Williamstown Theatre Festival Updates
Adds Blood Play and Lewis Black
By: WTF - Apr 09, 2013
MAIN STAGE
June 26 - July 14, 2013
ANIMAL CRACKERS
Book by George S. Kaufman & Morrie Ryskind
Music and Lyrics by Bert Kalmar & Harry Ruby
Adapted and Directed by Henry Wishcamper
Hooray for Captain Spaulding! The intrepid African explorer, inveterate womanizer, and interminable jokester hobnobs with high society as the guest of honor at a swanky soiree. But when a priceless painting is pilfered, he and the guests are swept up in a screwball search for the thief. This new interpretation of the Marx Brothers' hit Broadway musical and classic film overflows with mirthful melodies, dynamite dancing, and seriously silly slapstick.
July 17 - 27, 2013
PYGMALION
By George Bernard Shaw
Directed by Nicholas Martin
With Robert Sean Leonard
"You have no idea how frightfully interesting it is to take a human being and change her into a quite different human being." With all the parallels of a modern reality-show makeover, an impoverished flower seller is taken in hand by a linguistics professor who attempts to change her accent and pass her off as the epitome of English society. For a wager. A sharp satire on class and women's independence, Shaw's century-old masterpiece features Robert Sean Leonard as Henry Higgins in an uproarious, poignant, and unforgettable battle of wits between two of theatre's most iconic characters.
August 1 - 18, 2013
THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY
Book by Marsha Norman
Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Directed by Bartlett Sher
WORLD PREMIERE
In 1992, a rural American romance by an unknown author became a literary phenomenon. Millions of readers have been captivated by the simple story of Francesca, a beautiful Italian woman who marries an American soldier to flee war-ravaged Italy. Her new life in Iowa is common until she encounters Robert, a loner and artist, whose photography at National Geographic shields him from commitment and connection. Their three days of flirtation, memories of Naples, food, and laughter inspire a timeless love, and an impossible choice. Lushly transforming the best-selling novel into an intimate musical work for the stage, Marsha Norman and Jason Robert Brown have added new resonance to a lyrical portrait of true love, loss, sacrifice, and devotion.
NIKOS STAGE
June 26 - July 7, 2013
AMERICAN HERO
By Bess Wohl
Directed by Leigh Silverman
WORLD PREMIERE
Three ounces of meat. Two ounces of cheese. Four ounces of lettuce. Seventeen-year-old Sheri and her co-workers at a new submarine sandwich franchise have honed their skills making everything from the Turkey Torpedo to the Big Kahuna Tuna exactly as specified in the corporate manual. But when the franchise owner mysteriously disappears, they are forced to improvise, and Sheri takes charge of the ragtag band of "sandwich artists." See just how far they'll go to keep their shop afloat in Bess Wohl's hilarious, surreal tale of the struggle for optimism in tough times, the power of sandwiches, and the glorious, messy American Dream.
July 10 - 21, 2013
HAPGOOD
By Tom Stoppard
Directed by Evan Yionoulis
With Kate Burton
Treacherous twins and double (or triple?) agents abound in a twisty-turny look at the unlikely interrelation of quantum physics and international espionage. Simultaneously channeling John le Carré, Albert Einstein, and Mel Brooks, Tom Stoppard's Cold-War thriller boasts equal shares of brains, guts, and sly humor. WTF mainstay Kate Burton takes on the tour-de-force title role, the brilliant but eccentric British intelligence chief working to expose a Soviet double agent while attempting to keep her personal life under wraps.
July 24 - August 4, 2013
JOHNNY BASEBALL
Book by Richard Dresser
Music by Robert Reale
Lyrics by Willie Reale
Directed by Gordon Greenberg
The infamous Curse of the Boston Red Sox is brought to life through the changing fortunes of three orphaned souls: Johnny O'Brien, a hard-luck right-hander on the 1919 Sox; his idol, Babe Ruth; and Daisy Wyatt, a dazzling African-American blues singer and the love of Johnny's life. The mystical intertwining of their fates reveals both the source of the Curse and the secret to its triumphant end off Big Papi's bat in 2004. Packing a resonant commentary on social history into a quintessentially American musical, Johnny Baseball will bring cheers and tears to baseball fans and theatre lovers alike.
August 7 - 18, 2013
BLOOD PLAY
Written by Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen
Directed and Developed by Oliver Butler
Made by The Debate Society
A tranquil suburban evening in the early 1950's: the kids are away on a Junior Cherokee camping trip and a string of coincidences spawns a spontaneous grown-up party in the basement of a new ranch house. Exotic cocktails are imbibed, raucous games are played, and new friends are made, but much is happening that no one is talking about. And something is stirring underground. A darkly comic thriller of post-war verve and pre-adolescent disquiet, Blood Play brings New York's critically lauded The Debate Society to the Festival stage.
FREE THEATRE
July 10 - 19, 2013
DRACULA
By Bram Stoker
adapted by Steve Lawson
Directed by Jordan Fein
Bram Stoker's 1897 novel comes alive under the stars in a new adaptation by WTF veteran and Free Theatre co-founder Steve Lawson. One of the most haunting figures of our common imagination, "the Count" has stalked his nightmarish way through literature, art, theatre, and film, never failing to leave an impression, as well as the marks of his fangs. This dynamic new stage version of Stoker's iconic tale is sure to hold audiences rapt. Leave your nerves at home...but bring the whole family and a picnic. (Garlic provided.)
July 22, 2013
MY FAIR LEWIS
An Evening of Stand-Up with Lewis Black
Williamstown's favorite (adopted) son returns to the WTF Main Stage for a one-night-only benefit performance. From his legendary rants on The Daily Show to his sold-out Broadway runs, Grammy Award-winning comedian Lewis Black has become this century's foremost purveyor of righteous indignation. And while his stand-up appearances around the world have driven audiences to laughter-induced convulsions, he always brings something extra special to Williamstown. Don't miss it. All proceeds from this performance will support the Festival's signature training and professional development programs.
July 11 - 13, July 25 - 27, and August 8 - 10, 2013
LATE-NIGHT CABARET SERIES
The stars come out at night as WTF's celebrated Late-Night Cabaret Series returns in 2013! Festival family, both established and emerging, sing, dance, and surprise you in these intimate and unforgettable evenings. Cabarets are held in Goodrich Hall, just a few blocks from the Main and Nikos Stages. WTF donors receive first access to these limited seating events.