SILENT SKY
Directed by Roberta Inscho
Written by Lauren Gunderson
REHEARSALS/PERFORMANCES:
Rehearsals will begin Wed, August 19th. Rehearsals will be Monday - Friday, in the evenings (after 5:30pm). There may be some weekend rehearsals depending on actor availability.
TECH WEEKEND: Saturday, Sept 19 & Sunday, Sept 20. MUST hold those days for tech.
DRESS REHEARSALS: Mon - Wed, Sept 21 - 23. 6pm call time.
INVITED DRESS: Thursday, Sept 24. 6pm call time; 7:30 curtain.
PERFORMANCES: September 25, 26, October 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11. Fri/Sat is 6pm call time, 7:30pm curtain. Sundays are 12:30pm call time, 2pm curtain.
PICKUP REHEARSALS: on Wed or Thurs night on weeks 2 & 3, depending on actor availability
SYNOPSIS:
SILENT SKY tells the true story of Henrietta Leavitt (LEH-vit), an astronomer ahead of her time. It is 1900, and Henrietta has the opportunity to work at the Harvard University Observatory. When Henrietta arrives, she is eager to use Harvard’s telescope - the Great Refractor - but is told that she will not be able to do any sort of astronomical discovery as her job is “computer”, logging the stars photographed by the men of the department. However, Henrietta will not be dissuaded and begins the process of recording the changes in Cepheid stars - a scientific discovery that has a profound and lasting impact on the field of astronomy. During this project, Henrietta’s relationships strain under her obsessive work ethic; her sister Margaret, her love interest Peter Shaw, and her colleagues Annie Cannon and Williamina Fleming all find themselves pushed aside in favor of a great cosmic mystery. Silent Sky is the poignant tale of a woman’s dedication to the stars, and the human touch that makes life under the vast sky beautiful and timeless.
LINK FOR FURTHER INFO:
https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/59617/silent-sky
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
HENRIETTA LEAVITT (F; 30s) -- Actual historical figure, a brilliant, meticulous, excited, passionate about the stars and universe; an astronomer who changed how we look at and measure the stars; Hard of Hearing and uses a period hearing-aid (unless she turns it off to avoid annoying distractions). This role requires onstage physical touch/kiss.
MARGARET LEAVITT(F; 30s) -- Henrietta’s sister, homebody, creative, sweet, who sings and (ideally) plays piano. This role requires singing “For the Beauty of the Earth."
ANNIE CANNON (F; 30s-40s) -- Actual historical figure; the leader, terse and sure of herself, a firebrand, funny and sharp-witted; the first to catalog stars by letter; joins the suffrage movement.
WILLIAMINA FLEMING (F; 40-50s) -- Actual historical figure; smart as a whip, gutsy, fierce, fun; first to hold the title of “curator” in astronomy; Scottish (yes to Scottish dialect).
PETER SHAW (M; 30-40s) -- smart, sweet, awkward; the head astronomer’s apprentice and supervisor of the women at the observatory. Some onstage physical touch/kiss required.
DETOUR
Directed by Katharine Zagone
Written by Nick Zagone
REHEARSALS/PERFORMANCES:
Rehearsals will most likely begin the first week of October, after Silent Sky opens. Rehearsals will be Monday - Friday, in the evenings (after 5:30pm). There may be some weekend rehearsals depending on actor availability.
TECH WEEKEND: Saturday, November 14 & Sunday, November 15. MUST hold those days for tech.
DRESS REHEARSALS: Mon - Wed, November 16 - 18. 6pm call time.
INVITED DRESS: Thursday, November 19. 6pm call time; 7:30 curtain.
PERFORMANCES: November 19, 20, 27, 28, 29, December 4, 5, 6. Fri/Sat is 6pm call time, 7:30pm curtain. Sundays are 12:30pm call time, 2pm curtain.
PICKUP REHEARSALS: Wednesday, November 25 (night before Thanksgiving) and either Dec 2 or 3 (depending on actor availability).
SYNOPSIS:
A man on the run sits down at the counter of a diner . . . but as he tells his story, something just isn't adding up. What really happened to the man he hitched a ride with on his way to California, and was the femme fatale really the sinuous snake he made her out to be? Based on the 1945 film and the 1939 novel, Detour, this world premiere adaptation by Nick Zagone brings everything audiences love about film noir to the stage.
LINKS FOR FURTHER INFO:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detour_(1945_film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detour_(Goldsmith_novel)
CHARACTER BREAKDOWNS (4 men; 2 women):
ALEX ROBERTS: 30's, big guy, pugnacious yet soft
VERA: Late 20's - early 30's, redhead femme fatale, street smart, demure but turns vicious on a dime.
SUE HARVEY/WAITRESS: late 20's, a New Yorker, a singer, vivacious and strong willed.
HASKELL: 30's - early 40's, much the same kind of guy as Roberts. but with a wealthy upbringing
Two male extras to play TRUCKER, MANAGER, WAITER, COP, HIGHWAY PATROL, SALESMAN,and MECHANIC.
LUNAR ECLIPSE
Directed by Laura Dickinson-Turner
Written by Donald Margulies
NOTE: Both roles have been cast.
SYNOPSIS:
The last time there was a lunar eclipse, George and Em were fresh out of high school, unmarried, with life's possibilities stretching out before them as they watched the night sky. Now, several decades later, as the earth's shadow engulfs the moon once more, they look back at their life together and the waning years that await them.
LINK FOR FURTHER INFO:
https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/99361/lunar-eclipse
CHARACTER BREAKDOWNS (both roles have been cast):
GEORGE - a man in the twilight of his life
EM - his wife of 50+ years
CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION
Directed by Molly Souza
Written by Annie Baker
PLEASE NOTE: The roles of MARTY and THERESA have been cast.
REHEARSALS/PERFORMANCES:
Rehearsals will probably begin the week of February 8th. Rehearsals will be Monday - Friday, in the evenings (after 5:30pm). There may be some weekend rehearsals depending on actor availability.
TECH WEEKEND: Saturday, March 20 & Sunday, March 21. MUST hold those days for tech until told otherwise.
DRESS REHEARSALS: Mon - Wed, March 22 - 24. 6pm call time.
INVITED DRESS: Thursday, March 25. 6pm call time; 7:30 curtain.
PERFORMANCES: March 26, 27, April 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11. Fri/Sat is 6pm call time, 7:30pm curtain. Sundays are 12:30pm call time, 2pm curtain.
PICKUP REHEARSALS: on Wed or Thurs night on weeks 2 & 3, depending on actor availability
SYNOPSIS:
In a multipurpose room in New England, four students and their instructor meet weekly for an adult creative drama class. Seemingly simple theatre games quickly turn strangers into something more, as they explore vulnerability, empathy, and connection. Starring Kathleen Ennis as Marty, the instructor, and directed by Molly Souza, Circle Mirror Transformation is a powerful, tender love-letter to the human spirit.
LINKS FOR FURTHER INFO:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_Mirror_Transformation
https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/13182/circle-mirror-transformation
CHARACTER BREAKDOWNS:
MARTY: THIS ROLE HAS BEEN CAST. (she/her, age 50's) Leader of the adult creative drama class. Married to James. Authoritative in her practice but open to learning through the experience. Lava lamp warmth of the hippie-chick-mountain-momma who really sees you when you talk to her in the health-food store or when she’s super naked in the gym locker room sauna. Kissing intimacy in role.
JAMES: (he/him, age mid 50's - mid 60's) Participating in the adult creative drama class because his wife, Marty, is teaching it. A professor who has for a while been settled into the type of passivity that makes a person a powerless, buoyant stick being tossed around by the raging river of life. Light to moderate hula hoop skills. Kissing intimacy in role.
SCHULTZ: (he/him, age 40's) A man slipping from a wrung on comfort monkeybars seeking desperately for the next solid thing to grab onto. Versed in the pain of loss and ready for the sweet sunshine of rebirth. Sometimes awkward, but who isn’t? Kissing intimacy in role.
THERESA: THIS ROLE HAS BEEN CAST (she/her, age 30's) Bright and curious. Open mind and open heart. Lonely, but not in an overtly needy way. Authentically easy to love. Sometimes stumbling through the messy process of Trying To Figure It All Out. Commendable hula hooping skills. Kissing intimacy in role.
LAUREN: (she/her/they/them/transfeminine, age 15 - 18) A teenager. Apprehensive about adults and what they seem to think they know but not a dick about it. Perhaps the most honest in the group–at least honest with herself even when she feels she has to lie to everyone else. Her resolve is wrapped in a shy candy hard shell.
LYSISTRATA
Directed by Laura Dickinson-Turner and Lisa Townsend
Written by Aristophanes
NOTE: We will be casting an ensemble of 10 - 15 people. Some actors will play more than one role. We would like to consider actors of ALL AGES, ALL GENDERS/AGENDER, & ALL RACES/ETHNICITIES.
REHEARSALS/PERFORMANCES:
PLEASE NOTE: The rehearsal period for this play will be irregular.
There will be approx 3-4 weeks of text work/movement choreography/blocking/character work scheduled in Feb/March - the dates will be dependent on actor/director availability.
Rehearsals will resume on Monday, May 3. Rehearsals will be Mon - Fri in the evenings with potential weekend dates (based on actor availability).
TECH WEEKEND: Saturday, May 22 & Sunday, May 23. MUST hold those days for tech until told otherwise.
DRESS REHEARSALS: Mon - Wed, May 24 - 26. 6pm call time.
INVITED DRESS: Thursday, May 27. 6pm call time; 7:30 curtain.
PERFORMANCES: May 28, 29, June 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13. Fri/Sat is 6pm call time, 7:30pm curtain. Sundays are 12:30pm call time, 2pm curtain.
PICKUP REHEARSALS: on Wed or Thurs night on weeks 2 & 3, depending on actor availability
SYNOPSIS:
The city-states of Greece are at war, with no end in sight, and the women have had enough - particularly Lysistrata! She has a foolproof plan to bring the senseless, ceaseless fighting to an end, but it will only work if the rest of the women of Greece commit to it . . . but can they really give up sex long enough for the men to lay down their arms for good? Co-directed by Laura Dickinson-Turner and Lisa Townsend, this new adaptation of Aristophanes' classic anti-war play is racy and rambunctious - and as timely as it has ever been.
LINKS FOR FURTHER INFO:
Ellen McLaughlin adaptation, Concord Theatricals:
https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/100751/lysistrata
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysistrata
CHARACTER BREAKDOWNS:
Please note that this play is full of direct and indirect sexual humor. It is bawdy and racy by nature. Our production will be campy and fun - not appropriate for all ages, but not exactly inappropriate, either. :-) There will also be sections of dance/movement and song.
Lysistrata - Age range: late 20's - mid 50's - Athenian, rallies the women to join together in a plan to stop the war.
Kleonike/Calonike - Age range: 20's - mid 50's - An Athenian, Lysistrata's neighbor. Has a difficult time accepting the abstinence plan but ends up joining Lysistrata's cause.
Myrrhine - Age range: 20's - mid 40's - An Athenian who is pretty and feisty. She has a seduction scene with her husband as part of anti-war tactics.
Lampito, a Spartan woman - Age range: 30's - 50's - joins the anti-war cause. She is built like a brick house, has physical strength, and is rather salt-of-the-earth - full of grit and determination.
Boeotion Woman - Any age - Representative from a nearby city-state who joins Lysistrata's cause. Somewhat dainty when compared to Lampito.
Corinthian Woman - Any age - Representative from a nearby city-state who joins Lysistrata's cause.
Comissioner of Public Safety - Age range: 30's - 60's. Full of his own importance, disdainful of the women's plan, a bit of a blowhard. Is prone to breaking out into monologue.
Kinesias - Age range: 20's - mid 40's - Myrrhine's husband. Costume will include a cartoonishly-pronounced erection (very camp and stylized). Is seduced-but-not-satisfied by his wife.
Spartan Herald - ANY age - Arrives towards the end of the play, along with some Spartan representatives with the peace treaty from Sparta.
Chorus of Men & Chorus of Women - ANY age - they squabble with each other, help move the events of the play along, and have some great, provocative banter. At least 3-4 actors per chorus. (May be double cast with other roles). Chorus members will play Athenians as well as Spartans. The chorus of men will have prosthetic phalluses -- they will be cartoonish and campy, not realistic at all.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17 & SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2026
SAT SHOW: 6:00pm call time, 7:30pm show
SUN SHOW: 12:30pm call time, 2:00pm show
Rehearsals on Monday, October 12 and Thursday, October 15
“Gaslight" - Based on the 1944 American psychological thriller film directed by George Cukor and adapted for radio by Lux Radio Theater in 1946, “Gaslight” follows a young woman whose husband slowly manipulates her into believing that she is descending into insanity.The film popularized the now-common term for mental manipulation
The story follows Paula Alquist, who returns to her childhood home years after her aunt's unsolved murder, accompanied by her charming new husband, Gregory Anton. Once settled, Paula begins to experience strange occurrences, such as the mysterious dimming of the house's gaslights and the sound of footsteps in the boarded-up attic, but Gregory insists these are merely figments of her imagination. In reality, Gregory is systematically orchestrating these events to make Paula doubt her sanity, all as a cover for his own sinister search for hidden jewels.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19 & SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2026
SAT SHOW: 6:00pm call time, 7:30pm show
SUN SHOW: 12:30pm call time, 2:00pm show
Rehearsals on Monday, December 14 and Thursday, December 17
“Father Knows Best: Christmas Program” - Precursor to the classic “Father Knows Best” television program. the show aired from 1949-1954 on NBC radio before it made the move to TV. This episode finds father Jim struggling to convince his family that they’re missing the true meaning of the spirit of a traditional Christmas.
“A Christmas Memory” - Based on Truman Capote’s short story. It’s a nostalgic, semi-autobiographical short story about a seven-year-old boy named Buddy and his elderly cousin (his "friend") in the 1930s South. They share a tender, impoverished life, focusing on baking 31 fruitcakes for strangers and crafting simple gifts, finding joy despite being belittled by other relatives.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2027
6:00pm call time, 7:30pm show
Rehearsals on Monday, February 8 and Thursday, February 11
“Meet Me In St. Louis” - Another Lux Radio Theater adaptation. Set in turn-of-the-century Missouri, “Meet Me in St. Louis” is a nostalgic musical that follows the well-to-do Smith family over the course of a year as they eagerly anticipate the 1904 World’s Fair. The story is told through seasonal vignettes, centering on the romantic pursuits of the teenage Esther Smith who falls for the boy next door, and the mischievous antics of her youngest sister, Tootie. Their idyllic life is suddenly threatened when their father announces a job promotion that requires the family to relocate to New York City, leading to emotional upheaval as the children face leaving their beloved home.
SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 2027
6:00pm call time, 7:30pm show
Rehearsals on Monday, April 12 and Thursday, April 15
“Boston Blackie: Blackie and the Fur Trade” - “Boston Blackie” was a popular 1940s-1950s radio mystery series featuring a reformed jewel thief and safecracker, Horatio Black (often just Blackie), who uses his underworld knowledge to solve crimes. Defined as "enemy to those who make him an enemy — friend to those who have no friend," he consistently outsmarts his adversary, the stubborn Inspector Faraday.
“The Adventures of Philip Marlowe: Lady in Mink” - In the midst of a dense Los Angeles fog, Marlowe is hired to locate a "mixed-up girl" who has threatened to take her own life. The search is complicated by the hazardous weather, but the situation quickly escalates beyond a simple missing persons case. Before Marlowe can finally track down the mysterious "lady in mink," two separate murders occur, entangling him in a web involving the girl’s strange sister and a life in total disarray.
SATURDAY, JULY 10, 2027
6:00pm call time, 7:30pm show
Rehearsals on Monday, July 5 and Thursday, July 8 at 7pm
“Archie Andrews: Mr. Andrews’ Wallpaper Adventure” - From 1948, the story focuses on a comedic scenario where Archie's father, Fred Andrews, decides to re-wallpaper the family living room himself to save money. As is typical in the series, the DIY project goes disastrously wrong, resulting in a comedic mess rather than savings.
“My Favorite Husband: Knitting Baby Booties” - In this episode, Liz Cooper begins knitting booties for a friend who is expecting a baby. Husband George and his boss Mr. Atterbury misinterpret this, leading them to believe Liz is secretly pregnant, resulting in comedic misunderstandings.