Season Welcome
Welcome to Regent Theatre! It gives me great pleasure to introduce the plays of our 2012-13 theatre season—a collection of plays that are characterized by Gilbert and Sullivan’s song from Ruddigore, “Things Are Seldom What They Seem!”
The New York Times calls our opening production—Noel Coward’s hit comedy Blithe Spirit—a “laugh machine.” A happily married novelist suddenly finds himself haunted, literally, by the ghost of his temperamental first wife. Our season continues with William Shakespeare’s final, and perhaps most captivating play, The Tempest, where, on an enchanted island, the powerful Prospera controls the fates of fanciful spirits, young lovers and shipwrecked castaways. As an early Christmas gift, we present the off-Broadway hit Joyful Noise, in which playwright Tim Slover reveals how Handel’s masterpiece of redemption, the Messiah, was born in the midst of jealousy, opposition and sabotage. We begin the spring semester with the American classic The Adding Machine. First produced in 1923, Elmer Rice’s fascinating play retains its fresh perspective on corporate greed, advancing technology and cosmic injustice. We’re honored to host the world premiere of Everywoman, our own Gillette Elvgren’s modern retelling of the classic morality tale Everyman. Talk show host Eva Bas attempts to defeat death in what will ultimately be the fight of her life. Finally, we present Fiddler on the Roof. As declared by Broadway.com, “No other musical has so magically woven music, dance poignancy and laughter into such an electrifying and unforgettable experience.”
Scott Hayes
Chair, Department of Theatre Arts
