And Presents a 2005-2006 Season with Something for
Everyone

By John Anthony

  

 

September 2005 – As the walls of the Worcester once-Galleria,
once Common Outlets crumble to the right and left of the Foothills Theatre,
the theatre itself stands firm and makes plans for its 2005-2006 season,
which features three-and-a-half musicals, an American near-classic, a
philosophical tear-jerker, a sly British thriller, and a suddenly-it’s-everywhere
comedy by Steve Martin. BEEHIVE, which opens on September 29 and runs
through October 23, is a musical tribute to the Girl Groups (The Shirelles,
The Shangri-Las) and the Girl Soloists (Brenda Lee, Lesley Gore) of the
1960s. If the strains of “My Boyfriend’s Back,” “Will
You Still Love Me Tomorrow?” and “Downtown” set your
toes a-tappin’, tap on over to the courtyard on Front Street in
late September.

October 27 through November 20 brings Anthony Shaffer’s gripping
and immensely funny SLEUTH, featuring a cast of five and chock-full of
more twists and turns than
you’ll find at a 60’s sock hop.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL is scheduled to return and keep theatregoers cozy and
in the holiday spirit from December 2 through 23. This is the “half-musical,”
as it always includes two or three featured songs and dances .

William Gibson’s masterful recreation of Helen Keller’s frantic,
frenzied childhood under the steady hand of her teacher, Annie Sullivan,
is aptly titled THE MIRACLE WORKER. It opens on January 5 and holds stage
at Foothills through January 29.

Later in the winter you can head out to see THE UNDERPANTS. It might
make it easier to brave the cold knowing that the play’s author
is wild and crazy Steve Martin, whose adaptation of Carl Sternheim’s
manic early-20th century farce has become hugely popular on the regional
theatre circuit. This particular pair of UNDERPANTS will be dropped on
February 2 and pulled up on February 26.

The CATS are coming, the CATS are coming! Need I say more? The musical
comes to town on March 2 and stays through April 9, and you simply can’t
miss this one.

Mitch Albom’s best-selling TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE gets the stage
treatment
from April 13 through May 7. A college professor dying of Lou Gehrig’s
Disease provides a former student with a last class in the meaning of
life. Now, discuss.

And finally, THE FULL MONTY is the hit musical about six friends who,
to paraphrase the theatre’s brochure, plan to get their lives back
together by triumphing over their fears, their nerves, and their clothing.
MONTY brazenly closes the season, and runs from May 11 through June 4.

So in the true spirit of theatre throughout the ages, damn the wrecking
ball ~the show must go on!