The 2011-2012 MainStage Season
DARK OF THE MOON- by Howard Richardson
Set in Appalachia and told in a rich, mountain dialect, the play tells the story
of John, a witch boy who seeks to become human after falling in love with a human
girl, Barbara Allen. Originally written as a dramatization of the centuries-old,
European folk song "The Ballad of Barbara Allen.” This haunting play featuring the
bluegrass sounds of talented local musicians arrives on our MainStage just in time
for Halloween!
October 14 through October 30, 2011 - Main Theatre
THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER – by Barbara Robinson
A Co-Production for CTC’s Youth Theatre and MainStage seasons. The Herdmans
are absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. But when rumors of free
snacks lure them into church one Sunday afternoon, they inadvertently take over
the annual Christmas Pageant. The delightful chaos that ensues teaches everyone
about the true spirit of the Holiday Season. You’ll never look at the three wise
men the same way again! A Holiday treat for the whole family, the show includes
a number of festive holiday songs and surprises.
December 9 through December 23, 2011- Main Theatre
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST – by Oscar Wilde
Dashing men-about-town John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff pursue fair ladies Gwendolen
Fairfax and Cecily Cardew in this comedy classic. Matters are complicated by the
imaginary characters invented by both men to cover their on-the-sly activities—not
to mention the disapproval of Gwendolen’s mother, the formidable Lady Bracknell.
The quintessential Oscar Wilde comedy.
January 27 through February 12, 2012 - Main Theatre
THE MOUSETRAP – by Agatha Christie
Strangers stranded in a boarding house during a snowstorm - one of them is a murderer.
Suspects include the newlyweds who run the house; a spinster with a curious background;
an architect who seems better equipped to be a chef; a retired Army major; a strange
man who claims his car has overturned in a drift; and, a jurist who makes life miserable
for everyone. Arriving on skis, comes a policeman who probes the background of everyone
present and rattles a lot of skeletons. Another Agatha Christie switch finish! A
superb intrigue from the foremost mystery writer of all time.
March 16 through April 1, 2012- Main Theatre
A WORLD PREMIERE PLAY– by the winner of the Biennial Festival of New Plays
Every other year, your Theatre Centre hosts a festival of new plays by local playwrights.
For the first time in the competition, this year’s prize-winning play will receive
a full production our MainStage! Exciting new plays from past festivals have included
The Primitive Streak by Hunter Rodgers, Haint Blue by Lee Wright and The Night Reginald
Filbert Called It Quits by Rex Knowles.
April 13 through April 29, 2012 - Main Theatre
ANYTHING GOES – by Cole Porter
When the S.S. American heads out to sea, etiquette and convention head out the portholes
as two unlikely pairs set off on the course to true love… proving that sometimes
destiny needs a little help from a crew of singing sailors, an exotic disguise and
some good old-fashioned blackmail. Anything Goes is a shining example of classic
musical theater, complete with amazing tap numbers, campy jokes, unlikely happy
endings and eminently hummable songs like “De-Lovely,” “I Get a Kick Out Of You”
and “Anything Goes,” courtesy of the unforgettable score by Cole Porter.
July 13 through July 29, 2012 - Main Theatre
The 2011-2012 Circle Series Season
I Wasn’t No Hero: Stories from Those Who Fought World War II
Louis Varnell
Imagine flying over Tokyo. The bomb doors are open and there's an armed bomb hung
up on the door. What would you do? Not many survive to tell the tale but one did
and we tell his story along with others who fought in Europe and the Pacific. Louis
Varnell, Director of the Southeast Veteran's Museum, has spent his career listening
to the stories of veterans from around this area. Now he is bringing them to you
in this hair-raising, sometimes touching and funny, one-man show. These are not
the stories from history books, but the stories behind the history: the guy in the
foxhole, ball turret, and hanging from the anchor chain. If you ever wondered what
this war was like for those fought it, you must see this show.
September 2 – 17, 2011 - Circle Theatre
Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde
Moisés Kaufman
Playwright Moisés Kaufman has created a riveting docudrama, courtroom drama, social
commentary, tragedy and comedy in Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde.
A brilliant patchwork of contemporary court documents, newspaper accounts and books
by and about Wilde, the play deals with Oscar Wilde's three trials on the matter
of his relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas which led to charges of "committing
acts of gross indecency with other male persons". The play uses actual quotes and
transcripts from the trials, including Wilde’s inimitable witticisms that ultimately
were his undoing.
November 4 – 19, 2011 - Circle Theatre
Festival of New Plays: Runners’ Up
Experience the work of up-and-coming playwrights from Chattanooga and the surrounding
area, winners of the Chattanooga Theatre Centre’s Biennial Festival of New Plays
competition. As the grand prize winning work is featured in full production in the
MainStage, three runners-up receive elegantly staged readings on the CircleStage.
An exciting look at promising playwrights from the region.
April 13 – 28, 2012 - Circle Theatre
HAIR. The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical
Book and Lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni. Music by Galt MacDermot
Meet The Tribe, a group of politically active hippies of the “Age of Aquarius” living
a bohemian life in New York City and fighting the draft in the rock-musical, Hair.
The show grew out of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s,
and the musical's profanity, its sexuality, and its irreverence caused controversy
when it debuted off-Broadway in 1967. After moving to Broadway the following year,
it ran for 1,750 performances and its songs became anthems of the peace movement.
A Broadway revival opened in 2009, earning strong reviews and winning the Tony Award
and Drama Desk Award for best revival of a musical. Age has not lessened the powerful
impact of this four-decades-old musical, as Time magazine reports: "Today Hair seems,
if anything, more daring than ever."
June 15 – July 14, 2012 - Circle Theatre
2011-2012 Youth Theatre Season
Frankenstein
Public Shows: Sept. 30, Oct. 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, and 16
(Friday shows at 7:30pm and Sat. and Sun. shows at 2:30pm)
School group performances are available. Please call the Box Office at (423) 267-8534
for dates and times.
Based on Mary Shelley’s novel, one of the world’s most famous of horror stories
demonstrates that we all need to have a place we feel we fit in and begs the question
of our own creation. It also makes the point that there must be someone out there
for everyone. A thought-provoking piece that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Appropriate grades 4th-12th
Emperor’s New Clothes
Public Shows: Dec. 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, and 18
(Friday shows at 7:30pm and Sat. and Sun. shows at 2:30pm)
School group performances are available. Please call the Box Office at (423) 267-8534
for dates and times.
Festival season is upon the land and the narcissistic emperor needs new duds. Two
con men take advantage of the wonderful emperor and possibly teach him a much-needed
lesson. This is sure to be a funny, fast-paced comedy the whole family will enjoy.
Appropriate grades pre-K-5th
Best Christmas Pageant Ever (on the Mainstage)
Public shows: Dec. 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, and 23 (Thursday shows at
7:00pm, Friday and Sat. shows at 8:00pm. and Sun. at 2:30pm)
School group performances are available. Please call the Box Office at (423) 267-8534
for dates and times.
This legendary play tells the story of six delinquent children surnamed Herdman
who go to church for the first time on the promise of free snacks. Despite protests
from other church members, the Herdmans are given roles in the Sunday School’s Christmas
play, in which they tell the Christmas story in a nonconventional fashion.
Appropriate grades 1st-12th
Seussical Jr.
Public shows: Feb. 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, March 2, 3, and 4
(Friday shows at 7:30pm and Sat. and Sun. shows at 2:30pm)
School group performances are available. Please call the Box Office at (423) 267-8534
for dates and times.
This is the story of Horton the Elephant, who finds himself faced with a double
challenge: he must protect a small world and guard an abandoned egg. Although Horton
faces many obstacles, his one-tailed neighbor, Gertrude McFuzz, never loses faith
in him.
Appropriate grades pre-K- 8th
Stellaluna
Public shows: May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20
(Friday shows at 7:30pm and Sat. and Sun. shows at 2:30pm)
School group performances are available. Please call the Box Office at (423) 267-8534
for dates and times.
Baby bat Stellaluna’s life is going along great until an owl attacks her mother
one night, knocking her away from her mother. The tiny bat is lucky enough to land
in a nest of baby birds, but her whole world has just turned upside down…literally.
Stellaluna’s adoptive bird mom accepts her into her nest, but only if she will act
like a good bird. Soon Stellaluna has learned to behave as birds do. Anyone who
has ever been asked to be someone they’re not will understand the conflicts –and
possibilities– Stellaluna faces.
Appropriate grades: pre-K-6th