Aiken Community
Theatre’s
2023-24 Season
Disney’s the little mermaid
Performances: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8, 9, 14, 15, 16;
2 p.m. Sept. 10
Music by: Alan Menken
Lyrics by: Howard Ashman & Glenn Slater
Book by: Doug Wright
Based on the Hans Christian Andersen story and Disney film produced by Howard Ashman, John Musker and Ron Clements
Originally produced by Disney Theatrical Productions
Misery
Performances: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20, 21, 26, 27, 28
2 p.m. Oct. 22
By: William Goldman
Based on the novel by Stephen King
Original Broadway production produced by Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures in association with Castle Rock Entertainment, Liz Glotzer, Mark Kaufman, Martin Shafer, and Raymond Wu
World premiere produced at Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, PA (Jed Bernstein, producing director)
Dear Santa
By: Norm Foster
First Produced: 2002 at Theatre Orangeville, Orangeville, ON.
Santa Claus tries to fulfill a child's special Christmas wish while his staff attempts to overcome a supply shortage at the North Pole. This is a laugh-filled holiday play innocent enough for the youngest boy or girl and entertaining enough for adults.
ACT Director: Thurmond Whatley
Auditions: Sept. 24 & 25
Performances
7:30 p.m. Dec. 8, 9, 14, 15, 16
2 p.m. Dec. 10
Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic
By: Matt Cox
An Aiken Community Theatre Youth Wing Production
This hilarious off-Broadway play parodies the popular Harry Potter series. Set at a certain school of magic, it follows the misadventures of the Puffs, a group of misfit students from the house of Hufflepuff. The play spans seven years, chronicling their attempts to find their place in a world overshadowed by the heroic deeds of the Gryffindors. As they navigate through friendship, unrequited love, and magical mishaps, the Puffs provide a hilarious perspective on the iconic events from the original series. With clever humor and heartwarming moments, the play celebrates underdogs and explores themes of loyalty, acceptance, and the importance of finding one's own path, regardless of one's house affiliation.
ACT Director: Wendy Dietzel
Auditions: 3 pm Nov. 12 & 7 pm Nov. 13
Performances:
7:30 p.m. Feb. 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24
Orphans
By: Kyle Kessler
Presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
This show contains adult language and themes.
Two brothers, Phillip (sensitive, reclusive, never venturing out of his North Philly home) and Treat (a violent pickpocket and thief), kidnap a mysteriously wealthy businessman who turns the table on the two brothers. In a strange, hilarious and moving way, the kidnapped man becomes their long-lost father figure.
NOTE: Contains adult language and situations.
ACT Director: Chrissey Morton
Auditions: Dec. 17 and 18 at 7 p.m.
Performances (in the Bechtel Experimental Theatre):
7:30 p.m. March 29, 30, April 4, 5, 6
2 p.m. April 7
INTO THE WOODS
Music and Lyrics by: Stephen Sondheim
Book by: James Lapine
Originally directed on Broadway by: James Lapine
Orchestrations by: Johnathan Tunik
As the result of the curse of a once-beautiful witch, a baker and his wife are childless. Three days before the rise of a blue moon, they venture into the forest to find the ingredients that will reverse the spell and restore the witch's beauty: a milk-white cow, hair as yellow as corn, a blood-red cape, and a slipper of gold. During their journey, they meet Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Jack, each one on a quest to fulfill a wish.
ACT Director: Bradley Watts
Auditions: Feb. 4 & 6
Performances:
7:30 p.m. May 10, 11, 16, 17, 18
2 p.m. May 12
Last Round-up of the guacamole queens
By: Jones Hope Wooten
The Verdeen cousins from Sweetgum, Texas, are determined to save their family's reputation and their annual "Gala of the Year" event. Jimmie Wyvette, Peaches, and Gaynelle find themselves in a chaotic situation as they plan a fundraiser while dealing with a questionable marriage, an overly ambitious mayor, and a secret that could ruin their reputation.
To save the day, the Verdeens enlist the help of their eccentric friends and family, including Aunt LaMerle, who has her own agenda. With the pressure mounting and the stakes high, the Verdeen cousins navigate through hilarious misunderstandings, mishaps, and zany characters.
Through laughter and heartwarming moments, "Last Round-Up of the Guacamole Queens" explores the themes of family, friendship, and the resilience of small-town communities. The play delivers a delightful and comedic tale of the Verdeen cousins' struggle to restore their family name and hold onto their traditions in the face of adversity.
ACT Director: James Schroeder
Auditions: 3 pm April 28 and 7 pm April 29
Performances:
7:30 p.m. July 12 , 13, 18, 19, 20
2 p.m. July 14