The 2023-24 season at The Little Theatre, on the campus of Central Methodist University, begins next month with the first of four shows for the academic year.
Curtain times for evening productions this year will be 7 p.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays. Sunday matinee performances will begin at 1:30 p.m.
The season’s first show has already been cast, and performers and crew are preparing for opening night. The scheduled shows for the season are as follows:
Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine
Into the Woods follows a baker and his wife, who wish to have a child; Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King's Festival; two princes in agony; and Jack, who wishes his cow would give milk. When the baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of a witch's curse, the two set off on a journey to break the curse. Everyone's wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later with disastrous results.
Directed by Dr. Mark Kelty, the show will run from October 12-15.
C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, dramatized by Joseph Robinette
An old house in rural England becomes the home base for four children who wander into an incredible country through an old wardrobe and help the country return to summer. In the incredible Narnia, they make friends with the frightened forest people who have almost given up hope for the return of good King Aslan, their true ruler. When Aslan was there, it was always summer. There is a great battle to see whether this magical country will remain under a wintry spell or will, once again, know freedom and summer under good King Aslan.
Kasey Lynch will direct the show, scheduled for November 8-12. November 8-10 performances are school day matinees presented for elementary schools in the region.
Unaccompanied: A Solo Performance Workshop
Unaccompanied is an exploration of storytelling through solo performance. A distinctly different approach to theatre, solo performance is still a collaboration between the audience, the performer, the production team, and all invested parties. These artists invite the audience on a journey with them as they share a variety of stories.
Directed by adjunct professor Brandon Riley, performances are scheduled for February 29 through March 3.
Stupid…Bird by Aaron Posner
An aspiring young director rampages against the art created by his mother's generation. A nubile young actress wrestles with an aging Hollywood star for the affections of a renowned novelist. And everyone discovers just how disappointing love, art, and growing up can be. In this irreverent, contemporary, and very funny remix of Chekhov's The Seagull, Aaron Posner stages a timeless battle between young and old, past and present, in search of the true meaning of it all.
Dr. Kelty will direct the final show of the year, scheduled for April 25-28.
For CMU main stage productions, tickets are $8 for general admission, $5 CMU faculty and staff, CMU students free with ID. Check with the box office at 660-248-6281 for details.