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Bristol Riverside Theatre (BRT) is proud to announce four productions for its 2022/23 mainstage season, including one world premiere and one Philadelphia premiere. The season offers theater lovers an award-winning classic, a hilarious adaptation of a cult favorite film, and daring new stories full of laughs, surprises, and drama. Whether audiences are looking to reconnect with an old favorite or discover an exciting new production, BRT’s new mainstage season provides plenty of reasons to return to this 36-year-old cultural institution.
Throughout BRT’s 2022/23 season, audiences can look forward to madcap stories where characters seem to thrive on chaos. In A Leg Up, Charles’ future rests on the new XR3000, an intelligent prosthetic leg designed for the US Senator who is running for president. Unfortunately, his mistress announces she’s pregnant, his business partner has her eye on his wife, and the Senator is having an affair with the leg designer, and it’s not even lunchtime yet! Directed by BRT’s Co-Producing Director Amy Kaissar, this witty and outlandish story by Ken Kaissar is a new comedy for the 21st century. Initially slated for its world premiere in 2019/20, A Leg Up was developed through BRT’s new play development program America Rising.
The season’s second show will be familiar to fans of the board game-turned-cult classic film, Clue, based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn and written by Sandy Rustin. In this hilarious murder mystery adaptation, the guests, under different aliases, are invited to an unusual dinner party at Boddy Manor, only to discover that the host is dead upon their arrival. The zany group of would-be suspects must race to reveal the identity of the murderer before the body count stacks up in this classic whodunnit. BRT’s presentation of Clue is directed by Ken Kaissar.
In Cabaret, characters must adapt quickly as the world around them falls into chaos. John Kander and Fredd Ebb’s Tony Award-winning musical features one of Broadway’s most memorable scores, dazzling audiences since its debut in 1966. The story follows Cliff Bradshaw, an American writer who arrives in 1929 Berlin looking for inspiration for his novel and instead falls in love with a star burlesque performer, Sally Bowles, at the sleazy Kit Kat Club. The decadent nightlife they have fallen into quickly comes under threat, however, as the nascent rise of the Nazi Party continues to grow in strength by the day. Keith Baker, BRT’s former artistic director of over 25 years, returns to direct after having to cancel the production in the 2019/20 season due to COVID.
BRT’s final show of the season will be the Philadelphia premiere of Chicken & Biscuits, written by Douglas Lyons. Rivaling sisters, Baneatta and Beverley, are burying their father, but it’s the non-stop family drama that might be the death of them. Beverly, a single mother to an impatient teenage daughter, is determined to show off her blessings to the congregation gathered to pay respect to her late father. Meanwhile, Baneatta’s youngest son brings his white, Jewish boyfriend to the service but quickly gets swept up in the proceedings after a mysterious guest reveals a family secret. Variety hailed Lyons’ 2021 Broadway production as “A feast of Black joy, love, and laughter.” The Philadelphia premiere of Chicken & Biscuits will be directed by Tyrone L. Robinson.
Each of BRT’s productions will offer guests special pre- and post-show engagements, included with the price of the ticket, for guests to create a special night out. Opening Night performances are followed by catered receptions where folks can revel over that night’s show. At Friday Festivals, BRT patrons can enjoy complimentary beer and appetizers before the first Friday of each production. Looking for a midweek wind down? Every second Wednesday of a show begins at 6:30 p.m. with Wine Down Wednesday, where audiences are served crudité, desserts, and wine. Every third Thursday, known as Thirsty Thursday, includes an hour of complimentary snacks and beer. Tickets and subscriptions for BRT’s 2022/23 mainstage season are available at www.brtstage.org or by calling 215-785-0100.