On the heels of a record-breaking season, Pioneer Theatre Company (PTC) Artistic Director Karen Azenberg announces the highly-anticipated 2019-2020 season. University of Utah students can get discounted tickets to the new season by using their ARTS PASS! Among the season offerings includes a pre-Broadway tryout, a world premiere, and three productions that have never before been professionally performed in Utah. Azenberg will be joined at the helm by her new partner, two-time Tony Award-nominated producer Christopher Massimine, who will serve as PTC’s managing director.
“We have a great line-up in store,” stated Azenberg. “Salt Lake has a wonderfully sophisticated theatre audience; they know what is playing on Broadway, what is touring and what they want to see. We’re delighted to provide a unique opportunity offering our patrons productions that would otherwise be unavailable to statewide theatregoers.”
PTC will open the season with an expanded version of the Off-Broadway hit musical CAGNEY, an effervescent, tap-dancing biographical show about Hollywood “tough guy” James Cagney. Fred and Adele Astaire Award winner Robert Creighton will reprise his Drama Desk Award-nominated performance of the title role in this first pre-Broadway tryout. Applauded byVariety as “Showstopping! Pure hallelujah moments”.
Next, fresh from a revered Broadway run, PTC presents an exclusive engagement of THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT. A timely and thought-inspiring comedic drama The New York Times deemed “terrifically engaging,” The Lifespan of a Fact examines truth through the eyes of a national magazine’s fact-checker. This critically-acclaimed play, which made Variety’s ‘2018 best of the year’ list.
PTC welcomes the Utah premiere of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG. Originally produced by J.J. Abrams, this wildly successful Broadway comedy is “the ‘Tom and Jerry’ of British farce, slapping you silly with mishaps and pratfalls,” (The Washington Post).
The new year kicks off with MARY STUART, a politically-charged biographical British drama, that follows the unseen power-play between two of history's greatest Monarchs, who happened to be women. Running at PTCJanuary 10 through January 25, this smart and charming play recently presented a lauded revival in London's prestigious West End Theatre district. “MARY STUART is a testament to human bravery and dignity,” raved Azenberg. “With inspiring female roles, and a theme grounded in the struggle between religion, womanhood and statesmanship, this highly-relevant play mirrors, explores and questions those same issues present today.”
Get ready for another Utah Premiere, the “ravishing revival” (The New York Times) of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND. This 2018 Tony Award-winning musical folktale follows the adventure of two star-crossed romantics amongst an imaginative and vibrant Caribbean backdrop.
Get tickets for the world premier of “ASS”, a comedy about complicated family relationships, author Ellen Simon informs us that the play’s key figure, a famous sculptor, isn’t really based on her famous father,Neil Simon, but that her character “is really more of a Picasso guy.” Ass first appeared at PTC as part of the 2017-2018 Play-by-Play new play reading series, and will enjoy its first fully-staged production.
Closing the season will be SOMETHING ROTTEN! This recent rambunctious Broadway musical, was adored as an “over-the-top take on Shakespeare” by The New York Times. Wallowing in puns, double-entendres and bad taste, theatre buffs will enjoy the "Easter egg" references to popular musicals laced throughout this comedy.
PIONEER THEATRE COMPANY'S 2019-2020 SEASON
Cagney
Book by Peter Colley
Music and Lyrics by Robert Creighton & Christopher McGovern
September 20 - October 5, 2019
The Lifespan of a Fact
By Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell and Gordon Farrell
Based on the essay/Book by John D'Agata and Jim Fingal
November 1 - November 16, 2019
The Play That Goes Wrong
by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields
December 6 - December 21, 2019
Mary Stuart
by Jean Stock Goldstone and John Reich
January 10 - 25, 2020
Once On This Island
Book and Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Music by Stephen Flaherty
Based upon the novel "My Love, My Love" by Rosa Guy
February 21 - March 7, 2020
Ass
By Ellen Simon
March 27 - April 11, 2020
Something Rotten!
Book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell
Music and Lyrics by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick
Conceived by Karen Kirkpatrick and Wayne Kirkpatrick
May 8 - May 23, 2020