The Long Beach Playhouse has announced the line-up for its 2014-2015 Mainstage season, which will open Sept. 27.
“This year’s offerings are an exhilarating mix of suspense, comedy and, of course, drama,” states a press release from the Playhouse. “As always, the works are selected with the audience in mind and with a goal to create a mosaic of plays that entertain and engage the hearts and minds of those who attend. Well-known playwrights including Agatha Christie and Arthur Miller intermingle with contemporary writers like Tom Stoppard and Lynn Nottage to bring an outstanding mix of classic favorites and new works to the Mainstage.”
Below are the titles of the shows the Playhouse will produce in the upcoming Mainstage season, followed by descriptions the theater provided.
Sept. 27—Oct. 25, 2014
The 39 Steps by Patrick Barlow, John Buchan
Imagine Monty Python presenting a maddeningly fast-paced tribute to Hitchcock and playing all the parts. Revolving around a mysterious organization called The 39 Steps, this production will take audiences on a wild manhunt, thrill them with strangely imaginative special effects and introduce them to more than 150 zany characters (played by four performers). This Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning play is packed with nonstop laughs, madness, mayhem, murder, and some good old-fashioned romance.
Nov. 8—Dec. 6, 2014
Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw
It is 1885, the height of the Serbo-Bulgarian war. An armed soldier breaks into a young woman’s bedroom and demands refuge. Doesn’t sound much like a comedy, but coming from the fertile mind of George Bernard Shaw, these events set in motion a witty look at governmental posturing, infidelity, social structures and the passionate pursuit of chocolate creams. Will young Raina marry her war hero? Will social lines be crossed to find true love? Will romantic affairs be revealed? Will duels be fought over faithfulness and sweets? National and moral borders blur in this comedy of manners.
Dec. 13—21, 2014
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, adapted by Gregory Cohen
Returning for its third incarnation at Long Beach Playhouse is this quick-paced, highly theatrical re-telling of Charles Dickens’s classic tale of sin and redemption. In 19th Century England, the ghosts of Christmases past, present and future show tight-fisted miser Ebenezer Scrooge the poverty of his material wealth and the blessings that come with generosity. Can they convince him to change before it’s too late?
Jan 17—Feb. 14, 2015
Murder on the Nile by Agatha Christie
Is there any better way to celebrate a marriage than a romantic honeymoon aboard a paddle steamer cruising down the Nile? There must be, especially if the bride ends up dead and the groom grievously wounded. In this classic by the modern mistress of mystery, audiences travel through the Dark Continent along with master sleuth Canon Pennefather as he uncovers an audacious conspiracy and brings the criminals to justice. Passion, jealousy, infidelity and murder make this a honeymoon cruise to remember.
Feb. 28—March 28, 2015
The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard
The brilliantly witty and biting writing talents of the author of The Real Inspector Hound and Shakespeare in Love makes every moment of this backstage comedy intellectually and emotionally engaging. An articulate and romantically idealistic playwright receives a challenge from his wife— take the inept play of a “political prisoner” named Brodie and rework it into a theatrical triumph. In the process, the writer must show his wife that Brodie is more of a thug than a victim of political repression, all the while challenging his own long-held concepts of love, marriage and fidelity.
April 11—May 9, 2015
By the Way, Meet Vera Stark by Lynn Nottage
In a new dramatic comedy from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, this funny yet thoughtful play draws upon the screwball films of the 1930s to take an insightful look at racial stereotypes in Hollywood. Based on a true story, By The Way, Meet Vera Stark is a journey through the life of an African-American maid and actress and her relationship with her boss, a white Hollywood starlet. Jumping from a low-rent apartment to a Hollywood mansion, from 1930s show-biz to a 21st Century historical seminar, racial imagery and cinematic fame have never been more entertaining.
May 23—June 20, 2015
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Willy Loman has become the quintessential image of the traveling salesman, forever chasing his dream of success, but always falling short of true contentment and happiness. Presented in a series of dreamlike flashbacks, the play presents the failing philosophy of Willy’s life, even as he stubbornly hangs on to the need to be liked. Seeing his failed dreams reflected back from his sons, his hopes and regrets are shared by everyone who has questioned life choices.
July 11—Aug. 15, 2015
Jesus Christ Superstar by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber
Jesus Christ, the world’s first superstar! This thrilling rock opera takes a sometimes irreverent, always impassioned, look at Jesus’s last days. As Judas begins to question the motivations and methods of his friend and mentor, emotion and true belief are put to the test. Propelled by a stirring score from the creators of Phantom of the Opera and Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar illuminates the transcendent power of the human spirit with a passion that goes straight to the heart.
For more information, visit lbplayhouse.org or call (562) 494-1014.
Source: Long Beach Playhouse
