2022/2023 Season Your seat is waiting!
Dear
Our theater — your theater — is a civic home for deep conversation and shared laughter; a place to expand our imaginations and see our stories reflected on the stage.
Planning a season of plays is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job. I imagine you meeting these spectacular characters and artists, being transported to various times and places. We look forward to celebrating these great stories — the known and the unknown, the large and the small, the challenging and the amusing — with you throughout the 2022/2023 Season. There is no substitute for live theater. I invite you to join us here on Church Street and take your place as the most important part of live theater — the audience.
Subscribe to the 2022/2023 season… I’ll save you a seat. Abrazos, Melia Bensussen, Artistic Director
Friends of Hartford Stage:
So Many Ways to Experience Hartford Stage!
BECOME A SUBSCRIBER
BRING A GROUP
ATTEND A CLASS
SPONSOR, DONATE, OR VOLUNTEER
FOLLOW US ONLINE
Learn more on pages 16–19.
Choose from one of our flexible subscription packages that best matches your lifestyle this year. The more you see, the more you save!
Make your trip to the theater a celebration! Groups of 10+ save on tickets. School groups can dive deeper into the theater by joining us at one of our student matinees.
Our award-winning education programs build confidence and inspire creativity and connection in all ages.
Play a vital role in making art come to life in our community.
Come behind-the-scenes with us on social media and subscribe to our emails to get news delivered straight to your inbox. COVER PHOTOS: Marsha Mason and Gabriel Amoroso in Lost in Yonkers • Joel Perez and the cast of Kiss My Aztec! • Terry Burrell and Shakirah DeMesier in Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous • Evan Zes in It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play • McCaleb Burnett and Natascia Diaz in Ah, Wilderness! • Alaudin Ullah in Dishwasher Dreams*. Photos by T. Charles Erickson except * by Michael Brosilow. INSIDE COVER: Photo of Melia Bensussen by The Defining Studios. 2022/2023 Season Sponsor
The Mousetrap
By Agatha Christie Directed by Jackson Gay
October 13 – November 6
3 27 SM 26 10:30 7:30 Check in for a most memorable stay at Monkswell Manor... 5 PRODUCTION SPONSOR PRODUCERS Don & Marilyn Allan Sally Speer LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW www.HartfordStage.org (860) 527-5151 It’s a freezing night in 1947 and a motley group of strangers find themselves suddenly trapped in an inn. As the snow falls, the body count rises — and the suspect list only seems to grow, as clues and possible motives are revealed at every turn. With intrigue, mystery, murder, and a dash of humor, this snowy getaway unfolds into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Don’t miss this electric, tantalizing production of the classic Christie whodunit. PD Free Post-Show Discussion OC Open Captioned Performance AD Audio Described Performance SM Student Matinee Performance SM 10:30 7:30 10:30 7:30 SM 15 8:00 PREVIEW14 8:00 PREVIEW13 7:30 PREVIEW 16 2:00 PREVIEW 22 2:00 8:00 21 8:00 OPENING20 7:30 19 7:30 PREVIEW18 7:30 PREVIEW CLOSED MONDAY23 PD 2:00 29 2:00 8:00 28 8:00 25 30 OC 2:00 5 AD 2:00 8:00 4 8:00 2 PD 2:00 1 PD 7:30 6 2:00 OCT NOV SUN WEDTUE FRITHU SAT
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
Adapted by Joe Landry Originally Co-Directed by Melia Bensussen and Rachel Alderman Directed by Zoë Golub-Sass
Based on the story “The Greatest Gift” by Philip Van Doren Stern from the screenplay by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra and Jo Swerling
November 25 – December 24
Bring the whole family to this heartwarming holiday classic! OC Open Captioned Performance AD Audio Described Performance SM Student Matinee Performance SF Sensory Friendly Performance 7 Five actors and one sound effects artist have assembled on Christmas Eve to guide audiences through the world of George Bailey and Bedford Falls, live from the studio at WBFR. The spirit of imagination takes hold as we’re launched on a transformational journey on stage. Join us this winter to experience a magical adaptation of a beloved story. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW www.HartfordStage.org (860) 527-5151 EXCLUSIVE PRODUCTION SPONSOR 26 7:30 25 7:30 27 2:00 3 SF 2:00 7:30 2 7:30 OPENING1 7:30 3029 7:30 CLOSED MONDAY 4 2:00 10 2:00 7:30 9 7:30 8 7:30 7 10:30 7:30 6 SM 10:30 11 OC 2:00 17 AD 2:00 7:30 16 7:30 15 7:30 14 SM 10:30 7:30 13 18 2:00 7:30 NOV DEC 24 2:00 23 2:00 7:30 22 7:30 21 7:30 20 7:30 SM SUN WEDTUE FRI THU SAT STUDENT MATINEE SPONSOR
Espejos: Clean By/escrita por Christine Quintana Spanish translation & adaptation by/ Traducción y adaptación por Paula Zelaya Cervantes Directed by/Dirigida por Melissa Crespo IN ASSOCIATION WITH/EN ASOCIACIÓN CON SYRACUSE STAGE January 12 – February 5
9 A groundbreaking bilingual tour de force. Una obra bilingüe que trasciende fronteras. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW www.HartfordStage.org (860) 527-5151 14 8:00 PREVIEW13 8:00 PREVIEW12 7:30 PREVIEW 15 2:00 PREVIEW 21 2:00 8:00 20 8:00 OPENING19 7:30 18 7:30 PREVIEW17 7:30 PREVIEW CLOSED MONDAY22 PD 2:00 28 2:00 8:00 27 8:00 26 7:30 25 7:30 24 29 OC 2:00 4 AD 2:00 8:00 3 8:00 2 7:30 1 PD 2:00 31 PD 7:30 5 2:00 JAN FEB Two worlds collide one evening at a high-end resort in Mexico, igniting a series of misunderstandings, miscalculations, and internal reckonings. Told entirely in English and Spanish — with respective supertitles — Espejos: Clean offers an eye-opening story of unlikely and meaningful connection. Dos mundos distintos convergen una noche en un hotel de lujo en México, desatando una serie de malentendidos, juicios erróneos, y reflexiones internas. Una historia contada enteramente en Inglés y Español — con sus subtitulos respectivos — Espejos: Clean honra las conexiones trascendentes e inesperadas. PD Free Post-Show Discussion OC Open Captioned Performance AD Audio Described Performance SUN WEDTUE FRITHU SAT
The Art of Burning
By Kate Snodgrass
by Melia Bensussen
Directed
IN ASSOCIATION WITH HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY March 2 – March 26
modernist painter Patricia changes the terms of her ‘conscious uncoupling’ with Jason. She wants full custody of their 15-year-old daughter Beth. Jason demands that their daughter decide, but mysteriously Beth didn’t show up for school. Has Patricia hidden her away to protect her, or is there something more sinister afoot?
Mid-negotiation,
11 An inspired new comedy exploring the love, rage, and responsibility that go with marriage and parenting in America. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW www.HartfordStage.org (860) 527-5151 4 8:00 PREVIEW3 8:00 PREVIEW2 7:30 PREVIEW 5 2:00 PREVIEW 11 2:00 8:00 10 8:00 OPENING9 7:30 8 7:30 PREVIEW7 7:30 PREVIEW CLOSED MONDAY12 PD 2:00 18 2:00 8:00 17 8:00 16 7:30 15 7:30 14 19 OC 2:00 25 AD 2:00 8:00 24 8:00 23 7:30 22 PD 2:00 21 PD 7:30 26 2:00 MAR PD Free Post-Show Discussion OC Open Captioned Performance AD Audio Described Performance SUN WEDTUE FRITHU SAT
The Winter’s Tale
By William Shakespeare Directed by Melia Bensussen
April 13 – May 7
King Leontes, his pregnant wife Hermione, and their young son seem like a perfect royal family — until he’s consumed by the fear his wife has been unfaithful. In a fit of tyrannical rage, he makes dire accusations that destroy all that is precious to him. Sixteen years later a new generation has emerged, and in this time-hopping romance, the idealism of the young and the regrets of the old collide. Shakespeare’s mastery of storytelling is on full display, reminding us that even after a harsh winter, spring will return, if we have faith
other and ourselves.
in each
13 Shakespeare is back! An awe-filled fable of fury and forgiveness. MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SHAKESPEARE FUND Rick & Beth Costello, Jack & Donna Sennott, and The John & Kelly Hartman Foundation LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW www.HartfordStage.org (860) 527-5151 PRODUCERS Wes & Chloe Horton 15 8:00 PREVIEW14 8:00 PREVIEW13 7:30 PREVIEW 16 2:00 PREVIEW 22 2:00 8:00 21 8:00 OPENING20 7:30 19 7:30 PREVIEW18 7:30 PREVIEW CLOSED MONDAY23 PD 2:00 29 2:00 8:00 28 8:00 27 SM 10:30 7:30 26 10:30 7:30 25 30 OC 2:00 6 AD 2:00 8:00 5 8:00 4 SM 10:30 7:30 3 PD 2:00 2 PD 7:30 7 2:00 APR MAY PD Free Post-Show Discussion OC Open Captioned Performance AD Audio Described Performance SM Student Matinee Performance SM SUN WEDTUE FRITHU SAT
Trouble in Mind
By Alice Childress Directed by Christopher D. Betts
JOYCE C. WILLIS FELLOW
May 25 – June 18
about race,
the roles we play in
arena
This dramatic satire tracks the nuanced, simmering tension between the artists of a biracial company working on a Broadway-bound premiere. As they rehearse, questions about the play emerge, igniting an impassioned debate
power, the roles we play on stage, and
life. In this timely revival, the theater becomes an
wherein we explore how — and why — we use our voices. 15 LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHOW www.HartfordStage.org (860) 527-5151 “Alice Childress’s play about power and race in the theater is a satire and a tragedy that deserves to be a classic.” THE NEW YORK TIMES 27 8:00 PREVIEW26 8:00 PREVIEW25 7:30 PREVIEW 28 2:00 PREVIEW 3 2:00 8:00 2 8:00 OPENING1 7:30 31 7:30 PREVIEW30 7:30 PREVIEW CLOSED MONDAY4 PD 2:00 10 2:00 8:00 9 8:00 8 7:30 7 7:30 6 11 OC 2:00 17 AD 2:00 8:00 16 8:00 15 7:30 14 PD 2:00 13 PD 7:30 18 2:00 MAY JUN PD Free Post-Show Discussion OC Open Captioned Performance AD Audio Described Performance SUN WEDTUE FRITHU SAT
WHY SUBSCRIBE?
The arts help us make sense of the world. Set aside a few dates in your calendar now to attend live theater and experience a range of emotions and conversations.
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save up to 30% off the regular ticket price! Plus, lock in your seats for the following season — or be first in line for a seating upgrade before tickets go on sale to the general public.
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ONLINE: www.HartfordStage.org/Subscribe BY PHONE: (860) 527-5151 IN PERSON: 50 Church Street, Hartford, CT 06103 JOIN
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17 MainStage Subscription • See all 5 MainStage Shows • Save 20% on It’s a Wonderful Life • Guaranteed Seating • Free exchanges PREMIUM GOLD SILVER BRONZE Regular Performance $400.00 $300.00 $200.00 $120.00 Preview Performance (first week) $350.00 $262.50 $175.00 $105.00 Add On It’s a Wonderful Life $80.00 $60.00 $40.00 $24.00
• Select any of the 6 shows • Flexible date options 5-Play Regular Performance $400.00 $300.00 $200.00 $120.00 4-Play Regular Performance $340.00 $255.00 $170.00 $102.00 3-Play Regular Performance $270.00 $202.50 $135.00 $81.00 5-Play Preview (first week) $350.00 $262.50 $175.00 $105.00 4-Play Preview (first week) $300.00 $225.00 $150.00 $90.00 3-Play Preview (first week) $240.00 $180.00 $120.00 $72.00
All Performances $100.00 $75.00 $50.00 $30.00 Youth/Student Price $20.00 $20.00 $20.00 $20.00 FIND MORE DETAILS ONLINE AT WWW.HARTFORDSTAGE.ORG/SUBSCRIBE.
BRING A GROUP
If you have 10 or more people, you qualify for ticket savings! We host groups of all different types including colleges, adult communities and senior centers, churches and synagogues, tour groups, professional organizations and businesses, social clubs, family reunions, or just friends getting together for a night out.
Learn more and plan your outing at www.HartfordStage.org/Group-Sales BOOK A STUDENT MATINEE
Middle and high school students are invited to join us for special performances throughout the year. They’ll get to see the show, plus participate in a talkback with the cast afterwards. Your group could even add on a workshop with a teaching artist! All tickets are $20, with discounts available for Title 1 schools.
For more dates and details, visit www.HartfordStage.org/Student-Matinees
UNDER 35?
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Subscribe today at www.HartfordStage.org/Stage-Pass
MAKES A DIFFERENCE
Did you know that every ticket price is subsidized to ensure affordable access to our theater? The actual cost of the shows on our stage are supported by generous donations. Make a gift today to our Annual Fund to ensure we continue to create and present exceptional productions at Hartford Stage.
To join us as a donor or corporate sponsor, visit www.HartfordStage.org/Support
EDUCATION @ HARTFORD STAGE
Our award-winning Education programs provide students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds with innovative opportunities that challenge and inspire. Using theater techniques, we build community and citizenship, promote a passion for literacy and creative expression, and encourage life-long learning. Learn more at www.HartfordStage.org/Education
VOLUNTEER WITH US
If you’re looking for a fantastic volunteer opportunity, consider joining us as an usher! In addition to being able to see each show for free, ushers play a crucial role at Hartford Stage — greeting audiences as they walk through the doors and making sure they’re having the best experience possible. The time commitment is flexible and we’re always looking for more assistance.
Sign up at www.HartfordStage.org/Volunteer
The Shubert Foundation
Lucille Lortel Foundation
Burry Frederick Foundation
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR ALL HARTFORD STAGE PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY YOUR SUPPORT
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Non Profit Organization US Postage PAID Hartford CT Permit No. 3612 2022/2023 Season Your seat is waiting! Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap OCTOBER 13 –NOVEMBER 6 It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play NOVEMBER 25 –DECEMBER 24 Espejos: Clean JANUARY 12 –FEBRUARY 5 The Art of Burning MARCH 2 –MARCH 26 Shakepeare’s The Winter’s Tale APRIL 13 –MAY 7 Trouble in Mind MAY 25 –JUNE 18 50 Church St., Hartford, CT 06103