September 26, 2008 - November 2, 2008

Fridays, Saturdays at 8:00 pm; Sundays at 2:30 pm

Saturday matinees October 4, 11 and November 1 at 2:30 pm

No performance on October 31, 2008

The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance

Directed by Stephen Rothman

“An enthralling and luminous play. Haunting, splendid . . .“ - The New York Times

Winner of the Tony award for Best Play, The Elephant Man is the profound and touching true story of John Merrick, a man hideously deformed since birth. Under the care of a brilliant and ambitious young doctor, Merrick transforms from a sensational object of pity to a sensitive and intelligent man. Those around him come to know his beautiful spirit within and in the process, discover their own hidden flaws. The Elephant Man questions the ideas of perception and what it means to be truly beautiful. An Actors Co-op Revival Production.

". . . so funny, it will make sophisticated and reasonable men and women of the 21st century cackle till their faces hurt." - Houston Press

In this side-splitting comedy by the author of Lend Me A Tenor and Moon Over Buffalo, two hapless English Shakespearean actors, find themselves performing "Scenes from Shakespeare" on the Moose Lodge circuit of Pennsylvania. When they hear that an elderly woman is about to die and leave her fortune to her two long lost English relatives, they hatch a plot to scam her of the fortune. The trouble is, upon their arrival, they find out that the relatives aren't nephews, but nieces! Romantic entanglements abound, truth isn’t what it seems, and dreams might just be realized.

LEADING LADIES is the side-splitting comedy by the author of LEND ME A TENOR and MOON OVER BUFFALO.  Two hapless English Shakespearean actors find themselves performing "Scenes from Shakespeare" on the Moose Lodge circuit of Pennsylvania.  When they hear that an elderly woman is about to die and leave her fortune to her two long lost English relatives, they hatch a plot to scam her of the fortune.  The trouble is, upon their arrival, they find out that the relatives aren't nephews, but nieces!  Romantic entanglements abound, truth isn’t what it seems, and dreams might just be realized.

Director Richard Israel returns to Actors Co-op as guest director.  Mr. Israel directed last season’s critically-acclaimed production of “1776” (Los Angeles Times Critic’s Choice) and the Co-op Too! Second Stage production of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.”

Mr. Israel has a great deal of respect for Ludwig’s work.  “I’ve been in a number of his plays - I love working on his material.  Not only is the writing a lot of fun, but it’s also about something.  ‘Leading Ladies’ has a lovely humanity underneath the craziness.  It’s about people whose worlds are expanded and changed.  The characters experience a pretty big conversion that broadens them and allows them to dream.  I think that’s a message we need right now.  

“In our production, if we are doing our job well, audiences will not only laugh at these characters and the situations, but they will hopefully be reminded that going through life with blinders on and a sense of complacency is very limiting.  If you allow yourself to dream, nothing is closed off from you.  Hopefully the story will remind everyone that we all need to fulfill our destiny, whatever that may be.” 

Actors Co-op’s special LEADING LADIES “MUSE” event takes place October 18 at 1 pm with guest speaker David McFadzean discussing the spiritual themes found in the play.  Mr. McFadzean is the writer and producer who created and executive-produced the hit ABC TV show HOME IMPROVEMENT.  Tickets are $30 for this event and include the lecture, lunch and performance.

Opening Night for LEADING LADIES is Friday, October 10, 2008 at 8 PM.  Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM.  Saturday matinees are scheduled on October 18 (MUSE performance), October 25 & November 1 at 2:30 PM.  There will be no performance, Friday, October 31, 2008.  LEADING LADIES closes Sunday, November 16, 2008.

Opening February 27, 2009 - March 5, 2009

Fridays, Saturdays at 8:00 pm; Sundays at 2:30 pm

Saturday matinees March 7, 14 at 2:30 pm

Makin’ Hay by Matthew Goldsby

World Premiere musical adaptation of Moliere’s George Dandin’

Directed by Linda Kerns

A World Premiere-Musical from an exciting new voice of the American Musical theatre.

This rollicking but thought-provoking musical, puts love, in all its forms, to the ultimate test.  With a colorful palette of country music as its backdrop, a wealthy cowboy struggles to figure out how to charm his young wife, who is looking for life beyond their 40 acres.  And two simple-minded ranch hands are so head-over-heels, they’ll go to any lengths to charm the local lovelies.   Can love conquer all?    Makin’ Hay is an examination of the ecstasy, the misery, the joy and the agony of love.

Opening May 1, 2009 - June 7, 2009

Fridays, Saturdays at 8:00 pm; Sundays at 2:30 pm

Saturday matinees May 9, 16 at 2:30 pm

The Crucible by Arthur Miller

Directed by Joel Swetow

“A magnificent play . . . Miller’s propulsive, unstinting exploration of human nature.”  - The New York Times

Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play, The Crucible is an ageless tale of fear, greed and power written by one of the greatest American playwrights of all time.  When teenage girls are discovered trying to conjure spirits, the 17th century town of Salem explodes with accusations of witchcraft. The vicious trials that follow expose a community paralyzed by terror, religious extremism and greed, and a marriage forever changed.  A play that challenges our every notion of good and evil, The Crucible is the second play in Actors Co-op’s American Classic Series.