We are proud to announce our 87th season, where we will bring you four shows, including three operettas! Interested in seeing all our shows for a discounted rate? We are offering season passes that include all four shows plus a ticket to one of our special events (see below) for just $70 (a savings of $15)!
Click Here to Purchase a Season Pass (available through July 27, 2024)
Georges Feydeau’s A Flea in Her Ear, July 12-27 2024 at the Margaret Partee Performing Arts Center, Bellevue, PA
Directed by Robert Hockenberry
A quintessential French farce centered around misunderstandings, mistaken identities, and comedic chaos, A Flea in Her Ear revolves around Raymonde Chandebise, a gossiping wife who suspects her husband, Victor Emmanuel, of infidelity. To test his loyalty, she concocts a scheme involving a fake love letter, inviting him to a rendezvous at a dubious hotel. This plan sets off a whirlwind of confusion involving an array of characters, including Victor Emmanuel’s doppelgänger, a jealous Spaniard, and a series of comedic mishaps. The play’s intricate timing, witty dialogue, and absurd situations ultimately resolve in a humorous yet satisfying conclusion where misunderstandings are cleared and relationships are mended.
Gilbert & Sullivan’s Patience, October 4-13 2024 at the Greater Pittsburgh Masonic Center, Ross Township, PA
Stage Director Patrick Daniel, Music Director Guy Russo
Gilbert & Sullivan’s Patience, or Bunthorne’s Bride, satirizes the aesthetic movement of the 1870s and 1880s. Two rival poets, Reginald Bunthorne and Archibald Grosvenor, vie for the affection of the beautiful dairy maid Patience. Bunthorne is a self-proclaimed aesthetic who attracts the attention of the local maidens, despite secretly being a fraud who loathes the movement. Patience, uninterested in the poets, initially struggles with the concept of true love. She ultimately finds herself drawn to Grosvenor, who is genuinely handsome and charming. Meanwhile, the officers of the Dragoon Guards also desire the attention of the maidens, and go to great lengths to try to woo them. The opera humorously critiques the pretensions of the art world and the fickleness of romantic ideals, ending with a series of romantic resolutions that leave the characters paired off happily.
Victor Herbert’s Babes in Toyland, December 6-21 2024 at the Margaret Partee Performing Arts Center, Bellevue, PA
Stage Director Robert Hockenberry, Music Director Guy Russo
Victor Herbert’s 1903 operetta Babes in Toyland is a whimsical musical journey that follows the adventures of siblings Alan and Jane, who find themselves lost in the fantastical Toyland after fleeing from their wicked Uncle Barnaby, who schemes to steal their inheritance after their parents meet an untimely end. As they navigate this magical realm filled with enchanting characters from Mother Goose nursery rhymes as well as the enigmatic Toymaker, the siblings face numerous challenges and mischief orchestrated by their villainous uncle and his henchmen. With a blend of captivating melodies and imaginative storytelling, this timeless story weaves a tale of bravery, friendship, and wonder. Will Alan and Jane be able to outsmart Barnaby and find their way back home?
Gilbert & Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore, March 14-23 2025 at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, Carnegie, PA
Stage Director Meighan Lloyd, Music Director Guy Russo
Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore; or, the Lass Who Loved a Sailor, revolves around the captain’s daughter, Josephine, who is in love with a lowly sailor, Ralph Rackstraw, despite being promised to Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty. The narrative explores themes of social class and true love as Josephine and Ralph’s affection faces numerous obstacles. With a twist of mistaken identity and a satirical look at British society, the topsy-turvy conclusion resolves in a satisfying way while also highlighting the absurdities of the class system.
Special Events
In addition to our five main shows, we will also be periodically offering special events throughout the season. Finalized details of our special events will be announced at a later date.
Click Here to Purchase a Season Pass (available through July 27, 2024)