2020-2021 Season

Welcome to our ghost light season…

Ghost Light – Some say it’s for safety, others say it’s to chase mischievous spirits away. In any case, it’s the single light left burning in a theater, when all other lights have been turned off.

With COVID-19 numbers still rising, we are faced with the unprecedented challenge of trying to bring live theatre back safely for our audiences and our performers. Therefore, this season looks a little different from our usual.

Shows have been chosen (particularly for the beginning of the season) that will allow our casts to rehearse and perform as safely as possible. We are also hoping to be able to include virtual/streaming options of as many of these shows as possible, for our patrons who are unable to visit us in person.

Because our schedules are still at the mercy of COVID-19, there are a few caveats to our season. We do not have concrete show dates at this time, and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to perform all of the shows scheduled for this season. As things change, will we need to make adjustments.

As of this time, the shows we are planning for our 2020-2021 Season are as follows (please note, these are listed alphabetically and not necessarily in the order in which they will be performed):

The Lifespan of a Fact

Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell and Gordon Farrell

Based on John D’Agata’s real-life essay “What Happens There,” a piece written about the Las Vegas suicide of teenager Levi Presley. Jim Fingal, assigned to fact check the piece, ignited a seven-year debate on the blurred lines of what passes for truth in literary nonfiction. This drama with layers of comedy will make you question what is a “fact.”

Blithe Spirit

Noel Coward

Researching material for a new novel, Charles engages Madame Arcati, a spiritual medium of uncertain talent, to conduct a séance in his home. Quite by accident, she summons the spirit of Charles’s first wife and cannot make the disruptive spirit go away.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)

By Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield

Can three actors really cover thirty-seven Shakespeare plays in less than two hours? This fast-firing comedy does just that, as it parodies all of the Shakespeare plays (plus the sonnets!) with only three performers in two acts. This play is full of energy as the characters run across the stage and keep you guessing how they will pull off the next play.

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder

Book and Lyrics by Robert L. Freedman
Music and Lyrics by Steven Lutvak
Based on the novel, Israel Rank by Roy Horniman

Monty Navarro has just discovered he’s a long-lost member of a noble family and could become the next Earl of Highhurst. There are only eight minor issues—namely the other relatives who precede him in line for the title. So Monty does what any ambitious, highborn gentleman would do: he sets out to eliminate them one by one, all while juggling his mistress (she’s after more than just love), his fiancée (she’s his cousin, but who’s keeping track?), plus the constant threat of landing behind bars!

Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill

By Lanie Robertson

The time is 1959. The place is a seedy bar in Philadelphia. The audience is about to witness one of Billie Holiday’s last performances, given four months before her death. More than a dozen musical numbers are interlaced with salty, often humorous, reminiscences to project a riveting portrait of the lady and her music.

Looking for other ways you can help during these challenging times? Consider:

COVID-19 Changes and Procedures

The safety of our patrons, staff, actors, and volunteers is our first and foremost concern. If at any time we cannot guarantee everyone’s safety, we will cancel whatever performances are necessary until the issue can be corrected.

This list is a current outline of some of the safety procedures we are undertaking and requiring — primarily in regards to our audiences. (Additional procedures will be utilized for our performers and volunteers.) As time passes, we may find it necessary to modify, add, or remove procedures as the situation evolves.

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  • Face masks will be required to be worn for all staff and patrons. No patrons will be admitted without a face covering.
  • The auditorium will be socially distanced for seating. This includes no Row D or Row I, as they need to be accessed as entrance and exit aisles.
  • Auditorium seating will accommodate 1 to 4 person groups; no larger groups can be accommodated at this time.
  • We will have a staggered queue for bathrooms and the bar.
  • All handles and railings will be wiped down daily with disinfectant.
  • Lobby will be cleaned and disinfected prior to show time, during intermission, and post-show
  • All armrests in the auditoriums will be wiped down prior to every performance.
  • We will be offering digital programs for patrons to download prior to the show, or have available on their electronic device. We will have limited paper programs available.
  • All paper programs left in the auditorium after each performance will be properly disposed, we will not be recycling programs for other performances.
  • Bathrooms will continue to be cleaned at regular intervals during performances.
  • Hand sanitizing units will be available at all entrance / exit points. All patrons will be encouraged to use them before and after performances.
  • Bar personnel will wipe down bar countertops and tables before show, during show, and after intermission with disinfectant.
  • Box office counters and windows will be wiped down often.
  • Ushers and volunteer staff will follow guidelines in relation to audience/staff engagement and handling tickets and programs.