Five of the seven shows in the Ivoryton Playhouse’s 2019 season will be musicals — including an unnamed new project from “Woody Sez” creator David Lutken, about a yet-to-be-divulged iconic American musician.
The Ivoryton season opens March 20 through April 7 with “Burt & Me,” a romantic musical comedy with a script by Larry McKenna. The show is scored with pop hits by composer Burt Bacharach, including “Wishin’ and Hopin’,” “I Say a Little Prayer” and “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.
“Burt and Me” is followed April 24 through May 12 by Todd Kreidler’s stage adaptation of the movie “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” The classic civil-rights-era film co-starred Katharine Hepburn, who grew up in Connecticut and performed at the Ivoryton Playhouse early in her career.
The Christian musical “Godspell,” based on the Gospel of St. Matthew, is at the Ivoryton Playhouse May 22 through June 16. It was the first hit for composer Stephen Schwartz of “Wicked” fame. Schwartz is a longtime Ridgefield resident.
The 1999 musical “Mamma Mia,” an international hit built around the songs of ABBA, runs from June 26 through July 28.
“Mamma Mia” is followed by a much darker musical, “Cabaret,” Aug. 7 through Sept. 1. The Kander/Ebb classic based on short stories by Christopher Isherwood about the decadent pre-war era in Berlin.
The salon-set mystery comedy “Shear Madness” is one of the longest running non-musical plays in theater history. It premiered at the Charles Playhouse in Boston in 1980 and is still running there. The Ivoryton Playhouse rendition runs Sept. 18 through Oct. 6.
The 2019 Ivoryton Playhouse season announcement ends with a teaser: an as-yet-untitled show about an as-yet-unidentified “iconic and beloved American musician with songs we have known and loved for years.” Whatever it is, it’s scheduled for Oct. 23 through Nov. 10. The project involves Lutken, the actor/musican/playwright who starred this year in “The Will Rogers Follies” at the Goodspeed Opera House, has brought his Woody Guthrie musical “Woody Sez” to TheaterWorks and Westport Country Playhouse, and has previously appeared at the Ivoryton Playhouse in “The Road: My Life With John Denver” and the Johnny Cash musical “Ring of Fire.”
“Woody Sez” was one of the most popular shows in TheaterWorks’ history and has had successful productions around the country and in New York City.
Other than Lutken, no performers or directors have been announced yet for any of the shows.
The Ivoryton Playhouse offers season subscription deals, which are available now. Single tickets go on sale Feb. 20. More information is at ivorytonplayhouse.org or 860-767-7318.
![By ANDREW DALTON (AP Entertainment Writer) LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” reigned over the weekend box office with a $56.5 million North American opening, according to studio estimates Sunday, giving a needed surge to an uncertain season in theaters. The film from 20th Century Studios and Disney that built […]](https://www.courant.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Film_Review_-_Kingdom_of_the_Planet_of_the_Apes_10966_242da6.jpg?w=620 "By ANDREW DALTON (AP Entertainment Writer) LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” reigned over the weekend box office with a $56.5 million North American opening, according to studio estimates Sunday, giving a needed surge to an uncertain season in theaters. The film from 20th Century Studios and Disney that built […]")
