PRINCETON, N.J.: McCarter Theatre Center has announced its 2017-18 season, featuring six productions.
“With extraordinary performances, timely new work, and a generous dose of live music, this upcoming season truly has something for everyone whether they be a first-time visitor or a long-time supporter,” said artistic director Emily Mann in a statement. “We want our audiences to not only have a great night out, but to open themselves to new perspectives. McCarter is committed to serving as a place where artists and audiences alike can gather to celebrate, to discuss, and to share experiences together. I cannot wait to begin.”
The season will open with Sam Shepard’s Simpatico (Sept. 8-Oct. 8), presented by A Red Orchid Theatre, about the netherworld of thoroughbred horse racing. Michael Shannon will star, and Dado will direct.
Next up will be A Night With Janis Joplin (Oct. 10-29), by Randy Johnson, a celebration of the life and music career of Janis Joplin. Johnson will direct.
Just in time for the holidays will be Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol (Dec. 5-31), adapted by David Thompson, which will feature professional actors and ensemble members chosen from the greater Princeton community. Adam Immerwahr will direct.
Following will be Stones in His Pockets (Jan. 12-Feb. 11, 2018), by Marie Jones, about a couple of Irishmen hoping to make it big when they are hired as extras for an American movie filming in their small village. Lindsay Posner will direct.
The season will continue with Regina Taylor’s Crowns (March 13-April 1, 2018), adapted from the book by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry, a musical featuring gospel music that celebrates African-American women, their faith, and their fabulous church hats. Taylor will direct.
The season will close with the world premiere of Christopher Durang’s Turning Off the Morning News (May 4-June 3, 2018), a black comedy that exposes the mayhem of contemporary family life in a time of alternative facts, non-stop streaming news, and social media saturation. Mann will direct.
McCarter Theatre Center, founded in 1930, brings new plays and classic works to the campus of Princeton University.
