The spotlight of the theater world is shining brightly on Issaquah.
The Village Theatre, known across the country for its development of award-winning original plays and musicals as well as its professional program of top-class shows, is getting ready to launch yet another brand new production, with the world premiere next week of The Gypsy King.
Straight out of the incredible run of Lost in Yonkers, which left Front Street a few weeks ago, The Gypsy King is also expected to sell out shows and draw the attention of America’s stage pundits to downtown Issaquah – it is written by Emmy-award winner Randy Rogel, and so expectations will be high for its season, which begins March 17.
High expectations are something the Village Theatre crew are getting used to. In 2009, a musical that was born and developed through Village’s Originals program went on to win three Tony Awards – the Oscars of the stage. Next to Normal is now a huge hit on Broadway.
But it isn’t the only Issaquah export wowing audiences in the theater capital of the world. Two other productions developed right here in Issaquah, the record-breaking hit Million Dollar Quartet, and the powerful and moving drama Signs of Life, have also made extraordinary journeys to New York, and are spreading the reputation of Village Theatre far and wide.
Last week, Village made national theatrical headlines when it announced its lineup for the 2010-2011.
Highlights include two brand new musical works, a thrilling mystery, and the Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber smash Jesus Christ Superstar.
But what might be the biggest hit of 2010 is The Full Monty, developed from the popular film of the same name that featured a bunch of out of work steelworkers from the north of England putting together a strip act – a last ditch attempt at resurrecting their self-esteem and making some money.
Featuring a score by Emmy-Award winner David Yazbek, The Full Monty has already been nominated for nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. This feel-good musical, with an edgy yet delightfully wicked sensibility, is sure to attract many people to Village Theater who mightn’t otherwise call themselves musical fans.
It opens on Sept. 15, and will be followed by a musical that has generated plenty of buzz in the industry – a new musical adaptation of Anne of Green Gables.
When it debuted at the Village Originals 9th Annual Festival of New Musical, Anne of Green Gables received a standing ovation from Festival audiences and became an instant favorite.
Sleuth will offer something a bit more hard-boiled. Anthony Shaffer’s original won a Tony Award in 1971, and was turned into an Oscar-winning film the next year. What begins as a bizarre cat and mouse game of robbery spirals into a complex duel of wits and deception.
For more information on what’s happening at Village Theatre, visit their Web site at www.villagetheatre.org
