The Henry Players have already begun preparing for a busy 2020, as the casting for three of their upcoming shows has taken place and shows will begin to premiere in February.
Their 29th season began in September of 2019 with “Memphis” and will end in June of 2020 with “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.”
“Memphis” was their first show of the season in September, with “A Seussified Christmas Carol” following close behind in December.
“With ‘Memphis,’ we wanted to diversify our show and include a more diverse cast. It was wonderful. Word got out about how incredible the show was and attendance built in numbers as two weekends went through,” said Melissa Martin, Marketing Chair for The Henry Players. “‘A Seussified Christmas Carol’ exceeded our expectations too. We had a cast of over 50 people and had a large audience every single show, and a lot of new faces in the audience.”
The shows for 2020 that will wrap up The Henry Players’ 29th season include “Steel Magnolias,” “Mamma Mia,” and “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.”
“Steel Magnolias,” directed by Stacy Morris and Lana Cash, is set to premiere in February and will run on February 13-16 and February 20-23. The show is rated PG-13.
“It is a classic southern story with six women cast. We have some new faces, with about half of the cast brand new to the stage and half being returning veterans,” she said. “It is such a heartwarming story of friendship, loss, and laughter but also learning how important it is to cherish those we have in our lives.”
“Mamma Mia” directed by Elise Gomez and Melissa Martin, will premiere in April and will run on April 23-26 and April 30-May 3. The show is rated PG-13.
“Mamma Mia” is so fun, with large musical numbers, bright costumes and a hysterical plot that has a few twists along the way,” said Martin.
“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” directed by Adriana Beckner and Meghan Bedford and assistant director Cassie Crisp, is set to premiere in June and will run on June 11-14 and June 18-21. The show is rated R.
“‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ may be more subdued than the first two shows of 2020, but it is an intriguing story about a brilliant teenage boy with Aspergers/Autism who gets accused of being involved in the killing of his neighbor’s dog. It is so important and very eye-opening as we get to see the inner workings of a brain that works in the most fascinating way,” she said.
As The Henry Players are hitting the ground running in 2020, Martin has high hopes that they will maintain the momentum of 2019, going into 2020 with the final three shows of the season.
“We are very excited about our final three shows. We are always working toward getting large audiences but to also put on quality shows,” said Martin. “Our goal is just to keep new people coming back and finding new people to work the shows and help with lights, sound and the crew backstage.”
In March of 2020, The Henry Players will be hosting a celebration in anticipation of their 30th season.
For more information about The Henry Players, to purchase tickets for upcoming shows or for audition information, visit www.henry players.com.
