Mr. Hart and Mr. Brown, by the author of The Philly Fan (which happens to be a special add-on this coming season), will run July 18-Aug. 19, 2012.
Pete Pryor will direct Graham's play, which is billed this way: "Set in Nebraska in the 1920s during the era of Prohibition, Two-Gun Hart is the only law for 300 miles. When a Duesenberg-driving antiques dealer from Baltimore shows up for a visit, young Ambrose Healey of the Homer Weekly Star smells a story. But is it worth his life to write it? A play about freedom of the press, the myth of the Old West, and a whole lot more from the award-winning writer of The Philly Fan, Any Given Monday and Something Intangible."
Fallow by Kenneth Lin will also get its world premiere by People's Light, Jan. 11-Feb. 5, 2012. The company characterizes it this way: "Upon discovering a cache of unsent letters, Elizabeth Hayes travels to California on a quest to understand her son Aaron’s murder. An introspective Ivy Leaguer, Aaron took a summer job as a beekeeper, joining the nearly invisible underclass of migrant workers traveling across America. As he became engrossed in tending his hive, the ties to his own family and former identity quickly began to fade. A play that asks what holds us to the families we are born into and how do we seek to make new families of our own."
The 2011-12 season at People's Light & Theatre also includes:
The Return of Don Quixote
By Kira Obolensky, freely adapted from Cervantes' "Don Quixote of La Mancha"
Directed by Ken Marini
Sept. 21-Oct. 16
"Don Quixote's respectable retirement is turned upside down when Sancho Panza shows up with an unauthorized biography of the Don's life. The bio makes a mockery of his previous escapades and his long-lost love, Dulcinea, while inspiring windmill-tilting imitators to roam the countryside in search of giants! What else can Don Quixote and Sancho Panza do but hit the road again? A charming tale to remind us that romance and adventure hide around every corner…if we are brave enough to look." Treasure Island: A Musical Panto
By Kathryn Petersen, Inspired by the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson
Music & Lyrics by Michael Ogborn
Directed by Pete Pryor
Nov. 16, 2011–Jan. 8, 2012
"Mother Hawkins and Long John Silver return for the holidays with the rascally rabble aboard Ye Olde Blowharde. They sing, dance, stagger, and swim their way through a few of the Seven Seas in search of Billy Bones' treasure. Bigger and better and with more hilarity and hi jinks the second time around — everybody say 'aargh!'" Part of the PNC Arts Alive Discovery Series.
Of Mice and Men
By John Steinbeck
Directed by David Bradley
Feb. 15-March 25, 2012
"John Steinbeck's heart-wrenching tale of George and Lennie, an unlikely pair of migrant workers who dream of purchasing a piece of land to farm and call their own. This classic American drama is a story of deep friendships and hard choices, set against the backdrop of Depression era California."
Shakespeare's Will
By Vern Thiessen
Directed by Abigail Adams
May 30-June 24, 2012
"Several actresses embody the heart and mind of Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare's wife. On the day of his funeral, Anne reflects on her life and marriage to the famous poet as she prepares to read his last wishes. Inspired by the actual contents of Shakespeare's will, this play gives a voice to this remarkable woman and her compelling story."
A Special Season Add-On
The Philly Fan
By Bruce Graham
Oct. 25-Nov. 20
"The Philly Fan hits the 'burbs! In this one-man tour de force, Tom McCarthy takes audiences on a journey through Philadelphia's sports history of the last 50 years and the frustrations therein. It's a tell-it-like-it-is romp through the eyes of a hard core sports fan who is used to seeing 'sure thing' victories turn into 'oh-my-God-they-blew-it' defeats. Featuring an abundance of new material that includes recent updates on Philly's sports scene."
Shipwrecked! An Entertainment—The Amazing Adventures of Louis de Rougemont (As Told by Himself)
By Donald Margulies
Directed by Jackson Phippin
March 22-April 15, 2012
"A delight-filled traveler's tale (which may or may not be true) that takes you from the exotic islands of the Coral Sea to Queen Victoria's garden to the Royal Geographic Society. Has Louis been on a grand adventure or is he suffering delusions of grandeur? Do wombats really fly? Can you ride a sea turtle? This is genuine entertainment for all!" Part of the PNC Arts Alive Discovery Series.
A Wrinkle in Time
Adapted by John Glore, from the Newbery Medal-winning book by Madeleine L'Engle
Directed by Samantha Bellomo
April 26-May 20, 2012
"Set off on an adventure through space and time via a tesseract with three children, each with a special gift and assisted by the three eccentric Mrs. Ws, to free their scientist father from the power of It. Nothing good was ever named It!" Part of the PNC Arts Alive Discovery Series.
For People's Light & Theatre subscription information, call (610) 644-3500 or visit PeoplesLight.org.
