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This week’s edition!

The Public Theatre’s exciting 2019-20 Season begins!

A Christmas Carol “Michael O’Brien as Scrooge and Charlie Dresdner as Tiny Tim

“Fall is officially here, which means it’s time for the start of The Public Theatre’s 2019-20 season!” says Christopher Schario, the Artistic Director of Lewiston/Auburn’s Professional Theatre. Subscriptions and tickets to all shows throughout the season are currently on sale, and now is the perfect time to stock up on essentials like date nights, time with friends and inspiring theatre to feed your soul during the upcoming winter months.

Following a record-breaking summer co-production with MSMT of the musical Grease attended by over 4,000 people, The Public Theatre is looking forward to continuing its success with an enticing selection of shows for its 29th season. Although it’s hard to top the recent thrill of being named best theatre in Maine for the 7th year in a row by Down East Magazine’s readers’ poll, the Theatre’s reputation for producing must-see professional theatre featuring actors from Broadway and beyond continues with an exciting list of plays guaranteed to satisfy theatre-lovers throughout the state.

The theatre begins its season with the laugh out loud comedy “Women in Jeopardy” playing October 18 through 27.  Imagine Sex and the City meets I love Lucy when middle-aged moms start dating! Longtime friends Liz, Mary and Jo do everything together, until Liz starts dating a creepy guy who may or may not be a serial killer. It’s up to her gal pals to bring her to her senses as they trade in their wine glasses for spy glasses and leap to her rescue. Grab your gal pals and get out of the house for a good laugh about how ridiculously far we’ll go to help our friends. 

Next up, November 8, 9 and 10, The Public Theatre will present Theater at Monmouth’s recent and popular production of the hilarious musical comedy “Murder for Two” originally directed by The Public Theatre’s Adam P. Blais.  Get ready for a zany blend of musical comedy and madcap murder mystery in this fast and funny whodunnit loaded with killer laughs. One actor investigates the crime, the other plays all the suspects, and they both play the piano. Part musical, part comedy, part mystery, it’s all fun!

The holiday season is heralded in by The Public Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of “A Christmas Carol”, December 13, 14, 15. Rediscover the magic of theatre, when six actors and a fiddler perform the Dickens’ out of this classic story, bringing it to life in a way you’ve never imagined and will never forget. The Public Theatre is delighted to offer quality family entertainment people can afford to bring their family to, with an unbeatable ticket price of only $10 for children 18 and under.

The theatre will ring in the new year and chase away the winter blues with the funny and touching new comedy “Sexy Laundry”, January 24 through February 2. After many years of marriage, three kids, the addition of love handles and receding hairlines, Alice and Henry have hit a wall. Armed with a library copy of Sex for Dummies, they check into a fancy hotel to rekindle their romance. This relatable romantic romp about falling in love again with the person you’re married to will put a smile on your face, a lump in your throat and a new spring in your step.

The arrival of spring brings a youthful energy onto the stage in the hit play “I and You”, March 13 through 22. Mysteriously forced together to complete a book report on Walt Whitman, an unlikely pair of teenagers discover a shocking secret that will connect them forever. Winner of the American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award, this funny, moving and unforgettable show contains a surprise twist that will tempt you to see it twice.

May 1 through 10 brings a wonderful combination of comedy and drama in the relatable and heartfelt new play “Middletown”. Celebrating life through the eyes of two couples who’ve been best friends for 33 years, both couples reminisce about the highs, lows and in-betweens of their shared experiences reminding us how friends make the good times better and the hard times easier.

The season ends on May 17 with “The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow”, a special production for children and their families from the Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers. Perfect for children ages four and up, giggle along in this comedic version of the Classic Washington Irving tale as Ichabod Crane helps the headless horseman find a new head and a spookier image. The Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers have received three Citations of Excellence from UNIMA-USA, the highest national award in puppetry. Weekday morning matinees of this show are also available for school groups as a part of our student matinee program at only $5 a ticket.

The Public Theatre presents morning matinees of most productions as a part of their educational outreach and student matinee program. Study guides for each show are also available on thepublictheatre.org. The Public Theatre believes theatre should be for everyone and encourages young people 18 and under to attend any public performance Oct through May for only $10.

The Public Theatre will also be continuing their free pre-show beer and wine tastings in the theatre lobby for Opening night and Thursday night audiences of subscription shows. Opening night BREWHaHa beer tastings, compliments of Baxter Brewing, will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the theatre lobby on October 18, January 24, March 13 and May 1. “Wine-Down Thursday” (courtesy of Roopers, The Vault and Central Distributors), will be held on October 24, January 30, March 19 and May 7, with a special Wine-Down Friday for “Murder for Two” on November 8. 

Season subscriptions are currently on sale. Individual tickets, gift certificates, morning school-day student matinee performances and group rates (10 or more) are available for all productions. For more information visit www.thepublictheatre.org or call 782-3200.  The Public Theatre is located at 31 Maple St. in downtown Lewiston. 

The Public Theatre 2019-20 Season Underwriters: Platz Associates, Sun Journal, Austin Associates, Maine Magazine and Gleason Media Services. 

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