Stage shows Diverse lineup awaits patrons at Cresson Lake Playhouse

May 12—LORETTO, Pa. — Cresson Lake Playhouse is gearing up to present a variety of stage shows for its new season.

Davey Beyer, the playhouse's artistic director, said when planning a season, the committee wants to have diverse offerings.

"We want to give people a well-rounded theater experience that will appeal to everybody in some sort of way," he said. "This is a very exciting season. It's a very coming-of-age season, and all of these characters are trying to find themselves in some sort of way."

Before the season kicks off, the 50th Anniversary Cabaret will be presented at 7:30 p.m. May 30 and 31 and June 1, and 2 p.m. June 2.

The show will celebrate 50 years of theater performances with song and dance.

Many playhouse actors will return to entertain the audiences while exploring the rich history of Cresson Lake Playhouse.

"We've put together about 10 songs that we think really capture the essence of Cresson Lake Playhouse," Beyer said. "We tried to find numbers that people really enjoyed when they saw a show and it stuck out in their mind. In between each number, there will be a guest speaker who will talk about their experience at Cresson Lake Playhouse."

Tickets are $12 to $16.

An anniversary reception will be held prior to the May 30 performance that will honor past performers, directors, staff, crew, board members and guests who have contributed to the success of the playhouse.

"It's an open invite to anyone who has ever been involved in Cresson Lake Playhouse or who wants to get involved," Beyer said. "It's going to be a fun party where everyone can celebrate 50 years of Cresson Lake Playhouse being in our area."

Reservations are required by May 25 and can be made online at www.cressonlake.com.

The season will kick off June 20 and continue through June 29 with "The Last Five Years," a musical dramedy.

The story tells the bittersweet tale of a brief marriage between two young artists.

The storytelling is nonlinear with Cathy, a struggling actor, who starts her tale at the end of the marriage, working backward through the timeline, and Jamie, a literary prodigy, begins his at the onset of the relationship.

The two narratives intersect on their wedding day before diverging again to arrive at the beginning, and end, of their five years together.

With music and lyrics by Tony Award-winner Jason Robert Brown, the nearly sung-through musical has captivated audiences and critics, earning a Drama Desk Award, a film adaptation and productions around the world.

"This is really an interesting show because it's told nonlinearly, and we get the story of the relationship through songs, but they are out of order," Beyer said. "It's interesting and you're piecing together how they got together and how they eventually broke up, and it's told in such a fascinating way. It's a beautiful, bizarre show and we're excited to put this on."

The musical "Pippin" will be staged July 30 through Aug. 10.

With an infectiously unforgettable score from four-time Grammy winner, three-time Oscar winner and musical theater composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, "Pippin" is the story of one young man's journey to be extraordinary.

Heir to the Frankish throne, the young prince Pippin is in search of the secret to true happiness.

He seeks it in the glories of the battlefield, the temptations of the flesh and the intrigues of political power after disposing of his father, King Charlemagne the Great.

In the end, Pippin finds that happiness lies not in extraordinary endeavors, but rather in the unextraordinary moments that happen every day.

Winner of four 2013 Tony Awards, including Best Musical Revival, "Pippin" continues to captivate the young at heart.

"This is a coming-of-age story about a boy, and there's this magical acting troupe that picks him up and they're telling the story of Pippin through this boy," Beyer said.

"These characters are trying to lead this boy through the plot of Pippin's life, which includes overthrowing his father, finding love and going to war all done through a very jazzy score. Pippin has to make a life-altering choice and choose whether to go with this acting troupe or to follow his heart."

The drama "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" will be presented Sept. 10-15.

Fifteen-year-old math whiz Christopher Boone lives with his divorced dad in Swinton, a working-class town west of London.

After being falsely accused of killing a neighbor's dog, Christopher, who is brilliant but has difficulty dealing with the sounds and stresses of everyday life, decides to investigate the crime.

The secrets he unearths prompt him to leave his trusted teacher and the familiar streets of his hometown for a life-changing train trip to London.

Based on Mark Haddon's best-selling 2003 novel, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" is a thrilling and heartwarming adventure story featuring an unforgettable young hero.

During its premiere run, the production tied the record for winning the most Olivier Awards (seven), including Best New Play at the 2013 ceremony.

"The story follows a young boy on the spectrum who is accused of murdering his neighbor's dog and this boy kind of tries to figure out who did it and tries to uncover this mystery," Beyer said. "It's a beautiful and sad story."

The season will conclude with the play "Greater Tuna" on Oct. 8-13.

The day in Tuna, the third smallest town in Texas, begins as usual with Thurston Wheelis and Arles Struvie at the microphones of Radio OKKK, broadcasting at a big 275 watts — at least when they remember to turn the transmitter on.

Topping the headlines is the winning entry in the American Heritage Essay Contest titled "Human Rights, Why Bother?"

Then, Arles exits, and in comes Didi Snavely of Didi's Used Guns.

She leaves and gives way to weatherman Harold Dean Lattimer.

The day continues as Tuna's citizens parade across the stage in all their outrageous and irreverent glory, commenting on life, politics, and what makes them, and sometimes us, tick.

The production is at once an affectionate comment on small-town, southern life and attitudes, but also a withering satire of the same.

The play is notable in that two men play the entire cast of about 20 eccentric characters of both genders and various ages, making for a fun romp and a barrel of laughs.

"This show explores what it means to be in a small town," Beyer said. "This show is absolutely hysterical, and I think people are going to love it. It will leave with you a warm feeling in your belly."

Show tickets are $23 for single tickets, or $74 for four-play season subscription or $78 for flex plans.

For more information, call 814-472-4333 or visit www.cressonlake.com.