Originally built in 1935 by Weston-born architect Raymond Austin as a community theatre, the Weston Playhouse attracted the attention of producer Harlan Grant who produced the first summer stock season in 1937. He featured a young actor named Lloyd Bridges that year. That tradition has continued for the past 83 years with a schedule of plays, musicals, and new works featuring up-and-coming talent as well as known stars. The theater offers two stages – the original theatre in Weston and the new theatre at nearby Walker Farm.
Susanna Gellert, the new Executive Artistic Director has this to say about the 2019 schedule, her inaugural season, “I’m thrilled to announce our 2019 summer season, my first as Executive Artistic Director of Weston Playhouse Theatre Company. This is a season of great American classics and powerful contemporary writing from some of the country’s most exciting playwrights. It is full of the kind of smart, entertaining, and joyous work you have come to expect from Weston. It’s a season of laughter and joy, of intimate storytelling, of rousing music, and thrilling theatricality.”
The 2019 Season includes:
June13-30 (Walker Farm) – The Phantom Tollbooth, an adventurous take based upon the beloved children’s novel.
June 30-July 13 (Weston Playhouse) – The Fantasticks, the longest running musical in history.
July 4-21 (Walker Farm) – I and You, a story of young love written by Lauren Gunderson, America’s most produced playwright.
July 18-Aug 10 (Weston Playhouse) – Oklahoma, a fresh take on this legendary musical.
Aug 1-25 (Walker Farm) – Always…Patsy Cline, one of country music’s biggest stars is the subject of this production. Hum along with hits such as Walkin’ After Midnight and Back in Baby’s Arms.
Aug 15-Sept 1 (Weston Playhouse) – Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee, as stirring and provocative a play as when first performed in 1962.
Sept 13-15 and 20-22 (Walker Farm) – New Works Festival featuring the work of four emerging arts who will each develop a new theatrical work and present to the public at the end of their residency.
Sept 26-Oct 20 (Walker Farm) – Indecent, Paula Vogel’s Tony-award winning play about a group of actors who risk everything for theater.
For tickets, contact the theatre by calling the Box Office at 802-824-5288 or visiting www.westonplayhouse.org.
To enhance your experience, why not join other theatre goers for pre-show drinks or dinner at MKT:Weston, the official restaurant of the Playhouse. “The best theatre experiences are those that make you feel full, alive, and inspired. When done well, art, like food, is designed to evoke a response. It can make you sit up straight and pay attention to the present, or it can take you far away to a formative time, relationship, or memory,” says Ali Hartman, one of the restaurant’s founders.
Or, come to the after-party in the Cabaret for performances by the Young Company actors and Main Stage talent while enjoying food and drink in this fun, party atmosphere.
For additional dining selections in the area, consult Vermont.com’s dining guide. Vermont.com can also offer suggestions on where to stay and other events taking place while you visit.