2017-18 UMW Theatre Season

IRRESISTIBLE

STRANGE STRANGE UNEXPECTED VENGEFUL

THEATRE

2017-18

SEASON

JOIN OUR

CONVERSATION We gather in the theatre, enveloped in darkness, to consider life’s most vexing and exhilarating moments. As we experience a vantage other than our own, we contemplate our relationships with those around us, wonder at the great mysteries of humankind, and celebrate the incomparable joy of being alive. We can never anticipate how the work will affect us, change us, and encourage us—and, yet, that is exactly what we should expect when we buy a ticket, travel to the theatre, and sit among strangers.

Our 2017-18 season traverses the peaks and valleys of living in a complex and surprising world. We begin with Christopher Durang’s Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, a heartfelt and wacky comedy that delves into the choices we make for career, for love, and for family, and how those choices alter us—for better or worse. We continue with the smash musical hit Little Shop of Horrors by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, where an earnest, yet shy, floral assistant acquires a devilish plant only to discover it has a mind of its own and plans for the future. Next up is Sarah Ruhl’s gorgeously crafted Dead Man’s Cell Phone, a provocative and meditative comedy that reveals technology as a catalyst capable of connecting us and isolating us at the same time. We close the season with Euripides’ Medea in Robinson Jeffers’ unparalleled translation, where a broken heart leads to unimaginable and unspeakable consequences.

Backstage Pass continues in 2017-18 with Little Shop of Horrors! Backstage Pass allows you exclusive access to the musical, where you learn about the production and process while talking with our faculty, staff, and students. Through conversations with scholars and artists, backstage tours, open rehearsals, and special events, Backstage Pass opens the doors of Klein Theatre for an inside look at what we do.

We are pleased to continue our AfterWords post-performance conversations with the cast, as well as Friday Night Out, where you can relax before the show with drinks and appetizers while you get to know our actors and talk about the play you are about to experience.

We are on the road again in 2017-18 with UMW Theatre Road Trip where we will travel to three acclaimed theatres in Washington, D.C.—Signature Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, and Shakespeare Theatre Company.

At UMW Theatre, our mission is focused on creating opportunities for our students to discover themselves as emerging theatre artists and citizens of the world. We connect their studies throughout the university with the stories we tell and urge them to use our work to create a stronger, kinder, and just society. When you visit Klein Theatre, you join us in the dialogue that great plays and musicals inspire, and, in turn, support our students as they realize their potential.

I do hope you will join the conversation this season and experience for yourself the remarkable power of UMW Theatre.

Gregg Stull Producing Director

Cover: Diego Encarnacion ’19 as Bazzard in The Mystery of Edwin Drood

A QUICK LOOK BACK AT 2016-17!

Production shots from Assistance, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Steel Magnolias, and Macbeth

Neal Gallini-Burdick ’19 as the title role in Macbeth

VANYA IA N O S D AN A H S A AND M PIKE AND S

by Christopher Durang

September 21 - October 1 “. . . nothing short of hilarious.”

– The Huffington Post

Night Out

AfterWords

Friday Night Out Pre-Show on September 22 @ 5:30 pm Post-Performance Discussion on September 24 Sign-Interpreted Performance on September 30 @ 2 pm

Vanya and Sonia have devoted their adult lives to caring for their aging parents, while sister Masha flitted about the world living the carefree life of a successful Hollywood actress. When Masha brings her latest boy toy, Spike, to the family home for a weekend rendezvous, tensions rise as long-held sibling resentments bubble to the surface.

Throw in a costume party, a clairvoyant housekeeper, and a gentleman caller, and Christopher Durang’s Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike proves uproarious, touching, and completely irresistible.

“A fiendish musical creature feature!”

– The New York Times

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS music by Alan Menken book & lyrics by Howard Ashman

November 2- 19 Floral assistant, amateur botanist, and collector of rare plants Seymour Krelborn is trying to eke out a living at Mushnik’s Flower Shop when a recent botanical acquisition shows an uncanny thirst for blood. As his little seedling grows (and develops a strangely soulful R&B voice), Seymour must figure out how to feed its insatiable carnivorous hunger while juggling the fame and fortune that comes with owning the most popular plant in the universe. Brought to you by the songwriting team that created such iconic Disney classics as Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid, Little Shop of Horrors is the ULTIMATE comic sci-fi musical thriller that will leave you thirsty for more!

Night Out

GE BACKSTA

PASS

AfterWords

Friday Night Out Pre-Show on November 3 @ 5:30 pm Post-Performance Discussion on November 5 Sign-Interpreted Performance on November 11 @ 2 pm

S ’ N A M D A E D E N O H P L L CE

by Sarah Ruhl

February 15 - 25, 2018

A cell phone rings in a quiet cafe. Unable to stand the incessant ringing at a nearby table one second longer, Jean answers the phone and makes a fateful discovery. Suddenly and unwittingly, she is obliged to deliver some inauspicious news to Gordon’s callers while playing comforter and counselor to those he left behind. Zany, unexpected, and gorgeously lyrical, Sarah Ruhl’s Dead Man’s Cell Phone affirms the vivacity of life while wrestling with how our beloved technologies both bind us together and isolate us from the people we love.

Night Out

AfterWords

Friday Night Out Pre-Show on February 16 @ 5:30 pm Post-Performance Discussion on February 18 Sign-Interpreted Performance on February 24 @ 2 pm

“. . . a fresh and humorous look at the times we live in.” – Variety

“Brilliantly calculated . . .”

– The New York Times

MEDEA

by Euripides, translated by Robinson Jeffers

April 12 - 22, 2018 A formidable and avenging woman turns the world upside down in Euripides’ powerful play that pushed the boundaries of humanity’s darkest side when first performed in 431 B.C. In this critically acclaimed translation, Robinson Jeffers’ gritty and visceral language captures the essence of Medea’s rage, jealousy, and pride while revealing the capacity in all of us to do the unimaginable. Consumed by hate and fueled by revenge, Medea leaves in her wake unending pain and devastation that do not faze her, but change forever all who resist.

Night Out

AfterWords

Friday Night Out Pre-Show on April 13 @ 5:30 pm Post-Performance Discussion on April 15 Sign-Interpreted Performance on April 21 @ 2 pm

LEARNING BY

DOING

We showcase the boundless creative energies of our student directors, actors, designers, and playwrights throughout the season in our flexible and intimate Studio 115 on the first floor of duPont Hall. One-acts, festivals, full-length plays and musicals, solo performances, scenes, and monologues comprise the rich and diverse array of Studio 115 offerings during the fall, winter, and spring.

Visit Studio 115 on Facebook for information on upcoming events!

Photos from First Year Showcase and No Exit

S TO DATES AND TIME BE ANNOUNCED.

Dead Man’s Cell Phone

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22

2 pm

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7:30 pm§

9

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7:30 pm

2 pm† 7:30 pm

17

18

7:30 pm

2 pm 7:30 pm

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APRIL

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16

7:30 pm

7:30 pm§

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7:30 pm

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* 25

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7:30 pm

2 pm

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2 pm*

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2 pm

7:30 pm 2 pm† 7:30 pm

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2 pm*

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7:30 pm

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2 pm† 7:30 pm

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2 pm*

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2

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7:30 pm

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28

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Medea

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7:30 pm

NOVEMBER

Little Shop of Horrors

MO

FEBRUARY

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

SEPT. / OCT.

2017 SEASON to 2018 CALENDARS

14

2 pm

SU

15

7:30 pm

2 pm*

21

22

2 pm† 7:30 pm

2 pm

Friday Night Out Post-Performance Discussion Sign-Intepreted Performance

*AfterWords †

Vanya . . .

Little Shop

Cell Phone

Medea

Standard

$20

$25

$20

$20

Student/Senior

$16

$20

$16

$16

Military ID/UMW Alumni

$16

$20

$16

$16

Groups

$15

$18

$15

$15

GCC or UMW ID

$8

$10

$8

$8

Friday Night Out

$35

$40

$35

$35

BRING AG

Catherine O’Meara ’17 as Shelby in Steel Magnolias

GROUP Bring a Group to Klein Theatre!

We would love for you to gather your friends and colleagues to experience a performance in Klein Theatre.

Our productions offer perfect and affordable opportunities for a celebration, special night out, or just a casual gathering of the people in your life. We welcome business, civic, faith, social, student, fraternal, and alumni groups.

While a night out at the theatre is a great event, you may want to plan around another program affiliated with a production: AfterWords—a post-performance conversation; Friday Night Out—featuring drinks and hors d’oeuvres and conversations with the cast; a sign-interpreted performance; or one of our UMW Theatre Road Trip adventures. We have many ways to make your theatre outing a special experience for your group!

Gathering a Group is Easy!

If you have 10 or more people, you are a group. This entitles you to early booking, discounts for most events, and flexible payment terms.

Booking Tickets is Simple!

Our Group Sales staff will work closely with you to reserve your tickets in advance of the production without requiring you to pay at that time.

Together we will establish a date for you to commit to a final number of tickets and pay for them.

If you plan in advance, you can reserve your tickets before they go on sale to the public—ensuring you great seats, as well as availability for performances that may sell out quickly.

Get in Touch!

For more information about Group Sales, email groups@fredtix.com or call (540) 654-1243. We would love to help you plan a theatre event for your group!

From Top: The cast of The Mystery of Edwin Drood and The Witches in Macbeth

GE BACKSTA

PASS

Backstage Pass is back again!

Join us for this innovative audience seminar featuring faculty conversations, production rehearsals, and special events. Take a journey with us as we “nurture” Little Shop of Horrors from the printed page to a fully realized theatrical event.

After the Golden Age: Little Shop of Horrors and the American Musical of the 1970s and 80s

September 27 @ 7 pm Gary Richards, professor of English

Dive into Menken and Ashman’s perennially popular musical within that often-overlooked era between the so-called golden age of Rodgers and Hammerstein and the reign of the mega musical.

Rock, Doo-Wop, and a Drop of Blood:

The Music of Little Shop of Horrors October 4 @ 7 pm

Chris Wingert, adjunct professor of theatre

Discover how Alan Menken and Howard Ashman (Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin) took the dark themes of Little Shop, added bright music, tossed in some clever camp, and created one of Broadway’s most beloved scores, still a hit 35 years later.

Howard Ashman and Alan Menken

“First Rehearsal” October 11 @ 7 pm Gregg Stull, director and professor of theatre Samantha Reynolds, choreographer Michael Benson, scene designer and assistant professor of theatre Kevin McCluskey, costume designer and associate professor of theatre Jon Reynolds, director of marketing and audience services

Explore the world of Little Shop of Horrors as imagined by the artistic team.

Inside the Rehearsal Room

October 18 or 19 @ 6 pm or 7 pm

Sit in on a rehearsal of Little Shop and observe the director, actors, and stage managers in action.

Technical Rehearsals October 28 & 29 @ 2 pm, 3 pm, or 4 pm New this year! Spend some time in a technical rehearsal where, after weeks of working apart, the director, designers, actors, and technicians come together to create the world of Little Shop.

Invited Dress Rehearsal November 1 @ 7 pm

Join other invited guests and be the first audience to experience Little Shop of Horrors at UMW!

Wrap-Up Conversation November 29 @ 7 pm Gather with the cast after Little Shop closes to talk about the production and your experience in Backstage Pass.

Bonus Events Throughout the process we will invite you to several other events, including conversations with the actors and a backstage tour to see the shops in action building scenery and costumes.

REGISTER TODAY! Registration for Backstage Pass is only $75 per person.

This gives you exclusive admission to the seven sessions plus the additional bonus events. Online registration is now open. www.FredTix.com/BackstagePass For more information, call Jon Reynolds at (540) 654-2233 or email jreynol2@umw.edu

WE TAKE CARE OF

an hour away from We are privileged to live y, Washington, D.C., a world-class theatre cit of spectacular home to a great number are taking you on companies. This year we e the breathtaking a road trip to experienc work of these theatres. tinee We will attend THREE ma On the way home, we D.C.’s best will enjoy a of e som at performances po st-performance discu s bu er art ch a ssion about our ard bo ll theatres! We wi theatre experience. r ou of er mb me a d an ll at duPont Ha Each Road Trip is on theatre and ly $75. Your cost faculty will talk about the co vers your transporta . tion to and from the production the theatre and your ticket. Going to the theatre in Washing ton could not be easier!

EVERYTHING!

No driving. No parkin g.

No headaches!

Sunday, September 17, 2017 @ 2 pm Founded in 1989, Signature Theatre has changed the theatrical landscape with bold and imaginative productions of musicals and plays.

Producing first in a middle school auditorium, the company converted a garage into a performance space until eventually moving into a dramatic two-theatre complex in Arlington that has become its home. Winner of the 2009 Regional Theatre Tony Award, Signature has emerged as a leading voice in American musical theatre.

A Little Night Music

by Stephen Sondheim & Hugh Wheeler Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va. In 1900 Sweden, on a magical night that smiles three times, an aging actress, a married virgin, a sex-starved divinity student, and a buffoonish count find themselves hilariously tangled in a web of love affairs. Delightful, charming, and at times heartbreaking—with gorgeous, lush music (Send in the Clowns, A Weekend in the Country, Liaisons)– A Little Night Music is a coupling (and uncoupling) tour-de-force. “ . . . heady, civilized, sophisticated and enchanting . . . soft on the ears, easy on the eyes, and pleasant on the mind . . . and more fun than any tango in a Parisian suburb.”

—Clive Barnes, The New York Times

Sunday, February 25, 2018 @ 2 pm From its first production in a downtown D.C. church hall almost four decades ago, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company has established itself as one of America’s most important theatres in the quest to nurture innovative new plays and engage in conversations with its audience. Dubbed “Washington’s most daring theatre company” by the The New York Times, Woolly Mammoth has received 45 Helen Hayes Awards for its productions while forging connections with the greater Washington, D.C., community.

Familiar

by Danai Gurira Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. It’s winter in Minnesota, and an immigrant Zimbabwean family is preparing for the wedding of their eldest daughter, a first-generation American. But when the bride insists on observing roora, a traditional bride-price ceremony, it opens a deep rift in the household. Rowdy and affectionate, Familiar pitches tradition against assimilation among the members of one devoted family. Which will prove stronger: the customs they keep . . . or the secrets they’ve kept buried?

“An engrossing, fiercely funny comedy-drama that probes with subtlety and smarts.”

—Charles Isherwood, The New York Times

Sunday, June 10, 2018 @ 2 pm For over three decades, Shakespeare Theatre Company has been dedicated to becoming the nation’s premier classic theatre. By producing significant works with profound themes, STC brings to life groundbreaking and accessible theatre in a uniquely American style.

Winner of the 2012 Regional Theatre Tony Award, STC is committed to creating the next generation of artists and audiences through its work onstage and throughout the metropolitan area.

Camelot

by Alan Jay Lerner & Frederick Loewe Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. Amid mystical forests and grand castles, Camelot tells a strikingly familiar tale of a leader’s integrity, courage, and empathy—a chronicle of the struggle for civilization and goodness in a world accustomed to violence and hate. With the legendary story of King Arthur’s Round Table, doomed romance, and a stunning score (If Ever I Would Leave You, I Loved You Once in Silence, What Do the Simple Folk Do?), Camelot has won the hearts of musical theatre lovers.

“The score . . . is pure magic.” —Jonas Schwartz, Theatre Mania

Seating is limited. Reserve your seats today!

Tickets are on sale NOW. www.FredTix.com/RoadTrip Questions? Call (540) 654-2233.

Background image: Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va.

t u O t h g i N

Madeleine Dilley ’17 as Jenny in Assistance

Back by popular demand!

September 22 November 3 February 16 April 13 Let the stress of the week melt away with other theatregoers as we kick off your evening of theatre! We welcome you to join UMW Theatre at the Hyatt Place Fredericksburg-Mary Washington for a beer or a glass of wine and hors d’oeuvres while you chat with the cast of the production. Visit with our students as they tell you about their experiences and the rehearsal process before you see them perform the roles they have been preparing for weeks. We can think of no better way to spend a Friday night!

MEET THE CAST! DRINKS!

DOOR PRIZES! HORS D’OEUVRES!

We’re cleaning out the warehouse, the props cabinets, and wardrobe storage and selling some treasures to make room for future productions! Take home a favorite costume, a beautiful piece of furniture, or a quirky one-of-a-kind prop . . . or shop for housewares, antiques, books, garden tools, home appliances, and every manner of bric-a-brac. It’s a theatre sale, yard sale, and estate sale all in one!

All proceeds help us create extraordinary learning experiences for our students and, in turn, amazing theatre productions for our audience.

Prop puppet furniture from Avenue Q (maybe for your pets or children) Old fashioned bicycle from Sunday in the Park with George

Many costumes from multiple Halloween ideas!

UMW Theatre productions. Great

EK! SNEAK A PE mmer going

all su We have been working nt a preview of wa through stock. If you selling, go to some of what we will be ale where we will www.FredTix.com/bigs mation weekly! upload photos and infor

GOT STUF

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If you have ge ntly used hous ehold items or furniture you w ould like to do nate, we would be happy to ta ke them off yo ur hands.

Call Taryn Snyd er at (540) 6541243 or email her at tsnyder3 @umw.edu an d she will be happy to arrang e the details w ith you.

Early Bird entry at 8 am

For just $5, you get first dibs on the best stuff before we throw the doors open for everyone else at 8:30 am!

TUESDAY March 20, 2018 Help Students Through • Scholarships • Production Opportunities • Internship Support • Field Trips • Theatre Tickets • Career Tools • Much, Much More!

March 14, 2017 marked the very first Mary Wash Giving Day, and our first Give2Theatre Tuesday! We started the day with hopes of raising $5,000 to help students through scholarships, internship support, production opportunities, and more. We reached our goal well before noon. From there, we went on to raise over $33,000 for UMW Theatre students, and we could not have done it without the support of our alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents, and our audiences who believe in the work we do to bring excellent theatre to the Fredericksburg community.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

March 20, 2018

We hope that we can count on your support on this day to help us reach our 2018 goal of $40,000!

BROADWAY Join Gregg Stull in New York for an amazing weekend of Broadway theatre! Experience Broadway like never before with inspiring conversations, backstage tidbits, and thrilling performances as you take in the world’s most important theatre city!

The trip includes:

• a get acquainted gathering one month prior to departure • round trip Amtrak from Fredericksburg to Penn Station, New York

Gregg Stull on a walking tour of Times

• two nights at the spectacular Marriott Marquis in Times Square

Square

• a welcome dinner in Times Square • orchestra seats to three of Broadway’s hottest hits • a Times Square theatre walk with Gregg Stull • a wrap-up brunch in the neighborhood • free time for shopping and other activities • all hotel taxes, porter, and driver gratuities • a $100 per person tax-deductible donation to Friends of Theatre

ts on Broadway.

’00 at Kinky Boo pants meet Natalie Joy Johnson tici par 6 201 nd eke We ay adw Bro

price per person $1,969 double occupancy ($2,874 for single occupancy)

Y WEEKEND

May 18-20, 2018

There is so much happening this season on Broadway that we haven’t made a decision about what we will be seeing. Titles we are considering include: My Fair Lady Escape to Margaritaville Waitress Come From Away Summer: The Donna Summer Musical To Kill a Mockingbird Rear Window Dear Evan Hansen Mean Girls The Band’s Visit Dreamgirls The Secret Garden The Rise and Fall of Little Voice Room Service Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 and 2

To reserve your spot for Broadway Weekend 2018,

go to www.FredTix.com/Bway to register!

Space is limited! Reserve today!

Friends of Theatre Let's be friends!

While our students love the applause they hear following every performance, your appreciation for their outstanding contributions to our production program doesn’t help them pay their tuition or buy their books and supplies. You can, however, help them with that, too!

A tax-deductible gift to Friends of Theatre helps us help our students through scholarships, classroom supplies, and artist residencies. Your gift makes an extraordinary theatre education at the University of Mary Washington possible for our deserving students.

JOIN TODAY! Membership in Friends of Theatre enables you to: • give scholarships and sponsor special educational activities for theatre students • receive acknowledgement in production programs • receive advance notice of special opportunities and events For more information, and to join online, visit cas.umw.edu/theatre/make-a-gift

TAKE YOUR SEAT!

For just $500, you can name a seat in the beautiful Klein Theatre. Most importantly, you will be personally responsible for creating amazing opportunities for our students as they discover themselves, the theatre, and the world beyond our campus.

Visit cas.umw.edu/theatre/take-your-seat to learn more.

Austen Weathersby ’17 as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth

The Fine Print

Location

Klein Theatre is located in duPont Hall on College Avenue at Thornton Street.

Parking

There is plenty of free parking along College Avenue and in Lot 28 on Thornton Street.

Two short-term box office parking spaces are available in Lot 28 during box office hours.

Tickets

Tickets are available at the Klein Theatre Box Office in duPont Hall starting one week before opening. Tickets are also available online through our website, www.FredTix.com. Handling fees apply to telephone orders and convenience fees apply to online purchases. Student projects in Studio 115 are free.

Groups

Discounted rates are available for groups of 10 or more. For more information, call the Director of Group Sales at (540) 654-1243 or email groups@fredtix.com.

AfterWords

AfterWords post-show discussions allow you the opportunity to speak to the actors and ask questions about the process of mounting a production. Be sure to stick around to hear from our students about their experience working on a show with us!

BackStage Pass

Join us for a series of lectures and VIP experiences that will give you an insider’s look at the work we do with our students. Visit rehearsals, get a tour of the backstage spaces, learn about all the hard work it takes to get a show from choosing a title to opening night, and much, much more!

Friday Night OUT

Take some time to enjoy the end of the week with a drink or two, some light hors d’oeuvres, and the chance to win a door prize before taking your seat in Klein Theatre for the evening’s performance.

UMW Theatre Road Trip

Hop on the bus for an onboard conversation led by our faculty prior to seeing a professional theatre production in one of Washington’s extraordinary theatres.

Information

Season subject to change. For more information, call the Klein Theatre Box Office at (540) 654-1111 or visit cas.umw.edu/theatre.

Accessibility

Wheelchair-accessible seating is available. Please inquire when purchasing tickets.

Accessible parking is available in Lot 28 and in the rear of duPont Hall.

We offer sign language interpretation on the second Saturday matinee performance of every production. Please let the box office know if you would like to have a seat in view of the interpreters.

Assistive listening devices are available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis at the Klein Theatre Box Office.

Large print programs are available at the Klein Theatre Box Office.

We are eager to help you plan your visit. For more information on accessibility or parking, please call the Klein Theatre Box Office at (540) 654-1111.

Photography by Geoff Greene, Jon K. Reynolds, and Taryn Snyder

Follow us!

Join us for our 2017-18 Season!

From Left: Lauren Frautschi ’18 as Nora and Alexander Newton ’17 as Nick in Assistance

Address Service Requested

1301 College Avenue Fredericksburg, VA 22401-5300

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 227 Fredericksburg, VA