Santa Cruz County Actors’ Theatre announces their 2019 season, which includes two full-length acclaimed plays and the two-night festival, 8 Tens @ Eight at the Center Stage Theater in downtown Santa Cruz. Founded in 1985, Actors’ Theatre has a long history of being a vital part of the greater Santa Cruz area’s theatre community.
Phone Sets • 2018
As Actors’ Theatre launches into their second full season, audiences can expect some comedy, drama, issues of identity, and a musical! The season begins with the annual ten-minute play festival, 8 TENS @ EIGHT opening January 4 and running through February 3.
One of the most anticipated and popular events of the theatre season in Santa Cruz, Actors’ Theatre is offering twice the fun again this season, with sixteen award-winning plays from their national playwriting contest, showing in repertoire as “A” night and “B” night over the five-week festival.
•••
High Grass • 2018
April 12 – 28: Actors’ Theatre presents Jane Anderson’s LOOKING FOR NORMAL. The comedy-drama tells the story of Roy and Irma, who have been married for twenty-five years. They have two children and are respected members of their church and community.
When they go to their pastor for marriage counseling, Roy confesses that he’s a woman trapped in a man’s body and wants to have a sex change. The play explores the complexities of marriage, family, and deconstructs the very notion of love.
Directed by Erik Gandolfi.
“Jane Anderson’s bittersweet transgender domestic comedy-drama is thoughtful and touching and full of wit and wisdom. A real audience pleaser.”
— Hollywood Reporter
•••
Driving Lessons • 2018
September 27–October 13: Actors’ Theatre is excited to present their first musical with Stephen Sondheim’s COMPANY. Love, marriage, and the quest to find what makes one happy is the center of Sondheim’s trailblazer of the dark-comedy, modern-musical genre, and is the winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Lyrics, and Best Book by George Furth.
Directed by Andrew Ceglio with Musical direction by Daniel Goldsmith.
“There is nothing fragile about Company … it is by turns brassy, brittle, sympathetic, cynical, romantic, calculating and alive — oh so very much alive … with so many show-stopping numbers, Stephen Sondheim’s music and lyrics add up to one of the best scores on Broadway …”
— Wall Street Journal
•••
Actors’ Theatre 2019 Season
8 Tens @ 8 Short Play Festival – Jan 4 to Feb 3
Looking for Normal – April 12 to 28
Company – Sept 27 to Oct 13.
Center Stage Theater, 1001 Center Street in Santa Cruz • https://www.sccat.org
Esther Williams Explained • 2018