St. Charles Community College's Center Stage Theatre has announced its lineup for the 2017-18 season. The season includes five shows of varying genres.
The first play of the season is Night of the Living Dead. Fallout from a satellite probe shot to Venus returns to Earth carrying a mysterious radiation that transforms the unburied dead into flesh-eating zombies. Seven people trapped in an isolated farmhouse, held hostage by ravenous ghouls with an attitude, begin to turn on each other as the dead encroach. This gripping play brings all the fright of the cult classic to life. A blend of thrilling horror laced with touches of black humor envelops the audience in the action and unfolds into a shocking theatrical ending. Auditions will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 21-22. Performances will be Sept. 27-30.
The Penelopiad is Margaret Atwood's new stage adaptation of her own wry, witty and wise novel. In what amounts to a theatrical Olympiad, Penelope and her wronged maids tell their side of the story - how she patiently and devotedly waited 20 years for the return of her husband Odysseus from the Trojan War, only to have him repay her and her maids' devotion with heart-wrenching ruthlessness. Full of music, poetry and movement, this new telling of an ancient story echoes with the fluidity of the original mythic material and timeless resonance for today. Auditions will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 2-3. Performances will be Nov. 15-18.
One of the most popular and successful plays of the last century; You Can't Take It With You is a madcap, idealistic comedy that reinforces the idea that you can only live life to the fullest by doing whatever makes you happy. It is not your typical “meet the parents” dinner as Alice Sycamore introduces her fiancé's conservative parents to her eccentric family full of zany personalities, complete with fireworks, xylophones, a ballerina, wrestling and Marxist propaganda. Auditions will be at 7 p.m. Jan. 16-17. Performances will be Feb. 28-March 3, 2018.
Almost, Maine is a series of nine amiably absurdist vignettes about love, with a touch of good-natured magic realism. On a cold, clear, moonless night in the middle of winter, all is not quite what it seems in the remote, mythical town of Almost, Maine. As the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, the town's residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and often hilarious ways. Knees are bruised and hearts are broken, but the bruises heal, and the hearts mend -almost - in this delightful midwinter night's dream. Auditions will be at 7 p.m. March 5-6. Performances will be April 18-21, 2018.
It Shoulda Been You puts a modern spin on the traditional wedding comedy, proving that when it comes to wedding day insanity, it's all relative. It's a culture clash for the ages when two families from wildly different backgrounds come together to celebrate a wedding. As if the union wasn't complicated enough, the bride's ex-boyfriend arrives, bringing the wedding to a screeching halt and throwing both families into hysterical chaos. It's up to the sister of the bride to turn a tangled mess into happily ever after in this musical comedy for anyone who ever had parents. Auditions will be at 7 p.m. May 22-23 and at 6 p.m. May 24. Performances will be July 24-28, 2018.
All shows will be presented in the FAB theater at the SCC campus, located at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville.
Tickets are free to SCC students with ID, or $8 general admission and $6 seniors, veterans and students and can be purchased online at stchastickets.com or over the phone at 636-922-8050.
St. Charles Community College is a public, comprehensive two-year community college with associate degrees and certificate programs in the arts, business, sciences and career-technical fields. SCC provides workforce training and community-based personal and professional development as well as cultural, recreational and entertainment opportunities. For more information, visit www.stchas.edu.