Past Productions 

This heartwarming romantic comedy, narrated by a group of Christmas carolers, tells the story of Della and Jim, who are desperately in love with each other but also very poor. In their attempts to buy each other proper Christmas gifts, a strange twist of fate leads the couple to find the perfect gifts for one another -- but at an unexpected cost. Though they may not have the perfect Christmas, the couple learns about the importance of the gift of love in this beautiful adaptation of the story by O. Henry.

When desperate people come to 221B Baker Street in search of aid, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are always there to help. But this quartet of conundrums will put even Holmes' deductive genius and Watson's stout heart to the test. The remarkable duo must match wits with a dastardly blackmailer, recover a coronet of priceless gems, trace a vanished bride, and solve a murder so strange that Watson considers it the most singular of all their cases. Based on four classic short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, Holmes and Watson: The Game's Afoot is both a gripping mystery and a celebration of enduring friendship.

When a man is accused of abducting half a dozen cats, it's a simple open-and-shut case, even for a jury that's filled with oddballs like a dim-witted PR guy, a bickering couple, and a man obsessed with french fries. After all, every scrap of evidence indicts the accused. (I mean so clearly. The man is very, very guilty of stealing cats. Case closed.) And yet, Juror #8, a wannabe lawyer, believes that the "Cat Burglar" is innocent. Will he be able to sway the other jury members? Or will they side with Juror #3, the only sane man in the room? A hilarious parody of 12 Angry Men.

Tony Wendice, who married his wife Margot for her money, now plans to murder her for the same reason. Tony arranges the perfect murder: He hires a scoundrel he once knew to strangle Margot, and arranges a brilliant alibi for himself. Then, on the night of the planned attack, everything goes awry in a thrilling surprise twist and he must now adapt or risk being tied to the very murder he planned to commit.

 This beloved American holiday classic comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. With the help of an ensemble that brings a few dozen characters to the stage, the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve.

 The Peanuts gang celebrates Halloween while Linus waits for the Great Pumpkin.

Who is the Lead Rings Murderer? Who is responsible for the grisly murders plaguing San Francisco? Nobody knows except Lancelot T. Terrierre, the host of radio’s most exciting adventure show, “The Hummer.”

Lance reveals that he not only knows who the murderer is, he has locked himself and his crew into the studio with the culprit and plans to expose the murderer to the public live on the air!

As the radio show begins, strange things begin to happen. There is the murder mystery that is unfolding on the air and the murder mystery that is simultaneously happening in the studio. As the play progresses, both plots fuse into one. Every time a murder is discussed on the air, a murder takes place in the studio! Show ratings are going up as actors are going down! The police are frantically calling the studio. National TV hosts want interviews with the survivors … if there are any.

As the show unfolds, we challenge you to guess who the killer is and how the murders in the studio are being committed. Nobody will know who the real Lead Rings Murderer is until the very end; only then will you see the ingenious method the murderer has used to silence the radio cast.

 In a small town in Kansas, Dorothy Gale dreams of becoming a renowned artist, but when her dream comes under threat she finds herself in a cursed Oz that’s oh so different from anything she’d ever dreamed. Now, she must save a doomed land and find a way home all while figuring out why there are now four of her. But are these tasks really all that unrelated?

Charlie and Sally Brown are planning to go to their Grandmother's for Thanksgiving dinner when Peppermint Patty calls and invites herself and two friends to have Thanksgiving dinner at his house. Now Charlie Brown must prepare a second dinner for his friends, with the help of Linus, Snoopy, and Woodstock, and learn what Thanksgiving is all about in the process.

The unsuspecting residents of Sunset Towers are summoned to the reading of a mysterious will, only to find themselves locked in a thrilling game, as they must discover who is responsible for killing an eccentric millionaire. Through blizzards, bombings and unlikely alliances, the game is on, and the only people who hold all the clues are one Westing heir and you.

It was finally Christmastime, the best time of the year. The houses were strung with tiny colored lights, their windows shining with the warm, yellow glow only Christmas could bring. The scents of pine needles and hot cocoa mingled together, wafting through the air, and the sweet sounds of Christmas carols could be heard in the distance. Fluffy white snowflakes tumbled from the sky onto a group of joyful children as they sang and laughed, skating on the frozen pond in town. Everyone was happy and full of holiday cheer. That is, everyone except for Charlie Brown.

It's Christmas Eve, and Mrs. Frump, the director of the Peaceful Valley Orphanage, is planning what she believes will be the most special Christmas ever for her kids. She's borrowed an old bus and arranged for each child to spend Christmas with a family in the area. The only problem is, she hasn't told the Busybodies on the orphanage board of trustees, who believe Frump has gotten too old and soft to handle the rowdy kids at Peaceful Valley. With the help of teenage Thomas, the oldest of the orphans and her trusty right-hand man, Frump sets off to deliver the kids—pursued by the suspicious Sheriff Snodgrass and the Busybodies. Along the way, they pick up a passenger: a traveling troubadour who's been on the road trying his luck as a folksinger and is now returning home to his girlfriend (who may or may not be glad to see him). It's an adventuresome ride, culminating in a Christmas even more special than Frump could have ever imagined.

An exciting adaptation of the classic Poe tale, re-invented as a detective thriller and set in 1930's Boston. James Brookfield, an up-and-coming writer of potboilers from New York City, is invited to the Boston home of his childhood friend, Roderick Usher, to, as his host suggests, “chronicle the evolution” of the House of Usher. What begins for Brookfield as a pleasant distraction from the busy hubbub of New York’s literary circles turns into a maelstrom of horror when he slowly discovers Usher’s secret intent, and realizes that the life of Usher’s sister, Madeline, as well as Brookfield’s own life, are in terrible danger. Told as a series of lightning-paced flashbacks as tough-as-nails police detective Michael Shaughnessy questions Brookfield about what actually happened to cause the fire that destroyed the House of Usher, the play moves relentlessly to its terrifying, stunning conclusion.

At first the Sycamores seem mad, but it is not long before we realize that if they are mad, the rest of the world is madder. In contrast to these delightful people are the unhappy Kirbys. The plot shows how Tony, attractive young son of the Kirbys, falls in love with Alice Sycamore and brings his parents to dine at the Sycamore home on the wrong evening. The shock sustained by the Kirbys, who are invited to eat cheap food, shows Alice that marriage with Tony is out of the question. The Sycamores, however, though sympathetic to Alice, find it hard to realize her point of view. Meantime, Tony, who knows the Sycamores are right and his own people wrong, will not give her up, and in the end Mr. Kirby is converted to the happy madness of the Sycamores, particularly since he happens in during a visit by an ex-Grand Duchess, earning her living as a waitress. No mention has as yet been made of the strange activities of certain members of the household engaged in the manufacture of fireworks; nor of the printing press set up in the parlor; nor of Rheba the maid and her friend Donald; nor of Grandpa's interview with the tax collector when he tells him he doesn't believe in the income tax.

Two compelling stories come together in this heartwarming play inspired by the famous editorial Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve, 1897, in New York City, eight-year-old Virginia is left pondering whether or not Santa really exists after a series of unhappy events. Meanwhile, a young newspaper editor also struggles against tough holiday times as they are faced with losing their job if they can't find their writer's voice by morning. Even though they don't know each other, the spirit of Christmas is about to bring these people together, creating in the process an unforgettable and cherished part of classic Christmas folklore.

Ten strangers are summoned to a remote island. All that the guests have in common is a wicked past they're unwilling to reveal and a secret that will seal their fate. For each has been marked for murder. As the weather turns and the group is cut off from the mainland, the bloodbath begins and one by one they are brutally murdered in accordance with the lines of a sinister nursery rhyme.

One of Shakespeare's greatest comedies comes into a new,  Monty Python-inspired light. Set in an old Italian courtyard, watch as the colorful cast of characters works together to marry two couples: Hero and Claudio, the young starstruck lovers, and Beatrice and Benedick, the ill-fated lovers vowed to detest each other forevermore. But when trouble strikes in the form of Don John and Borachio (pronounced Bor-ah-CHEE-oh), all plans will go awry.

Spies, murder, love, and other trademarks of Alfred Hitchcock come to life in the style of a 1940s radio broadcast of the master of suspense's earlier films. With The Lodger, Sabotage and The 39 Steps, Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play is a triple feature, complete with commercials from our sponsors, that recreates a daring train chase, a serial killer's ominous presence, and a devastating explosion through the magic of live sound effects and musical underscoring.

Beth Bradley's church's Christmas pageant is predictable every year - the angel choir wears too much lipstick, the shepherds are all in their father's bathrobes, the minister's son is permanently cast in the role of Joseph - hardly "four-star entertainment." But when seasoned and authoritative pageant director Mrs. Armstrong breaks her leg, it is up to Beth's inexperienced mother Grace to step in. The timing couldn't be worse, as the rambunctious Herdman children, a rough and tough group of siblings from the wrong side of the tracks, descend upon the pageant, lured by the promise of free dessert at Sunday school, and determined to win all the lead roles for themselves.

The Ladies' Aid Society members are beside themselves with disapproval, all the shepherds quit because Gladys Herdman "hits too hard," the show is briefly re-titled "Revenge at Bethlehem," and the church catches on fire. But Beth and her community watch in surprise as the same old Christmas story is rejuvenated by the creativity, energy, and unexpected sincerity of a misunderstood young family.

Paul and Corie Bratter are newlyweds in every sense of the word. After a six day honeymoon, they get a surprise visit from Corie's loopy mother and decide to play matchmaker during a dinner with their neighbor-in-the-attic Velasco, where everything that can go wrong, does.

A small group of people help Jesus Christ tell different parables by using a wide variety of games, storytelling techniques and a hefty dose of comic timing. An eclectic blend of songs, ranging in style from pop to vaudeville, is employed as the story of Jesus' life dances across the stage. Dissolving hauntingly into the Last Supper and the Crucifixion, Jesus' messages of kindness, tolerance and love come vibrantly to life.

Gadzooks! The Royal Shakespeare Company hasn't arrived as promised to perform their stirring rendition of "A Christmas Carol." So our intrepid band of hapless actors and technicians must put together their own production in only seven hours! What a pity that they are not quite up to the task, even though they give it their all. Have you ever experienced backstage mayhem? Well, you haven't seen anything yet! The play focuses on these poor but dedicated thespians doing their best while chaos is all around them: two kids fighting over who gets to play Tiny Tim, a confused actor who thinks she's in another show, a haughty lead actor, one actor playing both Bob and Mrs. Cratchit, an out-of-control director, thrown together props and costumes, ridiculous scenery, and tons of flubs and confusion. Most of the actors in the show play multiple roles in this extremely fast-paced and physical comedy. Even the light and sound board operators are characters in the show!

Angel Street tells the story of the Manninghams, who live on Angel Street in 19th century London. As the curtain rises, all appears to be the essence of Victorian tranquility. It is soon apparent, however, that Mr. Manningham, a suavely handsome man, is slowly driving his gentle, devoted wife, Bella, to the brink of insanity with an insinuating kindness that masks more sinister motives. While he is out, Mrs. Manningham has an unexpected caller: amiable, paternal Inspector Rough from Scotland Yard. Rough is convinced that Mr. Manningham is a homicidal maniac wanted for a murder committed fifteen years earlier in this very house. Gradually, the inspector restores Bella’s confidence in herself and, as the evidence against Manningham unfolds, the author has built and sustained some of the most brilliant, suspenseful sequences in modern theatre.

Miss Maple, a dowager with a reputation for "clever" weekend parties, invites a group of detective writers to eerie Ravenswood Manor on Turkey Island where they are to impersonate their fictional character. The hostess has arranged all sorts of amusing incidents - a mysterious voice on the radio, a menacing face at the window, a mad killer on the loose.

Who is that body in the wine cellar anyway?Why do little figurines keep toppling from the mantle? Then a real murder takes place, and Miss Maple is outraged She offers a huge reward to the "detective" who can bring the killer to justice and what an assortment of zany would-be sleuths!

The time is the Great Depression and the large Spencer family, living at the foot of a Virginia mountain, is struggling hard just to survive. With his father having to take the only available job a long way from home, Clay-Boy is stuck with unusual responsibility for his brothers and sisters. Just reaching manhood, Clay-Boy has a secret yearning that's quite extraordinary for the practical, earth-bound community in which he lives. He wants to write! Such foolishness is utterly foreign to his hardworking father, who tells him to prepare to become a responsible man—to build a home and raise a family. Clay-Boy could explode with frustration at his inability to communicate with this man that he admires most. He is also worried because his father is already long overdue in getting home. In the climax, the father makes it—just as they are in despair about him. He brings a special gift for his son, a gift that reveals unexpected understanding and the strength of a loving family.

A fabulous mystery farce concerning newly-weds Edgar and Mavis ...

Two days after their wedding Edgar discovers that Mavis - a nasty piece of work - is being unfaithful.

After her first attempt to kill him by poisoning his cocoa when the cat dies instead, Mavis resorts to shooting him and then returning to her lover.

Chaos and complications reign when it transpires that the shots were blanks and that Edgar's body has vanished ...

A highly theatrical dramatization of a C.S. Lewis classic by America's most-produced children's playwright.

Young Digory and his friend Polly, through the use of magic rings created by Digory's uncle, set forth on a series of magical adventures through mythical kingdoms and enchanted lands. In the travels, they encounter Queen Jadis and awaken her from her enchanted sleep, unleashing the power of evil.

Attempting to acquire the healing apple for Digory's sick mother, the heroic children unintentionally bring Jadis' evil into Narnia, the new world which the great lion Aslan sings into existence. In this land of talking animals, there are miraculous happenings as good battles against evil and Digory struggles to return home to cure his ailing mother with the healing apple.

Summer, 1917. Essex, England. Back from the war, Captain Arthur Hastings convalesces at Styles Court. But when the lady of the house suspiciously dies, the tranquil manor turns treacherous. The cause is murder and the killer could be anyone: her unappealing new husband, her ne'er-do-well son, the blunt female groundskeeper, even the local toxicologist. Enter Hercule Poirot, Belgian refugee and detective extraordinaire, who applies his famous brain to the seemingly unsolvable mystery. A cunning stage adaptation of the novel that launched Agatha Christie's career.

A Christmas Carol tells the story of a bitter old miser named Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation resulting from a supernatural visit by the ghost of his former business partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Yet to Come.

Whodunit, howdunit. When famous actress Primavera Donna throws a party and winds up dead, it's up to the guests to figure out who and how, and why the hired help is so annoying. Shades of Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie, and Ten Little Indians. As the storm outside rages and the body count mounts, the guests must contend with interruptions, shocking revelations, tacky special effects, and the arrival of a mysterious visitor. Both the action and dialogue are fast-paced and the surprising conclusion leaves only one question: Who gets the movie rights? The cast includes a stuffy butler, a social butterfly, a playboy, a dotty chemist, an aristocrat of dubious origin, a nun who has taken a vow of silence, a part-time detective, a very French maid, and a mysterious stranger.

It was finally Christmastime, the best time of theyear. The houses were strung with tiny colored lights, theirwindows shining with warm yellow glow only Christmas could bring.The scents of pine needles and hot cocoa mingled together,wafting through the air, and the sweet sounds of Christmas carolscould be heard in the distance.Fluffy white snowflakes tumbled from the sky onto a group of joyful children as they sang and laughed, skating on the frozenpond in town. Everyone was happy and full of holiday cheer. Thatis, everyone except for Charlie Brown.

Eccentric Millionaire, Albert Doornale has invited all of his close friends to his estate; including his ex-wife Abigail, his current fiance Candy Bombay, and his childhood friend from the Lower East Side, Salvatore Carbone.

Everyone arrives at the estate greeted by the grumpy Butler and cutlery carrying cook. The only problem is, Albert is not there, no one has seen him. Not his nerdy Nephew or his socially spoiled daughter. None of the guests have any idea why they are there or what happened to their host. That is until blood is found in the sink.

Was Albert killed and carried away? In the nick of time, Inspector Bukowski arrives on the scene. A murder investigation will begin, as soon as a body is found. It may be a long wait.

Gadzooks! The Royal Shakespeare Company hasn't arrived as promised to perform their stirring rendition of "A Christmas Carol." So our intrepid band of hapless actors and technicians must put together their own production in only seven hours! What a pity that they are not quite up to the task, even though they give it their all. Have you ever experienced backstage mayhem? Well, you haven't seen anything yet! The play focuses on these poor but dedicated thespians doing their best while chaos is all around them: two kids fighting over who gets to play Tiny Tim, a confused actor who thinks she's in another show, a haughty lead actor, one actor playing both Bob and Mrs. Cratchit, an out-of-control director, thrown together props and costumes, ridiculous scenery, and tons of flubs and confusion. Most of the actors in the show play multiple roles in this extremely fast-paced and physical comedy. Even the light and sound board operators are characters in the show!

It's dinnertime, and you're invited to a meal so good, it's to die for! In New York's little Italy, the Donnaducce family and the Duccedonni family have been feuding for a generation, while operating two competing Italian restaurants that share a common wall. At rise, the building's landlord is dead at center stage, and everyone is suspect – from the old-world Italian grandmother and mafia don grandfather to the passionate chefs and bumbling waitstaff.

Flashing back in time, the story is told by its victim, who alternately narrates and participates in the action. As customers in the restaurant, the audience is served a delectable meal, but they don't just sit back and watch; each table must cast their vote for whodunit! Will the murderer be ferreted out? Will the feud ever be reconciled? What are the hidden truths about what happened all those years ago?

An extended—and quite dysfunctional—family gathers for a Christmas season tradition: Aunt Hazel's historically inedible fruitcake. But before she can bring it out, some of the relatives steal the thing and make a bet on whether they can destroy it. Chaos ensues.

It is the day of Eleanor's annual church Christmas dinner for the poor and she has brought along her new boyfriend, Leo, to meet her grown granddaughter, Jane, for the first time. Jane has also brought along her new boyfriend, Bobby, to meet her grandmother. Unfortunately, they are so busy serving the dinner that the two couples do not get the chance for formal introductions. 

Through a series of misunderstandings, each person thinks the other is someone else entirely. Eleanor thinks Bobby is one of the homeless people while Bobby thinks Eleanor is a confused alcoholic and that Leo is her drunken boyfriend Jane thinks Leo is an insane stalker and Leo thinks Jane is a malicious thief.

The confusion escalates until the final hilarious confrontation.

Seven youngsters, who have heard that Jesus appears on Earth on Christmas Eve, sneak into the church near midnight. As much as they hope to see Him, they become frightened when a strange man appears. In ragged clothes, hungry and tired, the stranger eats the food the youngsters brought as they question him. Is he some kind of homeless man or is he indeed the Savior they have been seeking? An extraordinary play which reminds us that our Savior is not just found in church but is everywhere.

It was finally Christmastime, the best time of theyear. The houses were strung with tiny colored lights, theirwindows shining with warm yellow glow only Christmas could bring.The scents of pine needles and hot cocoa mingled together,wafting through the air, and the sweet sounds of Christmas carolscould be heard in the distance.Fluffy white snowflakes tumbled from the sky onto a group of joyful children as they sang and laughed, skating on the frozenpond in town. Everyone was happy and full of holiday cheer. Thatis, everyone except for Charlie Brown.

This time it's not Ebenezer Scrooge but his grandson, Engelbert, who is "bah humbugging." The fun begins when the first ghost, a lovely young lady, pops in, intent on showing the crotchety old executive a grand tour of Christmases past. Add to this merry melange another two ghosts, a snippy secretary, and carolers, and the result is a hilarious situation that Dickens couldn't possibly have foreseen.