From the hilarious musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” to the charming heart and magical flight of Mary Poppins, and the thought-provoking brilliance of “Primary Trust,” each production of Hope Repertory Theatre’s forthcoming 53rd season offers something unique and meaningful.
“Our season celebrates the power of storytelling, the joy of live theatre, and the transformative experience of shared artistic exploration,” said Michelle Bombe, who is executive artistic director with Hope Repertory Theatre as well as a professor of theatre and chair of the department at Hope. “Our commitment to providing high-quality, professional theatre remains at the heart of everything we do, and we can’t wait to share these incredible stories with our community.”
The season will feature six shows between Wednesday, June 11, and Saturday, Aug. 2. Tickets for individual productions as well as three different season packages are on sale now.
Opening the season, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” follows six mid-pubescents as they vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. Winner of the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, the musical will have a limited run between June 11 and Thursday, July 3, with all performances in the Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland.
Next, the DeWitt Center main theatre will be transformed into 1910s London for Disney and Cameron Macintosh’s “Mary Poppins” featuring singing, dancing and spectacle for the entire family. Mary sets flight on Friday, June 27, and continues through the end of the season on Saturday, Aug. 2, and will include multiple evening and matinee performances.
“What the Constitution Means to Me” will take the audience on a thoughtful journey through the eyes of playwright Heidi Schreck while also asked to form their own opinions about the document. Adult language and themes make the production most appropriate for ages 14-plus. The play runs Thursday, July 3, through Sunday, July 13, in the John and Dede Howard Recital Hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts.
“Primary Trust,” the 2024 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for drama, runs from Thursday, July 10, through Thursday, July 31, in the DeWitt Center main theatre in repertory with “Mary Poppins.” The play centers on Kenneth, who comfortably spends his evenings sipping mai tais at the local tiki bar, but begins to face a world he’s long avoided — with transformative and even comical results — when he’s laid off from his job at a bookstore and seeks a new position at the local bank. “Primary Trust” is ultimately the heartwarming story of community and how we take care of one another.
Hope Rep’s beloved musical for young audiences returns with “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus,” based on the Caldecott-winning children’s book by Mo Willems and running Friday, July 11, through Saturday, Aug. 2, in the outdoor amphitheater of the Jim and Martie Bultman Student Center (with an alternate indoor location in the event of inclement weather). When a bus driver leaves very specific instructions about what shouldn’t happen when he steps away for a few minutes, a very persuasive pigeon who likes to drive has other ideas.
Adam Guettel’s song-cycle of “Myths & Hymns” will paint an emotional landscape of faith and yearning that embraces a boundless spectrum of ideology and spirituality when it runs for six performances between Sunday, July 20, and Thursday, July 31, in the John and Dede Howard Recital Hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts. With lyrics inspired by Greek mythology and a 19th century Presbyterian hymnal, the musical vocabulary sweeps from romantic art song and rock to Latin, gospel and R&B.
The final opening of the summer will be the one-night only Acting Intern Showcase on Sunday, July 27, in the DeWitt Center main theatre. The emerging theatre artists who are part of the season will present an evening of songs and monologues.
In addition to the summer’s productions, Hope Repertory Theatre will also bring back the audience-favorite “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” in December, on dates that will be announced in the fall. The beloved American holiday classic comes to life as a live radio broadcast.
More information about each of the plays as well as dates and show times is available at hope.edu/tickets.
Tickets for “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” vary by main floor or balcony seating, and are $50 or $45 for regular admission; $40 or $35 for senior citizens and Hope faculty and staff; $30 or $24 for college students; and $20 or $15 for children under 18.
Tickets for “Mary Poppins” vary by main floor or side or balcony seating, and are $55 or $50 for regular admission; $45 or $40 for senior citizens and Hope faculty and staff; $30 or $25 for college students; and $20 or $15 for children under 18.
Tickets for “Primary Trust” vary by main floor or side or balcony seating, and are $45 or $40 for regular admission; $35 or $30 for senior citizens and Hope faculty and staff; and $20 or $15 for students.
Tickets for “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” are $15 for all ages.
Tickets for the Acting Intern Showcase are $20 for all ages.
Tickets for “What the Constitution Means to Me” are $40 for regular admission; $30 for senior citizens and Hope faculty and staff; and $20 for students.
Tickets for “Myths & Hymns” are $40 for regular admission; $30 for senior citizens and Hope faculty and staff; and $20 for students.
Tickets for “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” vary by main floor or balcony seating, and are $40 or $35 for regular admission; $30 or $25 for senior citizens and Hope faculty and staff; and $20 or $15 for students.
Three season packages are available.
The All-Access Package includes all eight shows, with a discount of 25% off the individual prices if purchased before April 25, or 20% on or after April 25.
A Best Buy Package for all six mainstage productions will provide a discount of 20% if purchased before April 25, or 15% on or after April 25.
A Best Buy Package for any four of the mainstage productions will provide a discount of 15% if purchased before April 25, or 10% on or after April 25.
Individual tickets and season packages are available at the ticket office in the Events and Conferences Office located in downtown Holland in the Anderson-Werkman Financial Center (100 E. Eighth St.). The ticket office is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be called at 616-395-7890. Tickets are also available online at hope.edu/tickets.
To inquire about accessibility or if you need accommodations to fully participate in events at the college, please email accommodations@hope.edu. Updates related to events are posted when available at hope.edu/calendar in the individual listings.