October 2-25, 2009
The New Century
by Paul Rudnick
Directed by RTP artistic director John Knapp
When the playwright is Paul Rudnick, who wrote the RTP hits Jeffery and The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, expectations are high for a play both hilarious and smart, and The New Century is no exception. It is a provocative and outrageous comedy, featuring a collection of hilarious characters. The New York Times raved “The one-liners fly like rockets in The New Century … Mr. Rudnick turns stereotypes into bullet-deflecting armor and jokes into an inexhaustible supply of ammunition…” while the New York Post exclaimed that “the evening contains so many gut-busting one-liners that those with heart conditions are advised to steer clear.”
November 18 – December 12, 2009
Scrooge In Rouge
(an English Music Hall Christmas Carol) with book and lyrics by Ricky Graham, additional material by Jeffery Roberson (aka Varla Jean Merman), other interesting bits by Yvette Hargis, and original music composed by Jefferson Turner.
Directed by Shon M. Stacy
A mixture of Monty Python’s Flying Circus and Noises Off, Scrooge in Rouge is a Victorian-era music hall version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, in which 17 members of the Royal Music Hall 20-Member Variety Players have taken ill from the cast party the night before, leaving only Charlie Schmaltz, an animated character actor; Lottie Obligato, a bubbly, over-the-hill ingénue; and Vesta Virile, a male-impersonating diva, to play and sing all the male and female parts in the show.
February 10 - March 6, 2010
as a part of the ACTS OF FAITH festival
Facing East
by Carol Lynn Pearson
Directed by Julie Fulcher-Davis
An eloquent and multifaceted portrayal of a family grappling with unspeakable loss, Facing East is the story of Ruth and Alex McCormick, an upstanding Mormon couple reeling from the suicide of their gay son. Stuck between their faith and their new reality, they encounter their son's partner, Marcus, for the first time. Facing East is accessible to anyone of any faith, anyone with a family, anyone who has felt the pain of loss, anyone with hope for change. “Some theatre is good drama. Some drama is important theatre. Carol Lynn Pearson’s Facing East is both.” - NYTheatre.com
March 17 - April 10, 2010,
as a part of MINDS WIDE OPEN:
Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts
Last Summer At Bluefish Cove
by Jane Chambers
Directed by Noreen Barnes
Jane Chambers' zesty and heartfelt play is considered a milestone in lesbian theater, much like its male counterpart The Boys in the Band. A woman spends what she knows will be her last summer with her circle of friends, while at the same time having unexpectedly fallen in love. Alternately hilarious and poignant, Last Summer at Bluefish Cove deals with issues of love, romance, monogamy, infidelity, and ultimately, what really makes a family.
May 5 - 29, 2010
Take Me Out
by Richard Greenberg
Directed by Scott Wichmann
Acclaimed playwright Richard Greenberg’s play is a deeply funny, provocative take on America’s favorite pastime. The boys in the locker room of the fictional baseball team, “The Empires,” will never be the same when a young athlete at the top of his game reveals a personal truth. Ballplayer Darren Lemming calls a press conference that results in the shocking announcement that he is gay, and Take Me Out chronicles the fall-out from Lemming’s action as it spreads through the team, the media and across the nation. Winner of the 2003 Tony Award for Best New Play, this fascinating piece is an American tale infused with a genuine passion for the game.