Pittsfield, Massachusetts' Barrington Stage Company has announced a trio of productions set to comprise its 25th anniversary season. A new staging of a beloved tuner, a world premiere musical and a prequel to a Shakespeare classic will appear at the Berkshires venue in the summer of 2019.
Kicking off the season will be a new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's award-winning hit Into the Woods. Joe Calarco will direct the musical retelling of classic fairy tales, which will feature the original orchestrations of Jonathan Tunick.
The centerpiece of Barrington's season will be Fall Springs, a world premiere musical with music and lyrics by Niko Tsakalakos (Pool Boy) and a book and lyrics by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb (Boom). The show follows the town of Fall Springs, which is cash-strapped but sits directly on top of America's largest reserve of cosmetic essential oils. It has big dreams, but at what cost? With new fracking techniques being recklessly implemented, the ground beneath Fall Springs is crumbling. The musical will be directed by Stephen Brackett (Be More Chill).
Concluding the season will be the new play Gertrude and Claudius, written by Mark St. Germain (Dancing Lessons). Based on the novel by John Updike, Gertrude and Claudius is a passionate, imaginative prequel that brings to life the love affair that led to one of the greatest plays of all time: Hamlet. Gertrude and Claudius will receive its world premiere at Orlando Shakespeare Festival in spring of 2019.
Casting, additional creative team and production dates for Barrington's new season will be announced at a later time.