Neptune Theatre has released its lineup for their 2020/2021 season, boasting an impressively diverse series of shows, with works from Atlantic Canadian women and Indigenous playwrights. It’s bound to be a year to remember for the Halifax theatre company.
The summer series will be kicked off with legendary musical The Rocky Horror Show, followed by the beloved Argyle Street Kitchen Party, back for its third season in a row. Round three will feature special guests Ben Caplan, Heather Rankin, and Lennie Gallant.
Two local female playwrights will be opening the mainstage season, starting with Kristin Slaney’s Hockey Messiah. Slaney’s tender comedy follows the lives of hockey prodigy Shawn and neighbour Viola, whose friendship collides with their ideas of growing up.
Following Hockey Messiah is The Woman in Black, known as one of the most terrifying live theatre experiences in the world, just in time for Halloween.
Two-time Governor General’s Award winner Catherine Banks is featured next, with her play Downed Hearts. While struggling to recover from the mental impact of a recovery mission of a downed jetliner, island fisherman Aaron goes out to sea, hoping to restore his peaceful mentality. When he returns with a mute woman, his family begins to wonder if he believes he found the sole survivor.
“The playbill continues to elevate and celebrate local artists on the national stage while presenting the very best in live theatre to our audiences,” said Paul Laberge, chair of the Neptune Theatre Foundation.
The mainstage productions will be rounded off by Fully Committed, a one-act about the teeth-grinding intricacies of taking reservations for a high-class restaurant, and award-winning musical Dreamgirls, a high-octane ride through the music industry of the 1960’s.
Holiday productions will feature Alice in Pantoland, a musical quest for stolen jam-tarts that’s bound to be fun for the whole family, and Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol. Following the holiday season, there will also be a Leonard Cohen tribute concert, A Thousand Kisses Deep.
The Scotiabank Stage will feature works by Indigenous playwrights Samaqani Cocahq and Cliff Cardinal.
Cocahq’s Finding Wolastoq Voice, a Theatre New Brunswick production co-presented with Neptune Theatre and the Prismatic Arts Festival, is an impactful combination of theatre and dance that follows the journey of personal discovery and identity of a young Wolastoqiyik woman, awakened by ancestral voices.
Huff, written by Cliff Cardinal and produced by Cunning Concepts & Creations and co-presented by Neptune Theatre and the Prismatic Arts Festival, follows the heart-wrenching yet comic tale of Wind and his siblings as they heal from their mother’s death while combating abuse.
“We are taking our programming a step further this season to more accurately reflect the community we serve,” said artistic director Jeremy Webb. “This season builds on our work to be more inclusive by showcasing stories that speak to the broader community.”
Also featured in the Scotiabank Studio Series is Stacey Gregg’s Scorch, a one-performer story about a gender-curious teenager’s first love, and Andrew Prashad’s One Step at a Time: A Father’s Journey, where the playwright shares the journey of him and his wife as they raise their children, one of whom is diagnosed with a spinal defect, all while he maintains his career as a professional artist.
The full lineup of this season’s productions can be found below:
SUMMER SERIES
The Rocky Horror Show: July 14-Aug. 30, 2020 (Fountain Hall)
The Argyle Street Kitchen Party: Aug. 4-30, 2020 (Scotiabank Stage)
MAINSTAGE SERIES
Hockey Messiah: Sept. 8 – Oct. 4, 2020
The Woman in Black: Oct. 13 – Nov. 8, 2020
Downed Hearts: Feb 2-21, 2021
Fully Committed: Feb. 23 – March 21, 2021
Dreamgirls: April 6 – May 30, 2021
HOLIDAY PRODUCTIONS
Alice in Pantoland: Nov. 24, 2020 – Jan. 10, 2021
Dickens’ A Christmas Carol: Nov.26 – Dec.27, 2020
SCOTIABANK STUDIO SERIES
Andrew Prashad’s One Step at a Time: A Father’s Journey:
Sept. 29 – Oct. 11, 2020
Finding Wolastoq Voice: Nov. 10-22, 2020
Scorch: March 9-21, 2021
Huff: March 23-28, 2021
BONUS FEATURE
A Thousand Kisses Deep: A Leonard Cohen Tribute Concert: Jan. 29-31, 2021
Ticket packages and subscriptions are on sale now.