2020 Season
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RIPCORD
By David Lindsay-Abaire
Directed by Christian Haines
January 24 – February 23
Synopsis
Abby takes pride in her residence in one of the most desired rooms in the Bristol Place Assisted Living Facility. Things turn sour quickly when she must take in a new roommate to share her precious space. With Abby displeased with Marilyn’s very presence, and Marilyn beginning to covet Abby’s bed by the window, a high-stakes competition begins between them that rapidly spirals out of control. This wacky, biting comedy humorously examines the difficulties of aging and the mania of possession.
THE QUALITY OF LIFE
By Jane Anderson
Directed by Alexis Rogers
March 20 – April 19
Synopsis
A year after a major fire razed the Berkeley Hills, Jeanette and Neil are still living in a yurt since the loss of their home. With Neil’s incurable cancer escalating, his sister and her husband come to California to console them in the hour of need.
DREAMGIRLS
Book and Lyrics by Tom Eyen
Music by Henry Krieger
Directed by ShawnJ West
Musical Direction by Armando Fox
Choreography by Jennifer Frazier
May 22 – June 28
Synopsis
Dreamgirls weaves together the aspirations and successes of R&B groups like the Supremes, the Shirellles, James Brown, and Jackie Wilson. This musical follows the story of a young female trio from Chicago, Illinois called “The Dreams”, who work their way into stardom and fight for their rights in a music industry dominated by men. Staged with a mostly African-American cast and originally starring Jennifer Holliday, the musical opened on December 20, 1981 at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway. The musical was nominated for 13 Tony Awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical, and won six. In 2006 the musical was adapted into a motion picture.
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COME BACK TO FIVE AND DIME, JIMMY DEAN, JIMMY DEAN
By Ed Graczyk
Directed by John Maio
August 14 – September 23
Synopsis
In a small-town dime store in West Texas in 1975, the “Disciples of James Dean,” self-proclaimed biggest fans of the eponymous movie star, gather for their twentieth reunion since the filming of Giant in nearby Marfa. One member, Mona, who was an extra in the film, even claims Dean fathered her child. Now, middle-aged women, reminisce about that time twenty years ago which is seen in flashbacks from their youth in 1955. The arrival of a stunning-but-familiar stranger prompts them to revisit the truths in their past. The play was later made into a popular Robert Altman film starring Cher, Sandy Dennis, Kathy Bates, and Karen Black.
A NICE FAMILY GATHERING
By Phil Olson
Directed by Kimberly Ridgeway
October 16 – November 15
Synopsis
This is a story about a man who loved his wife very much but never realized, until after his death, that he hadn’t told her. Now possessed with unfinished business, he manifests as a ghost on the first Thanksgiving since his death to do what he never did in life. Unfortunately, his wife has brought a date to dinner, and the only person who can see him is his son Carl.