Show & Ticket Information

SEPTEMBER 15-OCTOBER 8, 2023

Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig

Directed by David Alan Morrison

Ken Ludwig’s clever adaptation of the Agatha Christie classic boasts all the glamour, intrigue and suspense of Dame Agatha’s celebrated novel, with a healthy dose of humor to quicken the pace. Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed eight times, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, the passengers rely on detective Hercule Poirot to identify the murderer – in case he or she decides to strike again…

Approximate Run Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes (including intermission)

Content Warning: this play is suitable for ages 12+ with mild adult language and acts/references to violence

“Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

Thank you to The Branding Iron for sponsoring Murder on the Orient Express!

November 24-December 17, 2023

Music and Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley

Adapted for the Stage by Leslie Bricusse and Timothy Allen McDonald

Based on the Book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” by Roald Dahl

Directed by Jenny Cross

Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka follows enigmatic candy manufacturer, Willy Wonka, as he stages a contest by hiding golden tickets in five of his scrumptious candy bars. Whomever comes up with these tickets will win a free tour of the Wonka factory, as well as a lifetime supply of candy. Four of the five winning children are insufferable brats: the fifth is a likeable young lad named Charlie Bucket, who takes the tour in the company of his equally amiable grandfather. The children must learn to follow Mr. Wonka’s rules in the factory… or suffer the consequences…

ROALD DAHL’S WILLY WONKA is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

Thank you to DME CPA Group for sponsoring Willy Wonka!

March 1-17, 2024

By Lauren Gunderson

Directed by Eric Bischoff

As the British Industrial Revolution dawns, young Ada Byron Lovelace (daughter of the flamboyant and notorious Lord Byron) sees the boundless creative potential in the “analytic engines” of her friend and soul mate Charles Babbage, inventor of the first mechanical computer. Ada envisions a whole new world where art and information converge—a world she might not live to see. A music-laced story of love, friendship, and the edgiest dreams of the future. Jane Austen meets Steve Jobs in this poignant pre-tech romance heralding the computer age.

ADA AND THE ENGINE is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLc, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. (www.dramatists.com)

May 3-19, 2024

By Jones Hope Wooten

Directed by Joe Goins

In this delightful, laugh-a-minute comedy, four unique Southern women, all needing to escape the sameness of their day-to-day routines, are drawn together by Fate—and an impromptu happy hour—and decide it’s high time to reclaim the enthusiasm for life they’ve lost through the years. Over the course of six months, filled with laughter, hilarious misadventures, and the occasional liquid refreshment, these middle-aged women successfully bond and find the confidence to jumpstart their new lives. Together, they discover lasting friendships and a renewed determination to live in the moment—and most importantly, realize it’s never too late to make new old friends.

THE SAVANNAH SIPPING SOCIETY is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. (www.dramatists.com)

June 27-30, 2024

Join us for our 13th Annual Festival of Shorts! Each performance includes eight short plays that include multiple directors and casts. Come and be a part of our annual festival where the audience votes for a favorite at each performance from among the eight finalists. 

The finalists are chosen by volunteer reading groups who are given blind copies for rating. We typically receive submissions from around the globe! The shorts must not have been produced for an audience previously and follow the guidelines provided for the competition. Past winners have later been developed into full-length award-winning plays!

Thank you to First Financial NW Bank for sponsoring the 13th Annual Festival of Shorts!

Thank you for joining us for our 12^th Annual Festival of Shorts. Each performance included eight short plays that included multiple directors and casts, where the audience was able to vote for their favorite at each performance. The theme for this year was Pay It Forward.

Congratulations to our 12th Annual Festival of Shorts Finalists!

By Paul Slade Smith

Directed by David Alan Morrison

Two cops.  Three crooks.  Eight doors.  Go.  In a cheap motel room, an embezzling mayor is supposed to meet with his female accountant, while in the room next-door, two undercover cops wait to catch the meeting on videotape.  But there’s some confusion as to who’s in which room, who’s being videotaped, who’s taken the money, who’s hired a hit man, and why the accountant keeps taking off her clothes.

Music and Book by James Valcq, Lyrics and Book by Fred Alley Based on the film by Lee David Zlotoff

Directed by Diane Johnston

Inspired by the hit 1996 film, The Spitfire Grill is a heartwarming and inspirational musical tale of redemption, perseverance and family. A feisty parolee follows her dreams, based on a page from an old travel book, to a small town in Wisconsin and finds a place for herself working at Hannah’s Spitfire Grill.  The Grill is for sale, but there are no takers for the only eatery in the depressed town, so newcomer Percy convinces Hannah to raffle it off.  Entry fees are one hundred dollars and the best essay on why you want the Grill wins.  Soon, mail arrives by the wheelbarrow and things really start cookin’ at the Spitfire Grill. 

Book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin, Music by Matthew Sklar, Lyrics by Chad Beguelin, Based upon the New Line Cinema film written by David BereNbaum; Directed by Craig Schieber

Reviews & Patron Feedback:

A title known the world over, Elf-The Musical is a must-see holiday musical, based on the cherished 2003 New Line Cinema hit, Elf.  Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole.  The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth.  With Santa’s permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh realities that his father is on the naughty list and his half-brother doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.  This modern-day holiday classic is sure to make everyone embrace their inner elf.  After all, the best way to spread Christmas Cheer is singing loud for all to hear.

By Agatha Christie; Directed by Adam Othman

Awards & Recognition:

• 2022 BroadwayWorld Seattle Awards
  • WINNER! Best Play
  • WINNER! Best Costume Design of a Play or Musical (Elizabeth Fleming)
  • Runners Up – Best Ensemble Performance
  • Runners Up – Best Supporting Performer in a Play (Oliver Rowland-Jones)
  • Runners Up – Best Direction of a Play (Adam Othman)
  • Runners Up – Best Scenic Design of a Play or Musical (Sarah Kessler)
  • Runners Up – Best Lighting Design of a Play or Musical (Gwyn Skone)

Reviews & Patron Feedback:

The world’s longest-running play!  After a local woman is murdered, the guests and staff at Monkswell Manor find themselves stranded during a snowstorm.  It soon becomes clear that the killer is among them, and the seven strangers grow increasingly suspicious of one another.  A police detective, arriving on skis, interrogates the suspects: the newlyweds running the house; a spinster with a curious background; an architect who seems better equipped to be a chef; a retired Army major; a strange little man who claims his car has overturned in a drift; and a jurist who makes life miserable for everyone.  When a second murder takes place, tensions and fears escalate.  This record-breaking murder mystery features a brilliant surprise finish from Dame Agatha Christie, the foremost mystery writer of her time.