Hartford Stage is honored to bring you Horton Foote's masterwork, The Orphans’ Home Cycle—a series of nine independent yet interlocking plays, brought to you in three parts. We will also present an inspiring new stage adaptation of Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer, the heartfelt musical play Gee’s Bend, the hilarious and timely Mistakes were Made, and the comic and moving Motherhood Out Loud.  All complimented with a great SummerStage lineup that features the irresistible Betty Buckley, The Umbilical Brothers (Austrialia’s most hilarious export since the kangaroo) in Thwak!, and jazz great Vanessa Rubin starring as Billie Holiday in Yesterdays. (Titles are subject to change.)

Already a subscriber? Renew your subscription today!  Call 860-527-5151 or renew online.

Landmark Theatrical Production to launch 2009–2010 Season:

By Horton Foote
Directed by Michael Wilson

A Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, an Emmy-winning television writer, and two-time Oscar-winning screenwriter of such notable films as To Kill a Mockingbird and Tender Mercies, the amazingly versatile Horton Foote has been a force on the American cultural scene for more than fifty years. By critical consensus, Foote’s foremost achievement is The Orphans’ Home Cycle—a series of nine independent yet interlocking plays that traces the transformation of an American orphan, Horace Robedaux, into a husband, father, and patriarch.
   
Grand in scope, yet intimate and heartfelt, The Orphans’ Home Cycle begins with a father’s death at the dawn of the 20th century, a loss that sends his son, Horace Robedaux, on an odyssey of the heart as he grows to adulthood through three generations of three families. Part I, spanning the plays Roots in a Parched Ground, Convicts and Lily Dale, shows his formative years. Part II, depicting Horace’s courtship and marriage, includes The Widow Claire, Courtship and Valentine’s Day. Part III, including 1918, Cousins and The Death of Papa, shows the impact of World War I, ending with Horace facing the future of his family and land.
 
Presented in three separate programs similar to the New York theatrical events Coast of Utopia and The Norman Conquests, and Hartford Stage’s trilogy The Greeks. Each evening of 3 plays can easily be enjoyed independently, but gain a special resonance when experienced in collection. Your subscription will include two of the three Parts. As a subscriber, you have the opportunity to add the third part at a special discounted rate.

Please note that due to the unique demands of the production schedule, subscribers may not be seated in their subscription seats for one of the two performances on their subscription package. Every effort will be made to ensure that subscribers will be seated in a seat comparable to their subscription seats.

October 29 – November 22, 2009
By Craig Wright
Directed by Jeremy B. Cohen

Legendary Broadway producer Felix Artifex gets in way over his fast-talking head when he takes on the first world premiere of his long and checkered career. Mistakes is a gargantuan epic of the French Revolution which Felix thinks is going to be his ticket to professional and personal redemption — turns out it’s a croissant-lined highway to hell! But maybe, just maybe, if Felix can pull it all together — things just might, maybe, work out. Wright’s writing credits include Six Feet Under and Dirty Sexy Money.

January 14 – February 14, 2010
By Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder
Directed by Hana Sharif

Meet the women of Gee’s Bend, Alabama, who sing hauntingly beautiful gospel melodies as they create magnificent handmade quilts. The story of Gee’s Bend already has touched millions of people who witnessed their stunning quilt work through a national exhibition tour, in Newsweek, House and Garden and Oprah Winfrey’s O Magazine. If you enjoyed Crowns, you’ll love Gee’s Bend!

February 25 – March 21, 2010
Written by Leslie Ayvazian, Pat Candaras, Jessica Goldberg, Beth Henley, Deborah Zoe Laufer, Lisa Loomer, Michele Lowe, Asra Nomani, Brett Paesel, Marco Pennette, Theresa Rebeck, Luanne Rice, Adriana Trigiani, Annie Weisman and Christine Zander & Mark Nutter
Co-conceived by Susan Rose and Joan Stein
Directed by Lisa Peterson

Motherhood Out Loud celebrates the personal, funny, diverse, exciting, touching, and altogether extraordinary experiences that unite us all. From stepmoms to single moms, immigrant moms to grandmothers, new moms to empty nesters, Motherhood Out Loud reveals the raw emotions and rocky roads we travel in life. An unprecedented collaboration of American women writers—from theatre, television, fiction, and non-fiction—makes this play a singular theatrical event.

April 1 – May 9, 2010
Based on the novel by Mark Twain
By Laura Eason
Directed by Jeremy B. Cohen

One of the best loved books of all time adapted for the stage, Tom Sawyer chronicles the adventures of Twain’s mischievous young hero in a small town on the Mississippi River. Twain’s brilliant sense of humor and keen insights into human nature make him one of America’s most beloved writers. Tom Sawyer will be part of a national celebration commemorating the centennial of Twain’s death and the 175th anniversary of his birth.

Add on these exciting shows coming this summer! 

This hilarious, wacky duo has become Australia’s biggest comedy export since the kangaroo. With their zany mix of mime, physical comedy, and amazing sound effects, these masters of mayhem have audiences around the world rolling in the aisles. In the U.S. they have appeared on everything from The Late Show with David Letterman to The Upside Down Show on Noggin. “Exquisitely crafted physical humor and sheer imaginative brilliance.”—The Australian

With Vanessa Rubin as Billie Holiday

May 1959. A New York nightclub sets the stage for a spectacular night of music—forever remembered as the final performance of jazz great Billie Holiday. With a set of 16 unforgettable classics including My Man, Strange Fruit and God Bless the Child, woven with stories of the legendary singer, Yesterdays is a powerful night of music and an intimate look at the stunning career of Lady Day.

A Family Tradition Returns!

From the book by Charles Dickens
Adapted & directed by Michael Wilson

Share with your family and friends the true spirit of the holiday season! Flying ghosts soar across the stage, carols are sung and snow falls, capturing the spirit of a Victorian Christmas. It’s a holiday treat you won’t want to miss!
 

MainStage Extras For 6- Play Season Ticket Holders

Deepen your theatre experience with the following exciting programs, offered to 6-play Season Ticket Holders on selected performances only.

NEW! Dinner and a Show

Add $100 for 5 shows*
Come early and bring your appetite! We will have a buffet pasta dinner set up in the upper lobby for you to dine before the show. Plus, a member of the artistic team will join us for a discussion of the play. Cash bar. Choose Off-Peak Wednesday Evening on the order form.

NEW! Wines from around the World

Add $100 for 5 shows*
Mingle in the upper lobby with fellow connoisseurs before the show at our special wine tasting inspired by each show. Each night will feature 3 wine samples as well as artisan cheeses and vegetable crudités. Choose Off-Peak Tuesday Evening on the order form.

NEW! Family Day

Add $100 for 5 shows*
While you enjoy your MainStage show, your children will explore the magic of the theatre with storytelling and activities with Hartford Stage’s expert teaching artists. Children will be engaged in activities according to their age: 4–6 year olds & 7–10 year olds. Snack provided. Choose Off-Peak Saturday Matinee on the order form.
NEW! Theatre with a Critical Eye   Add $100 for 5 shows*
Always seem to leave the theatre wanting more? Be a part of an exciting community of adults looking to broaden their perspectives and gain a deeper understanding of theatre. Through group discussions and interactive workshops, explore the themes of the play, discover its relevance in our world, and share your experience and insight with others. Teachers may earn CEUs but the workshop is open to all!  Choose Off-Peak Saturday Matinee on the order form.

SpringBoard Nights 

Add $100 for 5 shows*
Hartford Stage’s dynamic social and networking group for young professionals. Each event includes light supper and open beer and wine bar. Choose Wednesday Preview on the order form.

• Offered for one Part of The Orphans’ Home Cycle

Free Add-on Programs

We offer regularly scheduled community programs and services at no extra charge! Simply check the add-on program of your choice on the order form.

AfterWords Discussions 

FREE
A member of our artistic staff will lead a post-show discussion of the play. Choose Off-Peak Wednesday Matinee or Off-Peak Tuesday Evening performances on the order form.

Sunday Afternoon Discussions 

FREE
Senior Dramaturg Christopher Baker, along with a special guest, lead a lively and scholarly discussion about the play. Held after the matinee performance on the fourth Sunday of each MainStage production. Choose Peak Sunday Matinee on the order form.

Open Captioned Performances 

FREE
A text screen to the side of the stage is synchronized with the onstage performance to assist our deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons. Held on the third Sunday of each MainStage production. Choose Peak Sunday Matinee or Off-Peak Sunday Evening on the order form.

Audio-described Performance 

FREE
Audience members who are blind or have low vision will hear descriptions of actions, body language, lights, costumes, scenery and other aspects of the production not conveyed by voices from the stage. Held on the fourth Saturday matinee of each MainStage production. Choose Off-Peak Saturday Matinee on the order form.