We are excited to present
our 2020 Season!
Each year M&D strives to present a cross section of comedy, drama, musical and classic theater to appeal to a wide range of audience tastes and interests. We sincerely hope you enjoy this year’s presentations.
Please take a moment to appreciate the generosity of the local individuals and businesses who support M&D Playhouse throughout the year.
Click here if you would like to learn more about how you can lend your support.
Theme: Accepting the Differences Between Us
The Odd Couple – Buy Tickets Now
By Neil Simon
Directed by Dennis O’Neil
February 13th through March 1st
Felix Ungar, a neurotic, neat freak news writer, is thrown out by his wife, and moves in with his friend Oscar Madison, a slovenly sportswriter. Despite Oscar’s problems – careless spending, excessive gambling, a poorly kept house filled with spoiled food – he seems to enjoy life. Felix, however, seems utterly incapable of enjoying anything and only finds purpose in pointing out his own and other people’s mistakes and foibles. Even when he tries to do so in a gentle and constructive way, his corrections and suggestions prove extremely annoying to those around him. Oscar, his closest friend, feels compelled to throw him out after only a brief time together, though he quickly realizes that Felix has had a positive effect on him.
Samuel French, Comedy
Matilda the Musical – Buy Tickets Now
Book by Dennis Kelly and Music and Lyrics by Tim Minchin
Directed by Mary Bastoni
March 26th through April 11th
Inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl, the Tony Award-winning Matilda the Musical revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life.
Matilda is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers. She’s unloved by her cruel parents but impresses her schoolteacher, the highly loveable Miss Honey. Over the course of her first term at school, Matilda and Miss Honey have a profound effect on each other’s lives, as Miss Honey begins not only to recognize but also appreciate Matilda’s extraordinary personality. Matilda’s school life isn’t completely smooth sailing, however – the school’s mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, hates children and just loves thinking up new punishments for those who don’t abide by her rules. But Matilda has courage and cleverness in equal amounts, and could be the school pupils’ saving grace!
Music Theatre International, Musical
Smell of the Kill – Buy Tickets Now
By Michele Lowe
Directed by Rich Russo
May 14th through 24th
Auditions are March 8th and 9th
Take three delicious, malicious wives, add three miserable, unloving husbands—and chill. The Smell of the Kill revolves around Nicky, Debra and Molly who have tolerated one another during once-a-month dinners for years. While their unseen spouses play golf in the dining room, the women exchange confidences for the first time, revealing that all three marriages are on the brink of disaster and all three women are facing the challenges of their lives. Nicky’s husband has been indicted for embezzlement, Molly’s husband is stalking her, and Debra’s husband is leaving her for another woman. When the men mistakenly lock themselves in a basement meat locker the women are faced with a life-or-death decision—should they leave the men out in the cold – permanently – or let them thaw? One by one the women make their choices with more than a little help from one another.
Dramatic Publishing
Clue: On Stage – Buy Tickets Now
Based on the Paramount Pictures motion picture, based on the Hasbro board game Clue.
Adapted by David Abbinanti, adapted for the stage by Jonathan Lynn, Hunter Foster, Eric Price, Sandy Rustin.
Directed by Ken Martin
June 18th through July 5th
Auditions are April 5th and 6th
It’s a dark and stormy night, and you’ve been invited to a very unusual dinner party. Each of the guests has an alias, the butler offers a variety of weapons, and the host is, well… dead. So whodunnit? Join the iconic oddballs known as Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock, and Mustard as they race to find the murderer in Boddy Manor before the body count stacks up. Based on the cult classic film and the popular board game Clue is a mad-cap comedy that will keep you guessing until the final twist.
Playscripts, Comedy
Cabaret – Buy Tickets Now
Book by Joe Masteroff, Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Based on the play by John Van Druten and Stories by Christopher Isherwood
Directed by Rich Russo
July 30th through August 16th
Auditions May 31st and June 1st
In a Berlin nightclub, as the 1920’s draw to a close, a garish Master of Ceremonies welcomes the audience and assures them they will forget all their troubles at the Cabaret. With the Emcee’s bawdy songs as wry commentary, Cabaret explores the dark, heady, and tumultuous life of Berlin’s natives and expatriates as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich. Cliff, a young American writer newly arrived in Berlin, is immediately taken by English singer Sally Bowles. Meanwhile, Fräulein Schneider, proprietor of Cliff and Sally’s boarding house, tentatively begins a romance with Herr Schultz, a mild-mannered fruit seller who happens to be Jewish.
Tams-Witmark, Musical
Appropriate – Buy Tickets Now
By Branden Jacob-Jenkins
Directed by Christine Thompson
September 10th through 20th
Auditions are July 12th and 13th
Every estranged member of the Lafayette clan has descended upon the crumbling Arkansas homestead to settle the accounts of the newly-dead patriarch. As his three adult children sort through a lifetime of hoarded mementos and junk, they collide over clutter, debt, and a contentious family history. But after a disturbing discovery surfaces among their father’s possessions, the reunion takes a turn for the explosive, unleashing a series of crackling surprises and confrontations.
Dramatists, Drama
Voice of the Valley – Buy Tickets Now
August 22nd & 29th, and September 5th
M&D Playhouse is bringing back its “American Idol”-style singing competition, Voice of the Valley, offering a whole new group of singers the opportunity to showcase their talent and win cash prizes. M&D started Voice of the Valley in 2002. With a field of over 50 competitors, Mary Bastoni-Rebmann was declared the winner. Winners in other years of the competition include Joel Guilford, Ashley Spaulding, Ryan Deachman, Abby Miller, Meghan Davis, Stephanie Ellis, Rebecca Deschennes, and Jeanne Deschambeaut.
Veronica’s Room – Buy Tickets Now
By Ira Levin
Directed by Mark Sickler
October 15th through 25th
Auditions are August 23rd and 24th
This chilling mystery thriller by the author of Rosemary’s Baby explores the thin line between fantasy and reality, madness and murder. Students Susan and Larry find themselves as guests enticed to the Brabissant mansion by it’s dissolute caretakers the lonely Mackeys. Struck by Susan’s strong resemblance to Veronica Brabissant, long-dead daughter of the family for whom they work, the older couple gradually induce her to impersonate Veronica briefly to solace the only living Brabissant, her addled sister who believes Veronica alive. Once dressed in Veronica’s clothes, Susan finds herself locked in the role and locked in Veronica’s room. Or is she Veronica, in 1935, pretending to be an imaginary Susan?
Samuel French, Drama, Mystery/Thriller
A Christmas Carol – Buy Tickets Now
Directed by Christopher Bellis
December 3rd through 20th
Auditions are October 11th and 12th
The magic of Charles Dickens’ heartwarming classic returns to the M&D Playhouse. Come see this favorite family holiday tradition and spend some time with Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit, Jacob Marley and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future as they bring A Christmas Carol to life on stage. It’s perfect holiday entertainment!
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JANUARY
Constellations – Buy Tickets Now
By Nick Payne
Directed by Ken Martin
January 9th through 19th
Suppose that life exists in a multiverse — a set of parallel existences that contain infinitely different futures. The possibilities in our lives are, quite literally, endless. Every possible event that could happen, does happen, in one universe or another. And if two lovers meet — are drawn together in every version of existence — every possible happy ending and heartbreak that could befall them, will.
Marianne, a physicist, and Roland, a beekeeper, meet at a party. They hit it off, and go for a drink. Or perhaps they don’t. They go home together, or maybe they go their separate ways. Perhaps Marianne is engaged to someone else, perhaps Roland is. Maybe she breaks his heart, maybe he breaks hers. Perhaps they come together and their love story can finally take root and grow, or perhaps it will be tragically cut short. Nick Payne’s beautiful play, Constellations, explores how even the smallest change in our lives can dramatically alter the course we take. It is a spellbinding exploration of love, science, quantum theory, and infinite possibilities for heartbreak or for hope.
Dramatists, Drama