MONROE — Monroe Theatre Guild has announced its 2019 season.
The new year kicked off with Comedy Night VII in January. Eight area residents took to the stage with their own brand of humor and stand-up comedy. Always a favorite event at MTG, this year was no different with four sold out performances.
Looking ahead, the lineup of plays and musicals for the rest of the year opens with “True West” in March, a dark comedy written by the late Sam Shepard. Shepard was well known for his acting career but was also an award-winning playwright. His plays often centered around stormy family relationships, as in this gritty play about two brothers. Five performances of “True West” take place at MTG from March 22 to 31. In June, “Anne of Green Gables,” adapted by Peter DeLaurier, will appear on the MTG stage. This play is the ever-popular story of the lovable, and often fiery red-headed orphan, Anne Shirley as she begins her new life at Green Gables. Six performances of “Anne of Green Gables” will take place June 7 to 16 at MTG.
In the fall, “The Bad Seed” a play written by Maxwell Anderson comes to the MTG stage. This is the story of a little girl who by all appearances is charming and sweet, but in reality, hides a very dark and dangerous secret. The six performances of “The Bad Seed” are Oct. 4 to 13. The 2019 Season finishes with “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.” This popular family musical and fairytale tells the story of Belle, an unusual young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. “Be our guest” for the holidays when MTG presents “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” Dec. 5 to 15, in seven public performances at Monroe Theatre Guild.
In addition to the lineup of award-winning plays and musicals for 2019, Monroe Theatre Guild will also host this year’s community talent show, “Monroe’s Got Talent.” This single weekend event takes place with three performances April 12, 13 and 14. Directors Jackie Ceithamer and Tashona Smith will hold auditions March 2 and 3 at MTG, seeking all forms of talent and showmanship for “Monroe’s Got Talent.”
More information is on the website monroetheater.com. Also happening in April will be MTG’s New Spotlight Series; a series of workshops focusing on different facets of the performing arts. The workshops, designed for the beginner adult, includes hands-on classes on directing, stage makeup, musical theater auditions, theater dance, stage lighting and sound and stage props. For additional information and to sign up for classes visit monroetheatre.com.
Tickets for all MTG shows and events go on sale on the website and at the Monroe Arts Center ticket office 30 days prior to the start of performances. More information and updates are also available on Facebook or by calling 608-325-1111.
