SALT LAKE CITY: Pioneer Theatre Company (PTC) has announced their 2021-22 season, marking a return to in-person programming.
“We’ve missed being onstage, and while we chart the path forward, one of the opportunities has been being able to look at how we do theatre, audit our processes and practices, and address inequities and social deficits in light of last summer’s community unrest,” managing director Christopher Massimine said in a statement. “Professional theatre needs the community’s support more than ever this year as we journey back to ‘normal,’ and we’ve constructed a season to reward that support.”
The season will begin with a concert production of Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Sept. 10-25) by Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby Jr., potentially with a limited audience. This will allow for socially distanced seating if the guidelines from Salt Lake County and the University of Utah, where PTC is in residence, indicates a need. Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a celebration of Thomas “Fats” Waller, a pianist and composer who became a Harlem legend in the 1920s and ’30s.
Next up will be Ellen Simon’s play Ass, which began its life as a PTC Play-By-Play reading in 2018 and was originally scheduled to be produced before the coronavirus shutdown in 2020. The comedy about complicated family relationships will receive its world premiere Oct. 22-Nov. 6.
For the holiday season, PTC will revisit Elf the Musical Dec. 3-18. Adapted by Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan from the 2003 Christmas comedy film, Elf follows Buddy the elf in New York City and features a score by Matthew Sklar and Chad Beguelin.
Following will be Jeff Talbott’s new play The Messenger, inspired by Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People. The Messenger depicts the consequences of speaking out about a public health incident that threatens the local economy, and will run Jan. 14-29, 2022.
Next up will be the musical Something Rotten! by John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick, with music and lyrics by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick. The Shakespeare-inspired comedy will run Feb. 25-March 12 (it was originally scheduled to close PTC’s 2019-20 season).
The season will continue with Hello, Dolly! (May 13-28) by Michael Stewart, with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. The musical follows Dolly Gallagher Levi looking for love after a lifetime of matchmaking.
The season will conclude with one further production to run April 1-16. The title will be announced at a later date.
Pioneer Theatre Company offers a wide range of exceptional theatre that aims to challenge the intellect, stir emotions, ignite imaginations, and encourage conversation.
