WESTON, Vt. – Susanna Gellert, Executive Artistic Director of Weston Theater Company, announces the 87th season of Vermont’s oldest, award-winning professional theater.
Gellert says, “I am thrilled to announce our 2023 Season. 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. From the rollicking story of the life and music of Buddy Holly to a new American play about a family reuniting through folk song; from the joy, laughter, love, and tap of “Singin’ In the Rain” to an award-winning play about America’s founding document, 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 the Peanuts’ comic strip by Charles Schulz, 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. Don’t forget your picnic and your kite. This production premieres outdoors at Walker Farm and then travels to community partner venues across southern Vermont. Performances will run June 22 through 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 high-energy must-see show features all of Holly’s hits, including “Peggy Sue,” “That’ll Be the Day,” and “Everyday.” It’s a heartwarming and inspiring tale that will have you leaving the theater with a smile on your face and a spring in your step. Performances will run June 28 through July 16.
First at Walker Farm is the award-winning and critically acclaimed play exploring how the United States 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 (“Fun Home,” “Tenderly”). Hilarious, hopeful, and achingly human, this play traces the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives. It’s a love letter to our constitution, giving it new life and imagining how it will shape the next generation of Americans. Performances will run July 12 through July 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 and songs by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed. Based on the “greatest movie musical of all time,” this joyous show recreates the glamour of 1920s Hollywood, when silent films gave way to “talkies” and the electrifying 20th century was on the move. From glorious standards like “You Stepped Out of a Dream” to foot-tapping numbers like “Make ‘Em Laugh” to the show-stopping “Singin’ In the Rain,” this golden-age classic is filled with memorable songs that are sure to have you humming and tapping along to their Broadway rhythm. Performances will run Aug. 3 through Aug. 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 gloriously authentic ‘Old Time’ and Bluegrass music, this new, uplifting musical tells the contemporary story of a family reuniting against great odds. With a cast of endearing and relatable characters and fiddles, banjos, guitars, and mandolins perfect for a “pickin’ party” — and featuring the star of last season’s breakout hit “Woody Sez”—this timely tale is sure to hit all the right notes. Performances will run Aug. 16 through Sept. 3.
Season 87 closes in the fall at Walker Farm with an acclaimed drama where 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 forth 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 run Oct. 4 through Oct. 22.
Get the best seats and choose the price that works for you with a 2023 “Pick-Your-Price” Season Subscription. Renewal Subscriptions go on sale March 8. New Subscriptions are available 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 and a limited quantity of VTix for Vermont residents are available 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.
Weston Theater Company is Vermont’s oldest professional theater company, presenting a summer season of musicals, classic plays, family-friendly shows, and ground-breaking new works on two stages: The Playhouse and Walker Farm. Weston Theater Company approaches every season with the goal of expanding the imaginative, cultural, and social landscape in our community by connecting Weston to the world and the world to Weston. For more information go to our website www.westontheater.org.