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By Michael Warren

Season 53 At LLT

 

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Here we are again – it’s the beginning of another season! So what do we have to look forward to in Season 53?

The first play is Ripcord, a comedy by David Lindsay-Abaire, which opens on September 29. Eighteen months ago we saw Good People, a terrific play by the same author, so we know we are in the company of a good writer. Ripcord, set in a retirement home, is a situation comedy with two old ladies battling to embarrass, dismay and ultimately destroy each other. Sounds like fun.

Next up, at the beginning of November, is Time Stands Still by Donald Margulies. It’s a drama about the interaction between a female war-zone photographer and her boy-friend who is a writer who has also recently returned from Iraq. The tension and adrenaline of war affects their lives and their feelings about each other. It’s an intense and well-written play, recently performed as a reading at Naked Stage. I look forward to seeing it on stage at LLT.

Opening on December 8 we have Calendar Girls by Tim Firth. If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll know that it’s based on a true event that took place in Yorkshire, England. Some courageous middle-aged ladies from the Women’s Institute produced a “nude” calendar for a very good charitable cause. It’s a delightful and heartwarming story, and you’ll laugh and cheer at the bravery of the cast.

Then in January we can look forward to Agnes of God by John Pielmeier. It’s a drama about a novice nun who gives birth and insists that the child is the result of a virgin conception. A psychiatrist and the Mother Superior of the convent clash during the ensuing investigation. This is a powerful and thought-provoking play.

Fiddler on the Roof is the musical in February. This incredibly popular show opened on Broadway in 1964 and ran for over 3,000 performances. Fiddler held the record for longest-running musical for almost 10 years until Grease surpassed its run. It won nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical and book, score, direction and choreography. This should be a sell-out show.

Finally, at the end of March, we have The Clean House, a comedy by Sarah Ruhl. A truly wacky and whimsical play, it features a Brazilian cleaning woman who would rather be a comedian. The Clean House was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

So there you have it, a really interesting program for Season 53.  Three comedies, two dramas and a memorable musical. Get your season tickets now!

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