Season

By Judith Van Buskirk 
Directed by Carla Childs 
September 16^th, 17^th, 18^th, 23^rd, 24^th, 30^th; October 1^st, 2^nd, 2022 
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

William Shakespeare, the impresario of the evening, will present scenes from his greatest hits — complemented by songs, insults, jokes, and vocabulary introduced into the English language by the Bard! 

By John Pielmeier 
Directed by Rob Rosiello 
November 4^th, 5^th, 11^th, 12^th, 13^th, 18^th, 19^th, 20^th, 2022 
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

Summoned to a convent, Dr. Martha Livingstone, a court-appointed psychiatrist, is charged with assessing the sanity of a novice accused of murdering her newborn. Miriam Ruth, the Mother Superior, determinedly keeps young Agnes from the doctor, further arousing Livingstone’s suspicions. Who killed the infant, and who fathered the tiny victim? Livingstone’s questions force all three women to re-examine the meaning of faith and the power of love, leading to a dramatic, compelling climax.

By Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon 
Directed by Jane Jennings 
January 13^th, 14^th, 20^th, 21^st, 22^nd, 27^th, 28^th, 29^th, 2023 
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

A sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice set two years after the novel ends, Miss Bennet continues the story, only this time with bookish middle sister Mary as its unlikely heroine. Mary is growing tired of her role as the dutiful middle sister in the face of her siblings’ romantic escapades. When the family gathers for Christmas at Pemberley, an unexpected guest sparks Mary’s hopes for independence, an intellectual match, and possibly even love.

By Lynn Nottage 
Directed by Nancy Ridgeway 
March 3^rd, 4^th, 10^th, 11^th, 12^th, 17^th, 18^th, 19^th, 2023 
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
Auditions

Box office: 215–843-1109
Tickets $20.00

Set in Reading, Pennsylvania, this 2017 Pulitzer Prize winning drama explores racial bias and discrimination in the workplace and the harmful effects of economic downturns and recession on American lives.

By Stephen Sondheim 
Directed by Annie Hnatko 
April 21^st, 22^nd, 28^th, 29^th, 30^th; May 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 2023 
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

Box office: 215–843-1109
Tickets $25.00

From musical theatre’s most renowned composer, Company is largely regarded as a trailblazer of the dark-comedy, modern-musical genre and the winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Lyrics and Best Book. On the night of his 35^th birthday, confirmed bachelor, Robert, contemplates his unmarried state. Over the course of a series of dinners, drinks and even a wedding, his friends – “those good and crazy people [his] married friends” – explain the pros and cons of taking on a spouse. The habitually single Robert is forced to question his adamant retention of bachelorhood during a hilarious array of interactions.

By Joseph Kesselring 
Directed by Loretta Lucy Miller 
June 9^th, 10^th, 16^th, 17^th, 18^th, 23^rd, 24^th, 25^th, 2023 
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

Box office: 215–843-1109
Tickets $20.00

Arsenic and Old Lace is a farcical black comedy revolving around the Brewster family, descended from the Mayflower pilgrims. A lot has happened to this family since the early days of their ancestors. Mortimer Brewster pays a surprise visit to his mild-mannered, spinster aunts in their charming, chintz-filled home. He discovers that his aunts are not as mild mannered or innocent as they seem. Dark and deadly secrets spark a series of events beyond his wildest imagination. Throw in an uncle who believes he is Teddy Roosevelt, a murderous brother, who looks like a Boris Karloff, and a host of zany characters, and you have a rollicking good story with a surprise ending that you won’t want to miss!

Directed by friends of Old Academy 
July 14^th, 15^th, 16^th, 21^st, 22^nd, 23^rd, 2023 
Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

Box office: 215–843-1109
Tickets $20.00

Every summer we feature new comedies, new directors and original scripts from our talented members. Join us for a fast-paced evening of short plays designed to put a smile on your face.