Monmouth Theater announces Season 54: Brave New Worlds

Theater at Monmouth recently announced its Season 54 lineup for Brave New Worlds set for July 1 – Aug. 13 (with possible extension through Aug. 20), At the Theater at Monmouth, 796 Main St. in Monmouth.

From the Divine Right of Kings to the awkward banter of young love, Theater at Monmouth’s 54th season explores Shakespeare’s flawed rulers in “Richard II” and forest-dwelling lovers in “As You Like It;” Peterson and O’Hare’s modern take on the repercussions of war in “An Iliad,” Wilde’s effervescent wit and wisdom in “The Importance of Being Earnest,” and Bartram and Hill’s exploration on the reach of the bonds of friendship in “The Story of My Life.”

“Richard II” by William Shakespeare
Richard II is dangerously out of touch with his kingdom. He wastes money, raises taxes to support his lavish lifestyle, plays favorites and cares more about his vanity than the common good. When Henry Bolingbroke—father of the future Henry V—challenges Richard for the throne, it’s a fight the king can’t win. But in losing his crown he gains far greater things: his humanity and his soul. Shakespeare’s luminous, poetic masterpiece is the first of four plays that chronicle the House of Lancaster’s rise and the beginning of the Wars of the Roses.

The production will be staged at 7:30 p.m., July 13, 7:30 p.m. (Preview/Monmouth Night), July 14, 22, 26, Aug. 3, and 11; 7 p.m. July 7 and 30; 1 p.m. Aug. 6.

“As You Like It” by William Shakespeare
Welcome to Arden. This is the story of Rosalind. Oppressed and exiled from Court under threat of death, she escapes with her cousin, cross-dressed and gartered, into the wild and unpredictable Forest of Arden. Disguised as a boy, she creates a world of her choosing, reveling in her newfound agency and self-discovery. But chance encounters with the love-struck Orlando complicate her new adventure. All the world’s a stage in As You Like It, Shakespeare’s gender-bending comedy, where poetry, mistaken identities, and true loves lost and found abound.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. July 27, 28, Aug. 2, and 8; 1 p.m. Aug. 3 and 9; and 7 p.m. Aug. 13.

“The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde
“A trivial comedy for serious people.” – Oscar Wilde
Jack and Algernon have chosen to lead double lives to evade the tedium of polite society. However, when they attempt to win the love of two women who declare they will only love a man called Ernest – chaos reigns. The Importance of Being Earnest is a tale of mistaken identities, rapid–fire wit, and cucumber sandwiches. There may not be a funnier, more socially insightful play chock–full of eccentric characters than this masterpiece by Oscar Wilde.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. July 8, Aug. 5, and 10; 1 p.m. Aug. 2, 4, 12 and 13.

“The Story of My Life” music and lyrics by Neil Bartram, book by Brian Hill
The Story of My Life Follows the friendship of Alvin and Thomas, two men from a small town. These lifelong friends are reunited after Alvin’s mysterious death. In the abstract world of his mind, Thomas struggles to write Alvin’s eulogy while recounting the many turns that their lives have taken since meeting as children. Alvin searches through manuscripts and stories in Thomas’s mind to lead him on a journey of remembrance.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. July 1, 15, 19, Aug. 1 and 12; 1 p.m.; July 30, and Aug. 10, 1:00 p.m.

“An Iliad” by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare
An Iliad is a modern-day retelling of Homer’s classic. Poetry and humor, the ancient tale of the Trojan War, and the modern world collide in this captivating theatrical experience. The setting is simple: the empty theater. The time is now: the present moment. The lone figure onstage is a storyteller—possibly Homer, possibly one of the many bards who followed in his footsteps. He is fated to tell this story throughout history.

Show times are 7:30 pm. July 8, Aug. 5 and 10; 1 p.m. Aug. 2, 4, 12 and 13.

Family show: “Tall Tales Twice Told” by Dawn McAndrews
Tall Tales Twice Told is a collection of American folk tales featuring characters and situation larger than life and older than time. From Paul Bunyan and his Big Blue Ox to John Henry the Railroad Man and Johnny Appleseed the Planter of Orchards to Kate Shelley and the Midnight Express—these timeless and timely tales introduce young people to American history, culture, and role models.

Show times are 1 p.m. July 8, 15, 22, 29, Aug. 1, 8, 11 and 17.

“HMS Pinafore” book by W.S. Gilbert, music and lyrics by Arthur Sullivan
September 14 – 24, 2023
Back by Popular demand for TAM’s Fall Musical is the Gilbert & Sullivan comic opera HMS Pinafore! HMS Pinafore has a classic Gilbert and Sullivan plot: forbidden love, unforeseen plot twists, and a farcical ending. When Josephine, the daughter of Captain Corcoran, falls for Ralph Rackstraw, a lowly seaman, she has to contest with her planned marriage to Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty. Who she will end up with is anyone’s bet!

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Sept. 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23; 1. p.m. Sept. 16, 17, 23 and 24.

Tickets cost $25-$40.

For tickets or more information, visit theateratmonmouth.org.