Details have also been revealed for the remainder of the Playhouse's summer season, which includes Big River; Quartet; I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change; and the new musical Judge Jackie: Disorder in the Court.
John Simpkins will direct the Tony Award-winning Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which will be presented July 21-31 featuring Nicholas Ward (On The Town) as Jim, Joseph Allen (Huck) and Thomas Cannizzaro (Spamalot) as Duke. Based on Mark Twain’s classic novel, Big River "moves down the mighty Mississippi as Huck helps his friend Jim, a slave, escape to freedom." Their adventures are set to an award-winning score by country music artist Roger Miller with a book by William Hauptman. Jennifer Werner choreographs, and James Cunningham is music director.
Quartet, a play by Academy Award winner Ronald Harwood (The Pianist), runs August 18-28 and features Tony Award winner Elizabeth Franz (Death of a Salesman). "Four elderly opera-singers have ended up in the same retirement home for artists," according to press notes. "A concert is about to take place to celebrate Verdi’s birthday. Will these four singers be able to recreate their youth and perform their acclaimed quartet from Rigoletto?" John Simpkins directs.
Klea Blackhurst (Hazel) will return to Sharon Playhouse to star in the new musical Judge Jackie: Disorder in the Court on Stage 2 in the Bok Gallery July 7-17. With music by Michael Kooman and book and lyrics by Christopher Dimond, "Judge Jackie rules over her reality television courtroom with an iron fist, presiding over a three-ring circus of America's most chaotic civil cases. But, when a drop in ratings brings her face to face with the liability of her own love life, the judge must learn to navigate the ludicrous laws of love in this over-the-top courtroom comedy." Judge Jackie, which premiered at Pittsburgh C.L.O., is based on a concept by Van Kaplan. John Simpkins directs, with music direction by Joshua Zecher- Ross.
The long-running Off-Broadway hit, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, plays Stage 2 in the Bok Gallery August 4-14. Jennifer Werner directs and choreographs the show, with music direction by Joshua Zecher-Ross. The celebration of relationships has book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro and music by Jimmy Roberts.
For ticket information call (860) 364-7469.
