By Christopher Trela | NB Indy

The Laguna Playhouse has announced its 2023-2024 season of seven shows , and it ’ s packed with a variety of musicals , comedies and dramas .

The season begins with the musical “ 2 Pianos 4 Hands ,” followed by the classic drama “ The Rainmaker ,” and then a new screwball comedy called “ The Angel Next Door .”

Up next is a celebration of the music of Fats Waller with the Tony Award-winning musical “ Ain ’ t Misbehavin ’.” Then comes the family drama “ a Shayna Maidel ,” followed by Moliere ’ s classic comedy , “ Tartuffe .”

According to Interim Artistic Director David Ellenstein , “ This is truly an exceptional season of plays and musicals as we head into our second century . Our subscribers and audiences are going to be moved , inspired , thrilled , engaged and mesmerized by the seven theatrical events we have planned for them over the coming year !”

The 2023-2024 season details ( courtesy of “ Laguna Playhouse ):

2 PIANOS , 4 HANDS JULY 5 – JULY 23 , 2023 WRITTEN BY TED DYKSTRA AND RICHARD GREENBLATT Get ready for an interlude of laughter and music as two men , or “ four hands ,” take us on a journey about their would-be careers as concert pianists . The talented duo trade sto-

ries about piano lessons , pushy parents and eccentric teachers while playing everything from Bach to Billy Joel . Both hilarious and touching , this musical comedy captures the humor that comes with the path to becoming a pianist , as well as the sense of loss attached with eventually learning to let go of your wildest dreams .

THE RAINMAKER SEPTEMBER 20 – OCTOBER 8 , 2023 WRITTEN BY N . RICHARD NASH A classic tale of Americana , set against the backdrop of a western drought , “ The Rainmaker ” by N . Richard Nash brings lonely souls together as they traverse the struggles of finding who they truly are and how they fit into the world . Laced with humor and charm , “ The Rainmaker ” still resonates today with poignancy , hope and courage . A firm part of the canon of twentieth century dramatic literature , revisiting this story will prove to be a satisfying and uplifting theatrical experience encouraging audiences to believe in the unbelievable .

THE ANGEL NEXT DOOR OCTOBER 18 – NOVEMBER 5 , 2023 WRITTEN BY PAUL SLADE SMITH ( ADAPTED FROM “ PLAY AT THE CASTLE ” BY FERENC MOLNAR ) Capturing the sheer joy , sophistication , and wit of 1940s screwball comedies , playwright

Paul Slade Smith (“ The Outsider ,” “ Unnecessary Farce ”) has brilliantly adapted Ferenc Molnar ’ s classic farce , “ Play at the Castle .” The cast of characters in “ The Angel Next Door ” grapple with romance , misunderstandings , and comical situations which have the potential of major disasters and riotous laughter . Transferring directly from North Coast Repertory Theatre ( where Laguna Playhouse Interim Artistic Director Ellenstein serves as Artistic Director ) after its World Premiere , “ The Angel Next Door ” abounds with sharp , fast-paced dialogue that delivers non-stop mirth . A delightful evening at the theatre .

AIN ’ T MISBEHAVIN ’ JANUARY 24 – FEBRUARY 11 , 2024 WRITTEN BY MURRAY HORWITZ & RICHARD MALTBY JR . MUSIC AND LYRICS BY FATS WALLER It ’ s 1930 ’ s Harlem , and the joint is jumpin ’! Nightclubs like the Cotton Club and the Savoy Ballroom are the playgrounds of high society , and dive bars on Lenox Avenue pulse with piano players banging out new tunes that are a wild mix of raucous , rowdy , and mournful . Featuring the intoxicating music of Thomas “ Fats ” Waller – the big-hearted , bigger-than-life impresario and international jazz pianist who helped create and define American swing , “ Ain ’ t Misbehavin ’” is a roof-raising musical

tribute to the era . Delight in such favorites as “ Ain ’ t Misbehavin ’,” “ Honeysuckle Rose ,” I ’ m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter ,” “ I Can ’ t Give You Anything But Love ,” and dozens more . Winner of both the Tony and Drama Desk Awards .

A SHAYNA MAIDEL MARCH 13 – MARCH 31 , 2024 WRITTEN BY BARBARA LEBOW Transcending grief and rekindling hope , “ A Shayna Maidel ” tells one family ’ s story of survival and resiliency following the Holocaust . Separated for almost 20 years , two sisters are reunited in America after World War II . Through flashbacks and fantasies , the patchwork tale of a life now shattered is painted in haunting detail . A piece originally scheduled in 2020 , “ A Shayna Maidel ’ s ” touching story is the perfect addition to this extraordinary season .

TARTUFFE APRIL 17 – MAY 5 , 2024 WRITTEN BY JEAN-BAPTISTE POQUELIN ( MOLIÈRE ) Moliere ’ s “ Tartuffe ,” acknowledged as one of most enduring comedic masterpieces in the theatrical canon , is given an astonishingly clever translation by two-time Pulitzer Prize poet Richard Wilbur . The charlatan Tartuffe

LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE Page 11

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