Monomoy Theatre to Raise the Curtain on its 50th Season

Cape's second oldest summer theatre unveils eight works for the 2007 season

CHATHAM - For the past 50 years, a tiny theatre in Chatham has been a summer home for college students and several visiting artist. The Monomoy Theatre is the setting for this summertime theatre program that offers invaluable experience for stage and screen.

Mentored by seasoned visiting artists, actors and directors, the students perform and design eight plays that help flex their creative muscles. The choices for this season are "Irma la Douce," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "You Can't Take it With You" and five others.

The theatre was acquired by Ohio University in 1958 when Elizabeth Evans Baker convinced her husband, then-Ohio University President John Baker, that this quaint venue would be perfect to train aspiring actors.

"It required me to use the tricks that work, the things that I had in my arsenal, but it also allowed me to test out new things that I had been learning. To try new things on. To take chances. And to do it under fire," said Ellen Fiske, a visiting artist who has appeared on Broadway and in commercials and soap operas.

Other Monomoy alumni agree that it is excellent training ground.

"If you can retain three shows' worth of lines at one time, you can do just about anything in theatre," said Rob Riley, Ohio University MFA '06, who spent his summer at Monomoy in 2004. "It's very unlikely that you'll have to do that again in your career."

The 2007 SEASON of the MONOMOY THEATRE 

June 19 – 30
MY FAIR LADY
Music by Frederick Lowe; Book & Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
One of the great musical romances of all time.
Monday-Saturday evenings 8pm $29
Thurs & Sat matinees 2pm $23

All other shows except*
Tuesday-Saturday 8pm $23
Thursday Matinee 2pm $18

July 3 - 7
SEE HOW THEY RUN
By Philip King
One of the funniest farces in the English language.

July 10 – 14
THE DRESSER
by Ronald Harwood
An affectionate and intelligent play about the theatre.

July 17 – 21
STEEL MAGNOLIAS
by Robert Harling
Alternately hilarious and touching.

July 28
MONOMOY TONIGHT - CELEBRATING 50 YEARS!

July 25 – August 4
IRMA LA DOUCE*
English Book & Lyrics by Julian More, David Heneker & Monty Norman;
Original Book & Lyrics by Alexandre Breffort Music by Margueritte Monnot
A rollicking musical romp
*Wed – Fri, July 25 - 27 8pm $23
Monday, July 30 – Sat, Aug 4 8pm $23
Matinee Thurs, Aug 2, 2pm, $18

August 7 - 11
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
by William Shakespeare
Shakespeare’s celebrated romantic comedy.

August 14 - 18
ANNA CHRISTIE
by Eugene O’Neill
A moving drama by one of our best known American playwrights.

August 21 – 25
YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU
by Moss Hart & George S Kaufman
A riotous comedy; one of the most popular and loveable plays in American theatre.

Above image courtesy of the Monomoy Theatre website.

The box office opens on June 11, 2007. Box office hours Monday 10am-5pm; Tuesday-Saturday 10am-8pm. The Monomoy Theatre is located at 776 Main Street (Route 28) in Chatham, MA, 02633. Telephone: 508-945-1589 or visit the website here.