August 21, 2019
Contact:
Susan Goes, Executive Director, 541-942-8001
Cottage Theatre announces 2020 Season
Cottage Grove, OR — Cottage Theatre has just announced its 2020 season, which will include both blockbuster titles and brand new shows, including one West Coast premiere. "In choosing each year's programming, we seek to include a wide range of material that will appeal to a broad audience," comments Executive Director Susan Goes. "Our 2020 season was selected based on director submissions: we had proposals for more than 30 plays from 14 different directors! Finding the six shows that will fit best together is always a bit like putting together a jigsaw puzzle!"
Cottage Theatre opens its 38th season in January 2020 with Arsenic and Old Lace, a 1939 play by Joseph Kesselring, which still ranks as one of the best-selling Broadway plays of all time. This tale of merry mayhem and murderous aunts runs from January 31 - February 15, 2020 and will be directed by Keith Kessler.
Next up in the 2020 season is the seductively fun musical sensation, Mamma Mia! Told through a collection of ABBA's greatest hits, this story of an unforgettable Greek Island wedding (complete with three fathers-of-the bride!) will be on stage from April 3 - 26, 2020. This musical will be directed by Tony Rust.
Following on the success of the theatre's 2018 World Premiere of Treehouse, Cottage Theatre is proud to continue to champion new works in 2020 with the West Coast Premiere of Seeking Red by Glenn B. Rust. This gripping new drama about truth and identity is written by a young Chicago playwright who grew up at Cottage Theatre. Seeking Red, directed by Kory Weimer, will run for three weekends from June 5 - 21, 2020.
Cottage Theatre's August 2020 production is a perennial audience favorite: You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. This playful medley of beloved comic characters, with book and music by Clark Gesner, is based on Charles Schulz's endearing Peanuts comic strip. This family-friendly musical will run August 14 - 30, 2020, directed by Janet Rust.
Next in the 2020 lineup is The Hunchback of Notre Dame, based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney film, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, and book by Peter Parnell. This powerful musical of obsession and redemption is playing October 2 - 25, 2020, directed by Tony Rust.
For the grand finale to its 2020 season, Cottage Theatre is thrilled to present Elf the Musical, based on the New Line Cinema film by David Berenbaum, with book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin, music by Matthew Sklar, and lyrics by Chad Beguelin. This sparkly holiday jingle is a hilarious fish-out-of-water comedy that follows Buddy the Elf in his quest to find his true identity. This holiday production will be directed by Keith Kessler and run for three weekends from December 4 - 20, 2020.
Season tickets to Cottage Theatre's 2020 season go on sale November 1, with current season ticket holders having the option to renew their seats beginning October 1. Season tickets, which represent a savings of up to 30% over individual tickets, range in price from $126 to $84 depending upon the package chosen. Single tickets to individual shows go on sale one month prior to each show's opening night, and are $25 for adults and $15 for youth (age 6 - 18).
Meanwhile Cottage Theatre has two productions remaining in its current 2019 season. The theatre will reopen in October following a brief closure this summer for the first phase of a remodeling project. "This summer we said goodbye to our old blue seats," states Goes, "and we've just learned that they were even older than we thought. Our new seating manufacturer told us that the company which made those seats went out of business back in 1976!" Cottage Theatre is installing brand new seats in September, and will eventually expand its auditorium to add 50 additional seats during the second phase of its remodel.
The next play in the 2019 season is The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)[Revised], running October 11 - 27. This zany, side-splitting romp through 37 plays in 97 minutes is a preposterous masterwork that will appeal to both Shakespeare lovers and haters alike. Tickets go on sale September 11.
Closing out the 2019 season is Lionel Bart's Oliver!, the endearing classic musical about a lovable orphan. Widely hailed as a theatrical masterpiece, and featuring a large inter-generational cast, Oliver! will be on stage December 6 - 22, 2019. Tickets for this holiday season production are on sale starting November 6.
Once on sale, Cottage Theatre tickets are available for purchase online at www.cottagetheatre.org, by phone at 541-942-8001, or in person at the Cottage Theatre Box Office, 700 Village Drive, Cottage Grove. All seating is reserved and advance purchase is recommended.
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