Show & Ticket Information

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.

May 26-June 11, 2023

Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm – Sundays at 2pm

This is a Mainstage presentation.

Content Warning: Unnecessary Farce contains adult language and mild adult situations including implications of sexual interactions, use of fake guns, and use of adult attire (actors are at times in undergarments, but there is no nudity). This show is recommended for adults.

Run Time: this production is anticipated to be 2 hours including a 15-minute intermission

Join us for our 12^th 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 theme for this year is Pay It Forward.

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

Congratulations to our 12th Annual Festival of Shorts Finalists!

After the closing performance, we will announce the winners for:

• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Place Judges’ Awards
• Overall Audience Favorite

June 29-July 2, 2023

This is a Special Event presentation.

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.