Our 81st Season in Palo Alto

 EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED!

Six Amazing Shows at the Lucie Stern Theater

 

Nunsense With a Twist

Book, Music and Lyrics by Dan Goggins

In 1992, Palo Alto Players delighted SRO crowds with Nunsense and we’re overjoyed to do it again when we kick off the 2011-2012 season.  Thanks to special permission granted us by the creator, this is Nunsense— but this time with a twist!  Be prepared to spend two devilishly divine acts with the five Little Sisters of Hoboken as they attempt to raise money to bury the other Sisters in the Order who were accidentally poisoned by convent cook, Sister Julia, Child of God.  This zany musical is sure to be habit forming regardless of age or religious background.

September 17 – October 2, 2011 (previews September 16)

 

Parade

Book by Alfred Uhry
Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown
Co-Conceived by Harold Prince

This multi-award-winning best musical is based on what is considered one of the most sensational trials of the early 20th century—a trial which pressed every hot-button issue of the time to the point of outrage and frenzy.  In 1913 Atlanta, Georgia, a teenage factory employee is raped and murdered. Leo Frank, the young Jewish manager of the factory, is charged with the crime. By manipulating witnesses and tampering with evidence, the prosecution convinces the jury that Frank is guilty and a powerful, unforgettable evening of theatre is born.

November 5 – 20, 2011 (previews November 4)

 

Aftermath

By Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen

March 20, 2003. A date that the ordinary people of Iraq will never forget: the day the Americans arrived in their homeland.  Creators Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen traveled to Jordan in June 2008 to find out firsthand what happened to the Iraqi civilians as a result of events that began on that fateful day. They interviewed some 35 people—a cross-section of lives interrupted—who fled the chaos and violence that befell Iraqi society for the relative safety of Jordan. Following the visit to Amman, these graceful and gripping conversations have now been turned into an unforgettable and moving play.

January 14 – 22, 2012 (previews January 13)

 

“Give ‘Em Hell, Harry”

By Samuel Gallu

If you are having a hard time remembering when politicians took responsibility for their actions, meet Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States who steered this nation from wartime to peace and prosperity.  This one-man show reveals the President’s down-to-earth character and head-on approach to tough issues.  In our era of spinmeisters, focus groups, sound bites and special interests, an evening spent with Truman will be utterly refreshing—and rare.  Brimming with folksy humor from the heartland and common sense insight into the Man from Missouri, this is a “helluva” play you won’t want to end.

January 28 – February 5, 2012 (previews January 27)

 

Annie

Book by Thomas Meehan
Music by  Charles Strouse
Lyrics by Martin Charnin

Leapin’ Lizards!  It’s our revival of the heartwarming family classic and one of the world’s best-loved musicals.  Annie—that spunky Depression-era orphan determined to find her parents after being abandoned years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage —finds adventure after fun-filled adventure. Laugh and cheer as Annie foils Miss Hannigan’s evil machinations, befriends Franklin Delano Roosevelt and finds a brand new home with a millionaire and mutt—a home where you’re never fully dressed without a smile!

April 28 – May 13, 2012 (previews April 27)

 

The Lieutenant of Inishmore

By Martin McDonagh

On a lonely road on the island of Inishmore, someone killed “Mad Padraic’s” cat.  Padraic, a first lieutenant in the Irish National Liberation Army to whom nothing is sacred except “Wee Thomas”, will want to know who when he gets back from a stint of torture and bombing. He loves his cat more than life itself, and someone is going to pay.  The Lieutenant of Inishmore charts new ground in play-making as it combines the comic precision of a Feydeau farce with the unapologetic horror of a Tarantino flick.  The result is wickedly hilarious and not-to-be-missed!

June 16 – July 1, 2012 (previews June 15)