The Northeast Theatre Announces its Sixteenth Spectacular Season

The Northeast Theatre is proud to announce its 2007-08 sixteenth season. Over 125 performances are scheduled; two world premieres, six mainstage plays, the Spruce Street Cabaret, Acting Alone: monodrama festival, and more. Details at thenortheasttheatre dot us, or call 570-558-1515 for information about a PlayPass, the easy way to see more plays while saving money. PlayPasses also get you discounts at five of Downtown Scranton’s best restaurants. New York Theatre in the Heart of Scranton.

Mainstage Season

Prohibitive Standards
by Zuppa del Giorno
directed by David Zarko
During prohibition, the ballroom at the Hotel Jermyn was often host to a colorful cast of less-than-savory characters, from local rum runners to mobsters from New York working their political contacts. Zuppa del Giorno recreates this underbelly of Scranton’s heritage in their own riotous style, as they take the Performance Space at the Hotel Jermyn back to an earlier incarnation. Prohibitive Standards is produced under the rubric, The Portal Project , a professional/educational collaboration with Marywood University that also includes Scranton State School for the Deaf. (October)

The O. Henry Conspiracy
created by Richard Grunn and Duane Noch
directed by David Zarko
A revival of the hit of TNT’s 2000-2001 season, it imagines what may have happened between a homeless Irish storyteller and a young reporter out to make his mark in New York City. The year is 1913, and the men meet when both have run out of hope. Together they lift themselves up through the discovery of a mysterious, and misunderstood, connection with the great short story writer, O. Henry. (November)

The Amazing Goldin
book by Ed Simpson, music and lyrics by Elizabeth Feller
directed by Mary Ethel Schmidt
The world premiere of a musical based on Mr. Simpson’s radio play of the same title which was originally performed in March 2005 as part of Lackawanna Rails: 100 Years of Life in the Anthracite Valley . A boy on the brink of losing his childhood meets Horace Goldin, the magician famous for sawing a woman in half. Set at the Poli Theatre in 1921, it is a funny, sweet story about how this unlikely pair develop a friendship, one that readies the boy for manhood and the man for life. (December)

A Modern Drama
The Northeast Theatre has two plays under consideration for this slot. The production rights are not yet available for our first choice, so sit tight until summer. Either way, this show will be well worth the wait. (February)

Time, Timing, Timeless
by David Ives
directed by Mary Ethel Schmidt
Scranton audiences will enjoy two evenings of several plays each chosen from various collections of short comedies by one of the wittiest writers of all time. An Ives Fest as never before presented at any other theatre! (March)

The Odd Couple
by Neil Simon
directed by Ed Chemaly
Company favorites Mary Ethel Schmidt and Page Clements star in the female version of this classic play about mismatched roommates. You may have seen this show before, but not like this! (May)

Acting Alone - Monodrama Festival

Acting Alone: Part One - The first half of a six part series of monodramas, or plays performed by a single actor. (September)

Shirley Valentine
by Willy Russell and starring Agnes Cummings
directed by Morgan Christopher
Shirley’s a middle-aged Liverpool housewife, who finds herself talking to the wall while she prepares her husband’s chips ‘n’ egg, wondering what happened to her life. But when her best friend wins an all-expenses-paid vacation to Greece for two, she leaves the drudgery of cooking dinner for her husband, packs her bags and heads for the sun. Shirley begins to see the world, and herself, in a different light.

Between Take Off & Landing
created and performed by Michael Walsh
This charming play recounts a little known story of 9/11. The passengers of Aer Lingus Flight 104, traveling from Dublin to New York, are stranded in Gander, Newfoundland, and along with many of the other 47 diverted transatlantic flights that day, turn this remote Canadian town of 10,000 into the largest makeshift airport terminal in the world. While waiting to resume their travels and their lives, Michael and his fellow passengers examine Gander, the world… and themselves.

One more monodrama
still under consideration.

Acting Alone: Part Two - The second half of the monodrama festival will feature three plays by and about women. (April)

Mariama: A Tale of Freedom & Grace
created and performed by Marian Oliker
This play, which comes from Santa Cruz, California, is the story of two dancers; one a white girl from the U.S. who discovers African dance, the other a young black woman from Kenya who falls in love with ballet, and of how their parallel paths seem to merge.

Wingbone
created and performed by Sigrid Heath
Beryl Markham grew up in the African bush, and though the daughter of an English rancher, her upbringing among the locals gave her the heart and soul of a bushman. She bred race horses, forged new trails for women, and was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.

One more monodrama
still under consideration.

Special Holiday Event

A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens, adapted by David Zarko
A readers’ theatre presentation of the adaptation of this holiday classic that The Northeast Theatre presented as a full production in 2003, the evening will feature familiar faces and names from New York and Scranton. (December)

Spruce Street Cabaret

In addition to the plays, The Northeast Theatre will offer 13 cabaret performances, featuring some of the best musical and theatrical talent in and outside of the region. Performances will take place on Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons from October through May.

PlayPasses

The best way to see the season, a PlayPass gives you discounts of up to 50% off regular tickets prices, discounts at five participating Downtown Scranton restaurants, reservations privileges, and optional assigned seating or VIP seating.

PlayPasses can be purchased on four level, and two of those include senior or student discounts. The Angel PlayPass is good for two admissions at any performance of the season, and may be used without limit, but only twenty will be sold. The Patron PlayPass includes 12 admissions (plus three guest tickets when ordered by May 1, 2007). The Season PlayPass is good for 8 admissions, and the Basic PlayPass is good for five. PlayPass holders may use their admissions exactly as they wish, for themselves or for guests.

To purchase a PlayPass, or to get more information, go to www.thenortheasttheatre.us or call 570-558-1515.

Admission

Single ticket prices for the 2007-08 Sixteenth Season will be:

* Mainstage General Admission: $23
* Mainstage Senior Tickets Discounted: $17
* Mainstage Student Tickets Discounted: $6
* Spruce Street Cabaret Tickets: $12 (Student Tickets $6)
* Acting Alone Tickets: $15 (Student Tickets $6)

Tickets & Information

Tickets may be purchased at the box office, Wednesday through Saturday 3 p.m. to curtain, by phone at 570-558-1515, or online at www.thenortheasttheatre.us.