Believe it or not, choosing a season of plays and musicals isn’t as easy as you might think…even if you’ve been producing live theatre for the community for 85 years! The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem’s playreading committee starts meeting a full year prior to a season’s opening. They begin by considering suggestions from the community and looking at which shows have been produced recently, either by us or by other local theatres (you don’t want to hear “Not that again!”). Next, they read plays, listen to musical scores, check Broadway reviews, and start to make a list of potential shows to consider.
Then, things get a bit more complicated. In addition to making educated guesses about which shows on the list are more likely to appeal to local audiences, they also have to look at the technical aspects each show will require: what will be needed as far as set design, costumes, and props go? And, of course, they must consider the financial side of everything: what will be needed to cover venue rental fees, performance rights, music packages, and those aforementioned technical aspects? Honestly, it’s no small feat, and we’re truly fortunate to have dedicated folks on the committee who are willing to take the time to figure it all out. Finally, with as many facts on hand as possible, they start to puzzle a season together, knowing that some people like comedies, some prefer dramas, and some can’t get enough musical theatre. The goal is always to try to provide something for everyone.
We’re so thrilled to be announcing our 2020-21 Season. For our fully produced, mainstage season, we’ll include four plays and two musicals. The plays are varied: two witty comedies (Ripcord and Sylvia), a holiday romance (Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley) and a scintillating mystery (Murder on the Orient Express). The musicals represent “something old and something new’’: Something Rotten! is a side-splitting musical comedy that is fresh off Broadway, where it was nominated for 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical in 2015, and The Sound of Music is the beloved classic that opened in 1959 and won 5 Tony Awards; it’s gone on to experience multiple productions and revivals ever since.
In addition to our mainstage shows, we’ll offer two smaller-scaled productions: a compelling drama, Doubt: A Parable, as part of our Spotlight Series, and a lovely romantic comedy, Almost, Maine, as part of our Youth Production Series.
We hope you’ll come and experience the excitement of live theatre as we venture into our 86th Season this September. Visit our website to learn more about these shows and about our season memberships, which offer discounted tickets throughout the year. Our hope is that you’ll come to a performance, knowing that a lot of time and energy has gone into bringing this show to the stage. And that as you settle into your seat, you’ll feel a little tingle of excitement as you wait for the curtain to rise, knowing that you’re about to see something… splendid.
The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem
(336) 725-4001
