SANTA MARIA and SOLVANG, CALIF.: PCPA – Pacific Conservatory Theatre has announced their 2018-19 season, the company’s 55th, which includes a special fall engagement of two plays in rotating repertory, as well as four musicals and three additional plays.
“When our world increasingly seems to meet us with hardened hearts and closed minds, PCPA remains committed to creating exemplary art that welcomes our audience with open arms,” said artistic director Mark Booher in a statement.
Before the official season begins, PCPA will present productions of An Iliad by Lisa Peterson and Dennis O’Hare and Muthaland (Oct. 4–21) by Minita Gandhi, two plays about ancient and diverse cultures, featuring solo performances by alumni of the theatre’s training programs.
The season opens with the musical Peter Pan (Nov. 8–Dec. 23), lyrics by Carolyn Leigh and music by Morris “Moose” Charlap, based on the classic J.M. Barrie tale of the boy who never grew up and his adventures with the Darling children in Neverland.
Next is Shakespeare in Love (Feb. 7–24, 2019) by Tom Stoppard, a play about how the young William Shakespeare falls in love with Viola, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, and how he came to write Romeo and Juliet.
Following is The Wolves (March 7 – 24, 2019) by Sarah DeLappe, a 2017 Pulitzer Prize finalist about the clash of personalities on a girl’s indoor soccer team as they navigate the games of their sport and of their lives.
Next is A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (April 25–May 12, and June 13–30, 2019 at the Solvang Festival Theater), a musical with a book and lyrics by Robert L. Freedman and music and lyrics by Steven Lutvak, about the lowly Monty Navarro who finds out he is eighth-in-line for earldom in the wealthy D’ysquith family and sets out to receive his inheritance by any means necessary.
Following is the musical Million Dollar Quartet (June 20–29 at the Marian Theater, and July 5–28, 2019 at Solvang Festival Theater), by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux, about the historic night that Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins were brought together, featuring the music of all four artists.
Next is The Addams Family (July 18–27 at the Marian Theater, and Aug. 2–25, 2019 at Solvang Festival Theater), a musical with a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice and music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, based on the famed Charles Addams characters and television show.
The season will conclude with The Importance of Being Earnest (Aug. 15–24 at the Marian Theater, and Aug. 29–Sept. 8 at Solvang Festival Theater) by Oscar Wilde.
Founded in 1964, PCPA is a professional conservatory theatre that presents plays and musicals year-round and offers conservatory training.
