WESTON — Susanna Gellert, executive artistic director of Weston Theater Company, recently announced the 87th season of Vermont's oldest, award-winning professional theater.
“This year's shows sing with the magic of Weston, a magic that brings people together and invites us to share the wonder and excitement that have been the hallmark of Weston Theater Company for over 85 years,” Gellert said in a news release. “These are stories full of heart, generosity, and substance. It's a vibrant and varied lineup that we cannot wait to share with our audience.”
The season begins with the free Weston Young Company production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, based on Charles M. Schulz's “Peanuts” comic strip, with music, book, and lyrics by Clark Gesner.
Follow the life of America's most loveable loser and his friends as they navigate the ups and downs of childhood with memorable songs that bring this beloved comic strip to life.
This production premieres outdoors at Walker Farm, 705 Main Street in Weston, and then travels to community partner venues across southern Vermont. Performances take place Thursday, June 22 though July 9.
Opening at The Playhouse is a crowd-pleaser that really rocks, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story written by Alan Janes. Transport yourself back to the 1950s with this show telling the story of Holly's rise to fame, his struggles with the music industry, and his enduring legacy as one of the pioneers of rock and roll. This show features all of Holly's hits, including Peggy Sue, That'll Be the Day, and Everyday. Performances take place Wednesday, June 28 through July 16.
First at Walker Farm is the award-winning and critically acclaimed play exploring how the U.S. Constitution has shaped the country and its people, What the Constitution Means to Me, by Heidi Schreck and starring Broadway veteran and Weston favorite Susan Haefner. This play traces the relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives. It also imagines how that document will shape the next generation of Americans. Performances take place July 12 (1)to 30
In August, a celebrated classic of stage and screen, Singin' In the Rain takes to The Playhouse stage, featuring screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Green with songs by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed. This show recreates the glamour of 1920s Hollywood, when silent films gave way to talkies. Performances take place Thursday, Aug. 3 to 20.
Back at Walker Farm in late August, Weston presents The Porch on Windy Hill, “a new play with old music,” written by Sherry Stregack Lutken, Lisa Helmi Johanson, Morgan Morse, and David M. Lutken. Through authentic Old Time and Bluegrass music, this new musical tells the contemporary story of a family reuniting against great odds. Performances take place Wednesday Aug. 16 through Sept. 3.
Season 87 closes in the fall at Walker Farm with an acclaimed drama in which jazz often speaks louder than words, Let There Be Love, by Kwame Kwei-Armah.
Gruff, grumpy, and tired of growing old, Arthur is an immigrant to Britain who has shut himself off from his family even as he longs for his childhood home in the West Indies. When his headstrong daughter hires an idealistic, young Polish caregiver to look after him, Arthur finds himself reckoning with his past and awakening to a new sense of hope and love.
Filled with the sumptuous jazz standards that pour from Arthur's beloved record player, this intimate and humorous family drama explores the forces of memory and longing that lie at the heart of all immigrant experiences and what can happen when, at any age, we open our minds to the possibility of change. Performances will be held Oct. 4 to 22.
Weston Theater Company again offers its “Pick-Your-Price” season subscription. Renewal subscriptions are now on sale, while new subscriptions are available starting March 29. Single ticket sales will be available online and by calling the Weston Box Office at 802-824-5288, beginning April 19. Child and Student tickets are available for $25 and a limited quantity of VTix for Vermont residents are available for $25 with a Vermont ID.
As community levels for Covid remain low, masks will be optional for all patrons and proof of vaccination/negative Covid test is no longer required. Physically distanced seating remains available upon request, based on availability. Learn more at westontheater.org.