“We have been thinking a lot about new beginnings and what that means for the theatre,” said Department Chair Erin B. Dougherty. “We thought a lot about what the community would want to see onstage. A lot of what people were missing was positive change - transformation. The pandemic prevented us from growing intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally. So, if all of these shows have one thing in common, it’s transformation. The characters certainly, but transformation with the audience seems to be the throughline. These shows not only break the fourth wall, but completely shatter it."
The season will open with The Cake (September 23rd to October 1st), directed by Beth Homan. Based on a true North Carolinian story, The Cake follows the story of Jen, who lives in New York but has always dreamed of getting married in her native North Carolina. With the wedding six months away, she heads down South to ask Della, her late mother’s best friend who owns a bakery there, to do the honors of making her wedding cake. Della's cakes are the best—she's going to compete on the Great American Baking Show, no big deal. Della is overjoyed to make Jen’s cake—until she realizes that there isn’t just one bride, but two. She can't really bake a cake for such a wedding, can she? Moral quandaries, reality TV and loads and loads of butter form this play by Bekah Brunstetter (NBC’s This Is Us) about three women trying to reach out across a divide that just keeps growing.
Next up will be Songs for A New World (November 11th – 19th) directed by David T. Loudermilk with music direction by Nicholas Fuqua. Songs for a New World by Jason Robert Brown is about one moment. It's about hitting the wall and having to make a choice...or take a stand...or turn around and go back. These are the stories and characters of today, the Songs for a New World. The first musical from Tony Award winner, Jason Robert Brown (Parade, Bridges of Madison County), this moving collection of powerful songs examines life, love, and the choices we make. Brown transports his audience from the deck of a 1492 Spanish sailing ship to a ledge, 57 stories above Fifth Avenue, to meet a startling array of characters that range from a young man who has determined that basketball is his ticket out of the ghetto to a woman whose dream of marrying rich nabs her the man of her dreams...and a soulless marriage.
Following in the spring semester is Mythos (February 3rd – 5th). Directed by senior Michelle Medina as her capstone project, Mythos is devised by the cast through improvisation. La Llorona, Marie Laveau, The Bell Witch...and other urban legends we were told as children have stayed with us to this day. These terrifying women existed in the shadows of our rooms late at night, creeping in the corners of our eyes. And as we grew out of our fear, we passed these stories on, just as they were told to us. But who are these women? Mythos unmasks these mystical characters, removing the veils of horror and mystery to reveal the real female experiences behind the myth: their suffering, their pride, their joy, and their power.
Next is Always. . .Patsy Cline (February 17th – 25th), directing by David T. Loudermilk. Based on the true story of a pen-pal friendship set to the soundtrack of country’s most vibrant voice, Always. . .Patsy Cline is about Patsy Cline’s friendship with a fan from Houston named Louise Seger, who befriended the star in a Texas honky-tonk, and continued a correspondence with Cline until her untimely death in a plane crash. The show’s title was inspired by Cline’s letters to Seger, which were consistently signed “Love ALWAYS…Patsy Cline.” Tales of Patsy’s life on the road are told with down-home country humor and brought to vibrant life through her music.
Catawba Theatre's 97th season will close with Picasso at the Lapin Agile, directed by David Pulliam. Steve Martin's comedy that imagines a meeting between a 23-year-old Pablo Picasso and a 25-year-old Albert Einstein at a real-life artists' hangout in Paris at the dawn of the 20th Century. It's 1904 and the two geniuses are about to complete their most significant accomplishments - Einstein's theory of relativity and Picasso's painting "The Young Ladies of Avignon." They have a lengthy debate about the value of genius and talent, which is often interrupted by the colorful patrons of the bar.
"The best productions in Catawba’s history are the ones that have left our students and audiences changed," said Dougherty. "The stories on stage during the 2022/23 season embody the Catawba Theatre we love, put through the kaleidoscope of our present day. These plays are bursting at the seams with questions for our times: How do we weather impossible circumstances? Who, how, and why do we love? What is the line between truth and lie?”
Tickets for Catawba's Theatre performances may be purchased as subscriptions or as single show tickets by visiting catawba.edu/theatretix. You may also email the box office at boxoffice@catawba.edu or call 704.637.4481 on Wednesday or Friday between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m.
FlexTix subscriptions are currently available for 5 and 10 ticket packages (FlexTix5 for $50- FlexTix 10 for $100) Myrtle’s Club memberships begin at $200 and offer priority seating, easy exchanges, missed performance exchange and more. Single tickets ($10-$20) go on sale September 1 to the public.
Recent college graduates may join Myrtle’s Club starting at $100.
Current full-time teachers, active and retired military personnel, and first responders receive 20% off all ticket prices and Catawba participates in the Blue Star Theatres program. Deeply discounted and free tickets are available for full-time college and high school students and groups.
Catawba students, faculty, and staff can receive up to two free tickets per show.
