2024-2025 Season

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, from the novella
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Directed by Marisa Valent.
A new and shocking version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of depravity, lust, love and horror. On the fog-bound streets of Victorian-era London, Henry Jekyll’s experiments with exotic “powders and tinctures” have brought forth his other self—Edward Hyde, a sensualist and villain free to commit the sins Jekyll is too civilized to comprehend. When Hyde meets a woman who stirs his interest, Jekyll fears for her life and decides to end his experiments. But Hyde has other ideas, and so the two sides battle each other in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse to determine who shall be the master and who his slave. With multiple Hydes portrayed by members of the cast.
         Performance Dates: October 11, 12, 18 & 19 @ 7:30pm and October 13 & 20 @ 2pm
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Staged Reading
Gather
by Kenneth M. Cadow. Vermont Reads is a statewide community reading program.
Produced by Maureen Chaffee
Ian Gray isn’t supposed to have a dog, but a lot of things that shouldn’t happen end up happening anyway. And Gather, Ian’s adopted pup, is good company now that Ian has to quit the basketball team, find a job, and take care of his mom as she tries to overcome her opioid addiction. Despite the obstacles thrown their way, Ian is determined to keep his family afloat no matter what it takes. And for a little while, thing. s are looking up: Ian makes friends, and his fondness for the outdoors and for fixing things lands him work helping neighbors. But an unforeseen tragedy results in Ian and his dog taking off on the run, trying to evade a future that would mean leaving their house and their land. Even if the community comes together to help him, would Ian and Gather have a home to return to? Told in a wry, cautious first-person voice, Kenneth M. Cadow’s resonant novel, a 2023 National Book Award Finalist, brings an emotional and ultimately hopeful story of one teen’s resilience in the face of unthinkable hardships.
Performance Date: November 2, 2024 @ 6:30pm
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Staged Reading
Calendar Girls
By Tim Firth. Based on the Miramax motion picture by Juliette Towhidi and Tim Firth.
Directed by Lynne Marcus.
When Annie’s husband John dies of leukemia, she and best friend Chris resolve to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room. They manage to persuade four fellow Women’s Institute members to pose nude with them for an “alternative” calendar, with a little help from hospital porter and amateur photographer Lawrence. The news of the women’s charitable venture spreads like wildfire, and hordes of press soon descend on the small village of Knapeley in the Yorkshire Dales. The calendar is a success, but Chris and Annie’s friendship is put to the test under the strain of their newfound fame. Based on the true story of eleven WI members who posed nude for a calendar to raise money for the Leukemia Research Fund, Calendar Girls opened at the Chichester Festival Theatre and has since become the fastest-selling play in British theatre history.
Cast includes: Julie Redington, Cheryl Gushee,Tom Martins, Errol Hill, Colin Hill, Janet Groom,
Kim Moyer, Nancy Dauenhauer,Becky Nawrath, Michelle Cox, Susan Altcroft, Debbie Warnock,
Renee Wymer, Mary Jo Greco and Michael Eaton.
Performance Date: November 16 @ 7:30pm
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Elf The Musical
Book by Thomas Meehan & Bob Martin.
Music by Matthew Sklar and Lyrics by Chad Beguelin.
Directed & Choreographed by Renee Wymer & Dana Haley.
Based on the beloved holiday film, this hilarious fish-out-of-water comedy follows Buddy the Elf in his quest to find his true identity. Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh realities that his father is on the naughty list and his half-brother doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. This modern-day holiday classic is sure to make everyone embrace their inner elf. After all, the best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear.
        Performance Dates: December 6, 13 & 14 @ 6:30pm December 7, 8 & 15 @ 2pm
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 Jason Lorber’s Comedy at the Core
 The Dorset Players Improv Group will open the evening with some fun Improv.
Jason Lober performs stand-up comedy, improvisation, and MCs for a variety of events.
Performance Date: January 11, 2025 @ 7:30pm
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Missoula Children’s Theatre
Sleeping Beauty
Adapted by Don Kukla
Music and Lyrics by Don Kukla and Michael McGill
The Missoula Children’s Theatre presents Sleeping Beauty, an original adaptation of the classic fairy tale. A new princess is born, and from far and wide the people of the kingdom gather to celebrate. One simple mistake is made – an invitation is misplaced-and the wrath of the vicious Scarella falls upon the poor infant in the form of a spell. Sleeping Beauty is now destined to sleep for eternity if she should prick her finger on a spindle before she reaches her sixteenth birthday. Sleeping Beauty’s Fairy Godmothers do their best to amend the spell, but Scarella, with the help of some nasty Trolls, tricks Sleeping Beauty into pricking her finger and the spell takes effect. Five hundred years pass and Sleeping Beauty wakes to find herself in a Rock ‘n Roll dream! Also featured in this production are the King and the Queen, Spot, the Fairies, the Palace Attendants and the Caterpillars.
Sleeping Beauty – a Rock ‘n Roll Fable for the ages. This is definitely no sleeper!
Audititions: January 20 for children 6 – 18.    Performance Date: January 25 @2pm & 7pm
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20th Annual One-Act Festival
Love and Marriage
Produced by Lynne Worth
A series of one act plays representing stories of love including marriage, families, and friends.
Performance Dates: February 14-15 @ 7:30pm February 16 @ 2pm
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Stones in His Pockets
By Marie Jones.
Directed by Todd Hjelt.
The Broadway sensation tells the tragicomedy story of a movie location shoot in Ireland, and the delightful, touching characters caught up in it. “An inventive and riotously funny comedy.”
Performance Dates: March 7 & 8 @ 7:30pm   March 9 @ 2pm
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Meteor Shower
By Steve Martin
Directed by Megan Demarest
Corky and Norm are excited to host Gerald and Laura at their home in the valley outside Los Angeles to watch a once-in-a-lifetime meteor shower. But as the stars come out and the conversation gets rolling, it becomes clear that Gerald and Laura might not be all that they appear to be. Over the course of a crazy, starlit dinner party, the wildly unexpected occurs. The couples begin to flirt and insanity reigns. Martin, using his trademark absurdist humor, bends the fluid nature of time and reality to create a surprising and unforgettably funny new play.
Performance Dates: April 4, 5, 11 & 12 @ 7:30pm   April 6 & 13 @ 2pm
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Company
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim   Book by George Furth
Directed & Choreographed by Tom Ferguson
From musical theatre’s most renowned composer, Company is largely regarded as a trailblazer of the dark-comedy, modern-musical genre and the winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Lyrics and Best Book. On the night of his 35th birthday, confirmed bachelor, Robert, contemplates his unmarried state. Over the course of a series of dinners, drinks and even a wedding, his friends – “those good and crazy people [his] married friends” – explain the pros and cons of taking on a spouse. The habitually single Robert is forced to question his adamant retention of bachelorhood during a hilarious array of interactions. Company features a brilliantly brisk and energetic score containing many of Stephen Sondheim’s best known songs. The strength of the piece lies in its vivid yet real characters.  Every audience member will see reflections of themselves in at least one of the characters onstage.
 Performance Dates: May 16, 17, 23 & 24 @ 7:30pm   May 18 & 25 @ 2pm