The Arkansas Repertory Theatre announced the lineup for its 40th anniversary season yesterday afternoon, which runs the gamut from Shakespeare and Tony Award winners to Disney movie adaptations. “Our 40th Season reflects all that we do best and defines who we are as a theatre company,” Artistic Director Bob Hupp said in the press release. “The new season is an eclectic body of work: from a world premiere to renowned new plays and musicals, to family entertainment and Shakespeare. The 40th Season embodies our past, our present and our future. It is a celebration of great stories that capture the imagination and lift our spirits.”
The season kicks off in mid-September with Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” which Hupp describes in the release as “The original ‘House of Cards.'” In October, the Tony Award-winning musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” — “Never the same musical twice,” in Hupp’s words. “If you can spell ‘cow,’ then this musical is for you.” Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” will be presented in December and throughout the holidays, and “Peter and The Starcatcher,” the prelude to Peter Pan (“This rollicking new play with music is to ‘Peter Pan’ what ‘Wicked’ is to ‘The Wizard of Oz,'” says Hupp), in January, followed by “The Bridges of Madison County,” a 2014 Tony Award winner, in April.
The last show of the season will be“Windfall,” a world premiere production directed by Jason Alexander (“Seinfeld”). “I am thrilled and grateful that Arkansas Repertory Theatre is giving us the chance to bring this fascinating and funny play to their audience,” Alexander says of the premiere. “Within this play is what many would consider an American Dream and it becomes an American nightmare. To be able to make our world premiere in this beautiful theater and for this appreciate audience is a real gift and I am looking forward to it immensely.”
Season subscriptions are available now ($198-$276) at The Rep’s website.