50th Anniversary Season

Dewitt Mainstage

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder

Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder

By Robert L. Freedman
 

Set in London in 1907, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder centers on Monty Navarro, a penniless clerk who is informed after the death of his mother that he is ninth in line to inherit the earldom of Highhurst, controlled by the wealthy D’Ysquith banking family. After the imperious ruling Lord dismisses Monty’s claim of being a relative, the eight D’Ysquiths ahead of young Mr. Navarro begin dying in natural and unnatural ways. (A single actor plays all the not-so-nice D'Ysquiths, adding to the merriment.) Meanwhile, Monty is trying to woo money-minded Sibella Hallward —until he finds himself drawn to young Phoebe D’Ysquith. How will all these convoluted storylines come together?

SHOW DATES: June 17–July 15

Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing

By William Shakespeare
 

Fall in love with one of the most romantic comedies ever written, Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Everyone can see that Beatrice and Benedick are meant for each other except Beatrice and Benedick. Hero and Claudio, themselves newly betrothed, conspire to trick them into announcing their feelings and falling for each other. Meanwhile, a bitter and troublesome Don John schemes to destroy Claudio and Hero’s engagement by besmirching Hero’s honor.

SHOW DATES: July 8–22

The Color Purple

The Color Purple

Book by Marsha Norman
Music and Lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray 

An inspiring family saga that tells the unforgettable story of a woman who, through love, finds the strength to triumph over adversity and discover her unique voice in the world. This musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel (and the popular 1985 Steven Spielberg film) spotlights Celie, a downtrodden young woman whose personal awakening over the course of 40 years forms the arc of this epic story. With a joyous score featuring jazz, ragtime, gospel, African music and blues, The Color Purple is a story of hope, a testament to the healing power of love and a celebration of life.

SHOW DATES: July 23–August 4

This show contains depictions of physical violence as well as references to sexual violence/assault and domestic, physical and verbal abuse.

Jack Miller Recital Hall

Every Brilliant Thing (Remount)

Every Brilliant Thing (Remount)

By Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe
 

Season 49’s smash hit returns for a limited engagement performed as it was meant to be, inside! HSRT Artistic Director Lenny Banovez returns in this powerful, funny and moving piece that we promise this season…will never be rained out!

SHOW DATES: May 19–28

Contains adult content and themes

Hold These Truths

Hold These Truths

By Jeanne Sakata
 

This haunting one person play inspired by many hours of interviews and letters conducted with Gordon Hirabayashi and several of his friends from the 1940’s, during his imprisonment in the Japanese internment camps established during World War II by President Franklin D. Roosevelt through his Executive Order 9066, as well as contemporary articles written by and about Mr. Hirabayashi. It is a work blending historical fact with fiction that is not to be missed.

SHOW DATES: July 1–16

Contains adult content and themes

Knickerbocker Theatre

A Night w/ Alex Thompson: 50 years of HSRT Through Song

50 years of HSRT Through Song

A Night w/ Alex Thompson
 

Join HSRT music director Alex Thompson and members of the HSRT Acting Company as we revisit HSRT’s 50-year history through songs from the past as well as what we can expect to see in the future!

SHOW DATES: June 1–4

Figaro

Figaro

By Charles Morey
 

He’s getting married in the morning, and the enterprising Figaro (servant, barber, professional troublemaker) couldn’t be happier. But with everybody scheming to come between him and his bride, Figaro will need all his cunning to make it down the aisle. This Charles Morey’s adaptation of Beaumarchais’ comic masterpiece “The Marriage of Figaro” is not only hilariously funny, but has a razor sharp political edge.

SHOW DATES: June 10–18

Theatre for Young Audiences

GENext Project: Lulu and the Long Walk

By Ayesu Lartey
Based on the children's book by Dan Haseltine and local Artist Joel Schoon-Tanis 

GENext is HSRT’s new program that will commission, workshop, or produce a new work by a BIPOC artist every season. This season NYC based writer and composer, Ayesu Lartey, will be creating a World Premiere Theatre for Young Audience Musical based on the children’s book of the same title, by Dan Haseltine and local Artist Joel Schoon-Tanis.

Located in the DeWitt Studio

SHOW DATES: June 23–August 4

A Special Holiday Event

It’s a Wonderful Life: Radio Play

By Joe Landry
 

This beloved American holiday classic comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. With the help of an ensemble that brings a few dozen characters to the stage, the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve.

Located in the Knickerbocker Theatre

SHOW DATES: December 20–23