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the list of shows for that year.

An asterisk* indicates an award winning production.

   

Click on the pictures to get a detailed breakdown,
including awards and reviews and more pictures.
   
     


THE FRIENDLY HOUR
by Tom Jacobson
directed by Mark Bringelson
September 12 - November 15

 

Formed in rural South Dakota in 1934, this poignant comedy charts 70 years of personal and national history, from skinning skunks and julebukking when the tale begins, to restoring the native prairie in the new millennium.  Join these fascinating women as they laugh, cry, navigate the difficult changes in their relationships, and share their lives at their “friendly” monthly gathering.

 



   


LADY
by Craig Wright
directed by Scott Alan Smith
April 25 - June 28

 

Deep in the woods of downstate Illinois, three boyhood friends come together on a hunting trip. Now middle aged and on separate paths, they find that the common thread of memory is being stretched to the breaking point. Can the war in Iraq reach even these secluded woods and destroy their frienship forever?

 


     

the World Premiere of

SWIMMING
by Steve Totland
directed by Meryl Friedman
January 19 - March 24



  David and Denise dive into a swimming hole in rural Kansas.  So begins a 10-year marriage that looks as beautiful as the clear blue water.  But under the surface lies an eddy of deception that threatens to drown their marriage.   When you’re in over your head, how long can you hold your breath?
 



   

the World Premiere of

CUTS
8 plays by The Dog Ear Playwrights' Collective
directed by 8 members of The Road
February 5 - March 20 (Mon. & Tues)



  The Road Theatre Company presents CUTS – a World Premiere theatrical event written by 8 members of the Dog Ear Playwrights’ Collective. Commissioned by the Road, these unique takes on DUPLICITY are directed and performed by the talented pool of Road Theatre Company directors and actors. The double edge of deceit and a pair of scissors lie at the heart of their thought-provoking and diverse stories.
     

the U.S. Premiere of

DIRK*
Based on the novel DIRK GENTYLY'S HOLISTIC DETECTIVE AGENCY by Douglas Adams
Adapted for the stage by James Goss and Arvind Ethan David
directed by Jeff Griffith
September 29 - December 2, 2006

  A 200-year old Greek pot. An ordinary modern salt cellar lodged inside. This is impossible (or at least inexplicable)!  From the mind of Douglas Adams, who brought you The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, comes DIRK; a ghost/horror/detective/time-travel/romantic comedy/epic that begins with a seemingly innocent conjuring trick and ends with the most devastating secret of humankind! 
     

the World Premiere of

Backwards in High Heels
by Jim Henry
directed by Ken Sawyer
May 26 - August 12, 2006

 

For better or worse, in sickness and in health and back again, Michael and
Gen dance their way through the Greatest Generation of war and peace, fame and fortune; loving, cherishing and despising each other, as long as they both shall live.

     

the West Coast Premiere of

String of Pearls
by Michele Lowe
directed by Stephen Sachs
January 20 - April 8, 2006

 

Four actresses play 27 roles in this funny and touching play that follows the journey of a string of pearls as it passes through the many hands and hearts of unforgettable women.

     

     

the World Premiere of

Bunbury*
by Tom Jacobson
directed by Mark Bringelson
September 30 - December 18, 2005

 

When he finds out that he is only a fictitious character who never appears in The Importance of Being Earnest, Bunbury uses his double anonymity to infiltrate and alter classic literature, starting by accidentally giving Romeo and Juliet a happy ending. A comedy that proves everyone's life means something--even if they don't exist!

     

an Off-Road Workshop

A Christmas Carol
directed by Darryl Johnson
December 2 - 18, 2005

 

A quartet of carolers fill the theatre with music as they present the classic Dickens tale, taking us through the timeless journey of Ebenezer Scrooge as he evolves from a miserly old grouch to a happy, generous man with the help of Jacob Marley, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, and the Cratchit family.  The story will bring the true meaning of Christmas to all who partake of it..

     

an Off-Road Workshop

Ignore the Tree
an evening of short plays
directed by Josh Gordon
July 19 - August 17, 2005

 

In the Shape of a Heart follows four women as share their journeys toward
strength, independence and self confidence. In 4th Wall (a farce), a man
runs into trouble with his refrigerator repair woman, his fiance, and the
audience. And, In the Blinking of an Eye, two women of a certain age share a picnic in a cemetery.

     

Shove*
by Mark Eisman
directed by Sam Anderson
March 9 - May 15, 2005

 

A suspected subway killer, an uneducated jury forewoman who becomes obsessed, a security guard with a penchant for bulk, and a newsstand owner who wants to be a mother…four lives collide in humorous, touching and frightening ways. Did he or didn't he? Will she or won't she?

     

Smoke & Ice Follies
by Mark Eisman
directed by Caroline McWilliams
February 18 - April 24, 2005

 

A hilariously desperate family of competitive figure skaters scramble to land perfect pairs partners. Tenny, the only non-skater in the family, falls hard for Phillmore, a tormented tobacco heir who may or may not be the right match. An uplifting romantic comedy with a dizzying array of spins, loops, twists, falls and triumphs.

 

   
     

     

an Off-Road Workshop

A Christmas Carol
directed by Darryl Johnson
December 7 - 19, 2004

 

A man with a flair for telling stories describes the very first time he heard the classic Dickens tale; as a child growing
up in a camp of migrant farm-workers in the late 1960’s. On that magical night, an old movie actor happens upon the camp on his way to a performance of his one-man show and is entreated to perform the Dickens' classic story for the group.

     

Ouroboros*
by Tom Jacobson
directed by Michael Michetti
August 20 - December 18, 2004

 

Two American couples get caught in a chronological palindrome on a trip to
Italy. Stigmata, alchemy, adultery and St. Catherine of Siena's severed
head plague a nun and a minister in this circular love story that is a
comedy if performed forward and a tragedy if performed backward.

     

an Off-Road Workshop

Seeing Red
by Randy Bayer-Spittel
directed by Jason Breitkopf
October 28 - November 6, 2004

 

Meet the Baileys - A dead abusive father, a recovering alcoholic mother, a commitment-phobic lesbian, a high maintenance drama queen, & their reclusive brother. They put the FUN in dysFUNctional!

     

an Off-Road Workshop

The Junto
by Charlie Mount
directed by Darryl Johnson
June 2004

 

The smart media executive James Avery is forced to come to terms with the fact that the foundation of the country is not what he thought it was. The Junto, a secret society operating outside the rule of law which controls and manipulates the policies and direction of the U.S. government, wants him to join.

     
The Pagans*
by Ann Noble
directed by Scott Cummins
February 20 - June 19, 2004
 

A contemporary tale of an Irish family and the one son who “made it” in America but can’t quite free himself from the bonds of blood and home. The play examines what it means to have faith in your family, your religion, and those you care about most.

       
     
     

Marked Tree*
by Coby Goss
directed by John DiFusco
September 12 - November 15, 2003
 

Arkansas, 1912. A young girl brutally murdered. A young man communally condemned. Sometimes the question is not who is guilty, but who isn't. Based on the true story of the last hanging execution in Arkansas.

       
The Seventh Monarch*
by Jim Henry
directed by Deborah LaVine
June 14 - August 16, 2003
 

The story of Miriam, a troubled genius whose caretaker parents have disappeared. The darkest possibilities of their whereabouts are unveiled as an investigation swirls around her. A fascinating exploration of survival and hope in the face of loss and tragedy.

       
     
 
The Woman in Black*
adapted by Steven Mallatratt
from a book by Susan Hill
directed by Ken Sawyer
October 2002 - December 2003
 

In the depths of an abandoned theatre...one man's desire to rid himself of a horrible curse leads him to hire a young actor to help him tell his terrifying story and exorcise the fear that grips his soul.

     

 

 
Napoli Milionaria*
by Eduardo deFilippo
directed by Deborah LaVine
translated & adapted by Tori Haring-Smith
June – August 2002
 

Amid the turmoil of Naples in the waning days of World War II, the poor but honest family of Gennaro Jovine learns to survive by trading on the black market. As war permeates every aspect of life – life also permeates the realities of war.

       
     
The Lady's Not For Burning*
by Christopher Fry
directed by Matt Kirkwood
Feb - April 2002
 

An accused witch stirs up sexual heat in a small New England town in the late 1940s. When truth collides with prejudice and fear, deep passions erupt in this wicked comedy.

       
     

A Mislaid Heaven*
by Carson Grace Becker
directed by Ken Sawyer
May - September 2001
 

In a small fishing village on the Western Coast of Ireland, 1921, during the chaotic months before the signing of the controversial treaty that split Ireland into two countries…smoldering passions, miracles, secrets, and Celtic legends come together in an epic story about the bonds of love family and country…and the politics that threaten to tear them apart.

       
     

David and Goliath in America*
by Nick Zagone
directed by Ken Sawyer
October - December 2000
  The play follows the fast-paced life of 60s Jewish radical lawyer William Kunstler and his psychedelic crusade for justice defending some of the most revolutionary icons of the time, including Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Lenny Bruce.
       
Ballad Hunter *
by Jenny Laird
directed by Marci Hill
May - July 2000
  The play tells the story of three generations of women living on an isolated Appalachian mountain seeking to make sense of their world, which they suspect is cursed when everything around them mysteriously begins to die.
       
The Angels of Lemnos *
by Jim Henry
directed by Ken Sawyer
October 1999 - February 2000
 

There is a heartbreaking wonder in the madness of Nathan Spandrel, a drifting king of the road who has a wonderfully loopy view of the world. Lost among the many faces of the homeless, his abnormally sized left brain is a blessing and a tragedy as it helps him relive a past that is both troubled and magical.

Hitler's Head *
by John Rafter Lee
directed by Taylor Gilbert & Ken Sawyer
March - June 1999

  Anton Muller is trying to sculpt a strange young Austrian by the name of Adolf Hitler as his studio becomes a battle ground for Elisabeth Nietzsche, the philosopher's sister, Leni Riefenstahl, the disgraced director of "Triumph of the Will," and a cross-dressing Herman Goering.
       
Tainted Blood *
by Tom Jacobson
directed by Michael Michetti
October 1998 - January 1999
  Set in 1878 off the shore of Lough Corrib in Ireland, the Victorian enchantment with foreign cultures and arcane sciences creates the motivation for young Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker, and Arthur Conan Doyle to gather together at Wilde's Irish estate to witness the mysteries of mesmerism.
       

The Importance of Being Earnest
by Oscar Wilde
directed by Linda de Vries
October - December 1998
  England, 1895 - two fast friends in lusty pursuit of the women they adore, experience embarrassments, perplexities and growing panic, until they discover "the vital importance of being earnest."
       
White People *
by J.T. Rogers
directed by John DiFusco
April - August 1998

  Three people defy the norms and mores of today's standards to unveil the very heart of the issue of a dying American dream. All three characters seek to figure out their place as white people in a social order that does not necessarily place them on the top any longer.
       
The Merchant of Venice *
by William Shakespeare
directed by James Clarke
April - May 1998
  Shakespeare's immortal tale of Shylock and the pound of flesh. A story of intolerance, mercy, friendship, and love.
       
New York Mets
by TJ Edwards
directed by Scott Smith
January - March 1998
  On the lower East side of Manhattan, in a place called "Phil's Typewriter Repair and Manuscript Shop," three friends desperately try to communicate their love and dreams to each only to find that sexual identities become blurred and mere words are not enough.
       


Yuletidings *
by Elias Stimac
directed by Stephanie Lesh
November - December 1997
  A humorous compilation of short stage works that celebrates the holidays of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's.
       
An American Romance *
by Mark Lee
directed by John Lawler
July - November 1997
  Massachusetts, 1841 ... Brook Farm, one of the first utopian communities in America, is a retreat for scholars and artists of the day -- including author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Intellectual reason is challenged as ideals of a "New America" clash with the desires of the human heart.
       
Slumber Party
by Brady Sewell Thomas
directed by Taylor Gilbert
March - April 1997

  Realizing his mortality after suffering a heart attack, Will Bradley has invited his oldest love to visit him. His plans are interrupted by his first and last ex-wives and his alcoholic daughter who show up to help him. A raging ice storm strands everyone in the house and all must spend the night together.
       

The Roaring Girl
by Joseph Puterbaugh
directed by Marc Handler
November - December 1996
  A denizen of the dark, a stalker of the streets and, some say, the first women ever on the English stage. London, 1611, provides the backdrop for the true story of Mary Firth, alias Moll Cutpurse, a notorious thief who flourished in the underworld of Jacobean era.
       


Joy Ride & Other Short Plays *
by Kristen Lazarian
directed by various directors
August - September 1996
  A series of one-acts by Kristen Lazarian exploring the comic themes in different types of relationships.
       
Home Fires *
by Jack Heifner
directed by Taylor Gilbert & Ken Sawyer
May - July 1996

  Nettie runs a boarding house for women in Texas during World War II. Most
of the women in town work at the local slack factory, supporting the war
effort overseas. The play tells the story of seven such women interwoven
with the plight of a teenage boy.
       
Idle Wheels
by James Morrison
directed by Richard Herd
February - March 1996
  In an Alaskan trailer park, a young man practices Eskimo mysticism. A birthday party and the return of his girlfriend from college set in motion a chain of events climaxing in a clash of ideals, wants, and desires with tragic results.
       

Visas & Virtue *
by Timothy Toyama
directed by Tom Donaldson
Part of Roadside Attractions
November - December 1995
  "Visas and Virtue" was made into a short film with the cast members of The Road Theatre Company production reprising their roles. This short film went on to the win the 1998 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short.
       
Roadside Attractions *
by various Golden West Playwrights
directed by various directors
November - December 1995
  The Golden West playwrights, dedicated to developing new works by California playwrights, joined together with The Road to present an evening of one-acts.
       
Merlin *
by Tankred Dorst
directed by Brad Hills
September - October 1995
  In the play as in life, good can beget evil and evil can beget good. In a futuristic world, the Devil has fathered the redoubtable Merlin and good King Arthur uncharacteristically has fathered evil Mordred in this retelling of the Knights of the Round Table.
       
Akela *
by Ron McLarty
directed by David Gianopoulos
June - July 1995
  A high school teacher takes six Cub Scouts on a weekend camping trip. What happens next not only destroys her life, but the lives of everyone living in her small rural town. The play reveals the tragic repercussions of the destruction of the earth and the disintegration of our personal relationships.
       
       

       
My Last Confession *
by Douglas Scott Delancy
directed by Taylor Gilbert
November - December 1994
  St. Martin's is a forgotten Catholic church in the heart of New York's Alphabet City. Derelicts defecate and urinate in the confessionals, and someone keeps stealing the crucifix. This highly comic holiday tale is replete with New York's most interesting characters.
       
Petty Treasons
by Jon Bastian
directed by Brad Hills
September - October 1994
  Told through the eyes of the executioner, the plays retells the real-life incident that occurred in England in 1724, in which three people were falsely tried, convicted, and executed for murder.
       

The Chisholm Trail Went Through Here
by Brady Sewell Thomas
directed by Taylor Gilbert
July - August 1994

 

  In the flatlands of Texas just after World War II, industrial progress and fate have brought the Rucker family to their knees. Their cattle are dying, their hopes decaying, their dreams kept alive in simple pleasures.
       

Pirates *
by Mark Lee
directed by Brad Hills
April - June 1994

  The play tells the parallel stories of four women trying to find their way in a man's world, the setting continually shifting from the early eighteenth century Caribbean, aboard an English frigate, to a modern day university History department, where academics take a back seat to bureaucracy and power struggles.
       
Freak of Nature
by Ken Hanes
directed by Che'Rae Adams
February - March 1994
  Images of heaven and hell are used to add a twist to the tale of a beautiful man whose looks are both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes even beauty becomes the beast.

       

The Walkers
by Barbara Lindsey
directed by Dan Butler
November - December 1993

  Life in suburban Anytown, U.S.A. takes its toll on this not so typical American family. A dysfunctional family by day, by night their subconscious is unlocked and feelings freed with new revelations.
       

Mooncalf *
by Leon Martell
directed by Taylor Gilbert
September - October 1993

  Dreams blend with reality leaving nightmares in their wake. A tannery housing several of society's outcasts is the setting for this drama/fantasy in which a retarded young man's tenuous grasp on reality is threatened by the forces around him.
       

Vig *
by Paul Hapenny
directed by Brad Hills
June - July 1993

  A vivid account of a small-time bookie's attempt to retain the honor of a dishonorable profession. As a new generation of crooks moves in on his territory, the fatally flawed hero struggles to protect his loved ones and customers.
       

       

Why Things Burn
by Ric Krause
directed by Jan Lewis
November - December 1992

  The starry promise of Hollywood fame and fortune casts a deadly spell on a group of circus performers after their second-rate circus disbands outside of Los Angeles in 1952. A quirky black comedy unfolds as the performers make their way to Hollywood.
       

The Suicide
by Nikolai Erdmann
directed by Tim Ottman
September - October 1992

  Unemployment is skyrocketing. Corrupt politicians are eroding rights of free speech, and soon even the bodies will belong to the state. Welcome to Russia, circa 1930, where an unemployed "little man" intent on killing himself, finds his suicide attempt co-opted by everyone from bureaucracies to butchers.
       
I-Land
based upon a novel by Sonia Pilcer
directed by Gino Cabanas
May - June 1992
  This black comedy is a sophisticated look at the ultra hip inhabitants of Manhattan who are constantly on the prowl for love, but with only one thing on their brains, sex. The story offers a stark portrayal of the wacky, egotistical, driven, obsessed, sad, and lonely souls in the Big Apple.
       

In the Name of the People
by Tim Boland
directed by Taylor Gilbert
November - December 1991

  Set in a death house holding cell, the drama follows the last hours of condemned murderer/rapist J.P. Johnson, as well as those whose lives he touched.
       
Balm in Gilead
by Lanford Wilson
directed by Gino Cabanas
September 1991
  In an all-night coffee shop on New York's Upper Broadway, the play focuses on the lives of various substance abusers, drag queens, streetwalkers, and lesbians bringing to the surface their loss and fear, resignation and fettered hopes.
       

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The Road Theatre Company is a subsidiary of The Other Side of the Hill Productions, Inc., a 501-C3 non-profit corporation.