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Kansas City's Online Journal of the Performing Arts

Eric L Magnus, Artistic Director of The Barn Players, recently announced the theatre’s 2011 show season.  Magnus added that the 2011 season is designed to balance theatre for audiences with thought-provoking shows including musicals, comedies and a historical production as well as Barn Junior and theatre benefit productions. 

INTO THE WOODS:  January 14-23, 2011. A Barn Junior production.  This show blends classic fairy tales in an original story with lyrics and music by famed Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine.  A baker and his wife have been cursed and rendered childless by the witch next door and the couple embarks on a quest to reverse the curse, including visits to Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Rapunzel and Jack (the one who climbed the beanstalk).  It’s a funny, funny show, filled with fast-paced action and great Sondheim music.  Not part of the regular season.  Rated PG.

EVITA:   March 4-20, 2011.  Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice.   Argentina ’s controversial first lady, Evita Perone, is the subject of this dynamic, music theatre masterpiece, the classic rags-to-riches story of a peasant girl who rises from poverty to become the nation’s First Lady.  The musical features a compelling score of great songs including: “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina ”, “On This Night of a Thousand Stars”, “ Buenos Aires ” and others.  The show is a Broadway classic and won seven Tony Awards including “Best Musical”.  Rated PG.

SHOUT!  THE MOD MUSICAL:  April 29-May 15, 2011.  A fantastic show created by Phillip George, David Lowenstein and Peter Charles Morris.  This musical magazine takes you back to the music, the fashions and the freedom of the 60’s with five groovy girls in an infectious non-stop musical journey that made household names of stars like Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield and Lulu.  Chart-topping music includes: “To Sir With Love”, “Downtown”, “Son of a Preacher Man”, “Goldfinger”, “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’”, “Georgy Girl”, “Those were the Days”, “Shout” and many more.  It’s an award winning show with a blend of hip-swiveling hits, eye-popping fashions and dances from the 60’s -- a show that will bring the house down and the audience to their feet - shouting!    Rated PG 

FROST / NIXON:  June 10-26, 2011
 Written by Peter Morgan, the show is a fascinating and humorous piece of political theatre based on the 1977 TV interview between British talk show host David Frost and former US President Richard M. Nixon.  Both men, appearing face to face, are out to out-talk and upstage each other – the interview sealed a President’s legacy.   Rated PG-13.

MARVIN’S ROOM:  July 22-August 7, 2011
Written BY Scott McPherson; two sisters reunite in an uneasy way as one sister who has been caring for her father and an aunt learns she has cancer and needs a bone marrow transplant.  Lots of reconciliation, tender moments and great laughs in this warm and whimsical look at a family as love slowly overwhelms the two sisters after long resentments.  It’s a dazzling drama about love and living.  Rated PG-!3

 DISNEY’S ARISTOCATS, KIDS:   July 26-28, 2011.  A Barn Junior production. 
A feline adventure based on the Disney film THE ARISTOCATS.  Madame’s butler Edgar cat-naps Duchess and her Aristo-kittens (the richest cats in all of Paris ) and abandons them in a ditch in the Parisian countryside.  A rag-tag bunch of alley cats come to their rescue.  Music includes Disney favorites “The Aristocats”, “Scales and Arpeggios” and “Ev’rybody Wants To Be a Cat”.  A simply wonderful show for the entire family. Not part of the regular season.  Rated G. 

THE LAST FIVE YEARS:  August 12-14, 2011.  A benefit for The Barn Players. 
A gorgeous musical about life that ingeniously chronicles a five-year marriage of an actress and a writer from their first meeting to the marriage break-up; the production is both warm and humorous with music by Jason Robert Brown.  Not part of the regular season.  Rated PG. 

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE:  September 16- October 2, 2011  
A celebrated 2006 Broadway musical with lyrics and music by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison.   If you want to be entertained this is the show for you – it’s filled with tons of laughs, great music and dance!  A modern-day theatre addict plays a recording of his favorite musical and it bursts into life in his living room where the tale of a celebrity bride and her uproarious wedding day, is told. Surprises and song will send the audience soaring to the roof and will leave everyone with memories of a hilarious and enjoyable evening of theatre and humming a happy tune.  Rated PG 

 SWEET CHARITY:  November 4-10, 2011
A wonderful, award winning Broadway musical filled with fun, laughs and good times; with book by Neil Simon and music by Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields.  Charity is an optimistic girl who works in a dance hall; she is an eternal optimist and an unlucky romantic as she searches for true love.  Charity finds a decent fellow to marry and tells him she works in a bank, but he backs out when he finds differently. However Charity remains hopeful that ever after good things will still happen.  It’s a Tony Award winning musical including: “Big Spender”, “Rhythm of Life”, “There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This” and “If They Could See Me Now”.  Rated G

 THE ANNUAL 6 BY 10 / TEN MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL   December 9-11, 2011  
Six original short plays written by local playwrights presented in a single evening; shows will be announced at a later date.   Not a part of the regular season. 

All 2011 season productions will be presented at the Barn Players Theatre, 6219 Martway in Mission, Kansas and that tickets would be available shortly for the six-show season as well as the Barn Junior productions and the special benefits.  For 2011 season ticket purchase or information call 913-432-9100 or visit www.thebarnplayers.org.