celebration of love in all its infinite varieties, this bold and fierce modern musical comedy comes from the visionary minds that rocked Broadway with “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “Avenue Q” and “Spring Awakening.” Told through the story of a royal family embarking on an extravagant journey and set to the iconic music of the 1980s all-female band The Go-Go’s, it includes the hit songs “We Got the Beat,” “Vacation” and Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth.”

Following “Head Over Heels” is “Randy’s Dandy Coaster Castle,” by Alexander Perez and directed by Adam Coy in the Loft Theatre. It’s always a great day at Randy’s–unless you work there! “Randy’s Dandy” is a darkly comedic play following the lives of five co-workers at a small, run-down amusement park in the Florida Panhandle. The highs and lows of working at “Randy’s” are no joke, but it’s also too funny and too relatable not to break your heart and leave you laughing throughout. “Randy’s Dandy” explores class, capitalism and the American dream through the colorful lens of a deeply flawed and human group of people.

The season concludes with “The Droll (Or, a Stage-Play About the End of Theatre),” directed by Celia Madeoy. In 2011, playwright Meg Miroshnik pondered the question, “What would it have been like to discover a passion for acting during the 18 years in which theater was illegal and considered an abomination in 17th-century Puritan England?” She also posed the question: “What is it like to fall in love with theater today in the face of anxieties about its future and future audiences?” This daring and darkly funny play celebrates our need to come together in the act of collective storytelling.

A three-play subscription for “Guys and Dolls,” “Head Over Heels” and “The Droll (Or a Stage-Play About the End of Theatre)” is through the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office, or by calling 315.443.3275. Single tickets for all shows are also on sale.

DETAILS

“Guys and Dolls”
Based on original story and characters by Damon Runyon
Music and lyrics by Frank Loesser
Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
Directed and Choreographed by Banji Aborisade
Music direction by Brian Cimmet
Oct. 6 – 15

“Ghost Ship”
By Philip Vale
Directed by Ricky Pak
Nov. 10 – 18

“A Christmas Carol”
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Richard Hellesen and David Deberry
Music by Gregg Coffin
Directed by Melissa Rain Anderson
Co-produced with ���ϲ����� Stage
Featuring 2 Ring Circus
Nov. 24 – Dec. 31

“Head Over Heels”
By Jeff Whitty
Adapted by James Magruder
Directed Kiira Schmidt-Carper and Kathleen Wrinn
Music direction by Brian Cimmet
March 1 – 9

“Randy’s Dandy Coaster Castle”
By Alexander Perez
Directed by Adam Coy
March 29 – April 14

“The Droll (Or, a Stage-Play About the End of Theatre)”
By Meg Miroshnik
Directed by Celia Madeoy
April 19 – 28

In 2016 ���ϲ����� Stage offered its first Sensory Friendly performance with “Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins,” which was met with overwhelmingly positive patron response. The community enthusiasm for this inclusive event prompted ���ϲ����� Stage to include Sensory Friendly performances of the ever-popular holiday musical in each season that followed. This year, because of the continued success of these Sensory Friendly performances, ���ϲ����� Stage’s leadership is honored to expand this programming, giving community members of all ages opportunities to engage with each production of the 50th anniversary season in safe, inviting and meaningful ways.

“���ϲ����� Stage aims to cultivate an inclusive space for all who attend our performances. There are a number of people who are able to enjoy a production better when it is presented in the relaxed, accommodated environment of a Sensory Friendly show. The joy and communal experience of live theatre is something that we want everyone to be able to participate in,” says Robert Hupp, artistic director.

Sensory Friendly performances are designed with unique considerations for autistic adults and children, patrons with anxiety, cognitive or physical disabilities and other sensory processing needs. Sensory Friendly performances operate differently from other traditional performances in several key ways. House lights will be dimmed at curtain though will remain on throughout the show’s runtime, the sound levels in the theater will be lowered significantly, guests will not be discouraged from vocalizing in response to the performance and patrons are invited to come and go as they please at any time during the show. By creating a nonjudgmental, “shush-free” atmosphere, Sensory Friendly performances are part of ���ϲ����� Stage’s commitment to make the theater a more accessible and inclusive live experience.

To prepare for Sensory Friendly performances, ���ϲ����� Stage has engaged with community members and professional consultants to identify elements and content that may prove distracting or irritating to those in the neurodivergent community. For each show, ���ϲ����� Stage has developed a Sensory Friendly Guide that outlines such moments and themes in the production in order to prepare audiences for the experience. For example, if there is a loud sound effect or slamming door, the guide will give an approximate time the event will occur, and small lights on either side of the theatre will illuminate prior to the event.

During Sensory Friendly+ shows—family-friendly offerings, like this season’s “A Christmas Carol”—moments or scenes may be altered to facilitate a more enjoyable experience. Performance modifications will vary depending on the show, and every consideration is made to uphold the artistic integrity of the production.

In addition to accommodations within the theater, trained staff will be on hand to assist patrons, and quiet spaces will be available for use any time before or during the Sensory Friendly performance. During Sensory Friendly+ shows, full Sensory Rooms will be available­ and outfitted with sensory objects, gym mats and activity stations. Although Sensory Friendly shows are specifically designed for children and adults with sensory sensitivity needs, families of these individuals—as well as any member of the community—can also enjoy these performances.

���ϲ����� Stage remains committed to making each and every performance accessible to all patrons, which is why Sensory Friendly safety kits are available at all non-Sensory Friendly performances. These kits include fidget toys, sunglasses and ear plugs for patrons to use throughout the show. More information about Sensory Friendly performances and sensory accommodations can be found on .

All tickets for Sensory Friendly performances for the 2023-24 are $35 and may be exchanged or returned for a 100% refund up until show time. Tickets and subscriptions may be purchased through the Box Office (315.443.3275) or at .

2023-24 Productions

“What the Constitution Means to Me”
By Heidi Schreck
Directed by Melissa Crespo
Sept. 13-Oct. 1
Sensory Friendly performance: Tuesday, Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.

“Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill”
By Laine Robertson
Musical Arrangements by Danny Holgate
Directed by Jade King Carroll
Oct.18-Nov. 5
Sensory Friendly performance: Tuesday, Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m.

“A Christmas Carol”
Written by Charles Dickens
Adapted by Richard Hellesen and David deBerry
Music orchestrations by Gregg Coffin
Directed by Melissa Rain Anderson
Featuring 2 Ring Circus
Co-produced with the ���ϲ����� Department of Drama
Nov. 24-Dec. 31
Sensory Friendly+ performance: Saturday, Dec. 30, 2:00 p.m.

“�������’s”
Written by Lynn Nottage
Directed by Chip Miller
Co-produced with Portland Center Stage.
Jan. 31-Feb. 18
Sensory Friendly performance: Tuesday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m.

“Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express”
Written by Agatha Christie
Adapted by Ken Ludwig
Directed by Robert Hupp
March 12-April 7
Sensory Friendly performance: Tuesday, March 26, 7:30 p.m.

“Once”
Book by Enda Walsh
Music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová
Based on the motion picture written and directed by John Carney
Directed by Melissa Crespo
May 1-19
Sensory Friendly performance: Tuesday, May 14, 7:30 p.m.

“These two exciting additions to our 50^th season lineup reflect our desire to encourage everyone to make ���ϲ����� Stage a part of their life in the coming year,” says Bob Hupp, artistic director of ���ϲ����� Stage. “In our intimate space we create these productions, especially for our Central New York audience, and we can’t wait to get the new season underway.”

With a book by the brilliant Irish playwright Enda Walsh, it is no surprise that ���ϲ����� Stage audiences have been asking for Once since it was originally announced as part of the 2019/2020 season that was cut short.

The Broadway musical adaptation of the indie film was nominated for 11 Tony Awards and won eight including Best Musical, Best Actor and Best Book in 2012. A year later it also won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album. With music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, Once is the story of a jaded Irish busker on the verge of abandoning his songs and a young Czech émigré who rekindles his passion for music and his desire for life and love. Their story springs to life on stage with the spirit and energy of a lively pub music session as the performers serve as cast and band. Directed by ���ϲ����� Stage Associate Artistic Director Melissa Crespo, Once is a warmly affecting show that understands the power of music to move the human heart.

“It’s been years in the making, but our most-requested musical will finally be part of our new season. Once is one of my personal favorites and I can’t wait to see it on our stage next spring,” says Hupp.

In the second slot Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, by Lanie Robertson, musical arrangements by Danny Holgate and directed by Jade King Carroll, chronicles Billie Holiday’s life story through the songs that made her famous. It premiered in 1984 in Atlanta and was followed by a successful Off-Broadway run, which won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Book. Lady Day’s Broadway debut came in 2014, starring Audra McDonald, and won her the Tony Award for Best Actress. The production was then relocated to New Orleans where it was filmed and made into a movie for HBO. McDonald returned to the role in London’s West End in 2016.

Lady Day takes audiences to 1959 in a small, seedy bar in Philadelphia. Holiday puts on a show that unbeknownst to the audience, will leave them witness to one of the last performances of her life. One of the greatest jazz and blues singers of all-time shares her loves and losses through her poignant voice and moving songs, including: “Strange Fruit,” “God Bless the Child,” “When a Woman Loves a Man” and “Ain’t Nobody’s Business if I Do.” Lady Day replaces the previously announced Thunder Knocking on the Door.

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets for all shows��start at $25 with discounts available for groups of 10 or more. Subscriptions are on sale now and can be purchased by��visiting , by calling 315.443.3275 or by visiting the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office at 820 E. Genesee Street. Single tickets go on sale in July.

���ϲ����� Stage also offers a variety of performances designed to create access for all and enhance the theatre-going experience. Pay-what-you-will performances for Lady Day and Once are on Oct. 18–21 and May 1-5 respectively. Open-captioned performances are scheduled for Oct. 25 and Nov. 4 and 5 for Lady Day and May 8, 18 and 19 for Once. Audio-described performances are on Nov. 4 and May 18; American Sign Language translation is offered at performances on Oct. 28 and May 11. Sensory-friendly performances are available for both productions on Oct. 31 and May 14.

Audiences can gain deeper knowledge about the productions with prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one-hour before curtain, on Oct. 22, 28 and Nov. 2 for Lady Day and May 5, 11 and 16 for Once. The post-show talkbacks will take place on Oct. 29 and May 5 following the 7:30 p.m. performance.

The Slutzker Family Foundation is the Presenting Sponsor for the 50^th Anniversary Season. Additional season support comes from the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation.��

Show Details

What the Constitution Means to Me
By Heidi Schreck
Directed by Melissa Crespo
Sept. 13 through Oct. 1

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill
By Lanie Robertson
Musical arrangements by Danny Holgate
Directed by Jade King Carroll
Oct. 18 through Nov. 5

A Christmas Carol
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Richard Hellesen and David DeBerry
Music orchestration by Gregg Coffin
Directed by Melissa Rain Anderson
Featuring 2 Ring Circus
Co-produced with the ���ϲ����� Department of Drama
Nov. 24 through Dec. 31

�������’s
By Lynn Nottage
Directed by Chip Miller
Co-produced with Portland Center Stage
Jan. 31 through Feb. 18

Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express
By Agatha Christie
Adapted by Ken Ludwig
Directed by Robert Hupp
March 13-31��

Once
Book by
Music and Lyrics by and
Based on the motion picture written and directed by
Directed by Melissa Crespo
May 1-19

Based on the iconic 1985 film—which was inspired by the classic Hasbro board game—”CLUE” is a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery. In a remote mansion not far away from Washington D.C., six mysterious (and colorful) guests assemble for an unusual dinner party where murder and blackmail are on the menu.

���ϲ����� Stage closes its 2022/2023 season with a production of the ultimate whodunnit, “CLUE.”

When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects—does the sudden demise of Mr. Boddy have any connection to the ongoing hearings conducted by Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee? As the body count rises, Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock, Colonel Mustard and Wadsworth, the butler, race to find the killer. “CLUE” is a comedy filled with twists and turns that will leave both diehard fans and newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out who did it, where they did it and with what.

“We’re thrilled to conclude our current season with this popular production of ‘CLUE,’” Hupp says. “As a board game and later as a movie, ‘CLUE’��has been part of our cultural landscape for decades. Now we can dive into the fun of seeing those iconic characters come to life on stage. ‘CLUE’ is just a great, fun night of theatre for everyone to enjoy. We opened ‘CLUE’ a few weeks ago in Indianapolis, so I’ve had the opportunity to see this production. Believe me, this cast kills it. This kind of pure entertainment is something we all need today and a delightful finale to our 49th season.”

The cast creating all this fun-filled chaos onstage are Ryan Artzberger (Mr. Boddy, Motorist, Chief of Police), Emily Berman (Miss Scarlet), Emjoy Gavino (Mrs. White), Devan Mathias (Cook, Telegram, Backup Cop), Beethovan Oden (Professor Plum), Andrea San Miguel (Yvette), John Taylor Philips (Wadsworth), Eric Sharp (Mr. Green), Kerrington Shorter (Unexpected Cop, Backup Cop), Claire Wilcher (Mrs. Peacock), and Henry Woronicz (Colonel Mustard).

“’CLUE’ is truly a multigenerational phenomenon,” says director��Benjamin Hanna, who was recently named artistic director at Indiana Repertory Theatre. “The stage version of ‘CLUE’ is a delightful mashup of genres and styles. It combines our love of crime novels, mystery, farce and gaming, all while celebrating some favorite pop-culture characters. This adaptation is a blend of iconic film moments and the board game, creating a beautiful playground for our magnificent cast to contribute their own comedic genius.”

‘CLUE’ is based on the Paramount movie and classic board game of the same name. It contains mild profanity and adult themes and will be best enjoyed by patrons 12 years and older.��All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $30 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets can be purchased by visiting , by calling 315.443.3275 or by visiting the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office at 820 E. Genesee St.

Pay-what-you-will performances are��June 7-11 inclusive; Prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one hour before curtain time on June 11, June 17 and June 22; the post-show Sunday discussion will take place on June 18 after the 7:30 p.m. performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has its open-captioned performances scheduled for June 14 and June 25 at 2 p.m., as well as an audio-described performance on Saturday, June 24 at 2 p.m.

A special sensory-friendly and open-captioned performance is scheduled for June 24 at 7:30 p.m. The sensory-friendly performance provides a welcoming environment that lets all patrons express themselves freely without judgement or inhibition. This live theatre experience invites autistic individuals, as well as those living with ADHD, dementia, and other sensory sensitivities, to enjoy a performance in a “shush-free” zone. House lights will be dimmed, but not turned out completely, patrons may move about as necessary for their comfort and patrons will not be discouraged from vocalizing during the performance. Fidget toys and other materials will be provided for patrons. All tickets to the sensory-friendly performance are $30 and include a 100% refund right up to the start of the show.

The Department of Drama closes its 2022/2023 season with Ruhl’s “Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical,” directed by Daniella Caggiano, April 28 through May 7. Performances will be held in the Storch Theater at the ���ϲ����� Stage/���ϲ����� Drama Complex, 820 E. Genesee St. Tickets are available through the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office at or by phone at 315.443.3275.

In the absurd, sensual and heartfelt play, Ruhl endows melancholy with aphrodisiac power in the person of Tilly, a bank teller whose lingering sadness attracts everyone around her. So acute is the attraction that when Tilly suddenly finds happiness, she throws the others into despair. With characteristic whimsy and nuanced seriousness, Ruhl considers the many different ways to find joy and how sadness is a necessary component of happiness.

The play’s lyrical nature and musicality underscore the depth of feeling and the ways those feelings can create ripples—“Melancholy is looking out of an open window full of longing. Depressed is behind a thick pane of glass,” wrote Ruhl.

Director Caggiano explores the tensions between the play’s absurdity and serious undertones. This version of the piece is set in 2002, a time when mental health was a subversive subject, doomed to be tucked under beds and shut behind closed doors.

“Our show emphasizes how important community is, to have a community that cares, for a space to have community with other people,” says Caggiano. This atmosphere of community permeates the rehearsal room which emphasizes equal collaboration and fun. “It’s called a play, if we’re not having fun, what are we doing.”

The production runs Wednesday, May 3, through Sunday, May 21, at ���ϲ����� Stage in the Archbold Theater.

Set in a small Southern city, circa the mid-1950s, “Tender Rain” introduces us to Milton Millard Milton, a white banker, and Ruthie Mimms, an older Black woman, and their deeply familial and complex relationship which profoundly influences Milton’s life.

Approaching late-middle-aged and childless, Milton and his wistful wife, Dolores, are lost in a marital fog of secrets and emotional withholding. Is there a way forward for them? Can Milton seek aid from Ruthie without destroying their relationship? Will the momentary escape Milton finds in the arms of a younger woman spare him the reckoning he must ultimately face?��“Tender Rain” richly observes a layered emotional landscape rooted in an oppressive society as it explores intimacy, race, and the assumptions we all make about one another.

Kyle Bass

“Tender Rain” is the fourth play written by Bass and produced by ���ϲ����� Stage for their mainstage. Bass has also written two Backstory scripts as part of ���ϲ����� Stage Education programming, and as part of a project focusing on the lives of student military veterans, Bass wrote “Separated,” which was presented on the Storch stage and at the Paley Center in New York City.

���ϲ����� Stage Artistic Director Bob Hupp says, “The beauty of this play lies in the richness of Kyle’s language. ‘Tender Rain’ tackles the complexity of relationships in ways that transcend the time in which the play is set. This is not a play that could easily translate to television; this is a work that demands to live on a stage. That’s what I find so compelling about Kyle’s work, and that’s why we’re honored to support his craft as our resident playwright, and as a defining voice of our organization.”

Bass refers to “Tender Rain” as a “symphonic drama,” and it is also the first full-length play Bass ever wrote.

“It’s strange and wonderful to be working on this play again nearly 20 years after I first started writing it as my graduate thesis. In revisiting it for its world premiere, I could revise the play, but I could not revise the playwright who first brought it to the page—an exercise in acceptance and possibility. My process mirrored the underlying metaphor of the play: how do we as a nation fully acknowledge and reckon with the difficult and unchangeable truths of our shared past and move forward together in the light of those truths towards a more compassionate future?” Bass says.

The cast features Devereau Chumrau as Lily/Doctor, Brian Dykstra as Milton Millard, LeeAnne Hutchison as Dolores Millard, Marjorie Johnson as Ruthie Mimms, Erin Lockett as Deirdre/Aralia, Niall Powderly as Eddie “Brother” James, and Jenny Strassburg as Mary Honeycutt.

Director Hudson’s creative team consists of scenic designer Se Hyun Oh, costume designer Tracy Dorman, lighting designer Dawn Chiang, sound designer Fabian Obispo and wig designer Bobbie Zlotnick. Laura Jane Collins is the stage manager.

Hudson was an assistant professor in the ‘ drama department for 26 years, directing over 30 productions.

Opening Night for the world premiere is set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 5. All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $30 with discounts available for students and groups of 10 or more. Tickets can be purchased by visiting , by calling 315.443.3275, or by visiting the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office at 820 East Genesee St.

Pay-what-you-will performances are May 3-6; prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one-hour before curtain time on May 7, May 13 and May 18; the post-show Sunday discussion will take place on Sunday, May 14, after the 7:30 performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has its open-captioned performances scheduled for May 10 at 2 p.m., May 20 at 7:30 p.m. and May 21 at 2 p.m., as well as an audio-described performance on May 20 at 2 p.m. The production Happy Hour takes place an hour prior to the 7:30 p.m. curtain on May 11.

Season support for ���ϲ����� Stage is made possible by The Slutzker Family Foundation.

Auditioners should note that the production schedule for “A Christmas Carol” includes morning student matinees in addition to regularly scheduled matinee and evening performances. The production runs Nov. 24-Dec. 31 and cast members must be available for rehearsals beginning Oct. 24 at ���ϲ����� Stage. Rehearsals are not held on Mondays. Young actors will not be required to be at all rehearsals. Rehearsals for youth actors will generally be held weekdays after 4 p.m. and during the day on weekends.

The opportunity:

“A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens
Adapted for the stage by Richard Hellesen and David deBerry
Music orchestration by Gregg Coffin
Directed by Melissa Rain Anderson
Music direction by Brian Cimmet
Choreography by Andrea Leigh-Smith
Aerial design by 2 Ring Circus
Co-produced with the ���ϲ����� Department of Drama

Seeking casting for:

• Beggar child/school boy: Any ethnicity, young boy aged 8-12. Excellent singer/actor who moves very well. Seeking a versatile actor with strong language skills, fun playful energy and grounded genuine honesty.
• Fan/Belinda Cratchit: Any ethnicity, young girl aged 9-12. Excellent singer/actor who moves very well. Seeking a versatile actor with strong language skills, fun playful energy and grounded genuine honesty.
• Boy Scrooge/Edward Cratchit: Any ethnicity, young boy aged 8-10. Excellent singer/actor who moves very well. Seeking a versatile actor with strong language skills, fun playful energy and grounded genuine honesty.
• Tiny Tim/school boy: Any ethnicity, young boy or girl aged 5-8. Actor who moves very well. Seeking a versatile actor with fun playful energy and grounded genuine honesty. Says: “God bless us everyone.”
• Turkey boy/school boy: Any ethnicity, young boy or girl aged 8-10. Excellent singer/actor who moves very well. Seeking a versatile actor with strong language skills, fun playful energy and grounded genuine honesty.
• Chestnut seller/school boy: Any ethnicity, young boy or girl aged 10-12. Excellent singer/actor who moves very well. Seeking a versatile actor with strong language skills, fun playful energy and grounded genuine honesty.

Auditions will be held in-person on April 28 and 29. All audition submission instructions will be updated on the .

Notes:

• Actors are required to bring a picture and resume.
• Actors will be emailed a few pages of the script in advance to prepare for auditions.
• Actors should prepare up to 32 bars of a song or Christmas carol and bring the sheet music for that song to the audition.
• Actors of all ethnicities are strongly encouraged to audition.
• Please note that proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required to work at ���ϲ����� Stage.
• Interested actors must .

Any questions about the auditioning process should be directed to Cynthia Reid.

The greatest ghost story ever told, Charles Dickens’ beloved “A Christmas Carol” is a tried-and-true family favorite. It shines a light on the power of kindness and love in an uplifting tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and his journey to redemption. “A Christmas Carol” is “a beautiful, timeless message of generosity’s triumph over greed,” according to the Chicago Tribune.

Subscriptions for the 2023-24 season are on sale now at or by calling the Box Office at 315.443.3275. Single tickets go on sale in July.

As part of the community engagement efforts at ���ϲ����� Stage, Joann Yarrow, director of community engagement and education, thinks the vendor fair provides the perfect connecting point for Syracusans. “We are so excited to involve local vendors of our town of ���ϲ����� to share the variety of artistry and unique offerings. It is important to support our local small businesses who bring so much to ���ϲ�����” says Yarrow.

Community friends and neighbors can gather at this two-day event in the theatre lobby as artisans and small-business owners display products for sale ranging from jewelry to health and beauty products and décor and home goods to the latest in pet needs for our animal friends. The Our Town vendor fair is free, and all members of the community are welcome, a ticket purchase to the production is not required.

Vendors currently scheduled are:

• Au Mélange: Cleanse, Nourish and Restore with the rejuvenating oils of Au Mélange
• Better Brittle: West African-style small-batch brittles made right here in ���ϲ�����
• Diane Schenandoah: Indigenous arts
• Soul Love Candle Co.: Magical soy wax candles and wax melts adorned with crystals
• Room to Improve: Home décor and gift shop based in Minoa, New York
• Styles by Bellamy: Women’s clothing and jewelry
• Marcrame by Tatinanna Monet: Artisan shop selling eco-friendly macrame home décor items
• AFROdisiac Ceramics: Handmade ceramic works by local artist
• Happy Tails Dog Shop: Specialty dog shop focusing on high-quality supplements, treats and enrichment toys

An American masterpiece, “Our Town” is described by Wilder as, “an attempt to find value above all price for the smallest events in our daily life.” The playwright succeeded with this graceful and poetic play that reminds us to cherish every moment we’re together and to embrace the true wonder (and brevity) of being alive.

Famous actors of stage and screen have taken on the challenging role of the Stage Manager, including Paul Newman, Spalding Gray, Henry Fonda and Helen Hunt.

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m., while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $30 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets can be purchased by visiting , by calling 315.443.3275, or by visiting the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office at 820 East Genesee Street.

Season support for�����ϲ����� Stage is made possible by the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation, Advance Media New York, and The Slutzker Family Foundation.

“This is a play about 13-year-old girls. It’s also a play about women, ambition and desire,” says Barron. Set in the pressure cooker milieu of an impending competition, Barron uses the comedic drama of a Liverpool, Ohio dance team to expose their rivalries, competitiveness, support and joy, and to reveal not only their sensitivities and insecurities but their fierce undeniable power. “Dance Nation” has been called a refreshingly unorthodox play that conveys the joy and abandon of dancing, while addressing the changes to the body and mind of its characters as they peer over the precipice toward adulthood.

McGerr, alongside the production team and various consultants, wanted to channel the energy and spirit of the play into the rehearsal room and cultivated a space that encouraged collaboration and throws a “yay party!” whenever a mistake is made — a mistake that will inevitably lead to growth. Much like this play whose enemy is self-judgment, those in the rehearsal room are encouraged to grow, play and embrace their individuality.

Above all else, “Dance Nation” poses the question, “What am I going to do with all this power?” encouraging adolescents and adults alike to take the stage and use their microphones as conduits for the cosmos.��

“Dance Nation”��By Clare Barron

• Directed by Katherine McGerr
• Choreographed by Felipe Panamá
• Scenic design by Angel Lam
• Costume design by Sofia Pizer
• Lighting design by Mairead Cummins
• Sound design by Kevin O’Connor
• Fight choreography by Alec Barbour
• Intimacy choreography by Yvonne Perry
• Voice/Verse coaching by Holly Thuma
• Dramaturgy by Wesley Tipton
• Stage manager: Jess DeLucia

Cast

• Kailee Brandt Amina
• Olivia Busche Zuzu
• Emily Castillo-Langley Vanessa/Moms
• Avaana Harvey Connie
• Sofia Leche Ashlee
• Adelaide Lobenthal Sofia
• Rachel Mondschein Minda
• Kobi Oliver God Mic
• Alex Russ Luke
• Isaiah Tucker Dance Teacher Pat
• Emma Waterhouse Maeve

Understudies

• For Ashlee – Gwendalyn Rose Diaz
• For Maeve – Paide Kenneally
• For Connie – Lizzie Khan
• For Vanessa / Moms – Julia Kolinski
• For Sofia – Malvi Lucchini
• For Zuzu – Gillian Stoltz
• For Dance Teacher Pat – Truman Tinius
• For Luke – Axel Vera
• For Amina – Bella Zonderman

Performances

• Friday, March 24, 8 p.m. (Preview)
• Saturday, March 25, 8 p.m. (Opening)
• Sunday, March 26, 2 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 29, 8 p.m.
• Thursday, March 30, 8 p.m.
• Friday, March 31, 8 p.m.
• Saturday, April 1, 2 p.m. (Open captioned)
• Saturday, April 1, 8 p.m.
• Sunday, April 2, 2 p.m. (ASL interpreted)

Additional Credits

• Dance/Fight/Intimacy Captain: Truman Tinius
• Assistant Directors: Stella Bunch, Anthony Islam
• Assistant Scenic Designer: Evan Hoover
• Assistant Costume Designer: Adeline Livingston
• Assistant Lighting Designer: Maddy Clark
• Assistant Sound Designer: Jay Korter
• Assistant Stage Managers: Rachel Mondschein, Kobi Oliver
• Casting Associate: Carrie DeGraw
• Intimacy Shadow: Willow Funkhouser
• Consultants: Kadesha Adelakun, L.C.S.W.; Adriana Galaván, Ph.D.; Emily K. Harrison, Ph.D.

Noted actor of stage, TV and film, Jim True-Frost will play the seminal role of the stage Manager in “Our Town.” Best known for his portrayal of Roland “Prez” Pryzbylewski in the HBO series “The Wire,” True-Frost also starred as James Woodrow in “Treme” and as George Buxton in “Homicide: Life on the Street.” He’s appeared in such films as “Singles,” “The Hudsucker Proxy” and “Affliction,” and is a company member at the famed Steppenwolf Theatre Company. True-Frost and his family are current residents of ���ϲ�����.

An American masterpiece, “Our Town” is described by the Wilder as, “an attempt to find value above all price for the smallest events in our daily life.” The playwright succeeded with this graceful and poetic play that reminds us to cherish every moment we’re together and to embrace the true wonder (and brevity) of being alive. Famous actors of stage and screen have taken on the challenging role of the stage manager, including Paul Newman, Spalding Gray, Henry Fonda and Helen Hunt.

���ϲ����� Stage Artistic Director and the Director Robert Hupp says, “’Our Town’ is among my favorite plays, and I am delighted to return to it here at ���ϲ����� Stage. It is a play of eternal, aching beauty. And while its themes are transcendent, I believe it is important to shape our production in ways that speak to Central New York today.��It’s intentional that of the 20 actors in our cast, 17 call Central New York home. Working together with our amazing design team, we look forward to bringing this timeless and timely classic to life for our audience.”

In addition to True-Frost, the cast features Michael Stewart Allen as Dr. Gibbs, Alberto Bonilla as Mr. Webb and Che Lyons as Mrs. Gibbs, and Christine Albright-Tufts as Mrs. Webb.

The ensemble cast is made up of Blake Segal, Michael Barbour, Ricky Pak, Danyon Davis, Whitney Pak, Lilli Komeruk, Derek Powell, Ahmanee Simmons, and Donovan Stanfield. The design team includes Jason Ardizzone, Tracy Dorman, lighting designer Yael Lubetzky, Michael Keck and Danyon Davis. Stuart Plymesser is stage manager.

Scenic designer Jason Ardizzone is an Emmy Award-winning set designer (NBC’s concert production of “Jesus Christ Superstar”) and is working on the set design for Adele’s Radio City concert event among other notable achievements. “Our Town” sound designer Michael Keck is also composing an original score for the ���ϲ����� Stage production.

All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. while all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $30 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets can be purchased by visiting ���ϲ�����Stage.org, by calling 315.443.3275 or by visiting the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office at 820 E. Genesee St.

On Saturday, April 1, and Sunday, April 2, ���ϲ����� Stage will host the “Our Town” Vendor Fair. Join community friends at this two-day event in the lobby before and after the show as artisans and small-business owners display products for sale ranging from jewelry to beauty products and decorative items to home goods. The fair is free, and all are welcome.

Pay-what-you-will performances are March 29-April 2 inclusive; prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one-hour before curtain time on April 2, April 8 and April 13; the post-show Sunday discussion will take place on Sunday, April 2, after the 7:30 performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has its open-captioned performances scheduled for April 5 at 2:00 p.m. and April 15 and 16 at 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. respectively, as well as an audio-described performance on Saturday, April 15, at 2:00 p.m.

Season support for�����ϲ����� Stage is made possible by the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation, Advance Media New York and The Slutzker Family Foundation.

In “Espejos: Clean,” the lives of two women with vastly different life experiences intersect at a destination wedding at a high-end resort in Cancún, Mexico. Adriana has left her home in Chetumal, Mexico, and is working as the manager of the housekeeping staff at the resort. Sarah is from Vancouver and is the sister of the bride and self-acknowledged family screw-up. One evening during a torrential downpour, Adriana and Sarah’s worlds collide, leading them to confront their own storms and consider the possibility that they may not be as alone in the world as they initially believed. “Espejos: Clean” is an eye-opening story about the ties that bind us and making meaningful connections.

“Christine Quintana’s “Espejos: Clean” perfectly embodies the saying ‘We don’t see the world as it is, we see the world as we are.’ I am honored to lead this beautifully heartbreaking and at times hilarious story that pushes us to heal our own trauma and challenge our own assumptions,” says Crespo. “Christine says this play ‘is an exercise in compassion.’ I am excited to see audiences in ���ϲ����� embrace this play, no matter where you come from.”

“Espejos: Clean” is written by Quintana with Spanish translation and adaptation by Paula Zelaya Cervantes. The play is directed by Crespo and features Kate Abbruzzese as Sarah and Emma Ramos as Adriana. The fully women-led design team includes scenic designer Mariana Sanchez, costume designer Lux Haac, lighting designer Colleen Doherty, sound designer Daniela Hart and UptownWorks, and projection designer Lisa Renkel. Laura-Jane Collins is stage manager. “Espejos: Clean” is a co-production with Hartford Stage.

“Managing Director Jill Anderson and I hope the good people of Central New York and beyond will join us for this beautifully-drawn theatrical experience that takes on cultural misconceptions and internal reckonings,”�� says ���ϲ����� Stage Artistic Director Bob Hupp. “Under the insightful creative leadership of Melissa Crespo, we are proud to present a play told entirely in English and��Spanish for the first time in the organization’s history. Whether English or Spanish, or another language entirely, is your first language, you will understand and appreciate the humanity of this expertly crafted play.”

“Espejos: Clean” runs Wednesday, Feb. 15 through Sunday, March 5. All evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and all matinee performances begin at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $30 with discounts available for students and groups. Tickets can be purchased by visiting ���ϲ�����Stage.org, by calling 315.443.3275, or by visiting the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office at 820 East Genesee St.

The M&T Bank Pay-What-You-Will performances are Feb. 15-19. Prologue conversations, three pre-show discussions that take place one-hour before curtain, take place Feb. 19, February 25 and March 2. The Post-show Sunday Discussion will take place on Feb. 26 after the 7:30 p.m. performance. ���ϲ����� Stage has open-captioned performances scheduled for Feb. 22 at 2 p.m., March 4 at 7:30 p.m. and March 5 at 2 p.m., as well as an English-only audio-described performance on March 4 at 2 p.m.

Season support for ���ϲ����� Stage is made possible by the Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation, Advance Media New York and The Slutzker Family Foundation. “Espejos: Clean” is made possible by CNY Latino, Urban CNY��and WAER ���ϲ����� Public Radio. The community partner is the ���ϲ�����’a La Casita Cultural Center.

��

Auditioners should note that the production schedule for “Our Town” includes three student matinees in the morning, in addition to evening performances. The “Our Town” production runs March 29-April 16, while “Tender Rain” runs May 3-21.

Cast members must be available for rehearsals at ���ϲ����� Stage, which begin March 7 for “Our Town,” and April 4 for “Tender Rain.” Rehearsals are not held on Mondays. Young actors will not be required to be at all rehearsals. Rehearsals for youth actors will generally be held on weekdays after 4 p.m. and during the daytime on weekends.

“Our Town”
By Thornton Wilder, directed by Robert Hupp
Seeking casting for:
Wally Webb: Any ethnicity, young boy aged 11 to 13, a Boy Scout. Sincere and friendly.
Rebecca Gibbs: Any ethnicity, young girl aged 11 to 13. Has a strong sense of energy and wonder about the world. Inquisitive and curious.

“Tender Rain”
By Kyle Bass, directed by Rodney Hudson
Seeking casting for:
Deirdre: Black female, age 12. Scared but brave. Longs to return home. Also plays Aralia: Black female, age 11. The Doctor’s daughter. Shy. Smart. Neat as a pin.

Auditions will be held in-person on Jan. 25 and Jan. 28. All audition submission instructions will be updated on the .

Notes:

• Actors are required to bring a picture and resume.
• Actors will be emailed a few pages of the script in advance to prepare for auditions.
• Actors of all ethnicities are strongly encouraged to audition.
• “Our Town” .
• “Tender Rain” .
• Please note that proof of vaccination is required to work at ���ϲ����� Stage.
• .

Any questions about the auditioning process should be directed to Cynthia Reid, cjmoor02@syr.edu.

Tickets for both “Our Town” and “Tender Rain” are on sale through the , or by calling 315.443.3275.

With a $20,000 grant, the theater will be able to substantially increase the number of pay-what-you-will performances for each show remaining in its 2022/2023 season and will also bring back the Stage for All program. The two programs help ensure all community members have access to high quality live theater while removing cost as a barrier.

“There’s nothing like the joy that live entertainment brings. It’s a chance to join with family and friends, to unplug from our screens and to celebrate our vibrant arts community. We are proud to help bring that shared experience to as many members of our community as possible,” says Steve Gorczynski, Central New York regional president, M&T Bank.

According to Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing arts and arts education, improving access to the arts not only provides benefits to the individual, such as decreased stress levels and social isolation, but research shows that the arts have benefits for communities as a whole.

Art consumption provides a common bridge that increases friendship, empathy and mutual trust by bringing generations together, encouraging partnerships and intercultural understanding. A five-year study of low-income Chicago neighborhoods by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation showed that access to the arts brought 5-10% increases in housing, population and school test scores, along with decreases in crime.

The M&T Bank Pay-What-You-Will Performance Program allows 76 tickets over the course of five days for each production to be available for whatever price patrons wish to pay. The pay-what-you-will performances are available on the following dates:

• “Disney’s The Little Mermaid”: Nov. 30-Dec. 4
• “Espejos: Clean”: Feb. 15-19
• “Our Town”: March 29-April 2
• “Tender Rain”: May 3-7
• “C���ܱ�”: June 7-11

Since the pay-what-you-will program’s inception in the 2017/2018 season, more than 1,100 tickets have been purchased at a price point that community members are able to pay. The grant from M&T Bank subsidizes the gap between the actual ticket price and the amount paid for a pay-what-you-will ticket, which averages between $7 and $8.

“At ���ϲ����� Stage, we believe theater should be accessible to all,” says Bob Hupp, artistic director, ���ϲ����� Stage. “Regardless of the barrier to attendance, each of us should be able to enjoy the communal and transformational experience of sharing the intimacy of live theatre. This grant goes a long way in breaking down the barrier of price to our neighbors, and we’re grateful to M&T Bank for its generosity.”

Pay-what-you-will tickets must be claimed in person at the Box Office, 820 E. Genesee St., ���ϲ�����, or by phone, 315.443.3275, on the day of the desired performance. The box office opens at 10 a.m. and remains open through the start of the show. There is a limit of two tickets per person, and they are subject to availability.

In addition to the pay-what-you-will performances, the M&T Bank Stage for All program connects ���ϲ����� Stage to local community organizations. Deeply reduced ticket vouchers are provided to other local nonprofits to distribute to community members they serve. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for children.

Put the “sea” in the holiday season with the family favorite musical “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” at Nov. 25-Jan. 8. Tickets are available now at or through the Box Office (315.443.3275). All ticket purchases are protected by ���ϲ����� Stage’s “Worry Free Guarantee,” which provides automatic refunds to patrons if performances are canceled.

Based on the phenomenally popular 1989 animated motion picture (Academy Award winner for Best Score and Best Song “Under the Sea”), “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” tells the story of Ariel, a young mermaid determined to explore life beyond the depths of her watery home. A trip above the surface of the sea sets her on a romantic adventure filled with possibility and fraught with peril, as she enters into a dangerous bargain with the sea witch Ursula.

As the first princess released in the Disney Renaissance era, Ariel made a splash in 1989 for being the first modern heroine. The New York Times referred to her as “a spunky daredevil,” and Roger Ebert praised the character, “Ariel is a fully realized female character who thinks and acts independently, even rebelliously.”

In addition to “Under the Sea,” the vibrant score includes “Part of Your World,” “Kiss the Girl,” “The World Above,” “Sweet Child,” “Poor Unfortunate Souls” and many more sung by a beloved cast of characters including Flounder, Sebastian, Chef Louis, Scuttle and, of course, Prince Eric.

Co-produced with the , “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” features a cast of 35 led by the accomplished performer Katie Emerson as Ariel. Emerson has performed the role previously under the direction of Melissa Rain Anderson, who returns to ���ϲ����� Stage to guide this production.

Anderson says she believes this is a great tale to tell at the holidays because it offers an opportunity to “get behind a real hero” who gives up her home and much more in order to fulfill her life.

“It shows just how strong you have to be to become who you are destined to be,” she says.

Assisting Anderson in bringing the show to the stage is a creative team of talented designers and artists. ���ϲ����� Stage veteran Brian Cimmet returns as music director and conducts an 11-piece orchestra. Choreography is by Adam Cates. Kimberly V. Powers is the scenic designer with fantastical costumes by Rafael Castanera and wigs by Jason Estrada. Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz is the lighting designer and ���ϲ����� Stage veteran Jacqueline R. Herter is the sound designer.

The return of “2 Ring Circus” to ���ϲ����� Stage (“The Wizard of Oz,” 2017) adds high-flying aerial excitement to the production. 2 Ring’s special circus skills and acrobatics make this production a version of the musical “not done by anyone before,” says Anderson. “The characters will dance in the air.”

“The holiday time is a great time for families at ���ϲ����� Stage,” says Bob Hupp, artistic director, ���ϲ����� Stage. “This season is especially exciting as we welcome back ‘2 Ring Circus’ to help us create a truly magical production of ‘Disney’s The Little Mermaid.’ Watching this cast light up the rehearsal room, I can’t wait for our community to see them on stage in this stunning production.”

With music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and book by Doug Wright, “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” ran for 50 previews and 685 performances on Broadway from 2008-09. It received a Tony nomination for Best Original Score. It has had numerous productions around the world.

Special Events

• Nov. 30-Dec. 4: M&T Bank Pay-What-You-Will Performances
  There will be 76 tickets available for whatever price patrons wish to pay over the course of five days. Pay-what-you-will tickets must be claimed in person at the Box Office or by phone on the day of the performance wished to be seen, subject to availability. The Box Office opens at 10 a.m. Monday-Friday and noon on Saturday and Sunday and will remain open until the start of the show. There is a limit of four tickets per person.
• Dec. 4 at 1 p.m.: Prologue (free for ticket holders at 2 p.m. performance)
  A pre-show discussion with ���ϲ����� Stage Artistic Director Bob Hupp, who will share behind-the-scenes information about “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” one hour prior to curtain. The prologue will be held in the Sutton Pavilion.
• Dec. 7 at 1 p.m.: Wednesday @ 1 Lecture (free for ticket holders at 2 p.m. performance)
  Join Leo Rode, education coordinator at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, for a talk about the real-life under the sea creatures found in “Disney’s The Little Mermaid.” The lecture will be held in the Archbold Theatre.
• Dec. 7: Open Captioning at 2 p.m. Performance for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Dec. 8: Happy Hour
  Join us before the 7:30 p.m. performance for drink specials, complimentary appetizers and live entertainment, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Sutton Pavilion.
• Dec. 10 at 1 p.m.: Prologue (free for ticket holders)
  A pre-show discussion with ���ϲ����� Stage Artistic Director Bob Hupp who will share behind-the-scenes information about “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” one hour prior to curtain. The prologue will be held in the Sutton Pavilion.
• Dec. 10 at 2 p.m.: American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreted Performance at 2 p.m. for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Dec. 11: Actor Talkback (free for ticket holders at 7:30 p.m. performance)
  A Q&A session with the actors following the 7:30 p.m. performance. The talkback will be held in the Archbold Theatre.
• Dec. 15 at 6:30 p.m.: Prologue (free for ticket holders)
  A pre-show discussion with ���ϲ����� Stage Artistic Director Bob Hupp who will share behind-the-scenes information about “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” one hour prior to curtain. The prologue will be held in the Sutton Pavilion.
• Dec. 17: Audio Described Performance at 2 p.m. for patrons who are blind or visually impaired
• Dec. 17: Open Captioning at 7:30 p.m. performance for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Dec. 18: Open Captioning at 2 p.m. performance for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Jan. 7 at 2 p.m.: Sensory Friendly Performance
  The sensory friendly performance provides a welcoming environment that lets all patrons express themselves freely without judgment or inhibition. This live theatre experience invites and encourages individuals with autism, attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dementia and sensory sensitivities to enjoy the performance in a “shush-free” zone. All tickets for the sensory friendly performance are $30 and include a 100% refund right up to the start of the show.

From left: “Draft/Pages” featured playwright Rogelio Martinez, “Solo Act” writer/performer Jessica Bashline, “In Process” playwright Ty Defoe and “Write Here” playwright Craig Thornton

Plays by Rogelio Martinez, Ty Defoe, Jessica Bashline and Craig Thornton highlight ���ϲ����� Stage’s 2022/2023 Cold Read Festival of New Plays, Oct. 18-23.

Curated by Stage’s Associate Artistic Director Melissa Crespo, the festival features four readings performed live in the Archbold Theatre and, for the first time, a series of panel discussions streamed live online and addressing various topics related to the creation of new work for the stage.

Started in 2017 by Kyle Bass, who at the time was associate artistic director, the festival saw in-person events until it was canceled or moved online due to COVID. This year’s festival marks the first return to in person readings since 2019.

“Playwrights need a launchpad to create new work and I’m proud to continue what Kyle started,” says Crespo.

The four readings are “The High Cost of Heating” by Thornton (Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m.), “Our Words Are Seeds” by Defoe (Oct. 22, 2 p.m.), “U�Գپ��ٱ����” by Bashline (Oct. 22, 7:30 p.m.) and “The National Pastime” by Martinez (Oct. 23, 3 p.m.). Tickets are $5 for each reading and available at .org or at the Box Office (315-443-3275). Readings are free for ���ϲ����� Stage subscribers.

Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Paula Vogel (“How I Learned to Drive”) and playwright Sarah Mantell (“Everything that Never Happened”) joins Crespo and Stage’s resident playwright Kyle Bass for the first panel discussion “On the Future of New Plays,” Oct. 18. On Oct. 19, lyricist and bookwriter Maggie-Kate Coleman and composer and actor Robi Hager discuss “Creating New Musicals” with producers Ben Holtzman and Sammy Lopez (“How to Dance in Ohio”) and ���ϲ����� Department of Drama faculty member Kathleen Wrinn. A discussion of “New Work for Young Audiences” brings Defoe and Stage’s associate director of education Kate Laissle together with playwrights Dwayne Hartford (“The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane”) and Karen Zacarías (“Native Gardens”) on Oct. 20. On Oct. 21, Eric Grode, the director of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication’s Goldring Arts Journalism and Communications Program, joins dramaturg Sarah Rose Leonard and writer Britanni Samuel, and co-editors of 3Views, for a panel “On Theatre & Criticism.” All discussions stream live online from noon to 1 p.m. (EST). Access is free of charge, advance registration required at or through the Box Office.

The Festival closes with a new event, an evening of free prose and poetry readings by writers from YMCA’s Downtown Writers Center at The Fitz on Salina St. (Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m.).

The start of the Cold Read Festival of New Plays at ���ϲ����� Stage signaled a heightened commitment to supporting and developing new work at ���ϲ����� Stage. Since then, that commitment has led to five world premiere productions: “Possessing Harriet,” “Thoughts of a Colored Man” (moved to Broadway in October 2021), “Somewhere Over the Border,” “salt/city/blues” and this season’s acclaimed “How to Dance in Ohio.” Later this season, Bass’ drama “Tender Rain” will add a sixth world premiere.

The Cold Read Festival gives audiences the opportunity to experience the playwright at the beginning of their creative journey,” said Bob Hupp, ���ϲ����� Stage artistic director. “This year’s expanded discussion series gives us a rare and exciting opportunity to hear from leading playwrights and artists from across the country. Together, the readings and conversations are a perfect way to experience the playwright’s craft.”

FESTIVAL EVENTS SCHEDULE

TUESDAY, OCT. 18, NOON

Live Streamed Panel Discussion: On the Future of New Plays

This live conversation offers a rare opportunity to witness how creative artists envision a future and develop new work. How do these writers generate new ideas? What will playwriting look like in a post-COVID-19 America? How will their work impact the future of playwriting?

Panelists:

, Resident Playwright, ���ϲ����� Stage (“Tender Rain,” “Possessing Harriet”)

Melissa Crespo, Associate Artistic Director, ���ϲ����� Stage

, Playwright (“Everything That Never Happened,” “The Good Guys”)

, Playwright (“Indecent,” “How I Learned to Drive,” Pulitzer Prize Winner)

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 19, NOON

Live Streamed Panel Discussion: Creating New Musicals

What goes into making a new musical? From the classroom to Broadway, musical theatre creators discuss the trials and triumphs of what it takes to make a musical.

Panelists:

, Artistic Director, Polyphone Festival; Playwright; Lyricist; Bookwriter (Jonathan Larson Award Recipient)

, Composer (“Little Duende”); Performer (Original Broadway cast of “Spring Awakening”)

, Producer, Co-Founder of P3 Productions

. Producer, Co-Founder of P3 Productions

, Assistant Professor of Musical Theater, ���ϲ����� Department of Dram

THURSDAY, OCT. 20, NOON

Live Streamed Panel Discussion: New Work for Young Audiences

What does it mean to create and present theatre for young audiences and families? Why is it important to engage young audiences at an early age? Join us for a live discussion about the creation and future of Theatre for Young Audiences.

Panelists:

, Playwright (“Our Words Are Seeds”); Performer; Composer

, Playwright (“The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane”); Artistic Director, Childsplay

Kate Laissle, Associate Director of Education, ���ϲ����� Stage

, Playwright (“Native Gardens”); Founding Artistic Director, Young Playwrights Theater

FRIDAY, OCT. 21, NOON

Live Streamed Panel Discussion: On Theatre and Criticism

Theatre has managed to scrape by in our ongoing pandemic, but with all of the challenges facing live performance, where does criticism fit? Join our live discussion about the state of theatre and how critics navigate an ever-changing landscape.

Panelists:

, Director, Goldring Arts Journalism and Communications Program, ���ϲ�����’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

Sarah Rose, Leonard Freelance Dramaturg and Co-Editor of 3Views

, Freelance Writer and Co-Editor of 3Views

FRIDAY, OCT. 21, 7:30 p.m.

In Person Reading: Write Here – A reading of a new play by a local playwright

“The High Cost of Heating”

By Craig Thornton

Directed by Melissa Crespo

In this hilarious and chilling absurdist play, “The High Cost of Heating,” a seemingly affluent couple is disturbed by their large heating bill but quickly grow terrified as it starts to physically grow and take over their home. Familiar class issues of work, marriage, and lifestyle are pushed aside as more primal needs—for heat, shelter and food—take over, in increasingly ridiculous and nightmarish ways. As a crypto-fascist army of marching salami sandwiches breaks into their home, the two are reduced to cawing like crows and feeding off croutons, with only their shared terror in the face of the unknown providing any sort of humanity… or hope.

Craig Thornton studied dramatic writing at New York University (BFA), The American Film Institute and Godard College (MFA). His first play “Yoo-Hoo Sheila” was produced in New York City shortly after his graduation from Tisch School of the Arts. Other full productions include “Happy Birthday, Tina Marie” (LA and NYC),” The Sweet Life,” “We’re a Close Family,” “Life on the Lawn” (LA), “The Moment,” “In My Shoes,” productions or staged readings have occurred in Phoenix; Kenosha, Wisconsin; Bangor, Maine; and upstate New York: Watertown, Buffalo, Rochester and ���ϲ�����. His docudrama “In My Shoes” telling true stories of teenagers whose parents were actively deployed during conflict in the Middle East was featured in a national story on CNN and referenced in a congressional study on military communities. Several of his plays have been finalists in nationally recognized playwriting contests, most notably, “The High Cost of Heating;” The New Works Festival, The Northern Writes Festival, The Riva Shiner Award, Screencraft Stageplay and runner-up for the Yale Drama Series prize; considered one of the most competitive and prestigious international play competitions. “What We Hold Onto” which was developed at the HBO workspace was a finalist at The O’Neil National Playwrights Conference. His career in television has been recognized with two New York State Broadcasters Association Awards, an AP award and two ���ϲ����� press Club Awards. Other awards include NYSTA and TANYS and a MacDowell Colony Fellowship. He is a former artist in residence at Empire State College where he taught in the wounded warrior unit at Fort Drum guiding soldiers through memoirs. Also a screenwriter with several features optioned, he currently teaches screenwriting at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at ���ϲ�����.

��SATURDAY, OCT. 22, 2 p.m.

In Person Reading: In-Process – A new play in-process that will premiere later this season

“Our Words Are Seeds”

By Ty Defoe

Directed by Joann Yarrow

“Our Words Are Seeds” explores the past, present and future of Shenandoah, an Oneida Nation, non-binary and self-proclaimed Indigi-nerd teenager, and their great-great-grandmother, who started their family calling of writing letters to the United States Government demanding land back. Watch as Shenandoah’s and their ancestors’ struggles intersect, and as Shenandoah connects with the Water of Onondaga Lake to find their voice and create a call to action for their generation to protect, defend, and acknowledge the Haudenosaunee Nation, their traditions, and the land we all share.

Ty Defoe (Giizhig) is from the Oneida and Ojibwe Nations. He is a Grammy award-winning composer, a librettist, interdisciplinary artist, actor, Broadway choreographer, eagle dancer and hoop dancer. Ty interweaves artistic projects with social justice, indigeneity, trans rights, Indigi-Queering and environmentalism. Awards, residencies and fellowships: 2022 The Kennedy Center’s “Next 50,” 2021 Helen Merrill Award-winner, TransLab Fellow, Robert Rauschenberg Artist in Residence, Jonathan Larson Award, Cordillera International Film Festival Finalist, 2021 Cultural Capital Fellow, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center finalist and the ASCAP Musical Theater Workshop. Ty’s songs have been featured at: Lincoln Center, Joe’s Pub, Ars Nova, 54 Below, The Met, and The Kennedy Center. Ty’s theatrical work has been presented at: Guthrie Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Yale Institute of Musical Theater, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, Native Voices at the Autry, The New Victory Theater, First Stage, The Millennium celebration in Cairo, Egypt; International Music Festival in Ankara, Turkey; and Festival of World Cultures in Dubai. Works: “TransWorld,” “Red Pine,” “The Way They Lived,” “Ajijaak on Turtle Island,” “Hear Me Say My Name,” “Hart Island Requiem,” “Clouds are Pillows for the Moon,” “Wind Changes Direction,” “Before the Land Eroded,” “BasketBall Is ‘War, Minus the Shooting’ In Sectarian Lebanon,” “River of Stone,” “Firebird Tattoo,” “Trial and Tears” (with Dawn Avery) and “The Lesson” (with Nolan Doran and Avi Amon). Ty is a core member of All My Relations Collective, recent piece: “GIZHIBAA GIIZHIG | Revolving Sky

SATURDAY, OCT. 22, 7:30 p.m.

In Person Reading: Solo Act– An intimate workshop production of a new piece

��“U�Գپ��ٱ����”

Written and performed by Jessica Bashline

Directed by Margaret Ledford

Almost 10 years ago Jessica found herself on a journey, discovering the truth about the history of reproductive rights in Pre-Roe United States. Learning about the past allowed her to confront her own present, and ask questions about our future.

Jessica Bashline is an Assistant Professor of Theater at the University of Miami, where she teaches acting and theater creation. She was the Artistic Director and co-founder of��, a theater company in New York City dedicated to creating magical new theater that ignites in audiences and artists, the power of possibility. In addition she was the Consulting Artistic Director of the����when it opened in downtown Manhattan, curating a full season for 2 theaters. Before that she served as the Artistic Director of Wingspan Arts, an arts education company in New York City.

Bashline works primarily as a freelance theater director specializing in new play and musical development, her favorite credits include;��“Loving Repeating”��(NYC Premiere),��“Life of the Party”��(NYU-Premiere Production of Larry O’Keefe & Nell Benjamin’s new musical), at NYU Steinhardt “Gypsy,” “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Twelfth Night,”��with Strange Sun��“Closer Than You Think”��(World Premiere),��“The Drowning Girls”��(NYC Premiere).

As a playwright Bashline has written two full length pieces.��“Wickedest Woman,”��The story of Ann Lohman, midwife and abortionist in the 1800’s in NYC. Finalist, Scrap Mettle Arts Playwrights Festival, Production January 2019 NYC, and slated for publication Spring 2021.����“Garden of Memories”��the story of siblings dealing with the loss of their mother and the acceptance of their past. Runner Up W. Keith Hedrick Award at HRC Showcase Theater and Semi-Finalist, Trustus New Playwrights Festival 2016.

In addition to her work as a director and playwright, Bashline is an accomplished acting coach, focusing primarily on audition coaching and musical theater work.�� She also works with people in all professions to incorporate theater techniques into their daily lives, as a means of self-expression and empowerment.

​Bashline has a BFA in Acting from Boston University and an MFA from Goddard College. Her practical focus has been on theater creation, primarily directing. Her research focuses on both feminist theater and progressive pedagogical approaches to teaching acting and directing, on both the university and high school levels.

SUNDAY, OCT. 23, 3 p.m.

In Person Reading: Draft/Pages– A first-ever reading of a ���ϲ����� Stage commission

��“The National Pastime”

By Rogelio Martinez

Directed by Margarett Perry

In 2017 the Houston Astros were stealing signs and banging on a garbage can. They would go on to win the World Series. In 2017, a mysterious illness that came to be known as Havana Syndrome started to attack embassy officials in Havana. Havana Syndrome would lead to the emptying of the American embassy in Havana. In “The National Pastime,” baseball and espionage come together in an atmosphere of secrets and paranoia.

Rogelio Martinez is an award-winning playwright whose plays have been workshopped and produced in theaters across the country and abroad. His play, “Born In East Berlin,” was first performed at the Stasi Museum, Berlin in both English and German, and then premiered at San Francisco Playhouse in February 2020. More recently, Martinez worked on “The Seven Deadly Sins” project for Miami New Drama. It was the largest theatrical production allowed by equity during the pandemic. It won the Drama League Award – Outstanding Interactive or Socially-Distanced Theater. In 2021, Martinez worked on a new television project for Tom Fontana, based on the book, “Year of Dangerous Days.” His play, “Blind Date,” was produced at the Goodman Theatre under the direction of Tony nominee Robert Falls, with Tony Award winning actress Deanna Dunagan playing the role of Nancy Reagan, and was awarded an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. Martinez is a recipient of a 2017 Guggenheim Fellowship, Princess Grace Award, and a Mid-Career Fellowship at the Lark Theater Company. His work has been workshopped and commissioned by various theaters across the country including the Public Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Mark Taper Forum, South Coast Repertory, Atlantic Theater Company, Arden Theater, Asolo Repertory, and Ojai Theater Company, and many more. Martinez’s plays include “Illuminating Veronica,” “Arrivals and Departures,” “All Eyes and Ears,” “Blind Date” (all published by Broadway Play Publishing). This year Broadway Play Publishing will publish “Born in East Berlin,” and “I Regret She’s Made of Sugar” (Princess Grace Winner). He is an alumnus of New Dramatists. Martinez teaches undergraduate playwriting at NYU and has also written for children’s television. Martinez was born in Sancti-Spiritus, Cuba and came to this country on the Mariel boatlift.

SUNDAY, OCT. 23, 7:30 p.m.

In Person Event: Open Mic Night – Festival Closing Celebration

��Celebrate the end of the festival with ���ϲ����� Stage partners at The Fitz in downtown ���ϲ����� (321 S. Salina St.) for an evening of poetry and prose with students from the writing community at the YMCA’s Downtown Writers Center.

The begins the 2022/2023 season on Oct. 15 with the popular musical “Sweet Charity” directed by David Lowenstein and choreographed by Kira Schmidt-Carper, with musical direction by Brian Cimmet. Performances will be held Oct. 15-23 in the ���ϲ����� Stage/SU Drama Complex at 820 East Genesee St. Tickets are available through the or by phone at 315.443.3275.

Written by Neil Simon with music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields, “Sweet Charity” is an integral part of the musical theater lore of Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse, filled with great songs and plenty of humor. Some of the original show’s dazzling choreography is incorporated in the Department of Drama’s current production with “Rich Man’s Frug” guest-choreographed by Verdon Fosse Legacy Dancer Lloyd Culbreath. And featuring such famous tunes as “Big Spender,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” “I’m a Brass Band” and “Baby, Dream Your Dream,” this treasure from the ’60s is packed with heart, energy and genuine affection for the art of musical theater.

Self-acceptance and self-discovery are major themes throughout this season’s productions according to Department Chair Ralph Zito, and “Sweet Charity” is no exception. At the heart of “Sweet Charity” is Charity Hope Valentine, romantic and optimistic, who is trying to make a life for herself in the big, bad city. In moments of intense dance and song, audiences will see Charity on a quest for transformative self-love. Lowenstein wants audiences to remember that the Fosse-filled energy, glitz and glam of this hit musical come with a deeper message: “The search for love is always a worthwhile goal.”

The message of self-love extends beyond the stage, however, as Schmidt-Carper, alongside Lowenstein and the production team, worked to create a rehearsal atmosphere packed with dance wellness and joy. “This show is a celebration of self,” says Schmidt-Carper. “And this company’s work on and off stage is no different.”

Show Details for ‘Sweet Charity’

• Book by Neil Simon
• Music by Cy Coleman
• Lyrics by Dorothy Fields
• Based on an original screenplay by Federico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano
• Directed by David Lowenstein
• Music directed by Brian Cimmet
• Choreographed by Kiira Schmidt-Carper
• Scenic design by Jason Zong (he/him)
• Costume design by Adeline Santello (she/her)
• Lighting design by Ben Wolfe (he/him)
• Sound design by Jacqueline R. Herter (she/her)
• Dialect coaching by Blake Segal (he/him)
• Fight/stunt choreography by Alec Barbour (he/him)
• Intimacy choreography by Hannah Roccisano
• Dramaturg: Carrie DeGraw (she/her)
• Stage manager: Emma Yehle (she/her)

Cast

• Katarina Kelly (she/her) as Charity
• Stella Schwartz (she/her) as Nickie
• Olivia Lacie Andrews (she/her) as Helene
• Sarah Bottino (they/she) as Herman
• Jay Owens (he/him) as Vittorio Vidal, Daddy Brubeck
• Sammy Haines (he/him) as Oscar
• Charlotte Bush (she/her) as Ursula, ensemble
• Jess Ceretta (she/her)—ensemble
• Eve Dillingham (she/her)—ensemble
• Rachel Langetieg (she/her)—ensemble
• Gabriela Moncivais (she/her)—ensemble
• Sofia Swensen (she/her)—ensemble
• Shaun Collins (he/him)—ensemble
• Michael Di Leo (he/him)—ensemble
• Tobias Rytting (he/him)—ensemble
• Truman Tinius (he/him)—ensemble
• Isaiah Tucker (he/they)—ensemble
• Dylan Knight Weaver (he/him) as Charlie, ensemble

Swings

Ethan Clark Davis (he/him), McKay Marshall (she/her), Axel Vera (he/him)

Understudies

• Jess Cerretta (Helene)
• Rachel Langetieg (Nickie)
• Gabriela Moncivais (Charity)
• Michael Di Leo (Herman)
• Tobias Rytting (Vittorio Vidal, Daddy Brubeck)
• Dylan Knight Weaver (Oscar)

Performances

• Friday, Oct. 14, 8 p.m. (preview)
• Saturday, Oct. 15, 8 p.m. (opening)
• Sunday, Oct. 16, 2 p.m.
• Wednesday, Oct. 19, 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 20, 8 p.m.
• Friday, Oct. 21, 8 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 22, 2 p.m. (Open captioned)
• Saturday, Oct. 22, 8 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 23, 2 p.m. (ASL interpreted)

Additional Credits

• Dance captain: Rachel Langetieg
• Assistant director: Ethan Harpole (he/him)
• Assistant choreographer: Emma Sucato (she/her)
• Assistant scenic designer: Luke Blumencranz (he/him)
• Assistant costume designer: Lillian Benge (she/her)
• Assistant lighting designers: Brooklyn Green (she/her), Mabel McPhee
• Assistant sound designer: Jay Korter
• Assistant stage managers: Mia Font-Lorie (she/her), Emily Kellner (she/her)
• Casting associates: Carrie DeGraw, Anthony Islam
• Casting assistant: Ellen Kingman
• Wigs provided by Wigboys

���ϲ����� Stage will contact all ticketholders directly about the cancelation. Automatic refunds will be issued for the full value of tickets. Ticketholders will receive an email when the refund is processed. There is no need to contact the Box Office to receive a refund. If patrons have questions, they can contact the Box Office at 315.443.3275, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Even with understudies and continual attempts by the production team to find a way forward, we have run out of viable options to proceed,” says Jill Anderson, managing director. “We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment this news brings to the ‘Ohio’ team and patrons.”

Robert Hupp, artistic director, says that Stage intends to continue with live theater throughout the remainder of the season beginning this month with the Cold Read Festival of New Plays, Oct. 18-23.

“We are heartbroken by this turn of events that prevents us from welcoming patrons to our last week of performances for ‘How to Dance in Ohio,’” says Hupp. “We thank everyone who joined us for this world premiere, and we look forward to seeing what’s in store for this exceptional production that started right here in ���ϲ�����.”

In addition to “Sweet Charity,” the shows that make up the six-play subscription season include “Failure: A Love Story” (Nov. 12-19), “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” (Nov. 25-Jan. 8 and co-produced with ���ϲ����� Stage), “Barbecue” (Feb. 18-26), “Dance Nation” (March 25-April 2) and “Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical” (April 28-May 7).

Six-play subscriptions and flexible four packs are on sale now online through the , or by calling 315.443.3275.

Ralph Zito is chair of ���ϲ�����’s Department of Drama.

“I am delighted to bring our audiences a season of live theater filled with a wide array of love stories – stories that look beyond and behind romance to explore the transformational power of many kinds of love: familial love, self-love, self-acceptance and self-discovery,” says Ralph Zito, Department of Drama chair.

“Sweet Charity,”��directed by David Lowenstein with choreography by Kira Schmidt-Carper and musical direction by Brian Cimmet, was written by Neil Simon with music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields. “Sweet Charity” is an integral part of the musical theater lore of Gwen Verdon and Bob Fosse, filled with great songs, dazzling choreography and plenty of humor. At its heart is Charity Hope Valentine, romantic and optimistic, who is trying to make a life for herself in the big, bad city. Featuring such famous tunes as “Big Spender,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” “I’m a Brass Band” and “Baby, Dream Your Dream,” this treasure from the 60s is packed with heart, energy and genuine affection for the art of musical theater.

Up next is “Failure: A Love Story,” directed by Thom Miller. In one scene, a character asks, “If you knew how long you had, would you be able to live your life?” Written by playwright Philip Dawkins, this bittersweet consideration is at the center of this whimsical and profound, simple and elegant play. In Chicago in 1928, the three Fail sisters—Nelly, Jenny June and Gerty—meet untimely ends, but their unfortunate fates are tempered by the richness of life and love. With echoes of Thornton Wilder and tinged with the nostalgia of popular songs from a bygone era, this delicately romantic and funny play reminds us that “just because something ends, doesn’t mean it wasn’t a great success.” Dawkins is a Chicago-based playwright and educator currently working on an American English translation of Michel Tremblay’s “Messe Solennelle Pour Une Pleine Lune D’été” and an audio play for Audible.com

The holiday co-production with ���ϲ����� Stage is the beloved family musical “Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” directed by Melissa Rain Anderson, choreographed by Adam Cates, with musical direction by Brian Cimmet.��“Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” written by Doug Wright, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, is a deep dive into musical family fun with Ariel, Sebastian, and all the watery gang from this beloved tale. With spectacular aerial acrobatics provided by 2 Ring Circus (“The Wizard of Oz,” 2017), this production promises enough thrills and delights for landlubbers of all ages.

The spring semester begins with “Barbecue,” a satirical and insightful play from the pen of Robert O’Hara, the no-holds-barred playwright, and is directed by Gilbert McCauley. It features the O’Mallery family: five siblings—four sisters, one brother—all with various addictions, dependencies and issues, one with perhaps more than the others. Is a surprise intervention at a family picnic on behalf of the “troubled” one a good idea? If so, why does the brother arrive with a taser? Starting with the O’Mallerys themselves, this is a play full of surprises and very good theatrical ideas from the most appropriately inappropriate satirist in American theater today. In addition to his playwriting, O’Hara has achieved success as a director. He was nominated for the 2020 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play for “Slave Play” and recently helmed “A Long Day’s Journey into Night” off-Broadway.

The 2017 Susan Blackburn Prize-winner Clare Barron says her play “‘Dance Nation’ is a play about 13-year-old girls. It’s also a play about women, ambition and desire.” Directed by Katherine McGerr, “Dance Nation is set in the pressure cooker milieu of an impending national dance competition. Barron takes us into the insular world of a team from Liverpool, Ohio, to expose their rivalries, competitiveness, support and joy, and to reveal not only their sensitivities and insecurities but their fierce undeniable power. A refreshingly unorthodox play that conveys the joy and abandon of dancing, while addressing the changes to body and mind of its characters as they peer over the precipice toward adulthood. Barron is a playwright and actor from Wenatchee, Washington. In addition to being a finalist for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for “Dance Nation,” she also won the 2015 Obie Award for Playwriting for “You Got Older.”

The season concludes with Sarah Ruhl’s “Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical,” directed by Rebecca Aparicio.��Who says sadness isn’t fun? Certainly not Ruhl, an award-winning playwright. In her absurd, sensual and heartfelt “Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical,” Ruhl endows melancholy with aphrodisiac power in the person of Tilly, a bank teller whose lingering sadness attracts everyone around her. So acute is the attraction that when Tilly suddenly finds happiness, she throws the others into despair. One even transforms into an almond. Yes, the nut. It will be up to Tilly to restore her. With characteristic whimsy and nuanced seriousness, Ruhl considers the many different ways to find joy and how sadness is a necessary component of happiness. Ruhl is a playwright and essayist. Her most popular works include “Eurydice,” “The Clean House” and “In the Next Room.” She received a MacArthur Fellowship and the PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award for being a distinguished American playwright.

“As always, our young artists continue to entertain and inspire us as they work with their mentors—both from within the faculty and from the wider professional field—to deepen their understanding of the art of storytelling. They are eager to share what they’ve learned, and we are eager to have you join us,” Zito says.

���ϲ����� Stage is seeking local actors for several upcoming performance opportunities as part of its Cold Read Festival of New Plays (Oct. 18-23), “Our Town” (March 20-April 16, 2023), and other opportunities that may become available over the course of the season.

Auditioners should note that productions include a significant number of morning student matinees in addition to evening performances. Auditioners must sign up for an audition online using . For more information, contact Cynthia Reid at cjmoor02@syr.edu.

Actors 18 and up of all ethnicities are strongly encouraged to audition. All actors are required to bring a picture and resume. Actors should prepare two contrasting monologues or one monologue and 32 bars of a song, not to exceed four minutes. Singers should bring sheet music; an accompanist will be provided.

Auditions for children will be held at a later date.

The Cold Read Festival, to be held Oct. 18-23, is a new play development program featuring work from some of the freshest voices writing for theatre today. It is curated by Melissa Crespo, and participants include Rogelio Martinez, Draft/Pages featured playwright-in-residence; Priyanka Shetty, Solo Act featured artist; Ty Defoe, In Process playwright; and Craig Scott Thornton, Write Here artist.

“Our Town,” by Thornton Wilder, will be presented March 20-April 16, 2023, and directed by Robert Hupp, artistic director of ���ϲ����� Stage.

“The life of a village against the life of the stars” is how Wilder described his heralded masterpiece. “It is an attempt,” he wrote, “to find a value above all price for the smallest events in our daily life.” He succeeded with this graceful and poetic play—a heartfelt call to cherish every unimportant moment we’re together and to embrace the true wonder and brevity of being alive. Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? Whether in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, at the turn of the 20^th century, or ���ϲ�����, New York, in 2023, Wilder’s enduring classic asks us to stop and ponder what truly matters, and to consider that for a great many of us the answers will be the same.

In its commitment to better serve all of the Central New York community, has announced the addition of two sensory friendly performances to the 2022-23 season: “How to Dance in Ohio” on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m. and “C���ܱ�” on Saturday, June 24, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. A sensory friendly performance for “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” was already scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. Single tickets and a are available now.

Sensory friendly performances are designed to welcome patrons who live with neurodiversity, such as autism or other sensory sensitivity needs, by creating a judgment-free atmosphere in the theater. During the performance, house lights will be dimmed but not turned out completely, patrons may move about as necessary for their comfort, and patrons will not be discouraged from vocalizing during the performance.

In addition, fidget toys and other materials will be provided for patrons. Trained support staff will be on hand to assist and quiet rooms and “cool down” spaces away from the theatre will be available.

Depending on the content and production elements, changes also may be made to the onstage performance. These could include modifying or eliminating some lighting and/or sound effects and editing content from scenes. These modifications will vary depending on the show.

“As a mother with a child with autism, this offering is such a blessing to have families experience theatre together,” says Joann Yarrow, director of community engagement and education for ���ϲ����� Stage. “Over the years, my family and so many other families have come to appreciate not only the sensory accommodations made but even more so the welcoming and non-judgmental environment.”

Since 2016, ���ϲ����� Stage has been offering a sensory friendly performance for the holiday musicals. The success of these performances over the past few seasons and the overwhelmingly positive patron response to them has encouraged Stage’s leadership to expand the service to include other shows in the season.

“After seeing how successful our sensory friendly series has been, we knew it would be important to continue to welcome families back this season who may not be comfortable attending a traditional performance,” says Robert Hupp, artistic director. “The joy and communal experience of live theatre is something that we want everyone to be able to enjoy. That’s why we expanded to three shows this year.”

All tickets for sensory friendly performances are $30 and may be returned or exchanged up to performance time. A sensory friendly subscription package that includes a ticket to each performance is also available for $90, allowing patrons to save on ticketing fees. Tickets and subscriptions may be purchased through the Box Office (315-443-3275) or at , where information about all of ���ϲ����� Stage’s is available.

“How to Dance in Ohio” is inspired by Alexandra Shiva’s Peabody Award-winning documentary of the same name. With book and lyrics by Rebekah Greer Melocik (she/her), music by Jacob Yandura (he/him), choreography by Mayte Natalio (she/her) and direction by Sammi Cannold (she/her), “How to Dance in Ohio” is scheduled as the 2022/2023 season opener at ���ϲ����� Stage and will run Sept. 21 to Oct. 9, 2022. Tickets are available at or at the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office (315-443-3275).

The full creative team includes scenic designer Robert Brill (“Cabaret,” “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations,” “Thoughts of a Colored Man”) co-costume designers Sarafina Bush (“For Colored Girls . . .”) and Michael Ryan Andolsek, lighting designer Bradley King (Tony Awards “Hadestown” and “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812”) and sound designer Connor Wang. Music direction is by Lily Ling (she/her) with music supervision by Matt Gallagher. Scott Rowen (he/him) is the production stage manager and Laura Jane Collins (she/her) the assistant stage manager. Mary McGowan (she/her) is the associate director, Justin Prescott (he/him) the associate choreographer, and Nicole D’Angelo (they/she) the music associate.

The “How to Dance in Ohio” cast includes Tony Award-winning “Rent” star Wilson Jermaine Heredia (he/him), Broadway veterans and seven autistic actors. Heredia leads the cast as Dr. Emilio Amigo, alongside Haven Burton (she/her; “Shrek the Musical,” “Violet”) as Teresa, Darlesia Cearcy (she/her; “Shuffle Along,” “Once On This Island”) as Johanna, Carlos L. Encinias (he/him; “Les Misérables,” “Mamma Mia!”) as Kurt, Desmond Edwards (he/him) as Remy, Amelia Fei (she/her) as Caroline, Nick Gaswirth (he/him; “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812”) as Michael, Melina Kalomas (she/her) as Amy, Madison Kopec (she/her) as Marideth, Liam Pearce (he/him) as Drew, Marina Pires (she/her; “Aladdin,” “On Your Feet!”) as Ashley Amigo, Imani Russell (they/them) as Melissa, Conor Tague (he/him) as Tommy, and Ashley Wool (she/her) as Jessica. Elana Babbitt (she/her), Corrine Ferrer (she/her), and Zach Simpson (he/him) are the understudies. Imri Leshed (they/he) and Nicole Fazia (they/she) are the swings.

“How to Dance in Ohio” is a heartwarming new musical that explores what it means to belong, the courage it takes to put yourself out in the world, and the universal need to connect. Based on Shiva’s award-winning documentary, produced by HBO in 2015, the musical follows the challenges and exhilarations faced by a group of seven autistic young adults at a counseling center in Columbus, Ohio. With the support of clinical psychologist Dr. Emilio Amigo, the center arranges a spring formal dance, and encourages them as they encounter love, fear, stress, excitement and hope, along the path to human connection.

Through a dedication to authentic autistic representation, the musical’s creators adhere closely to the documentary’s narrative and spirit, offering a visible platform for autistic actors in a way that has never happened before in a new musical, both on and off the stage. Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt (she/her) serves as the production’s ASD creative consultant with Becky Leifman ’10 (she/her) as the director of community engagement. Additional administrative support will be provided by associate producer Jeremy Wein (he/him), assistant producer Keara Moon (she/her) and producing intern Pua Tanielu (she/her).

The musical was originally developed with the legendary Broadway director Harold Prince and is dedicated to his instrumental work on the project. The production has received support from the Prince Fellowship and the Shubert Organization’s Artistic Circle. Holtzman, Leifman and Lopez are alumni of ���ϲ�����.

About P3 Productions
is a Tony Award-winning producing team led by Ben Holtzman (he/him), Sammy Lopez (he/him), and Fiona Howe Rudin (she/her). Upcoming Productions: How to Dance in Ohio (World Premiere: ���ϲ����� Stage), Gun & Powder, Midsummer, Bradical, and projects with award-winning artists John Leguizamo and Shakina Nayfack. Select Co-Producing/Investment credits: Hamilton, Moulin Rouge, A Christmas Carol, Be More Chill, The Kite Runner, and A Strange Loop (with A Choir Full Productions), and others. Keara Moon (she/her) serves as the company’s assistant producer with Pua Tanielu (she/her) as the producing intern.

About ���ϲ����� Stage
Founded in 1974, ���ϲ����� Stage is the non-profit, professional theatre company in residence at ���ϲ�����. It is nationally recognized for creating stimulating theatrical work that engages Central New York and significantly contributes to the artistic life of ���ϲ�����, where it is a vital partner in achieving the educational mission of the University’s Department of Drama. ���ϲ����� Stage’s mission is to tell stories that engage, entertain and inspire people to see life beyond their own experience.��Each season 70,000 patrons enjoy an adventurous mix of new plays, and bold interpretations of classics and musicals, featuring the finest theatre artists. In addition, Stage maintains a vital educational outreach program that annually serves more than 21,000 students from 16 counties. ���ϲ����� Stage is a constituent of the Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre, and a member of the Arts and Cultural Leadership Alliance (ACLA), the University Hill Corporation and the East Genesee Regent Association. ���ϲ����� Stage is a member of The League of Resident Theatres (LORT), the largest professional theatre association in the country.

Collectively, the shows and added events focus attention on important concerns for the ���ϲ����� community, especially relating to the history of the 15th Ward and the impact of the construction and impending dismantling of the I-81 overpass.

The main components of the partnership are stage’s production of resident playwright Kyle Bass’ “salt/city/blues,” “The Most Beautiful Home . . . Maybe” by artists and activists Mark Valdez and ashley sparks and the Everson Museum exhibition “15-81,” featuring architect and urban designer Sekou Cooke’s project “We Outchea: Hip-Hop Fabrications and Public Space.”

“A rich array of artistic work marks the conclusion of ���ϲ����� Stage’s 21/22 season,” says Bob Hupp, artistic director, ���ϲ����� Stage. “These works highlight what ���ϲ����� Stage does best as we shine a spotlight on issues that affect all of us who call ���ϲ����� home. Through our creative lens we explore and give voice to the obstacles and opportunities that engage our community. Through new work, discussions and collaborative interactions, we strive to give everyone a new way of thinking about and addressing seemingly intractable challenges.”

��ٲ�����/�����ٲ�/�����ܱ��’

Directed by Gilbert McCauley, “salt/city/blues” is a contemporary drama set in a downtown bar in a fictionalized ���ϲ����� where a controversial highway project that has long divided the city is due to be dismantled. What comes next for the city, the once thriving neighborhood destroyed by the highway and the individuals who frequent the local watering hole Tipsy’s Pub threads through the narrative of the play.

With gentrification underway in the neighborhood and more change coming soon, the fate of Tipsy’s is uncertain, as are the fates of those whose lives are connected to it. This includes Prof D (Leo Finnie) a Black man who claims to be 81 years old and who lives in an apartment above the bar. He is a storyteller and a blues aficionado with a killer collection of vintage vinyl, who also claims to be a retired professor. Carrie (Joey Parsons) is the bartender, 30s, white and a veteran of the Iraq war, who has her eye on a small parcel of land with apple trees. The resident barfly is a fiftyish white man named Fish (Rand Foerster) who likes his drink too much and can make enough trouble to occasionally get himself barred from Tipsy’s.

The newcomer to the scene is Yolonda Mourning (Chantal Jean-Pierre), a Black woman in her 40s, who is a consultant for the city on the highway project. She is not typical of Tipsy’s clientele. She has recently moved to a new apartment in the downtown neighborhood after separating from her husband. Her son Malcolm (Jeremiah Packer), 17, is the fifth character. He aspires to be a blues musician and has a tense relationship with his mother.

“This is a story about a town and a bar at a crossroads, and five people who are at crossroads in their lives,” McCauley says. “We often arrive at places where we have to make decisions and figure out what direction to take. That’s what facing these characters, and what we face that today, even as a nation, as a country. Where are we going?”

Bass based Tipsy’s on a real Downtown ���ϲ����� pub and many parallels exist between the Salt City of the play and ���ϲ�����. But Bass points out, the Salt City of the play is more of a fraternal twin to ���ϲ�����. The play, he says, is inspired by this community.

“salt/city/blues” runs June 9-26. Tickets are on sale now at .

‘The Most Beautiful Home…Maybe’

“The Most Beautiful Home . . . Maybe,” is an original work of devised theater whose goal is to use the imaginative resources of theater to explore solutions to chronic housing problems plaguing the country.

Through workshops that bring together stakeholders involved in housing policy—politicians, developers, advocates, activists, the homeless—Valdez and sparks seek creative solutions to housing insecurity by challenging participants to consider the question “What if everyone in this country had a home?” The input collected at the workshops forms the basis for the performance piece.

���ϲ����� Stage has hosted four workshops in the lead up to the performance and local participants have included Deka Dancil, diversity, equity and inclusion specialist, St. Joseph’s Health; Lanessa Chaplin, Esq., project counsel, New York Civil Liberties Union; and author and playwright Juhanna Rogers, among others.

To date, “The Most Beautiful Home . . . Maybe” has performed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the Mixed Blood Theatre, and recently at Los Angeles’ REDCAT in the Walt Disney Concert Hall Complex. In speaking with the Los Angeles Times, sparks said that the skills theater artists have “are actually superpowers for solving community problems and creating spaces for people to have hard conversations.”

“What would we create?” Valdez asks. “What kind of high density, co-op driven models of housing could we create? How do we build the additional 68 million homes that we need? How do we incentivize mom-and-pop landlords to keep their units affordable?”

Valdez and sparks note that the pandemic has exacerbated an already widespread and chronic problem, with many middle-class Americans experiencing housing insecurity.

“I can feel my body get lighter when I imagine that world where people are not living in the fear and stress of being unhoused or losing their home, or worried about where they’re going to live when they’re old,” sparks says. “Our country would actually just be healthier and more prosperous if there was housing stability.”

“The Most Beautiful Home . . . Maybe” runs for three performances only, June 16, 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Arthur Storch Theatre at ���ϲ����� Stage. Admission is free.

Everson Museum of Art and Juneteenth Partnerships

The exhibition “15-81” presents Cooke’s project “We Outchea: Hip-Hop Fabrications and Public Space” alongside documents relating to the 15th Ward. Commissioned by New York’s Museum of Modern Art in 2021 as part of the exhibition “Reconstructions: Architecture and Blackness in America,” “We Outchea” focuses on the legacy of placement and displacement of Black residents in ���ϲ����� and considers various events in the city’s history—the razing of the 15th Ward, the building of multiple public housing projects and the construction of Interstate-81—while simultaneously critiquing recent proposals to replace low- income communities with mixed-income housing.

By contextualizing the “We Outchea” project with photographs and ephemera that tell the story of the once vibrant 15th Ward, Cooke points to a post-81 ���ϲ����� future of entrepreneurship and innovation.

“15-81” is on display through Aug. 21.

Patrons of the “15-81” exhibition and members of the Everson will receive $10 off admission to “salt/city/blues” at ���ϲ����� Stage. Stage patrons get free admission to the Everson with proof of purchase of “salt/city/blues” tickets.

Events at Stage and the Everson will also be officially part of ���ϲ�����’s annual Juneteenth celebration. The June 12, 7:30 p.m. performance of “salt/city/blues” will be Juneteenth Night at ���ϲ����� Stage. Juneteenth Festival organizers will be available at ���ϲ����� Stage with information about the upcoming festival on June 17 and 18.

Discount tickets will be available for “salt/city/blues” and the Everson will host a free screening on June 18 of Bass’ one-person play “Citizen James, or the Young Man without a Country” as part of the Juneteenth celebrations. Originally, commissioned for ���ϲ����� Stage’s Backstory educational program, the play depicts young James Baldwin at La Guardia airport awaiting a flight to Paris that will give him refuge from the racist violence of America in the 1940s and set him on the path to becoming a towering influence in the Civil Rights movement.

“The path to creating new work is not always predictable, especially today, but the rewards of this effort can be immeasurable,” adds Hupp. “We’re honored to produce resident playwright Kyle Bass’s powerful new play and to present our participatory co-production with Minneapolis’ Mixed Blood Theatre. Taken as stand-alone works, they offer exciting and unique theatrical opportunities. Taken together, ��ٲ�����/�����ٲ�/�����ܱ��’ and ‘The Most Beautiful Home…Maybe’ afford the one-of-a-kind experience we are committed to creating for Central New York.”

Named as one of the best shows by The New York Times in 2017, “As You Like It” is an immersive fairytale experience that touches upon feuding families and lovers in disguise. Forced from their homes, Orlando, Duke Senior, his daughter Rosalind and niece Celia, escape to the Forest of Arden, a fantastical place of transformation, where all are welcomed and embraced. Lost amidst the trees, the refugees find community and acceptance under the stars. This show is a celebration of community, togetherness and diversity.

“This production of ‘As You Like It’ is a declaration of love,” says Rodney Hudson, director. “While it seems that American society has become more accepting and inclusive of the LGBTQI+ community, governmental policies have shown that the country needs more growth than some are willing to accept.”

Hudson is passionate about issues of equality in the LGBTQI+ community and relates this story to the current and unjust Parental Rights in Education bill. He adds, “As a declaration of love, this production of ‘As You Like It’ investigates how we, as humans, accept the love around us and showcases the various forms love can have. We ask you the question, ‘Who can love?’ and invite you to join us on the journey as we find the answer.”

The original story of “As You Like It” is believed to be written in 1599 and published in the First Folio in 1623. In the summer of 2017, with collaborators Taub and Sonya Tayeh, Woolery directed this new musical adaptation of “As You Like It” at Central Park’s Delacorte Theater with 200 New Yorkers as part of the The Public Theater’s Public Works Program. Founded by Woolery in 2015, the Public Works at The Public Theater is an initiative that seeks to engage the people of New York by making them creators and not just spectators. Working with partner organizations in all five boroughs, Public Works invites members of diverse communities to join in the creation of ambitious works of participatory theater.

COVID-19 Safety Guidelines

Masks are required at all times by everyone regardless of vaccination status, except while eating or drinking in designated areas. Food and drink will not be permitted in the auditorium.

“As You Like It”��

A musical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”

• Adapted by Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery
• Music and lyrics by Shaina Taub
• Orchestrations and band arrangements by Mike Brun
• Directed by Rodney Hudson
• Music directed by Brian Cimmet
• Choreography by Felipe Panamá
• Scenic design by Kristina Fosmire
• Costume design by Amaan Khan
• Lighting design by Em Stripling
• Sound design by Jacqueline R. Herter
• Wig design by Michael A. King
• Fight choreography by Alec Barbour
• Assistant music director: Jacob Stebly
• Dramaturg: Puaseisei Patu-Tanielu
• Stage manager: Emma Yehle

Cast

• Malaika Wanjiku Jaques
• Alexandra Kafrissen Rosalind
• Thomas Riggleman Orlando
• Samantha Harnick Celia
• Kevin Ilardi Oliver
• Dylan Knight Weaver Duke Senior
• Ian Purcell Duke Frederick
• Will Foohey Touchstone
• Hayden Poe Andy
• Olivia Lacie Andrews Phoebe
• Sofia Swensen Silvia
• Rileigh Very Mama Corin, Ensemble
• Blaise Rossman Papa Corin, Ensemble
• McKay Marshall Miss Amiens, Hisperia
• Shaun Collins William, Frankie Flow, Ensemble
• Adam Forward Bronco, Ensemble
• Zach Simpson Adam, Caveman
• Elana Babbitt Announcer, Ensemble
• Corinne Ferrer Agent, Ensemble
• Alice Meyer Little Jaques, Ensemble

Swings

Rachel Langetieg, Austin Rose

Performances

• Friday, April 29, 8 p.m. (Preview)
• Saturday, April 30, 8 p.m. (Opening)
• Sunday, May 1, 2 p.m. (ASL Interpreted)
• Wednesday, May 4, 8 p.m.
• Thursday, May 5, 8 p.m.
• Friday, May 6, 8 p.m.
• Saturday, May 7, 2 p.m. (Open captioned)
• Saturday, May 7, 8 p.m.
• Sunday, May 8, 2 p.m.

Additional Credits

• Puppeteers: Elana Babbitt, Shaun Collins, Kevin Ilardi, Blaise Rossmann
• Dance Captain: Blaise Rossmann
• Fight Captains: Adam Forward, Austin Rose
• Assistant to the Director: Puaseisei Patu-Tanielu
• Assistant Choreographer: Olivia Lacie Andrews
• Additional Staging and Choreography: Olivia Lacie Andrews, Blaise Rossmann
• Assistant Scenic Designer: Angel Wai Yan Lam
• Associate Costume Designer: Rosario Appleton Figueira
• Assistant Costume Designer: Ryn Gross
• Assistant Lighting Designer: Mairead Cummins
• Assistant Sound Designer: Malena Logan
• Assistant Stage Managers: Emily Kellner, Maya Royston
• Casting Assistant: Liam Bierley

Appropriate for ages 3+, “Doodle POP” is a touching and playful non-verbal show that uses music and sound effects performed live, along with stunning interactive screen projections and live whiteboard drawings to create an imaginative world.

Two engaging characters named Woogie and Boogie start to doodle and introduce a tiny turtle who must find its way back to the sea. So begins an interactive adventure that will spark the imaginations of young audiences.

Stage’s Director of Community Engagement and Education Joann Yarrow and Associate Director of Education Kate Laissle saw “Doodle POP” as part of the International Performing Arts for Youth Festival in Philadelphia and immediately wanted to bring it to ���ϲ�����. “Doodle Pop is so much fun for all,” says Yarrow.

Based in Seoul, South Korea, the BRUSH Theatre performs worldwide and has garnered awards at international festivals such as the Edinburgh Fringe. The company is dedicated to creating quality theater for young audiences in order to inspire children to enrich their daily lives with art. This is the company’s first appearance in Central New York.

“We’ve wanted to expand our family programming, and this fun show launches what we hope is more unique programming for kids and for kids at heart,” says Hupp.

The six show subscription season runs Sept. 21, 2022-June 25, 2023 and includes the world premiere musical “How to Dance in Ohio,” Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” the East Coast premiere of “Clean/Espejos,” “Our Town,” the world premiere of Kyle Bass’ “Tender Rain,” and “Clue.” Subscription packages are on sale now at or at the Box Office, 315.443.3275.

“This season is about connection. It’s what I’ve missed most these past two years: connecting with friends, connecting with family, connecting with one another,” says Artistic Director Robert Hupp. “At ���ϲ����� Stage, we’ve selected a new season that celebrates our need to connect. It celebrates the fun, the mystery and yes, sometimes the heartbreak of connections made and missed. We’ve all been through a lot, often in isolation, and we believe coming to ���ϲ����� Stage to share experiences you can only enjoy through live performance is the perfect way to connect, and reconnect, with each other.”

First up is “How to Dance in Ohio,” a heart-filled new musical, based on the Peabody Award-winning documentary of the same name that explores what it means to belong, the courage it takes to put yourself out in the world and the universal need to connect. Set at a counseling center in Columbus, “How to Dance in Ohio” follows seven autistic young adults as they come of age and find their ways in the world.

Created by Jacob Yandura (music) and Rebekah Greer Melocik (book and lyrics) and directed by Sammi Cannold, this musical adaptation adheres closely to the documentary in narrative and spirit, and the cast will include autistic actors in the seven principal roles. The musical is dedicated in loving memory to Broadway legend Harold Prince, who was instrumental in its inception. Filmmaker Alexandra Shiva said in an interview that she chose this age group—late teens to early twenties—because while autistic children get attention, those on the brink of becoming adults are often overlooked. The musical, like the film, illuminates this crucial time in the lives of these young people. ���ϲ����� Stage will produce this world premiere musical in association with Ben Holtzman, Sammy Lopez and Fiona Howe Rudin. Ava Xiao-Lin Rigelhaupt serves as the autism spectrum disorder creative consultant with Becky Leifman as the director of community engagement. Holtzman, Lopez and Leifman are alumni of the Department of Drama.

For the holidays, the grand tradition of a family musical co-produced with the Department of Drama takes a deep dive under the sea with “Disney’s The Little Mermaid.” The 2 Ring Circus (“The Wizard of Oz,” 2017) returns to add spectacular high-flying acrobatics to this beloved tale of Ariel’s adventures up “where the people are.” Melissa Rain Anderson directs, with choreography by Adam Cates and musical direction by Brian Cimmet.

In the new year, associate artistic director Melissa Crespo guides the exceptional bi-lingual drama “Clean/Espejos,” written by playwright Christine Quintana, with Spanish translation and adaptation by Paula Zelaya Cervantes. At a destination wedding in Cancún, two women with very different life experiences meet by chance and become catalysts for change in each other. Adriana is local and works at the resort and speaks only Spanish. Sarah is Canadian, sister of the bride, and speaks only English. The audience follows their journey together in both languages aided by supertitles in English and Spanish.

“‘Clean/Espejos’ is a thrilling theatrical experience layered with complexity and magical realism unlike anything ever seen at ���ϲ����� Stage,” says Crespo.�� “I am so grateful to share this beautiful play with our audience.”

Of special note in the spring is the opportunity for Artistic Director Robert Hupp to direct one of his favorite plays, Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town,” which has been long postponed due the pandemic. Wilder, who would have turned 125 this year, is enjoying a revival around the country from the Dallas Theatre Center to Lincoln Center. “Our Town” is by far his best known play, a poetic and graceful reminder to cherish every unimportant moment and to embrace the true wonder and brevity of being alive. Set in the small New Hampshire town of Grover’s Corners, the play, Wilder said, places “the life of a village against the life of the stars.” A true American masterpiece.

“It’s been well over 20 years since ���ϲ����� Stage produced ‘Our Town,’ and longer since I’ve directed it,” says Hupp. “I am eager to return to Grover’s Corners. I believe Wilder’s timeless play speaks powerfully to us today; its soaring simplicity is a necessary antidote to the cacophony of our lives.”

A second world premiere follows in the season, resident playwright Kyle Bass’ “Tender Rain.” Set in a small Southern city in the 1950s, this elegiac drama uses the strained relationship of a middle-aged white couple to explore the complexities of race relations and how an oppressive society’s pain, violence and suffering leaches insidiously into domestic lives and intimate relationships. Rodney Hudson is set to direct. Bass, who is represented in the current season with “salt/city/blues” (June 8-26), scored a hit for ���ϲ����� Stage with “Possessing Harriet” in 2018.

“Dramas of diverse, complex and fully-drawn characters situated in emotion-bringing circumstances; plays that give voice to the poetry of human desires, struggles and perseverance are the plays I like best,” says Bass. “‘Tender Rain’ is my offering to the theater of poetic realism. Rodney Hudson’s theatrical vocabulary is, I think, wonderfully suited for the play.”

Closing out the season is the board game turned feature film turned theatrical comedy/mystery, “Clue.” Mixing the usual suspects from the popular game with the red scare politics of the 1950s, “C���ܱ�” is a farce meets murder mystery delight that hits all the right notes. On a dark and stormy night, a cast of familiar characters gathers at a remote mansion for dinner and murder. Who done it? Where? And with what? It is pure theatrical fun to conclude the exciting season.

The Cold Read Festival of New Plays returns live and gets a new time slot in the fall of 2022. (In previous seasons it was in the spring.) Associate Artistic Director Crespo takes over curatorial responsibility for this compact and intense celebration of new work. Details and schedule to be announced.

In addition, Stage will offer a strong line-up of educational and community outreach programs throughout the season. In the fall (Sept. 20-Dec. 16), the Bank of America Children’s Tour resumes performances live in elementary schools with “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane” by Dwayne Hartford and based on the book by Kate DiCamillo. Directed by Katherine McGerr, this fantastical play tells the tale of a vain china rabbit who gets lost at sea and embarks on a long journey, during which he learns the importance of love.

Of special note is the commission of an original play by Ojibwe and Oneida performance artist, activist and writer Ty Defoe for Stage’s Backstory program. Working with students and community members of the Onondaga Nation, Defoe will create an original work based on the story of the Sky Woman. Defoe is a Grammy award-winning composer and a 2021 Helen Merrill award-winning playwright.

Returning, too, is “Theatre for the Very Young,” a program for children five and under. In the 2022/2023 season, this program will be performed in partnership with and at the Everson Museum.

“Our new season centers great stories, many told on our stage for the first time, brought to life by amazing actors, directors and designers,” says Hupp. “This is what you expect when you come to ���ϲ����� Stage. Enriching activities that give you deeper understanding of the work, created in an environment that makes for a special and fun night out, makes ���ϲ����� Stage the kind of experience you can’t get anywhere else in Central New York.”

Show Details

World Premiere Musical
“How to Dance in Ohio”

Book and Lyrics by Rebekah Greer Melocik
Music by Jacob Yandura
Based on Alexandra Shiva’s documentary film “How to Dance in Ohio”
Directed by Sammi Cannold
Produced in association with Ben Holtzman, Sammy Lopez and Fiona Howe Rudin
Sept. 21-Oct. 9, 2022

“How to Dance in Ohio” is a heart-filed new musical based on the Peabody Award-winning documentary of the same name that explores what it means to belong, the courage it takes to put yourself out in the world and the universal need to connect. Set at a counseling center on Columbus, “How to Dance in Ohio” follows seven autistic young adults as they come of age and find their ways in the world.

Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”

Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater
Book by Doug Wright
Based on the Hans Christian Andersen story and the Disney film that was produced by Howard Ashman & John Musker and written and directed by John Musker & Ron Clements
Originally produced by Disney Theatrical Productions
Directed by Melissa Rain Anderson
Musical Direction by Brian Cimmet
Choreography by Adam Cates
Co-produced with the ���ϲ����� Department of Drama
Nov. 25, 2022-Jan. 8, 2023

Dive into musical family fun with Ariel, Sebastian and all the watery gang from this beloved tale. With spectacular aerial (what?) acrobatics provided by 2 Ring Circus (“The Wizard of Oz,” 2017), this production promises enough thrills and delights for landlubbers of all ages. Nothing fishy about this holiday treat.

East Coast Premiere
“C���𲹲�/���������Dz�”

By Christine Quintana
Spanish translation and adaptation by Paula Zelaya Cervantes
Directed by Melissa Crespo
Feb. 15-March 5, 2023

The lives of two women with vastly different life experiences intersect at a destination wedding in Cancún. Adriana is from a small town not far from the resort where she has worked her way up from maid to floor manager. Sarah, from Vancouver, is the sister of the bride and maid of honor and the self-acknowledged family screw up. A chance encounter during a torrential downpour leads each woman to confront her personal storm and to consider the possibility that, though isolated, she may not be as alone as she believes. Change is hard but possible and hope may be closer than it sometimes seems. An engaging and poignant bi-lingual theatrical experience, “C���𲹲�/���������Dz�” is performed in English and Spanish with supertitles in both languages.

��“Our Town”

By Thornton Wilder
Directed by Robert Hupp
March 29-April 16, 2022

“The life of a village against the life of the stars” is how Thornton Wilder described his heralded masterpiece “Our Town.” “It is an attempt,” he wrote, “to find a value above all price for the smallest events in our daily life.” He succeeded with this graceful and poetic play—a heartfelt call to cherish every unimportant moment we’re together and to embrace the true wonder and brevity of being alive. Do any human beings
ever realize life while they live it? Whether in Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, at the turn of the 20^th century, or ���ϲ�����, New York, in 2023, Wilder’s enduring classic asks us to stop and ponder what truly matters, and to consider that for a great many of us the answers will be the same. Bob Hupp directs one of his favorite plays.

��World Premiere
“Tender Rain”

By Kyle Bass
Directed by Rodney Hudson
May 3-21, 2023

“Rain is like sorrow. It exposes our roots.” In this elegiac drama, playwright Kyle Bass introduces Milton Millard, a white banker who lives in a small Southern city with Delores, his wife whom he can hardly see anymore and who endures a vague but nagging trepidation. They are a late-middle-aged childless couple lost in a fog of what cannot be undone. Is there a way forward for either of them? Can Ruthie Mimms, the Black woman who raised and protected Milton in childhood and beyond, rescue him once more? The momentary escape Milton finds in the arms of a younger woman will not spare him the reckoning he must face. Set in the 1950s, “Tender Rain” explores the complexities of race relations and how oppressive society’s pain, violence and suffering leaches insidiously into domestic lives and intimate relationships. A journey through a richly layered emotional landscape from the author of “Possessing Harriet.

��“C���ܱ�”

Based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn
Written by Sandy Rustin
Additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price
Based on the Paramount Pictures motion picture
Based on the Hasbro board game CLUE
Original music by Michael Holland
Directed by Ben Hanna
June 7-25, 2023

Farce meets murder mystery in this hilarious theatrical adaptation of the famed board game and 1985 motion picture. In a remote mansion not far from Washington, D.C., a mysterious and familiar cast of characters—Colonel Mustard, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum and Miss Scarlet—gather for a dinner party and an evening of murder. Does the sudden demise of their host, Mr. Boddy, have any connection to the ongoing hearings conducted by Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House of Un-American Activities Committee? It’s all fun and games until someone gets clobbered by a candlestick in the library. After that, it’s even more fun.

Cold Read Festival of New Plays

Curated by Associate Artistic Director Melissa Crespo
Oct. 18-22, 2022
Events to be announced.

Premiering in 2016, “Sender” is the third play in Holter’s seven-play Rightlynd Saga, a fictional town in Chicago’s 51st ward. “Sender” thrives on the contrast between order and chaos and the tensions that emerge as we leave childhood and adolescence behind to contend with the demands of “adulting.” Holter presents us with four millennial friends wrestling with these issues. While each is at a different stage of “growing up,” one of these friends has disappeared and is presumed dead. Yet, at the beginning of the play, he returns and completely upends the balance established in his absence.

On a deep level, “Sender” is about a group of millennials aging into their 30s, struggling with growing up and moving beyond childhood into adulthood. There are scenes that engage with the sappy drunk nights of dreaming what could be, and fear of who you will become in the future. Yet, the power of the play is in its ability to generate different feelings and reactions depending on the age of the audience member.��This witty, razor-sharp play explores hipster culture, chasing down the truth and asks the question of what it means to be an adult in a world that refuses to grow up. It may be part of a series, but “Sender” truly stands on its own.

Holter is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is a recipient of the 2017 Windham–Campbell Literature Prize and is an alumni resident playwright at Victory Gardens Theater in Chicago. In addition, he has been commissioned by The Kennedy Center, South Coast Rep and The Playwrights’ Center. Holter’s first play, “Hit the Wall,” received an Off-Broadway run and successfully made the Chicago Tribune’s Top Ten Plays of 2012 list. He is a staff writer for the FX series “Fosse/Verdon” produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda and is developing a TV miniseries that centers around the 1983 election and the reign of the first African American mayor to hold the office in Chicago.

“Sender” will be performed with two casts.

COVID-19 Safety Guidelines

At the door, audience members 5 and older will be required to show proof of full vaccination, or for those not vaccinated, a negative COVID-19 test result. For children under 5, proof of negative test is strongly encouraged but not required for entry to the theatre.

A valid negative COVID-19 test must meet the following conditions: A negative PCR test from a health care provider within 72 hours of entry for the event you are attending or a negative Antigen test from a healthcare provider within six hours of entry for the event you are attending.

Vaccination verification is accepted in any of the following forms: physical vaccination card, New York State Excelsior Pass, digital vaccination cards through your home health department or photo of vaccination card. Full vaccination means that either 14 days have passed since receiving the second dose of FDA or WHO authorized double-dose vaccines or that 14 days have passed since receiving the sole dose of FDA or WHO authorized single-dose vaccines.��Without vaccination proof or a negative Covid-19 test, patrons will not be allowed into the building.

Masks are required at all times by everyone regardless of vaccination status, except while eating or drinking in designated areas. Food and drink will not be permitted in the auditorium.

“Sender” Credits

• By Ike Holter
• Directed by Terrence I. Mosley
• Scenic design by Malena Logan
• Costume design by Adeline Santello
• Lighting design by Sarah Schultz
• Sound design by Kevin O’Connor
• Fight choreography by Alec Barbour
• Intimacy choreography by Yvonne Perry
• Dialect coach: Blake Segal
• Acting coach: Sonita L. Surratt
• Consultant: Chuck Morris
• Dramaturg: Megan Cooper
• Stage manager: Kiara Brown

Cast (Arbor Mist)

• Suhail Kumar Lynx
• Eve Dillingham Tess
• Charlotte Bush Cassandra
• Dylan Knight Weaver Jordan

Cast (Peach Schnapps)

• Sammy Haines Lynx
• Mary Underwood Tess
• Morgan Perry Cassandra
• Adam Forward Jordan

Performances

• Friday, Feb. 18, 8 p.m. (Preview)
• Saturday, Feb. 19, 8 p.m. (Opening)
• Sunday, Feb. 20, 2 p.m.
• Wednesday, Feb. 23, 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 24, 8 p.m.
• Friday, Feb. 25, 8 p.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 26, 2 p.m. (Open captioned)
• Saturday, Feb. 26, 8 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 27, 2 p.m. (ASL interpreted)

Additional Credits

• Assistant Director: Ethan Harpole
• Assistant Scenic Designers: Miranda Barrick, Yuchau Zong
• Assistant Costume Designer: Marshall Breaux
• Assistant Lighting Designers: Eli Golding, Sophia O’Connor
• Casting Associate: Anthony Islam
• Casting Assistant: Kate Grover
• Assistant Stage Managers: Hope Allen, Maya Zepeda

���ϲ����� Stage will receive a award to support which is led by��, consisting of artists and activists Ashley Sparks and Mark Valdez from Los Angeles.

Collaborating with national advocacy organizations and arts organizations in three cities, Marks-N-Sparks will both address and influence policy decisions concerning housing insecurity. “The Most Beautiful Home…Maybe” comes to ���ϲ����� Stage June 15-18.

We have heard repeatedly that there is a lack of imagination in policy spaces. The thinking gets smaller and smaller, while the housing crisis only get bigger and bigger. Solutions to our crisis will require the arts. —Mark Valdez, artist and activist.

“The Most Beautiful Home…Maybe” is one of nearly 1,250 projects to receive nearly $29 million in funding in the Grants for Arts Projects category. It is produced in coordination with ; the in Minneapolis, Minnesota; the ; and the in Los Angeles, California.

“The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is proud to support arts projects like this one from ���ϲ����� Stage and its partner organizations that help support each community’s creative economy. ‘The Most Beautiful Home…Maybe’ is among the arts projects nationwide that are using the arts as a source of strength, a path to well-being and providing access and opportunity for people to connect and find joy through the arts,” says Ann Eilers, acting chair for the NEA.

Logo for the play “The Most Beautiful Home…Maybe.”

Workshops were conducted with local and national audiences. Policymakers, government workers, commercial and non-profit developers, activists, advocates and individuals experiencing housing insecurity were among the stakeholders.

“The engagement process and the performance are intimately woven together. By fusing story, imagination and policy discourse together, we’re creating space for transformational change in how housing policy can be generated,” adds project co-creator Ashley Sparks.

With music and lyrics by Australian comedian and songwriter Tim Minchin and based on the book by Roald Dahl, “Matilda The Musical” tells the story of a remarkable little girl named Matilda Wormwood and her gallant struggle to create a better life for herself, despite the best efforts of the maliciously misguided adults determined to thwart her. Telekinesis and a caring friend prove valuable assets in her effort. Tickets on sale now at and at the Box Office: 315.443.3275.

Since its development and world premiere at the Royal Shakespeare Company, “Matilda The Musical” has become a worldwide hit, winning six Olivier Awards in London and four Tony Awards on Broadway.

Veteran director Donna Drake (���ϲ����� Stage’s “The Wizard of Oz,” “Elf The Musical,” and “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast”) leads a cast of 30 performers in stage’s production, with choreographer Andrea Leigh-Smith, music director Brian Cimmet, scenic designer Czerton Lim, costume designer Ryan J Moller, lighting designer Thomas C. Hase, sound designer Jacqueline R. Herter, projection designer Brian McMullen and wig designer Jason Kyle Estrada.

For Drake, the return to ���ϲ����� Stage for the holiday musical is particularly significant this season.

“In this world turned upside down by a pandemic for the past 18 months, I now find myself back at ���ϲ����� Stage directing ‘Matilda.’ It’s like coming home to a place where I am surrounded by friends, amazing talents and the brilliance of design,” she says. “‘Matilda’ is a child’s journey out of darkness into light, enduring adversity and finding happiness. Like Matilda, we have all been through a lot. May we all reach for light and happiness.”

Composer and lyricist Minchin believes the musical is as relevant today as it was in 2010 when it premiered at the Royal Shakespeare Company. In an interview with Bristol Magazine, he said: “‘Matilda’��is a love letter to the power of stories, imagination and kindness in the face of cruelty, greed and superficiality. I think it’s become even more relevant in recent years. On top of that, it tells kids that reading is cool, and that changing your story and standing up to bullies is possible. That’s a timeless message.”

“Matilda The Musical” follows “Eureka Day” in Stage’s 2021-2022 season, which marks the return of live and in-person performance at the theater. The remaining shows are “Yoga Play” (Jan. 19-Feb. 6), “Somewhere Over the Border” (Feb. 23 – March 13), “The Play that Goes Wrong” (April 13-May 1) and “salt/city/blues” (June 8-26).

Patrons ages 12 and older will be required to show proof of COVID vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test in order to enter the theater, and properly worn masks will be required for everyone regardless of vaccination status. While vaccination or proof of a negative test is strongly encouraged for children under 12, it is not a requirement for entry into the theater.

Stage’s current COVID policy can be found on and provides the following: at the door, audience members, 12 and older, will be required to show proof of full vaccination, or for those not vaccinated, a negative test result from either an antigen-type test within six hours prior to entry or a PCR-type test within 72 hours prior to entry at the theatre. For children under 12, proof of vaccination or negative test is strongly encouraged but not required for entry to the theatre. Masks will be required at all times��by everyone regardless of vaccination status, except while eating or drinking in designated areas.

In addition to “In Love and Warcraft,” the shows that make up the five-play subscription season include “Matilda the Musical” (Nov. 19-Jan. 2 and co-produced with ���ϲ����� Stage), “Sender” (Feb. 19-27), “Cymbeline” (March 26-April 3) and a musical adaptation of “As You Like It” (April 29-May 7).

Five play subscriptions, flexible four packs and single tickets are on sale now on the on the ���ϲ����� Stage website. or through the ���ϲ����� Stage Box Office, 315.443.3275. The Department of Drama will offer full refunds to patrons should it become necessary to cancel performances or productions.

For the health and safety of all patrons and performers, the Department of Drama will follow COVID safety guidelines. Current guidelines require that all attendees regardless of vaccine status must be masked and provide proof of vaccination or negative COVID test (PCR test six hours prior to arrival at theater or antigen test 72 hours prior to arrival). These guidelines will be reassessed and are subject to change as the season progresses.

Additional projects off the mainstage feature original work. In the fall, faculty member Ricky Pak leads an ensemble in a devised piece called “Id” that will be videoed and distributed in a series of installments. In the spring, faculty member Kathleen Wrinn leads a new initiative, “New Voices, New Work,” to support the development of new musicals by writers and composers whose perspectives have been historically underrepresented in the musical theater canon. Performance dates for the musical are March 1-6.

“Our plays this season all deal in one way or another with separation and a struggle to connect and reunite,” says Holly Thuma, Department of Drama interim chair. “For many of us the pandemic has meant a separation from friends, from loved ones, and at times banishment from community. There is something magical about a live performance with a live audience in the room, about our coming together for the telling of stories, and the ritual of our communal experience.”

Directed by faculty member Matthew Winning, “In Love and Warcraft” is the work of playwright Madhuri Shekar, an alumna of the Ma-Yi writers lab and the Center Theatre Group Writers Workshop and a co-creator of the Shakespearean web series “Titus and Dronicus.” The play was developed at The National New Play Network MFA Playwrights Workshop and premiered at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta in 2014, the same year it won the Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Award.

“In Madhuri Shekar’s delightful ‘In Love and Warcraft,’ we follow a young woman’s isolation, her journey into the virtual world of gaming and her struggle to connect with real-life love,” Thuma says. With a script that is light, fast, youthful and spiked with goofy jargon, “In Love and Warcraft” offers an insightful look into the struggles of intimacy in the digital age.

Veteran director Donna Drake (“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” “Elf The Musical” and “The Wizard of Oz”) returns for “Matilda The Musical,” the holiday presentation co-produced with ���ϲ����� Stage. With a cast of 30 and filled with high energy song and dance, “Matilda The Musical” is a treat for the whole family.

Chicago-based playwright Ike Holter has written seven plays set in a fictional fifty-first ward. In “Sender” he zeroes in on a group of millennials whose lives are disrupted by the mysterious disappearance and equally strange reappearance of one of their friends. With sharp wit, Holter examines what it means to become an adult today. Department of Drama alumnus Terrence Mosely directs.

The season continues with two lively and exciting contemporary takes on Shakespeare. One of the four romances Shakespeare wrote late in his career, “Cymbeline” blends the fantastical with comedy, adventure and a moving love story. The Department of Drama production features a modern verse translation by playwright Andrea Thome. Thome’s version of “Cymbeline” was originally commissioned by the famed Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) as part of the company’s “Play On Shakespeare” project,��an ambitious undertaking that enlisted the talents of a diverse group of contemporary playwrights, screenwriters and dramaturges from diverse backgrounds to re-envision Shakespeare for the 21st century. The goal of the project was to translate 39 Shakespeare plays into language accessible to modern audiences while never losing the beauty of the verse. “Cymbeline” will be directed by faculty member Christine Albright-Tufts, who spent more than a decade as a company member at OSF.

“With this version of ‘Cymbeline,’ translated by Andrea Thome, ���ϲ����� becomes one of a growing list of universities and theaters who are partnering with ‘Play On! Shakespeare’ to produce new modern English translations of Shakespeare’s beloved plays,” says Albright-Tufts. “The company’s mission is to connect contemporary playwrights with the classical texts, in order to enhance audience understanding of Shakespeare.”

Following “Cymbeline” and closing the season is a musical adaptation of the comedy favorite “As You Like It.” Adapted by Shaina Taub and Laurie Woolery with music and lyrics by Taub, this delightful trip to the Forest of Arden was created for the Public Theater’s Public Works Program, an initiative that aims to restore and build community by connecting people through the creation of extraordinary works of art. Named by the New York Times as one of the best shows of 2017, “As You Like It” casts a musical and magical spell. Rodney Hudson directs.

reopens its doors for public performances with a fully staged professional reading of “,” a “theatricalization” by Stage’s resident playwright Kyle Bass of the 1965 debate between writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin and conservative commentator William F. Buckley Jr. The debate took place at Cambridge University and was broadcast by the BBC.

Performances are scheduled for Sept. 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free but tickets are required and may be obtained at . Seating is general admission and COVID safety protocols will be in place. At the door, audience members will be required to show proof of full vaccination, or for those not vaccinated, a negative test result from either an antigen-type test prior to six hours of entry or a PCR-type test prior to 72 hours of entry at the theatre. Masks will be required at all times by everyone regardless of vaccination status, except while eating or drinking in designated areas. (More information about COVID-19 safety guidelines are available on the .)

The presentation of “Baldwin vs. Buckley: The Faith of Our Fathers” at ���ϲ����� Stage is part of ���ϲ�����’s Artist in Residency program with Carrie Mae Weems and the First-Year Seminar for incoming students. A special matinee performance is scheduled exclusively for students.

The “intellectual prizefight,” as it has been called, between Baldwin and Buckley took place in the Cambridge Union on Feb. 18, 1965. The motion before the overflow assembly: “the American Dream has been achieved at the expense of the American Negro.” Two Cambridge University students squared off over the topic before the main event, which lasted approximately 45 minutes. Baldwin and Buckley spoke in turn, with Baldwin earning a rare standing ovation.

Starting with a verbatim transcription of the BBC broadcast, Bass reimagined the debate as a piece of live theatre. In addition to the transcription, “Baldwin vs. Buckley” incorporates other writings, speeches and interviews by Baldwin and Buckley to create a compelling tapestry of powerful and still-relevant ideas.

“I wanted contemporary audiences to experience the debate as a live event and through a contemporary lens,” Bass says. “I was extremely interested to see how the debate might live in the mouths and bodies of actors today, nearly 60 years after the historic event. What might the actors bring of themselves and identities to the roles of Baldwin and Buckley? Finally, I had to ask myself: ‘Why this? Why now?’ Performances of ‘Baldwin vs. Buckley’ at the University of Delaware, Colgate University and by Civic Ensemble in partnership with Cornell University provided a resounding answer: it’s still relevant; the impassioned discussions following the performances made that vividly clear.”

The impressive cast includes several actors who have appeared previously at ���ϲ����� Stage. Taking on the role of Baldwin is L. Peter Callendar, who was most recently seen online in the 2020/2021 season closer “‘Master Harold’ . . . and the Boys.” Wynn Harmon (“Possessing Harriet,” “Sylvia” and “Travels with My Aunt”) plays Buckley. The student debaters are Reynaldo Piniella (“Thoughts of a Colored Man”) and Robbie Simpson (“Great Expectations” and the Cold Read Festival of New Plays). Simon Moody, also a Cold Read veteran, plays the announcer and ���ϲ����� drama student Emily Hernandez completes the cast as the Cambridge Union President.

Director Godfrey L. Simmons,Jr., too, has a history with ���ϲ����� Stage having appeared in “A Raisin in the Sun,” “Two Trains Running” and “Blues for an Alabama Sky.” He is a co-founder of Ithaca’s Civic Ensemble and the current artistic director of HartBeat Ensemble in Hartford, Connecticut. Like Bass, he finds the Baldwin/Buckley debate to be very relevant today.

“When Kyle sent [the script to me], I felt I was reading something from a town hall during the last election cycle,” he says. “The arguments by both Baldwin and Buckley are still happening today in our schools, our workplaces, our communities. These arguments can be exhausting, but this debate, especially Baldwin’s arguments, enliven the eternal ‘race question’ that has carried over from the 20th century as the most important question facing our society.”

Beginning the season with “Baldwin vs. Buckley: The Faith of Our Fathers” signals a heightened interest in offering programming that addresses current events and concerns and reflects ���ϲ����� Stage’s desire to engage with the Central New York community throughout the season.

“It’s entirely fitting that we’re returning to live performance after an 18 month absence with a work crafted by Kyle Bass,” says Bob Hupp, ���ϲ����� Stage artistic director. “Kyle is Stage’s first-ever resident playwright and we wanted to showcase this new relationship. It is a great opportunity to welcome our community back to Stage. Kyle’s theatricalization makes it abundantly clear that the Baldwin/Buckley debate of 1965 resonates powerfully in 2021.”

Details

“Baldwin vs. Buckley: The Faith of Our Fathers”
A “theatricalization” by Kyle Bass
Directed by Godfrey L. Simmons Jr.
Projections by Dehanza Rogers
Lighting design by David M. Bowman
Sound design by Jacqueline R Herter

Performances

Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m. (Open Captioning)

Cast

L Peter Callender* James Baldwin
Wynn Harmon* William F. Buckley Jr.
Reynaldo Piniella* Heycock/Ensemble
Robbie Simpson* Burford/Ensemble
Simon Moody Announcer/Ensemble
Emily Hernandez Union President

*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

Six-play subscriptions will be on sale in July. Single tickets will go on sale closer to the opening of the season.

Artistic director Robert Hupp says, “This is more than a return to ‘normal.’ Over the past year, we’ve engaged in a field-wide conversation about the work we create and produce. We’ve looked at how the work is created, who creates the work and who the work is created for. We emerge from the pandemic with a renewed passion for our craft and a new commitment to making a positive and sustained contribution to the cultural and civic life of Central New York.”

In reopening, the theater management pledges strict adherence to the most up-to-date COVID-19 safety protocols in order to protect patrons, artists and staff.

The scheduled season offers a variety of theatrical experiences with a world premiere by ���ϲ����� Stage associate artistic director Kyle Bass, a new musical by Brian Quijada, a celebrated family holiday musical and three contemporary comedies. From backstage hijinks to events unfolding literally down the street from ���ϲ����� Stage to the trials and triumphs of a very remarkable little girl, the season celebrates reuniting to enjoy engaging stories, fascinating characters, exciting performances and great entertainment.

The season includes: “Eureka Day” (Oct. 13-31, 2021), “Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical” (Nov. 19, 2021-Jan. 2, 2022), “Yoga Play” (Jan. 19-Feb. 6, 2022), “Somewhere Over the Border” (Feb. 23-March 13, 2022), “The Play that Goes Wrong” (April 13-May 1, 2022) and “salt/city/blues” (June 8-26, 2022).

“Our new season is uplifting. We wanted to craft a season that celebrated our return to live performance,” Hupp says. “We also wanted to explore the world as it emerges from this unprecedented time. We do so with humor and with music. We also celebrate new voices on our stage—voices that we believe have relevance for right here and right now. We’re creating new ways to connect with ���ϲ����� Stage and we invite everyone to share this journey with us.”

Hupp is slated to direct two plays in the season including the season opener “Eureka Day.” A private day school in Berkeley, California, becomes a microcosm of our larger society as Jonathon Spector’s comedy plunges headlong into the knotty issues of vaccines and how we measure private preference against public health and how we decide who gets to decide. Though written pre-COVID, “Eureka Day” could not be more timely or more needed as Spector mines laughter from our foibles while eliciting empathy for our sometimes valiant and sometimes valiantly misguided efforts. Spector clearly has sympathy for our struggles.

Later in the season, Hupp takes on a comic cautionary tale of what can happen to a theatre company’s best laid plans with “The Play That Goes Wrong.” In this award-winning comedy, the Cornley Drama Society attempts to mount a 1920s murder mystery and falls prey to a variation of the old adage: everything that can go wrong will go wrong and in the most humorous way. Laughter for the sake of laughter and theater just for the fun of it.

“Personally, I can’t wait to get back in the rehearsal room,” Hupp says. “I’ve enjoyed directing online, and I’ve learned a lot in this process. But nothing can replace the joy of making a production with actors and a creative team that will be experienced by a live audience in a shared space. This shared experience is something we all need—it’s something we crave. I don’t think we’ll realize how much we’ve missed it until we’re back together again in the Archbold Theatre.”

The return to live and in-person performance also signals the return of a holiday tradition at ���ϲ����� Stage: the big family musical coproduced with the ���ϲ����� Department of Drama. For 2021/2022 Hupp has selected “Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical,” and entrusted it to the same director, Donna Drake, and musical director, Brian Cimmet, as previous holiday shows “The Wizard of Oz,” “Elf The Musical” and “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.” This season Drake and Cimmet will be joined by choreographer Andrea Leigh-Smith.

Two premieres and the continuation of the Cold Read Festival of New Plays keep vibrant new work at the forefront of ���ϲ����� Stage’s artistic programming. In 2018, Bass scored a hit with his mainstage debut production “Possessing Harriet,” a play rooted in a chapter of local history. With “salt/city/blues,’” he turns his gaze just down the block to consider how the construction of an elevated highway adversely impacted a once vibrant neighborhood while specifically focusing on the strains experienced by one family closely connected to the project. Resemblances to ���ϲ�����’s 15th ward and I-81 are intentional, if not literal. Gilbert McCauley, who directed the 2020/2021 closer “’Master Harold’…and the Boys,” returns for the world premiere of “salt/city/blues.”

“The heart of����ٲ�����/�����ٲ�/�����ܱ��’ beats with the character, spirit, challenges, history and hopes of the city which has inspired me in its writing,” says Bass. “I’m thrilled that its world premiere at my artistic home is part of ���ϲ����� Stage’s season of enriched focus on our communities and the meanings of home.”

In the new musical “Somewhere Over the Border,” drawing creative inspiration from a beloved Central New York story, Brian Quijada recounts the journey his mother made from El Salvador to the United States in the 1970s. With fantastical elements suggested by L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” Quijada transforms his mother’s 2,700 mile journey into a musical adventure using songs in a range of musical styles including American rock, hip-hop and Mariachi. Part fable and part family history, “Somewhere Over the Border” is a testament to a mother’s determination and love.

Rounding out the season is the wry comedy “Yoga Play” by Dipika Guha, a piece that ponders such questions as: is there room for authenticity in a $10 billion industry, or can lavender scented yoga pants enhance spiritual well-being? Melissa Crespo who directed this past season’s “I and You” and the 2019 hit “Native Gardens” will be back at ���ϲ����� Stage for this comedic gem.

Ongoing through the season there will be many opportunities to engage in conversations important to the community and to enjoy family oriented programming.

Los Angeles based artists and activists Mark-n-Sparks (Mark Valdez and ashley sparks) bring their innovative devised performance piece “The Most Beautiful Home…Maybe” to ���ϲ����� Stage as part of their four-city initiative to examine housing insecurity across the country. Free performances of “The Faith of Our Fathers,” adapted by Bass from the 1965 televised debate between James Baldwin and William F. Buckley, will be offered when the theater reopens in the fall. These special presentations augment the regularly scheduled talkbacks, prologues and lectures that accompany each mainstage production.

In addition, writer, interdisciplinary artist and Grammy Award-winner Ty Defoe joins the Cold Read Festival of New Plays in March 2022. Defoe is from the Oneida and Ojibwe nations and has written plays, poetry and lyrics. A full schedule of Cold Read events will be announced at a later date.

The season promises an array of theater experiences for families and students. In the fall the Bank of America Children’s tour production of “The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus” will perform outdoors at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. Two Backstory productions, “Commanding Space” and “Citizen James,” resume live performances after the new year, and in the spring the sensational Doodle Pop from South Korea arrives for four performances in the Archbold Theatre. Continuing in 2021/2022 are theatre for the very young and the ever popular Young Playwrights Festival.

“After more than a year of creating innovative online work, we are thrilled to return to producing live theatre this fall,” Hupp says. “While many theaters across our country were forced to shut down during the pandemic, ���ϲ����� Stage was fortunate to stay artistically active. The knowledge and experience we gained puts us in a strong position to hit the ground running with a season of dynamic and meaningful theatrical experiences.”

SHOW DETAILS

“Eureka Day”
By Jonathan Spector
Directed by Robert Hupp
Oct. 13-31, 2021

With a mumps outbreak, a private school in Berkeley, California, called Eureka Day, becomes a microcosm of our larger society as Jonathan Spector’s comedy plunges headlong into the knotty issues of vaccines and how we measure private preference against public health and how we decide who gets to decide. Though written pre-COVID, “Eureka Day” could hardly be more timely or more needed as Spector mines laughter from our foibles while eliciting empathy for our sometimes valiant and sometimes valiantly misguided efforts.

��“Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical”
Book by Dennis Kelly
Music and Lyrics by Tim Minchin
Based on the book “Matilda” by Roald Dahl
Directed by Donna Drake
Musical Direction by Brian Cimmet
Choreography by Andrea Leigh-Smith
Nov. 19, 2021-Jan. 2, 2022

Children (and grown-ups) of the world rejoice. “Matilda” is here at last. Inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl, this Tony Award-winning musical is a captivating treat that revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life. (There’s also a gloriously vile villain, Miss Trunchbull.) Packed with high-energy dance numbers, catchy songs and featuring an unforgettable little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic power, “Matilda” is a joyous girl power romp.

“Yoga Play” (East coast premiere)
By Dipika Guha
Directed by Melissa Crespo
Jan. 19-Feb. 6, 2022

Joan has a big problem. Recently named CEO of athletic-wear giant Jojomon—think high-end brand that’s part 60s one-hit wonder and part citrus fruit—she even more recently learned that a BBC investigative team is about to expose her Bangladeshi manufacturer of lavender-scented yoga pants as an exploiter of child labor. Suddenly, Jojomon’s family of customers is all atwitter with accusations of inauthenticity. Only one solution will do—find a reclusive and revered yogi to serve as a spokesman and restore the company’s all-important claim to authenticity. They find him all right. The rest is 90 minutes of side-splitting laughter. A fun-filled new comedy by Dipika Guha, a talent to watch and recipient of a Venturous Playwright Fellowship by The Lark.

“Somewhere Over the Border” (new musical)
By Brian Quijada
Feb. 23-March 13, 2022

Inspired by the real life journey of the author’s mother (Reina Quijada) from El Salvador to the U.S. and by L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” “Somewhere Over the Border” embraces the factual and the fantastical in its depiction of one young girl’s pursuit of the American dream. As Reina travels north to the Mexican border, she gathers friends, faces down dangers and holds tight to the memory of the little boy she left behind. Set in the 1970s and propelled by cumbia, Mexican mariachi boleros, American rock and hip-hop, this new musical is both fable and family history—and a testament to the determination born of love.

“The Play That Goes Wrong”
By Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields
Directed by Robert Hupp
April 13-May 1, 2022

Winner of London’s Olivier Award for Best Comedy and a New York Times best pick for comedies, “The Play That Goes Wrong” follows in the grand tradition of plays that go farcically awry. As the Cornley Drama Society attempts to perform a 1920s murder mystery, sets malfunction, lines are dropped and corpses won’t stay still. Such fun. Laughter for the sheer joy of laughter.

“salt/city/blues” (world premiere)
By Kyle Bass
Directed by Gilbert McCauley
June 8-26, 2022

How does a fractured family heal when unresolved emotions of the past color the present? Can a city reshape itself if it means tearing open old, still-tender wounds? And where in a diverse but segregated can communities find common ground, mutual dignity and a true sense of home? These questions collide into Yolonda Mourning, an independent consultant on a vast project to take down a span of highway that has long divided Salt City. When she leaves her husband and teenage son and moves to the heart of trendy downtown, a diverse cast of characters forces Yolonda to confront the Salt City’s complicated history around race, class and urban renewal, and to reckon with her role as architect of the broken bridges in her own family. Moving, funny, poignant and current, “salt/city/blues” is a fresh, contemporary new play set in a fictionalized ���ϲ����� and to the music of the blues. A Cold Read world premiere production.

Cold Read Festival of New Plays
March 14 – 20
Events to be announced

Cole Taylor and Phoebe Holden in “I and You”

Written by Lauren Gunderson and directed by Melissa Crespo, “I and You” marks a return of artists and actors to performance on stage at ���ϲ����� Stage. The approximately 90-minute play will be performed in the Arthur Storch Theatre on a fully realized set and captured on video by Black Cub Productions. The process is identical in execution to the season opener, “Talley’s Folly,” which was videoed live in Stage’s Archbold Theatre. “I and You” will be available for viewing as video on demand May 5 – 23 at .

Though first performed in 2014 (Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award), Gunderson’s play is remarkably relevant to today’s Covid impacted world. It features two high school students working on a literature project about Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself.” One of the students, Caroline, has been unable to attend school in person because she is ill with a chronic and life-threatening liver disease. Her phone and her laptop are her sole tethers to the world beyond her bedroom. Though her health concerns are unique to her, the isolation and disconnectedness she experiences palpably reflect what many have experienced over the past year.

Arriving in her room unlooked for and not quite welcome is her classmate Anthony. He is enthusiastic and energetic and maybe a little desperate for Caroline’s help, at least judging by the half-finished poster he carries. He also carries a bag of waffle fries, pop tarts stashed in his backpack (he’s always hungry) and, for reasons not yet clear, an unrelenting earworm—Walt Whitman’s line: “I and this mystery here we stand.”

Discovering what Anthony means by this line, especially “this mystery,” and the significance it has for both students is the foundation of Gunderson’s play. The physical and metaphysical interconnectedness Whitman writes of in “Song of Myself” applies to them in ways they must come to understand and accept. Their path to discovery is a journey they take together but they are not easy travelling companions. Therein lies the fun. She is skeptical. He is insistent. She is defensive. He is persistent. They are entertaining verbal sparring partners who need to go a few preliminary rounds before building mutual trust. For director Crespo, Caroline and Anthony’s situation finds resonance with life during the pandemic.

“This past year has revealed how dangerous isolation can be to the human spirit,” she says. “Anthony’s sudden appearance reminds us that we are social creatures and our survival depends not only on physical health, but from deep emotional connections with others.”

To ensure that Gunderson’s play attains complete fulfillment on stage, Crespo has assembled a talented cast and a gifted team of experienced designers. It is the same design team that she worked with on Stage’s highly successful production of the comedy “Native Gardens” in 2019: scenic designer Shoko Kambara, costume designer Lux Haac, lighting designer Dawn Chiang and sound designer Elisheba Ittoop.

Making their ���ϲ����� Stage debuts are Phoebe Holden as Caroline and Cole Taylor as Anthony. Holden is a recent graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, while Taylor has appeared in theater productions in Los Angeles and at Indiana Repertory Theatre and on television in the recent reboot of “Saved by the Bell.”

Gunderson has been the most produced playwright in America over the past few seasons. In the 2019/2020 season alone, there were 33 scheduled productions of her plays. She is prolific and much of her work is historical. “I and You” is one of her few pieces with a contemporary setting, although in reaching back to Walt Whitman and other artists from the more recent past, like Jazz great John Coltrane and rock legend Jerry Lee Lewis, Gunderson is deliberately establishing links across time to get at something more universal.

As Crespo notes: “Lauren Gunderson’s celebration of Walt Whitman’s��‘Song of Myself’��is a wonderfully vital illustration about the healing power of art in its many forms—poetry pushes this beautiful story forward like songs in a musical.”

To access “I and You,” patrons need only a valid e-mail address and a device for viewing, such as a desktop, laptop, smart TV or tablet. “Tickets” start at $30 and are available at and through the Box Office (315.443.3275; Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

All plays were once new plays. That’s the idea behind ���ϲ����� Stage’s Now in its fourth season, the Cold Read Festival has seven different events featuring some of the freshest voices writing for theater today, nationally and locally, scheduled for Tuesday, March 23, through Sunday, March 28. Due to COVID-19, all events will be virtual with a mix of pre-recorded readings and live discussions with festival artists.

Curated by ���ϲ����� Stage Associate Artistic Director Kyle Bass, each festival event takes patrons through a different stage of a play’s development process from the writer’s imagination to the stage. A full festival pass that includes all events is $15. Visit or call its box office at 315.443.3275 for tickets and additional information.

Two of the live discussion events, “On the Future of New Plays” on March 23 and “Craft Q&A: The Art of Playwriting with Kate Hamill” on March 28 are free and do not require a festival pass, but participants must register in advance to receive a Zoom link.

“I am proud of how ���ϲ����� Stage has continued to make theatre during this very challenging time,” says Bass. “While presented virtually, the return of the Cold Read Festival of new plays speaks to Stage’s commitment to supporting and celebrating new work. And I see this year’s festival as a reminder of how new work can refresh our passion for theatre.”

Cold Read kicks off on Tuesday, March 23, at 6 p.m. ET with the free event On the Future of New Plays, part of the ���ϲ����� Humanities Center’s series. This virtual panel of Cold Read artists includes Kyle Bass, ���ϲ����� Stage associate artistic director and Cold Read Festival curator; Kate Hamill, festival playwright-in-residence; Chesney Snow, festival solo-artist-in-residence; Evan Starling-Davis, Write Here featured local playwright; and Robert Hupp, ���ϲ����� Stage artistic director. Discussions will surround the current state of the arts, what it means to be an artist in post-COVID-19 America and how their work can impact the future of playwriting.

The festival continues Wednesday, March 24, with Cold Open, a conversation with festival artists about their plans and goals for their work featured in the festival. A live discussion will be held at 7 p.m. ET.

Thursday’s event, Under Consideration, will feature a cast of professional actors in a reading of “Queen,” a new play by Madhuri Shekar that is under consideration for production in a future ���ϲ����� Stage season. “Queen” premiered in 2017 and won the Outstanding Original Full-Length Script at the 2019 New York Innovative Theatre Awards. It explores truth, relationships and bees. The reading will be directed by Kareem Fahmy and will be available to stream from midnight to 11:59 p.m. There will be a live virtual discussion with Bass, Hupp and Fahmy about the play at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Next up on Friday, March 26, is Write Here, highlighting the work of a local playwright. A new play, “Madness, In The Clearing of Blue,” by Evan Starling-Davis will be read by a cast of local actors and directed by ���ϲ����� Department of Drama faculty Rufus Bonds Jr. Starling-Davis is a digital-age, Black interdisciplinary artist whose work has been featured in numerous galleries, museums and theaters internationally. The reading will be available to stream from midnight to 11:59 p.m. There will be a live virtual discussion with Bass, Starling-Davis and Bonds at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Saturday presents Solo Act with a work-in-progress performance of “Aquaplane” (working title) by renowned performing solo artist, actor and musician Chesney Snow, co-created with Faye Chiao. Snow is a Drama Desk winner, three-time artist-in-residence at Harvard University and teaching artist. He has performed numerous roles on Broadway, headlined Carnegie Hall and produced and starred in the music documentary “American Beatboxer,” which was placed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Snow’s performance will be available to stream from midnight to 11:59 p.m. There will be a live virtual discussion with Bass and Snow at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The closing day of Cold Read will feature multiple events with one of the most produced playwrights in the country, Kate Hamill. Craft Q&A: The Art of Playwriting with Kate Hamill, a live discussion moderated by Bass, will take place at 2 p.m. ET. This is a free event that does not require a festival pass to participate, but requires advance registration.

Cold Read’s final event, Draft/Pages, is a reading of Hamill’s brand-new play-in-progress “The Piper” directed the Meredith McDonough. “The Piper” was developed with the support of PlayPenn with the author as a Haas Fellow. The reading will be available to stream from midnight to 11:59 p.m. There will be a live virtual discussion with Bass, Hamill and McDonough at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Available throughout the week will be a video reading of a new play by Bass called “The Cutaneous Rabbit Illusion.” Directed by Hupp, the 30-minute one-act play stars Hamill and her husband Jason O’Connell (“Amadeus” and “Talley’s Folly”) as estranged lifelong friends who reunite at a wedding and confront the wounds, losses and resentments of the past, testing the resilience, dependability and adult emotional complexities of friendships forged in childhood. This special event is a fundraiser for the Cold Read Festival. It may be accessed free of charge with a donation suggested.

“A�ԲԲ���ܰ��Բ�” will be available as video-on-demand March 17 – April 4 at . To access the show, patrons need only a valid e-mail address and a device for viewing, such as a desktop, laptop, smart TV or tablet. “Tickets” start at $30 and are available at and through the Box Office (315.443.3275; Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.).

White’s solitary set for the play is a dilapidated trailer home in Paonia, Colorado. Though high in the Rockies, it is clearly not a playground for the rich and beautiful; it’s not Aspen, not Telluride, more Dollar Store than film festival. The trailer’s owner is a middle-aged poet and ex-professor named Ulysses who, like his abode, has seen far better days. The oxygen strapped to his back owes less to the altitude and more to a lifetime of hard drinking and heavy smoking, and as is often the case in life as in art, careless and willful self-destruction radiates into a blast zone extending the damage beyond the targeted self. Enter Emma, ex-wife, 20 years estranged, part hard rock of reckoning and part angel of mercy. As Ulysses puts it, “Holy crap. Why has she come? Why now?”

Hupp has likened White’s play and his characters to those of the late great Sam Shepard. The comparison is apt in that Emma and Ulysses possess depth and breadth of feeling; they have passion, and like Shepard’s characters, they grasp the futility of resisting, no matter how much better judgment may incline them to do so. Hupp also finds comic resonance in the television series “Shameless,” especially in the way White allows his characters to find humor despite—or even in defiance of—their less then idyllic circumstances. Emma and Ulysses are feisty and engaging, kindred and spirited spirits, and their verbal sparring is liberally laced with gleeful doses of biting wit.

To portray the fictional couple in “Annapurna,” Hupp has turned to real-life married partners Dawn Stern and Stephan Wolfert. Wolfert appeared previously at ���ϲ����� Stage as Mrs. Bennet in Kate Hamill’s “Pride and Prejudice.” He spent last fall as an artist-in-residence at ���ϲ����� Stage, collaborating with Stern to develop adaptations of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” and “Richard III” as part of their ongoing work with , an organization founded by Wolfert and dedicated to helping military veterans cope with trauma. At ���ϲ����� Stage, Wolfert has also performed his one-man show “Cry Havoc,” which is based in part on his own military experience.

“I’m so glad to be working with Dawn and Stephan on ‘Annapurna,’” Hupp says. “The play seems tailor-made for them. And while we’ve not been in the same room during this process, the relationship between actor and director remains the same. They bring so much heart, humor and dedication to the work, not to mention sheer talent, that they transcend the imposed distance and make the remote immediate.”

In what can only be described as an extraordinary coincidence of life imitating art, Stern and Wolfert maintain their full-time residence in a large van outfitted as a mobile home, not unlike Ulysses’ dwelling in the play. This was particularly fortuitous for ���ϲ����� Stage because current actors’ union guidelines only allow actors to record performances from the safety of their own homes, as was the case with Patrese D. McClain performing “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” from her apartment in Chicago. With cameras supplied by ���ϲ����� Stage and guidance offered remotely by video designer Kate Freer, Stern and Wolfert’s van became the rehearsal room and the “stage” setting for “Annapurna.”

“Working from my computer at home and collaborating with our team working across ���ϲ����� and New York City, brings its own set of challenges to the creative process,” Hupp says. “This hybrid art form, created using our theatrical vocabulary but drawing on video and digital innovation and creativity, stretches our artistic muscles and allows for fascinating and dynamic storytelling. I’m anxious to share this work with our audience.”

In interviews, playwright White said that “A�ԲԲ���ܰ��Բ�” had a long artistic gestation and evolved from three sources of inspiration. The first was the relationship of friends of White, a married couple who developed an “intense intimacy” when the husband became terminally ill with emphysema. Then years after that experience, he read an article that profiled estranged couples brought together by illness even after years of separation.

The third inspiration came from the mountaineering book “A�ԲԲ���ܰ��Բ�” by Maurice Herzog. “In mountaineering you hear a lot about ‘committing,’ which is essentially about forcing yourself into a place of no return, so that literally the only way to survive is to move forward. And there was so much that was obvious in that idea as a metaphor for a relationship,” White explains in the online publication @This Stage.

While the first and second of these inspirations inform the situation of the play, it is the last that speaks to the heart of “A�ԲԲ���ܰ��Բ�” and its unabashed recognition of the enduring power of love—however tested—and the potential salve of forgiveness. Emma arrives at Ulysses’ trailer with a mountain of her own, a mountain made of suitcases. Their task together is to unpack the baggage of their lives and discover what remains.

As White explains, “Maybe really what the play touches on is just how briefly we’re actually here, and how deeply important it is that we all have someone who can peer through our life, no matter how much wreckage that inhabits it, and say, ‘You. I see you.’”

continues the 2020/2021 online on-demand season with the stunning documentary drama “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” by Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-nominated playwright Anna Deavere Smith. “Twilight” will be available as video on demand Feb. 3-14 at .

Smith created “Twilight” as an interrogation of the events surrounding the brutal beating of a 26-year-old Black man, Rodney King, by officers of the Los Angeles police department on March 3, 1991. The assault was captured on tape—the first of a long line of similarly disturbing videos—and depicted four officers striking King more than 50 times with batons as he lay on the ground. Though charged with assault, the officers were acquitted by a mostly white jury in a trial that had been moved from Los Angeles to the nearby suburb of Simi Valley. News of the acquittal sparked widespread unrest in South Central Los Angeles that left 63 dead and 2,000 injured and caused more than $1 billion in damage.

Based on more than 300 interviews conducted by Smith, the play presents a panoply of 37 characters from the high and mighty to the obscure, from those directly involved to those who were distant observers, from opera star Jessye Norman and former Senator Bill Bradley to liquor store owner Jay Woong Yahng to Rodney King’s aunt Angela King. Each shares perspectives and insights revelatory not only about the events of 1991 and 1992, but strikingly pertinent today. ���ϲ����� Stage Artistic Director Robert Hupp and Associate Artistic Director Kyle Bass selected “Twilight” for inclusion in the reimagined 2020/2021 because of its power to speak to recent events, such as the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

“Although written more than 25 years ago, ‘Twilight’ is a play for right now,” Hupp said. “It is both highly theatrical and anchored in the truth of the moment. It confronts the racial injustice that engulfs our country, and��like all good theatre, the performance is a springboard to further engagement, understanding and awareness. By looking back, we look ahead.”

Hupp further explained that to produce “Twilight” for online distribution Stage employed a high degree of technological sophistication, including a three-camera capture and dual green screens to create a visual world close in style to documentary.

Smith conceived of the show as a solo piece. She starred in the world premiere at Los Angeles’s Mark Taper Forum in 1993 and earned Tony Award nominations for Best Play and Best Actress for the 1994 Broadway production, a performance that garnered her a Drama Desk Award for Best Solo Performance. Most people will be familiar with Smith’s acting work from her recurring roles on the popular television series “The West Wing” (National Security Adviser Dr. Nancy McNally) and “Nurse Jackie” (Gloria Akalitus).

Delivering what Hupp calls an “inspiring tour de force performance” for ���ϲ����� Stage is Chicago-based actor Patrese D. McClain. A veteran of multiple Chicago theater productions, McClain has also appeared in the national tour of August Wilson’s “Jitney” and the film “Widows” directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Steve McQueen. Her television work includes “Fargo” and “Chicago Fire.”

McClain said she feels “Twilight” is important now. “There are a lot of lessons we didn’t learn in the ’90s. With this play, we can mine some of those lessons and pass them down to the future.”

Steve H. Broadnax III directs. Broadnax directed the Broadway bound production of “Thoughts of a Colored Man” for ���ϲ����� Stage in the fall of 2019. He will stay on as director when “Thoughts” transfers to Broadway once theaters reopen. His job in delivering “Twilight” to ���ϲ����� Stage audiences involves navigating some very stringent safety guidelines and coordinating some complex technology.

Currently, ���ϲ����� Stage cannot bring actors to the theater to rehearse or perform. The only alternative is to work remotely, through technology, with the actors in their homes. For rehearsal, this meant using Zoom technology with McClain in Chicago, Broadnax in Pennsylvania and designers and support staff tuning in from mostly New York City and ���ϲ�����. The capture of the performance was much more involved.

Stage delivered three cameras, dual green screens, lighting and audio equipment, costumes, wigs and props to McClain’s home. Once in place, McClain performed “Twilight” while the designers and technicians manipulated the equipment remotely. Video designer Kate Freer used the green screens to add images and videos that in the theater would have appeared as projections on the set. Together, the experience for the viewer online will be akin to a documentary or news broadcast. As Freer pointed out, the video capture of the assault on Rodney King was one of the first instances of a citizen journalist impacting the news and in effect becoming the news. A documentary-style approach matches well with the play, she says.

In the end, though, it is the play the matters most for the creative team. Broadnax says that what Smith achieves so well with “Twilight” is empathy, “the act of stepping into the shoes of another person and that can illuminate something about our humanity.”

Stage will partner with various community organizations to present events related to the production of “Twilight.” Among these are a live virtual panel discussion with , “How Do We Heal?,” on Feb. 8, 6:30-8:30 p.m. ET. Other community partnerships include United Way of Central New York’s and Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority, Xi Chapter.

To access “Twilight,” patrons need only a valid email address and a device for viewing, such as a desktop, laptop, smart TV or tablet. “Tickets” start at $30 and are available at and through the Box Office (315.443.3275; Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. ET).

Starting in February, the season will be as follows: “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” by Anna Deavere Smith, “A�ԲԲ���ܰ��Բ�” by Sharr White, “I and You” by Lauren Gunderson and “‘Master Harold’ . . . and the Boys” by Athol Fugard.

All productions will be available at in video on demand format. Specific dates are still to be determined except for “Twilight,” which will be available for streaming Feb. 3-14.

“Much like our need to make a programming pivot in the first half of our season, it is abundantly clear that we cannot proceed as planned with the second half of our season,” says Robert Hupp, ���ϲ����� Stage artistic director. “We’re challenging our creative team and engaging dynamic guest artists from across the country, to innovate, to experiment and to explore ways of making entertaining, engaging experiences for Central New York. We’re excited to share these with our audience.”

Stage had already produced two highly successful on demand productions, “Amadeus” and “Talley’s Folly,” both of which received national recognition, when a November spike in Covid-19 cases in Onondaga County prompted Actors’ Equity Association (the professional union for actors and stage managers) to issue revised and highly restrictive rehearsal and performance guidelines. These new guidelines effectively prohibited any live in person rehearsals or performances and are expected to remain in place indefinitely, until the number of Covid cases in the county shows a steady and consistent decrease. This was why ���ϲ����� Stage on very short notice had to abandon plans to produce “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley” during the holidays.

Currently, Hupp and the production team at Stage are exploring several approaches to producing the upcoming shows. “Twilight,” which will be available in early February, is being videoed using green screen technology to create the visual world of the play. Chicago based actor Patrese McClain and director Steve H. Broadnax III are conducting rehearsals via Zoom. When ready, McClain will perform and record “Twilight” in her home. Designer Kate Freer will provide video enhancements that will establish a documentary visual feel to Smith’s interview based play about the aftermath of the assault on Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers.

For “Annapurna,” Hupp found a creative and serendipitous production solution. White’s dark comedy about a long-estranged couple takes place in the trailer home of the ex-husband Ulysses, who receives an unexpected visit from the ex-wife Emma. In what might be considered a stroke of life imitating art, Hupp was able to cast Stephan Wolfert (“Pride and Prejudice” and “Cry Havoc”) and his wife Dawn Stern as the fictional couple. Wolfert and Stern had been in residence at Stage in the fall to develop two works based on Shakespeare’s plays. In their off-stage world, Wolfert and Stern live in a van, which they use to travel around the country in support of their work with military veterans.�� Wolfert and Stern will perform and video record “A�ԲԲ���ܰ��Բ�” on “location” in their traveling home as Hupp directs remotely.

While well aware that the impact of Covid-19 is changeable and unpredictable, Hupp is hopeful that the season’s final shows, “I and You” and “‘Master Harold’ . . . and the Boys,” set for April and May, will be a return to the production model that was successful with “Talley’s Folly.” That show, named one of the country’s by TheaterMania, was fully produced in the Archbold Theatre and videoed by Black Cub Productions using a three camera capture. If conditions and Actors’ Equity allow, “I and You” and “‘Master Harold’ . . .” will find directors Melissa Crespo (“I and You” and previously “Native Gardens”) and Gilbert McCauley (“‘Master Harold’ . . .”) and their casts and creative teams hard at work back at ���ϲ����� Stage.

“We’re learning from our previous efforts and we’re striving to use technology and available resources to tell dynamic stories that surprise, question, confront, delight and entertain our audience,” Hupp said. “And, we’re looking for plays that are uniquely suited to our time and our situation right now.”

Of the plays originally scheduled for the current season, Hupp said he expects to produce “Our Town” and Kyle Bass’ “salt/city/blues” in the 2021/2022 season. No definite plans have been set for Dipika Guha’s comedy “Yoga Play,” but Hupp said a future production remains possible.

SHOW DETAILS

“Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992”

By Anna Deavere Smith

Directed by Steve H. Broadnax III

Available on demand Feb. 3 – 14

Created and originally performed in 1993 by Anna Deveare Smith, “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” is a stunning and insightful work of documentary theatre and a tour de force experience. On March 3, 1991, a 26-year-old Black man named Rodney King was brutally beaten by officers of the Los Angeles police department. The incident was caught on tape, the first of long line of disturbingly similar videos to go viral. The four officers involved were charged with assault and excessive use of force. A year later they were acquitted by a mostly white jury in the nearby suburb of Simi Valley where the trial had been moved. News of the acquittal set off five days of unrest in South Central Los Angeles, which left 63 dead, 2,000 injured, 9,500 arrested and $1 billion in property damages. “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” is Smith’s artistic response to these traumatic events. Using more than 300 interviews, Smith creates a mosaic of four dozen characters to ruthlessly probe issues of race and class that set Los Angeles ablaze almost 30 years ago and continue to plague our nation today.

“A�ԲԲ���ܰ��Բ�”

By Sharr White

Directed by Robert Hupp

Available on demand in March

With razor-sharp wit and bare-knuckled grit, playwright Sharr White unfolds a story that affirms love as the most powerful and enduring human emotion. After 25 years apart, Emma has tracked her ex-husband Ulysses to a trailer park high in the Colorado Rockies. He’s strapped to an oxygen canister; she’s toting a mountain of luggage. After so long a separation what can they say to each other? “Holy crap,” for starters; from there it’s an uphill climb through loss and love that might just end in a summit of forgiveness.�� Stephan Wolfert (“Pride and Prejudice”) and Dawn Stern star in this comic and profoundly moving duet of a play, performed and video recorded in a trailer, somewhere, perhaps the middle of nowhere.

“I and You”

By Lauren Gunderson

Directed by Melissa Crespo

Available on demand in April/May

Isolated due to a life-threatening illness, Caroline hasn’t been to school in months. Confined to her room, she relies on Instagram, Facebook and a stuffed turtle for company. That is until classmate Anthony bursts in—unexpectedly and bearing waffle fries, some Walt Whitman poetry and a literature project due the next day. He’s enthusiastic, athletic and charming in a nerdy sort of way, but Caroline is wary. Still, an unlikely friendship develops as a run of the mill homework assignment reveals the pair’s hopes and dreams, and they come to realize that Whitman’s sense of interconnectedness means more to their lives than they could have imagined. This sharp, funny and tender-hearted play won the Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award in 2014.

“‘Master Harold’… and the Boys”

By Athol Fugard

Directed by Gilbert McCauley

Available on demand in June

Written in 1982, “‘Master Harold’ . . . and the Boys” ranks among the very best of the great South African playwright Athol Fugard’s work.��Set in 1950 in Port Elizabeth, this remarkable play exposes the corrosiveness of systemic racism with raw, unsentimental honesty. The play is autobiographical (“the most intensely personal thing I have ever written” – Fugard) and originates in a friendship between a white teenager and a Black man, who is a kind of surrogate father and an employee of the family’s struggling tea room. When stressful circumstances overwhelm the teen, he lashes out in misdirected and emotionally devastating fury that in an instant threatens to undermine years of affection. Heartfelt, revelatory and a lasting tribute from the playwright to “the most beautiful friend I ever had.”

The show is directed and devised by Ricky Pak, who this year joined the faculty of the Department of Drama. Experienced as a teaching artist with the New York-based Tectonic Theatre Project, Pak is well versed in devising original theater works using personal stories and other material. He will call on his experience to create “Home for the Holidays.”

Pak describes “Home for the Holidays” as: “An evening of holiday songs and storytelling all inspired by real-life interviews gathered from ���ϲ����� Stage cast members, past and present; ���ϲ����� Drama students who were originally cast in ‘Miss Bennet;’ and several longtime ���ϲ����� Stage patrons. This show will be a mix of storytelling and musical performances exploring the theme of what ‘Home for the Holidays’ means to all of us.”

“Home for the Holidays” replaces the previously announced “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” which was removed from the season line-up due to recently heightened rehearsal and performance restrictions implemented by the union for professional actors and stage managers (Actors’ Equity Association) in response to the steady increase of COVID-19 cases in Central New York. “Home for the Holidays” will be produced in an innovative way so that the cast can rehearse and perform without having to be together in the same space.

“This past year has certainly been a roller coaster of ups and downs and unexpected twists and turns, but through it all we’ve been committed to finding innovative and engaging ways to continue our work as ���ϲ�����’s storytellers,” says Artistic Director Bob Hupp. “‘Home for the Holidays’ highlights what this special time of year means to us now. For the past several years, we’ve created holiday experiences for you to share with the entire family. We’re continuing that tradition now with a unique and personal theatrical celebration that I know you’ll enjoy.”

Helping Pak with the musical numbers and also appearing in the show ensconced behind a baby grand piano is music director Brian Cimmet. Cimmet is very familiar to ���ϲ����� Stage audiences having served as musical director for the holiday shows for many seasons, including most recently “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” “Elf the Musical,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins” and many more.

The cast, too, includes some familiar faces. David Lowenstein has appeared in many ���ϲ����� Stage holiday productions, including “A Christmas Carol,” “Hairspray” (Edna), “The Wizard of Oz,” “Elf the Musical,” and “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” (Cogsworth).�� Joining Lowenstein are “Beauty and the Beast” castmate Cicily Daniels (Mrs. Potts) and Lisa Helmi Johanson, who appeared in “Amadeus” as Mozart’s wife, Constanze. Daniels has appeared in four Broadway shows: “Once on this Island,” “The Little Mermaid” (original understudy for Ursula), “All Shook Up,” and “Rent.” Among Johanson’s credits are the off-Broadway and National Tour of “Avenue Q” and the National Tour of “Into the Woods.”

New to ���ϲ����� Stage is Rufus Bonds Jr., who is also a newly appointed member of the Department of Drama faculty. Bonds’ considerable career includes Broadway productions of “Rent,” “Once on This Island,” and “Parade,” for which he earned a Drama Desk Nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His national tours include “The Color Purple” as Mister, “The Lion King” as Mufasa and “Miss Saigon” as John.

Pak said he has found the process of creating the show to be rewarding.

“We have been having conversations with various members of the ���ϲ����� Stage community, getting to know their holiday traditions and memories,” he says. “We’ve laughed and cried with them, sharing in their memories and learning about what is truly important to each of them as we enter the holiday season. The students and I then met, along with our musical director Brian Cimmet, to talk about what parts of the interviews resonate with us and how we can craft a story from what we have learned. We see the commonalities and differences we have in our stories and find the thread that links us all together.”

Finding unity and togetherness is the spirit Pak hopes carries through to the audience.

“We are hoping to quite literally open our homes to the audience with the stories and music we are sharing and that we can only share in this way because of the pandemic,” he says. “It will be a uniquely intimate show full of laughter and tears that connects us during these historically challenging times.”

To access “Home for the Holidays,” patrons need only a valid e-mail address and a device for viewing, such as a desktop, laptop, smart TV or tablet. “Tickets” are $30 and are available at and through the Box Office (315.443.3275; Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

Jason O’Connell and Kate Hamill in “Talley’s Folly,” the first mainstage production in ���ϲ����� Stage’s virtual 2020/2021 season. Photo by Brenna Merritt.

Love can overcome our differences and the future is brighter than the present. In such a spirit, begins the 2020/2021 mainstage season of six fully staged and filmed productions that will be available to patrons online in video on demand format.

Love as the bridge over a perceived divide is at the heart of Lanford Wilson’s romance “,” the mainstage opener, available for viewing Nov. 11–22. The play earned Wilson a Pulitzer Prize in 1980. The ���ϲ����� Stage production is directed by Artistic Director Robert Hupp and the two-person cast features Kate Hamill and Jason O’Connell, familiar faces to Stage audiences. O’Connell last appeared at Stage as Salieri in “Amadeus,” the last show presented live at the theater. A playwright and performer, Hamill appeared in “Noises Off” and in her own adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice.” Offstage, Hamill and O’Connell are a married couple.

With a scenic design by Czerton Lim, costumes by Suzanne Chesney, lights by Dawn Chang and sound by Jacqueline R Herter, “Talley’s Folly” will have all of the physical elements of fully staged ���ϲ����� Stage shows. Black Cub Productions will employ a three camera set-up to capture the performance, which will be available in a video on demand format. Patrons need only a valid email address and a device for viewing, such as a desktop, laptop, smart TV or tablet. “Tickets” for individual and household access are available at and through the Box Office (315.443.3275; Monday–Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

“‘Talley’s Folly’ is the perfect play to begin the reimagined 2020/2021 mainstage season,” Hupp says. “We have just the right actors. I couldn’t imagine a better cast to help us get back to work again bringing exciting theater to our audience.” He notes that O’Connell, as Salieri, spoke the last words of the truncated 2019/2020 season, and now he will speak the first of a new, different, but still very dynamic season.

Wilson, who died in 2011, called “Talley’s Folly” a “simple romance” and a “Valentine.” The play takes place on a single night, July 4, 1944. Matt Freidman, a 40-plus accountant from St. Louis and in love for the first time, has driven 200 miles into the heart of the Christian farm belt to propose to Sally Talley, ten years his junior and seemingly not interested in him. Having been met at the door of the family home by Sally’s shotgun toting brother (Jews not welcome here), Matt retreats to a Victorian folly of a boathouse on the nearby river, where Sally finds him. At first, she is not pleased.

The play unfolds in real time, 97 minutes according to the script, as this unlikely and mismatched couple endeavor to navigate their way to an understanding of each other’s heart. Like the river beside them, the currents of conversation carry them to unexpected emotional shoals and to the realization that the true folly may be the facades they have built around themselves. A full moon may be romantic, but its light does not discriminate. Love and sorrow, hope and hurt are revealed in equal measure.

A river, too, may contain hidden depths, likewise with Wilson’s deft handling of subtle intrusions from the world beyond the deteriorating boathouse. The date is significant, July 4, 1944, one month after D-Day. In the hospital where she works as a nurse’s aide, Sally tends wounded soldiers recently returned from battle. The callous casualness of the Talley family antisemitism is like a beacon illuminating the atrocity of the holocaust, miles away and never directly mentioned, but present at a discomforting remove, like a sudden chill up the spine on an otherwise warm romantic evening.

Wilson avoids overplaying the impact of these external intrusions on Matt and Sally’s conversation. He keeps sharp focus on the moonlit night, the music drifting across the river from a distant band shell and the two individuals hovering between loneliness and possibility. In Hamill and O’Connell, director Hupp has actors of subtlety and skill who are certainly up to the task.

“We can’t replace the experience of live theater,” Hupp says. “But we can still provide the great plays and great performances that ���ϲ����� Stage does so well. And because you can’t come to us, we’re happy to bring them to you.”