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New season at Little Theatre begins in August

• June 17, 2019
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The Little Theatre of Tuscarawas County will present seven productions instead of the usual six. Shows include drama, comedy, musicals and a children’s holiday show.

Kicking off the 2019-20 season in the experimental slot is “The Uninvited,” a ghost story by Tim Kelly, based on the novel by Dorothy Macardle.

Seeking to escape the demands of life in London, Pam Fitzgerald and her brother Roddy, an aspiring playwright, discover a charming house in the west of England, overlooking the Irish Sea. The house, Cliff End, has long been empty, and they are able to purchase it at a suspiciously low price from crusty Commander Brooke, the village curmudgeon.

The reason is soon apparent: The house has an unsavory reputation. Fifteen years earlier a murder may or may not have occurred by the gnarled tree that can be viewed from the parlor window. “The Uninvited” is directed by Elizabeth Lawson Holmes and will run Thursdays through Sundays, Aug. 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24 and 25. Auditions will be held Sunday and Monday, June 30 and July 1.

The joy in watching the “Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery” is not in solving the crime but in the plethora of imaginative characters one meets along the way. By dispensing with British formality, author Ken Ludwig has created a play that is funny and will keep viewers guessing until the curtain call. Broadway World says pieces of the classic Conan Doyle are there.

There is an untimely demise, suspicious folk, barking dogs, ex-cons, stolen clothing, a mysterious cane, no end of missteps, love at first sight, family secrets, and chases through the streets of London and the English moors. The fall production is directed by Don Irven. It will run Fridays through Sundays, Oct. 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20 with auditions being held Sunday and Monday, Aug. 18 and 19.

This year’s holiday show, directed by Kathy Blair Bergstrom, is “Junie B in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells” by Barbara Park. Junie B. Jones, a precocious and bright first-grader, spends the length of the show reminding viewers of the importance of sharing, respecting authority, being kind to others and the joy of giving.

Junie B. shares the stage with five classmates and their teacher, Mr. Scary. Most of the play focuses around Christmas and the class' upcoming performance of "Jingle Bells." Junie B., ever the rebel, refuses to stick to the original lyrics and dives off into her own rendition of the song using the "Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg" lyrics. The show runs Thursdays through Sundays, Dec. 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14 and 15. Auditions are Sunday and Monday, Sept. 21 and 22.

Bart Herman will direct the winter musical, playwright Heather Hach’s “Legally Blonde,” which will run Fridays through Sundays, Feb. 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23. Sorority star Elle Woods doesn't take "no" for an answer. So when her boyfriend dumps her for someone "serious," Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books and sets out to go where no Delta Nu has gone before: Harvard Law. Along the way Elle proves being true to yourself never goes out of style. Auditions will be held Sunday and Monday, Nov. 24 and 25.

The spring drama will be “The Diary of Anne Frank,” directed by Jared Sparks. The stage version of the play, which is written by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich, is one of the most famous and haunting stories to emerge from the 20th century.

The memoirs of this young Jewish girl, forced to hide for nearly two years to escape Nazi persecution, are an essential part of how we remember one of the darkest periods of human history. Production dates will run Fridays through Sundays, April 17, 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26 and May 1, 2 and 3. Auditions will be held Sunday and Monday, Feb. 17 and 18.

Summer of 2020 will bring another well-known children’s show, “The Little Mermaid," directed by Lisa Sommers. Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen's most beloved stories and the classic animated film, Disney's "The Little Mermaid" is a love story for the ages.

With music by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and a book by Doug Wright, this fishy fable will capture hearts with its songs including "Under the Sea," "Kiss the Girl" and "Part of Your World." It will run Fridays through Sundays, July 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26. Auditions are Sunday and Monday, April 18 and 19.

The final show of the season is “Almost Maine,” directed by Melanie Slabaugh Clay and written by John Cariani. Almost, Maine is a place that’s so far north it’s almost not in the United States. It’s almost in Canada. And it’s not quite a town because its residents never got around to getting organized. So it almost doesn’t exist.

One cold, clear winter night as the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, the residents of Almost, Maine find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. But the bruises heal, and the hearts mend — almost — in this midwinter night’s dream. Auditions will be held Sunday and Monday, July 12 and 13 for the production that will run Thursdays through Sundays, Aug. 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29 and 30.

Memberships and patronages for the 2019-20 season will be available for sale before every performance of "Mamma Mia!" Tickets for the entire 2019-20 season will go on sale Aug. 1 for those who have purchased memberships or patronages prior to that date. All tickets will be available to the general public beginning Aug. 8 when the box office opens for "The Uninvited."

Season tickets are $90 this year. Ticket prices remain the same at $15 for adults and $10 for students/children/veterans. Show times continue at 7:30 p.m. for evening performances and 2:30 p.m. for Sunday matinees.

The only member/patron increases are membership $15 and cast member $65. The rest remain the same at stage manager $130, director $200, producer $300, single-show corporate sponsor $500 and full-season corporate sponsor $1,000.