Presented by the Rep's BlackBox Theatre Production, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a musical comedy with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner, based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in his comic strip Peanuts. Ten of Gesner's songs were first recorded as a concept album for MGM Records, on which Orson Bean played Charlie Brown, Barbara Minkus was Lucy, Clark Gesner was Linus and Bill Hinnant played Snoopy.

August 11, 2009

The show that many believe to be the greatest musical of all time. Gypsy will be part of our traditional summer repertory beginning June 26th. Come laugh, cry and cheer Mama Rose on as she wills her daughter to stardom Everything's Coming Up Roses in the sure fire hit!

June 26 - August 23, 2009

A science fiction "B" movie that comes alive, The Rocky Horror Show-LIVE! is unquestionably more of an event than a performance. As the audience dressed up in outrageous clothing shouts out responses to the dialogue, a weird and wacky story unfolds. We meet Brad and Janet, two wholesome, All-American teens who stumble across a strange castle inhabited by "creatures of the night." Leading the gruesome bunch is the seductive Frank N' Furter. So jump on over to the Rep and step into Frank's domain and "Time Warp" with everyone else who has come and see this outrageous, raunchy, surprisingly zany, and definitely crazy production of The Rocky Horror Show - LIVE!

TWO NIGHTS ONLY! October 30 & 31 at Midnight!

• Music and Lyrics by Gary Adler & Michael Patrick Walker
• Conceived by Marc Kessler & Ken Davenport
• Directed & choreographed by Brian Swasey
  (Miracle on 34th Street '05, West Side Story '07)

2005 Outer Critics' Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical
2006 & 2007 Broadway.com Audience Favorite Award

September 18 - October 11, 2009

"high octane entertainment" - Talkin' Broadway

Still running Off-Broadway to sold-out houses. See it at the Rep in its first New England professional production. Full of sharp parody, sinfully spectacular choreography, and irreverent humor, this spoof about a heavenly guy-group is adored by audiences and critics alike. With an extraordinary mix of original songs good enough for MTV, laughter, and light-hearted fun, this award-winning new musical is a pure delight. Suitable for all ages. Your whole family will be laughing and singing along.
Sponsored by Seacoast Rotary.

• Directed by Blair Hundertmark
  (Around the World in 80 Days '08)

8 Tony Award nominations, winning for Best Actor
Winner of 4 Drama Desk Awards

October 23 - November 15, 2009

"Non-stop laughter!" - Variety
"Hysterical!" - USA Today

This madcap comedy is guaranteed to leave you teary-eyed with laughter. Mishaps and mistaken identities mount up one after the other in this furiously-paced comedic farce when the great Italian tenor (Il Stupendo to his fans) is scheduled to play Othello for one night only. A sensation on Broadway and in London's West End. A new production, starring Grey's Anatomy star T. R. Knight, is scheduled to open on Broadway in February 2010.
Sponsored by Elbrys Networks and Unitil Northern Utilities, Inc.

• Original lyrics by Jon Kimbell & David James
• Original Music by Alby Potts and James Woodland
• Directed by the Rep's Artistic Director, Craig J. Faulkner
  (8-Track '08, Forever Plaid '09)

Starring David Coffee
1999 Moss Hart Memorial Award

December 4 - 27

"fun for all ages" - The Boston Globe

For nearly 20 years, this original musical version of the Dickens classic was a holiday tradition at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Mass. We're thrilled to present it for the first time north of the border at the Rep. Filled with all the music and pageantry of the holiday season, "A Christmas Carol" is the perfect gift for all your family and friends.
Sponsored by Bondgarden Farms, P. Gagnon & Son, Inc., Riverwoods at Exeter and the Ale House Inn.

This musical with a moral follows the story of Melvin, a refugee pelican who wants nothing more than to be accepted into a new flock. In the course of his quest, he meets a fast-talking crab named Loquacious T. Crabb who befriends him and a flock of pelicans who do not. Melvin looks different; he talks different; he fishes swims and nests different; but is ultimately accepted as a respected and valued member of the seaside community.

Performances: Oct. 3 - Oct. 11, 2009

Guilty or innocent? Was the young Goldilocks a selfish, spoiled brat, intruding where she didn't belong? Or was she the victim of three conniving bears (and their animal "band of hoods" in the woods)? This exciting retelling of the familiar fairy tale is full of mirth and melody as Goldilocks is brought to court to face the charges of breaking and entering into the Bears' cottage.

Performances: Oct. 31 - Nov. 15, 2009

• Directed by the Rep's Artistic Director, Craig J. Faulkner
  (8-Track '08, Forever Plaid '09)

One magical night in the land of the Aurora Borealis and
L.L.Bean boots

February 5 - 28, 2010

"Playful, romantic and smart" - AM New York

On a clear, cold, moonless night in the middle of deepest winter, the northern lights hover over the remote, mythical town of Almost, Maine. All is not quite what it seems as Almost's residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected, unusual, and often hilarious ways. Knees are bruised. Feelings are hurt. And love is all around as hearts are broken, and mended - almost - in this delightful midwinter's night's dream.
Sponsored by D. F. Richard Energy and Next Era Energy.

• Directed by Jon Kimbell

1938 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
Currently running Off-Broadway!

March 12 - April 4, 2010

"one of the 20th century's great American plays" - Associated Press

First produced in 1938, the Pulitzer Prize-winning "Our Town" is the quintessential American play. Set at the turn of the 20th century, Wilder's masterpiece is a richly timeless commentary about the fleeting nature of life and the need to appreciate every moment to the fullest, as revealed through the lives of the ordinary citizens of Grovers Corners, New Hampshire. This landmark in American drama will be directed by Jon Kimbell, former Artistic Director of Theatre by the Sea and North Shore Music Theatre.
Sponsored by Foy Insurance and Mt. Washington Assurance Corp.

• Directed by Jonathan Carr (Rumors '09)

2001 Tony Award, Best Play
2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
2001 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, Best Play
2001 Drama Desk Award, Best New Play

April 16 - May 9, 2010

"a compelling evening of theater" - New York Daily News

Catherine has spent years caring for her brilliant but father, a famous mathematician. Following his death, the arrival of her estranged sister, the attentions of her father's former student and the discovery of a mysterious notebook draw her into the most difficult problem of all: how much of her father's madness - or genius - will she inherit?
Sponsored by Great North Property Management, Inc., Cleary Cleaners and Sevigney-Lyons Insurance Agency.

• Directed & choreographed by Brian Swasey
  (Miracle on 34th Street '05, West Side Story '07)

Four 1996 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book & Best Score
Six 1996 Drama Desk Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book & Best Score
1996 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical
1996 Pulitzer Prize for Drama

June 18 - July 18, 2010

EXTENDED BY POPULAR DEMAND THROUGH JULY 24!

"the best musical in years, if not decades" - Variety

Jonathan Larson's ground-breaking work follows a year in the lives of seven friends in New York's East Village as AIDS and its physical and emotional complications pervade their lives. A powerful musical that touches all generations, "Rent" has, by itself, made musical theater joyously important again.
Sponsored by Liberty Mutual, Portsmouth Gaslight Co., Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel and RAM Printing.

• (Memphis; The Thing About Men; I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change), based on William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night"
• Directed by T. J. Sokso and choreographed by Samuel Reyes (Gypsy '09)

OMG! 25 Elvis Presley chart-toppers in one show!
2005 Theater World Award

July 30 - August 29, 2010

"'Let Yourself Go' and get 'All Shook Up'"
- theatermania.com

Shakespeare meets James Dean, set to the music of Elvis Presley! The Rep is proud to present the Portsmouth premiere of the 2005 Broadway hit. A mysterious stranger motorcycling stranger comes to a small Midwestern town and changes it forever. The dancing is incredible, the humor is irresistible, and the Elvis songs - "Hound Dog," "Can't Help Falling in Love," "Heartbreak Hotel" and "All Shook Up," of course, to name only a few - are immortal!
Sponsored by Shaheen & Gordon, P.A.

Winner of 5 Tony Awards and 4 Drama Desk Awards, this musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine tells the tale of a Baker and his Wife who when they learn they've been cursed with childlessness, embark on a quest for the special objects required to break the spell. Along the way, we meet an ambivalent Cinderella, a blood-thirsty Little Red Riding Hood, Jack with a GIANT problem, a Prince Charming with a wandering eye and a Witch...who raps! In true fairy tale form, everyone's wishes are granted but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later, with disastrous results.

Performances: Jan. 8 - 24, 2010

Bilbo, one of the most conservative of all Hobbits, is asked to leave his large, roomy and very dry home in the ground in order to set off as chief robber in an attempt to recover an important treasure. It's the last thing that any sensitive Hobbit would want to do, but great benefit eventually results-not only for Bilbo but for all of the Hobbits who inhabit Middle Earth-and the hearts of those children and adults of ALL ages who believe in magic.

Performances: Feb. 13 - 28, 2010

Named "the best American children's book of the past two hundred years," this timeless tale of friendship by E.B. White brings to life all of the lovable characters we know so well: Wilbur, Fern, Templeton, the Zuckerman family, the Arables, and most of all, the extraordinary spider, Charlotte, who proves to be "a true friend and a good writer."

Performances: Mar. 20 - Apr. 4, 2010

This musical adaptation of Margery Williams' classic follows the adventures of a toy rabbit as he tries to become real. Moving between the worlds of the toy closet and the nursery, The Velveteen Rabbit is sprinkled with songs which bring responses from total laughter to misty eyes.

Performances: Apr. 24 - May 9, 2010

Once again, the tunes of the Emmy Award winning Saturday morning cartoon series "Schoolhouse Rock" are brought to life by our area's exceptionally talented, young and lively performers. This fast-paced, toe-tapping (and oh ya, educational) musical is sure to leave you smiling and singing along with songs like "Electricity", "No More Kings", "Body Machine" and of course, "Conjunction Junction."

Performances: May 14 - 23, 2010

Seacoast Repertory Theatre and The Seacoast Music Collaborate present ACCORDION 101 featuring The Serfs with special guests Gary Sredzienski and Carol Coronis. Three great acts live in concert!

One Night Only! Nov 8, 2009 8:00pm

• Starring Denise Whittier

October 25, 2009 at 7:00p

ONE NIGHT ONLY!

With a long resume of stage, concert, and cabaret performances, Denise Whittier, AEA, award-winning actor/singer introduces herself to the Seacoast with her emotion packed sassy and sophisticated one-woman theatrical cabaret, ."Story Songs." She inhabits her songs, communicating an extraordinary range of emotions with her warm and supple voice, expressing her passion and risk and artistry in every corner of every song.

• Starring Denise Whittier

March 28, 2010 at 7:00p

ONE NIGHT ONLY!

The seacoast's newest vocal treasure Denise Whittier "knows how to send a song straight to your funny bone or to your heart - whichever is most apt..." The Rep is pleased to bring miss Whittier back to the Rep stage for her second cabaret show this season in Broadway's Best - A Tribute to the Leading ladies. Featuring songs sung by musical theater's most memorable leading ladies - Barbara Streisand, Liza Minelli, Angela Landsbury, Ethel Mermon, Marty Martin, Julie Andrews, Bernadette Peters, and more.

Sunday, April 18th beginning at 6:30p

ONE NIGHT ONLY!

Come be a part of the Rep's 8th annual Rainbow FUNdraiser! This year, we are pleased to welcome Coco Preu to the Rep stage for a performance the Los Angeles Times calls "wry and uncensored, the show is a hilarious exorcism, with music no less. Hey, that's entertainment!" Join us beginning at 6:30p for a Tea Dance Reception. The performance begins at 8:00p.

Friday, June 4 2010 from 6-11pm

Benefit dinner & auction

You are cordially invited to the Rep's Fourth Annual Swing Fling, an evening of dinner and dancing for our stars. Join us for a silent and live auction with a fabulous dinner and dancing at the Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth.

Sundays at 7:30pm August 1 - 22

This groundbreaking Obie-winning Off-Broadway smash also won multiple awards for its hit film adaptation. It tells the story of "internationally ignored song stylist" Hedwig Schmidt, a fourth-wall smashing East German rock 'n' roll goddess who also happens to be the victim of a botched sex-change operation, which has left her with just "an angry inch." This outrageous and unexpectedly hilarious story is dazzlingly performed by Hedwig (née Hansel) in the form of a rock gig/stand-up comedy routine backed by the hard-rocking band "The Angry Inch." Using songs and monologues, Hedwig tells her story. It's a rocking ride, funny, touching and ultimately inspiring to anyone who has felt life gave them an inch when they deserved a mile.

July 24 & 25, 2010 at 11:30am

Is Ever After really as happy as everyone expected? In a hilarious parody of daytime TV, the host wonders if time truly heals all wounds. She invites Cinderella and her middle-aged "beauty-impaired" stepsisters to reconcile with each other after being estranged for 20 years. What about Snow White and the Evil Queen? This hysterical fractured fairy tale has it all: a trash-talking clairvoyant mirror, an unfortunate prince who is turning slowly back into a frog and even Jiminy Cricket—now an occupational therapist and author of the book "My Life as Your Conscience". The musical is punctuated by questions from obnoxious studio audience members and ridiculously funny infomercials for fairy tale related products, such as the Practical Princess Crown (which doubles as a purse and makeup case). Get ready for some knee-slapping and hand-clapping with great foot-tapping songs!

AUGUST 7 & 8, 2010 at 11:30am

Robin Hood is the outlaw of Sherwood Forest leading a merry life with his followers. Anyone needing a place to live or food to eat is welcome in the greenwood. Impoverished citizens led by Robin are waging a battle against the evil Prince John. He has taken the place of King Richard the Lion-Hearted, who has gone on a crusade. Lady Merle of Cornwall, however, hopes to make John more acceptable to the people of England by forcing Maid Marian, Robin's childhood sweetheart, to marry the Prince. It's up to Robin to stop the marriage, defeat a nasty sheriff and secure Nottingham for the King's return.