Trinity Rep is proud to announce that its 2009-2010 season will start with a bang: Cabaret will kick off what promises to be a lively year of love and levity at Trinity Rep.

The scintillating musical written by Joe Masteroff with music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb will be followed by the touching romantic comedy Shooting Star by Steven Dietz (October-November); the classic hijinks of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night (will also be the focus of Project Discovery Plus educational slot) (January-February); MacArthur Fellow Sarah Ruhl’s quirky look at modern connections, Dead Man’s Cell Phone (February-March); Neil Simon’s inimitable touchstone of American comedy, The Odd Couple(April-May); and Pamela Gien’s lyrical and haunting drama, The Syringa Tree (April-May).

The unified curtain time of 7:30 PM for all evening performances will continue in addition to 2 PM matinees. A Christmas Carol will follow this schedule with the exception of Sundays, when performances will occur at noon and 5 PM.

Following last season’s theme of meeting change with integrity – and recognizing the challenging landscape all Americans are facing in finding that hope – Artistic Director Curt Columbus and Associate Artistic Director Craig Watson wanted to create a season that embodied the theme of second chances. “Starting over and taking up the challenge is something we’re all facing, regardless of ideology,” states Watson.

“We wanted a season that people would have fun with – giving us all a second chance, a second wind, with music and laughter,” adds Columbus.

09-10 Season | September 2009 – May 2010

Cabaret book by Joe Masteroff, music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb

September 11 – October 11 in the Chace Theater

[Press opening night: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 7:30 PM]

Berlin, 1931: music, money, and love are there for the taking. Cliff seeks inspiration for his novel. He finds it in Sally Bowles, the Kit Kat Klub’s chanteuse, who charms him into sharing his apartment. The emcee has not one but two ladies to keep him company. The landlady’s found new love with the grocer. Yet outside the cabaret the world is changing: what's in store for Sally and her friends? Cabaret celebrates the indomitable human spirit.

Shooting Star by Steven Dietz

October 16 – November 22 in the Dowling Theater

[Press opening night: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 7:30 PM]

A young man and woman fell in love in college, and promised each other they’d change the world. Twenty years later, they meet unexpectedly in a snow-bound airport. Sharing stories deep into the night, they discover who they’ve become as they recall who they were. When morning comes, all flights are cleared for departure – what’s the final destination for these two? The author of God’s Country and Lonely Planet gives us that rare thing: a truly smart romantic comedy.

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

January 29 – February 7 in the Chace Theater

[Press opening night: Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 7:30 PM]

Shipwrecked, orphaned, separated from her twin brother, disguised as a boy in a hostile country – when Viola thinks things can’t get worse, she falls for her new boss, the Duke. He pines for Olivia, who’s sworn off men – till she met Viola’s male alter-ego. Spurned suitors, servants with delusions of grandeur, and Viola’s big, big love for the Duke – it’s a giddy mess that’ll put someone in the madhouse. Shakespeare’s meditation on love and identity is one of his most nuanced – and funniest – comedies.

Dead Man’s Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl

February 19 – March 28 in the Dowling Theater

[Press opening night: Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at 7:30 PM]

Why doesn’t he answer that phone?! Jean picks it up, and finds herself holding his legacy in her hand, along with the phone. Think about it: when we leave our bodies, do we live on in our cell phones, iPods, GPS’s, and PDA’s? Do these indispensable tools, these grown-up toys, hold the secrets to the afterlife? From the author of The Clean House, another whimsical comedy about life, death, and love in these modern times – and the connections, real and virtual, holding them together.

The Odd Couple by Neil Simon

April 9 – May 9 in the Chace Theater

[Press opening night: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 7:30 PM]

Oscar’s wife has left him. Alone in his big apartment on Riverside Drive, his slovenly ways run happily amok. Then, Felix’s wife kicks him out. Concerned about his poker buddy, Oscar takes Felix in, but there’s a problem: Felix is a neat-freak, and his compulsive cleanliness drives Oscar to distraction. What will these woefully, wonderfully mismatched roommates learn from each other? Can they stay together, or is their living situation hopeless? Hilarity ensues in Neil Simon’s beloved touchstone of American comedy.

The Syringa Tree by Pamela Gien

April 30 – May 30 in the Dowling Theater

[Press opening night: Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 7:30 PM]

Growing up under Apartheid, six-year-old Lizzie confronts rules she cannot understand. Why must her nanny keep her daughter hidden? Among twenty-eight characters capturing four generations, she paints an evocative portrait of the abiding love between two families – one black, one white. History’s shocking events unravel, mingled with the resonant rites of passage all families share. As Lizzie comes of age, we experience her sacrifice and liberation, and the bonds which cannot be broken.

A Christmas Carol

November 20 – December 27 in the Chace Theater

[Press opening night: Wednesday, December 1, 2009 at 7:30 PM]

Availability will be limited this year for Trinity Rep’s 33rd annual production of this beloved New England holiday tradition -- be sure to buy early!

Dates and times are subject to change.

Season subscriptions are available by calling (401) 351-4242. Packages include the full season, and the Pick Four; special discounts are also available for seniors, youth and educators. Subscribers receive tickets at a 35% discount from single-ticket prices, as well as flexible service for ticket exchanges, restaurant and parking discounts, early access to tickets for A Christmas Carol, and invitations to special performances and events. The Trinity Rep box office is located at 201 Washington Street, Providence, RI, 02903, and can be reached by calling (401) 351-4242.

TRINITY REPERTORY COMPANY

Since its founding in 1963, Trinity Repertory Company has been one of the most respected regional theaters in the country. Featuring the last permanent resident acting company in America, Trinity Rep presents a balance of world premiere, contemporary, and classic works for an estimated annual audience of nearly 160,000. In its 44-year history, the theater has produced 56 world premieres, mounted national and international tours, and, through its graduate-level theater arts conservatory, trained hundreds of new actors and directors. This season marks the 42nd year of Project Discovery, Trinity Rep's pioneering educational outreach program. Launched in 1966, the program introduces over 20,000 Rhode Island and Massachusetts students a year to live theater. The Brown University/Trinity Rep Consortium offers professional training for actors and directors in a three-year MFA program. For more information, call the box office at (401) 351-4242 or visit Trinity Rep’s website at www.trinityrep.com.

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