For the last 42 years the Dorset Theatre Festival has been bringing bold, innovative, and authentic theatre to Dorset, Vermont. Whether it is discovering a new play before it hits the big time or the best off-Broadway productions, theatre-goers will be enlightened, entertained, and inspired.
Under the leadership of Artistic Director Dina Janis, the Dorset Theater Festival offers 4 main stage productions from June to September. In this, its 42nd season, the productions include:
Noel Coward’s Private Lives (Jun 20 – Jul 6) – Originally produced in 1930 and reprised many times on and off Broadway as well as in film, this classic examines the relationship between a divorced couple who, while honeymooning with their new spouses, discover they are staying in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. Sparks of both romance and anger help define and then redefine relationships between the two couples along with the repartee for which Coward is known making this a totally enjoyable theatre experience.
Dig (Jul 11-27) – A new play by Theresa Rebeck (the Most Broadway-Produced Female Playwright of Our Time) which she describes as “a dying plant shop in a dying urban neighborhood receives a visitor from the past: Meghan, the neighborhood screw-up, whose suicide attempt followed a terrible tragedy. Roger, the store owner, wants nothing to do with this situation, but Meghan is improbably clinging to life. Can a soul beyond saving be saved? A play about courage, redemption and photosynthesis.”
Mrs. Christie (Aug 1-17) – A world premier from Heidi Armbruster of the Dorset Theatre Festival’s Women Artists Writing Group, Mrs. Christie retells the mystery of the 10-day disappearance of Agatha Christie in 1926. While attending a mystery convention at the Christie homestead, sleuth Lucy gathers the clues to understand the truth behind the disappearance. Hint: Sometimes a woman needs to disappear in order to find herself. Enjoy this entertaining new comedy before it becomes a big hit.
Slow Food (Aug 22-31) – This comedy by Wendy MacLeod centers on the anniversary dinner of Irene and Peter. Before the evening is over their neurotic waiter will have them examining all aspects of their lives as everything goes ridiculously wrong. BroadwayWorld describes it as “95 minutes of delicious comedy.”
To purchase tickets you can call 802-867-2223, X101, or go to https://dorsettheatrefestival.org/2019-tickets.
Why not make a day of it in Dorset and the surrounding area? For places to eat, consult the Vermont.com dining guide. For other events in southern Vermont, check out Vermont.com’s Calendar of Events.