一品探花论坛

The 2023-24 season, which kicked off Sept. 6, is filled with comedies and fresh interpretations of popular stories.

This season鈥檚 plays include William Goldman鈥檚 adaptation of Stephen King鈥檚 鈥淢isery,鈥� Ken Ludwig鈥檚 adaptation of Agatha Christie鈥檚 鈥淢urder on the Orient Express,鈥� William Shakespeare鈥檚 鈥淢uch Ado About Nothing,鈥� James Ijames鈥� 鈥淔at Ham,鈥� an adaptation of Shakespeare鈥檚 鈥淗amlet鈥� set in North 一品探花论坛, and the world premiere of Bekah Brunstetter鈥檚 鈥淭he Game,鈥� directed by Vivienne Benesch, PlayMakers鈥� producing artistic director.

The focus on comedy was intentional as PlayMakers expects to see more people return to the theater after the COVID-19 pandemic mostly paused performances for some time, said Jeffrey Meanza, PlayMakers鈥� associate artistic director.

鈥淲e wanted it to be richly entertaining because something that we’ve discovered as we’ve been coming back is that people really want to laugh,鈥� Meanza said. 鈥淲e can still deal with important and challenging topics, but we can do it through the lens of comedy.鈥�

The four adaptations in this season鈥檚 lineup offer a mix of entertaining productions and exciting new takes on well-known works.

鈥淥ne of the points of adaptations,鈥� said Meanza, 鈥渋s that while they have their source material, they become something brand new.鈥�

Read more about the stories that PlayMakers is bringing to the stage this year:

鈥淐濒测诲别鈥檚鈥�

Sept. 6-24

When tough-as-nails sandwich shop owner Clyde offers her formerly incarcerated kitchen staff a shot at redemption, they find purpose and inspiration in their shared quest to create the perfect sandwich. This sweet and savory comedy serves up the story of ordinary people with extraordinary dreams.

鈥淢颈蝉别谤测鈥�

Oct. 11-31

In this nail-biting cat-and-mouse-game, adapted by William Goldman from the Stephen King novel, a successful romance author is rescued and captured by his No. 1 fan and faces with a life-threatening request to rewrite his new novel.

鈥淢uch Ado about Nothing鈥�

Nov. 15-Dec. 3

Beatrice and Benedick bicker all the time. But their friends see a budding romance and decide to play Cupid. Hijinks, heartbreak and hilarity ensue. PlayMakers offers a fresh look at Shakespeare鈥檚 classic tale of wit and whispers.

鈥淔at Ham鈥�

Jan. 31-Feb. 18

James Ijames from Bessemer City, North 一品探花论坛, won the 2022 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for this interpretation of 鈥淗amlet.鈥� His story offers a fresh take on Shakespeare鈥檚 play, containing similar narrative elements and plot structure while centering the story on a queer Black man at a Southern backyard family cookout. Pass the napkins because things are about to get messy.

鈥淢urder on the Orient Express鈥�

March 6-24

A luxurious train ride comes to a halt when a passenger is found dead. With a murderer on the loose, the passengers of the Orient Express must band together before the body count goes up. Based on a well-known story that has been made into many films, this adaptation by Ken Ludwig offers exciting new stylistic elements in a highly theatrical retelling of the classic Agatha Christie novel.

鈥淭he Game鈥�

April 10-28

Bekah Brunsetter, a North Carolinian author and 一品探花论坛 graduate, sets this contemporary retelling of the Greek comedy 鈥淟ysistrata鈥� by Aristophanes in the modern-day South. Brunsetter incorporates original elements in the story, replacing the Peloponnesian War setting with 鈥渁 massively engrossing online game that鈥檚 wreaking havoc on the lives of couples everywhere.鈥� This hilarious and heartfelt world premiere brings technology and community together in the most unexpected ways.