Above: A look at theater offerings in our area this summer includes dramatic works and kid oriented comedy-musicals (images cropped from flyers)
A nearby theater troupe asked me to share news about their upcoming performance in Marlborough. That prompted me to look around to see what other community theater was available in/near Southborough.
Offerings have slimmed down over the years, but there are some to share this summer.
In Framingham, A Common Thread Theater Company, is getting ready to perform Kiss of the Spider Woman, starting this month. The website promotes:
This Tony Award-winning musical, with a brilliant book by Terrence McNally and a dynamic score by Kander & Ebb, presents a harrowing tale of persecution juxtaposed against a dazzling spectacle of liberating fantasy.
Their cast will take the stage at Dennison Memorial Hall at Boston Church of Christ, 214 Concord Street in Framingham. There will be six performances from July 26th – August 4th. You can buy tickets for $27.38 per student/senior or $32.64/adult here. You can learn more about the theater company here.
The play that prompted this post, is Shakespeare’s Henry V to be performed by Ghost Light Players. The Metro West/Central MA troupe is based in Marlborough. They will be taking their play to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland this August. But first, they’ll put on one local performance.
Players will perform at the Marlborough Senior Center (40 New Street) on Saturday, August 3rd, at 6:00 pm.
The troupe promotes the “chance to experience this transformative piece
of theater”:
Henry V tells the thrilling tale of an ambitious king struggling to fulfill his royal legacy through war and how his choices impact not only his enemies but his people. This bold new take on Henry V uses intimate staging, modern music, deadly combat, movement sequences, and Shakespeare’s timeless language to show us the bloody cost of war. Boasting five different actors playing King Henry, each recontextualizing the legacy of the classic character and monarch, this historical drama will show audiences what leadership truly looks like in times of conflict and the consequences that follow.
Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased in advance here or at the door.
The only other area productions this summer are ones performed at the end of children’s theater camps run by SkyRise Theater. The public is welcome to attend the performances, but tickets must be purchased.
Most of these plays are geared towards kids:
- Shrek Jr — July 12th, 12:00 pm and 3:00 pm @ Westborough High School ($20 per adult , $14 per student/child)
- Frozen Kids — July 12th, 1:00 pm and 1:00 pm @ Gibbons Middle School ($15 per adult , $12 per student/child)
- Finding Nemo Kids — July 26th, 11:00 am and 1:00 pm @ Gibbons Middle School ($15 per adult , $12 per student/child)
- Candy House (based on Hansel & Gretel) — July 26th, 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm @ Westborough High School ($12 per adult , $10 per student/child)
- Candy House — August 9th, 1:00 pm @ Gibbons Middle School ($12 per adult , $10 per student/child)
- All Hands On Deck (a pirate tale) — August 2nd, 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm @ Gibbons Middle School ($12 per adult , $10 per student/child)
- All Hands On Deck — August 16th, 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm @ Trottier Middle School ($12 per adult , $10 per student/child)
- Heathers (Note: This one is a “Teen Musical” with mature content) — August 17th, 12:00 pm and 5:00 pm @ Worcester Academy Black Box ($25 per adult , $18 per student/child)
To purchase tickets, click here. (For more details about the play plots, and the camps, click here.)
If you know of other plays in the immediate vicinity, please share it in the comments.
Updated (7/8/24 10:44 am): Ghost Light Players provided a flyer for the US performance.
