FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2015
Contact:
Kelsi Lindus, Communications Manager
(425) 392-1942x129; klindus@villagetheatre.org
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www.villagetheatre.org
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ISS (425) 392-2202 / EVT (425) 257-8600 - Tues. - Sat.11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tickets:
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Single Tickets $32 - $70
Village Theatre Announces 2015-2016 Season:
My Fair Lady, Billy Elliot, and New Stephen Schwartz
Musical Included in 5-Show Lineup
ISSAQUAH, WA – Village Theatre invites you to its 2015-2016 Season, announced today by Artistic
Director Steve Tomkins. The lineup includes: Snapshots, a new musical scrapbook featuring the music of
Stephen Schwartz, creator of Wicked; My Fair Lady, the glamorous Lerner-Loewe musical classic; Crimes of
the Heart, a Southern Gothic comedy; My Heart Is the Drum, a spirited new coming-of-age musical set in
Ghana; and Billy Elliot, the smash Broadway hit with music by Elton John.
The 2015-2016 Season runs September 10, 2015 to July 3, 2016 in Issaquah and October 23, 2015 to July
31, 2016 in Everett. “This season is a celebration of authentic characters and their inspiring transformations,”
says Tomkins. “A lowly flower girl becomes an elegant debutante; a young African woman boldly breaks the
mold of tradition; a boy changes his community by daring to pursue a different kind of dream. These stories are
brimming with humanity, and we look forward to bringing them to life and welcoming you to Village Theatre for
this intimate, entertaining, and unforgettable season.”
Last season saw record-breaking attendance for the extended run of Mary Poppins. In a milestone, Village
Theatre reached and exceeded 19,000 subscribers, making it the second-largest Subscription theatre in the
Pacific Northwest. Season Subscriptions are available now through the Box Office and at Village Theatre’s
website. Founded in 1979, Village Theatre continues to grow, bringing locally produced, custom-built classics,
new musicals, and plays to its Issaquah and Everett stages and an expanding audience across the greater
Seattle area.
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Snapshots
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Book by David Stern
Issaquah: September 10 - October 18, 2015 / Everett: October 23 - November 15, 2015
Opening the season is Snapshots, a new musical scrapbook featuring the music of Stephen Schwartz
(Wicked). This stunning musical reminisces on the heartrending story of one couple and the bond that began
when they met as children. After 20 years of marriage, the empty nesters are forced to come to terms with the
ups and downs of their time together as they confront the living memories of their relationship. With beloved
songs revamped by Schwartz, including “Popular” (Wicked), “All Good Gifts” (Godspell), and “That’s How You
Know” (Disney’s Enchanted), this 2005 Village Original is a charming, funny, and all-too-familiar look at life and
love.
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My Fair Lady
Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe
Issaquah: November 5, 2015 - January 3, 2016 / Everett: January 8 - 31, 2016
My Fair Lady graces the Village Theatre stage over the holidays for the first time in over 15 years. One of the
greatest Broadway musicals of all time, revel in the beloved story of a lowly Cockney flower girl as she
transforms into a sophisticated lady – with the help of a linguistics teacher who gets a bit more than he
bargained for. Based on George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, this musical for the whole family boasts a
score of hummable classics such as “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?” “I Could Have Danced All Night,” and “On The
Street Where You Live.” Directed by Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning writer Brian Yorkey, My Fair Lady is
full of all the glamour and charm of the original Broadway hit.
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Crimes of the Heart
By Beth Henley
Issaquah: January 21 – February 28, 2016 / Everett: March 4 - 27, 2016
Crimes of the Heart, the Southern Gothic comedy that won the 1981 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, is a character
study of three sisters in 1975 rural Mississippi. Babe has just shot her husband, apparently because she didn’t
like his looks. Meg is back in town after a failed attempt in the music business. And poor Lenny – in the midst
of it all, everyone has neglected her 30th birthday. Thrown back together for the first time in years, these
dysfunctional sisters are forced to find a way to change their luck and repair their family. Honest, with a healthy
dose of witty humor, Crimes of the Heart is a powerful portrait of family love.
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My Heart Is the Drum
Book by Jennie Redling
Music and Concept by Phillip Palmer
Lyrics by Stacey Luftig
Issaquah: March 17 - April 24, 2016 / Everett: April 29 – May 22, 2016
New musical My Heart Is the Drum, developed last summer in Village Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals, is
the inspiring story of a young woman from a small village in Ghana and the lengths she will go to realize her
dreams. It seems life is conspiring against Efua as her family farm struggles and her education is denied due to
a sudden arranged marriage. But when she risks everything to set off for the big city, she is faced with dangers
beyond her imagination. The musical’s composer, Phillip Palmer, spent years in Africa devoted to humanitarian
work and the study of traditional African music. Rich with spirit and authentic, driving rhythms, this new musical
is a celebration of strength and courage that will take your breath away.
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Billy Elliot
Music by Elton John
Book and Lyrics by Lee Hall
Based on the Universal Pictures/Studio Canal Film
Issaquah: May 12 - July 3, 2016 / Everett: July 8 - 31, 2016
The season closes with the smash Broadway sensation Billy Elliot. Winner of 10 Tony Awards and complete
with an electrifying score by music legend Elton John, this spectacular show has the heart, humor, and passion
to be named Time Magazine’s “Best Musical of the Decade.” Amidst the chaos of the 1984 miners’ strike in
northern England, Billy Elliot stumbles out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class. In doing so, he discovers a
passion for dance that inspires his family and community – while changing his life forever. Based on the
smash-hit film, Billy Elliot is an astonishing theatrical experience that will stay with you forever.
About Village Theatre
Based in Issaquah, WA, with operations in Everett, Village Theatre is a leading producer of musical theatre in
the Pacific Northwest. Producing entertaining, quality productions for the entire family since 1979, Village
Theatre has grown into one of the region's best-attended Equity theatres, with nearly 19,300 subscribers and
200,000 projected total attendance each season. Through its Village Originals program, Village Theatre is
nationally recognized for its contribution to the development of new musicals, having launched over 146 new
works to date. Village Theatre also takes pride in nurturing tomorrow’s audiences through its youth education
programs, Pied Piper and KIDSTAGE, serving over 55,000 young people, families, and schools annually
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