Hippodrome Mainstage Archives
2011-2012
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
April 11 - May 13 2012
by William Shakespeare
adapted by Cass Foster
Produced by: Mary Hausch
Directed by: Lauren Caldwell
Running time: 1 hr. 45 min. including intermission
"An absolutely delightful evening of theater." —Dick Maxwell, Gainesville Sun
"Lauren Caldwell pulls out all the stops in a revised-streamlined version that brings the script to life like it has never been performed before." —Jack Petro, Jack's Theatre
"The cast had constant energy that really made Shakespeare’s work come to life." —Gina Chitko, GainesvilleActivities.com
Royal weddings! Mistaken identity! Magical potions!
This spring, the Hippodrome brings William Shakespeare’s classic tale of star-crossed lovers and enchantment to the stage in a captivating adventure for all ages! This unforgettable show features stunning special effects, brilliant illusions and even dazzling dance!
It will leave you smiling and believing in the power of true love.
Over the Tavern
February 22 - March 25 2012
by Tom Dudzick
Produced by: Mary Hausch
Directed by: Lauren Caldwell
Running time: 2 hrs. 15 min. including intermission
"Audiences grin ear-to-ear at Over the Tavern." —Arline Greer, Gainesville Sun
"Absolutely hilarious" —INsite Magazine
"Move over Neil Simon!" —Don Simson, Jack's Theatre
Faith, family, and Ed Sullivan fight for space in the Pazinski’s cramped upstate New York apartment. The youngest of the bunch, 12-year-old Rudy, is a smart, precocious kid who’s starting to question his family’s values and the Roman Catholic Church. When he announces to the ruler-wielding Sister Clarissa that instead of being confirmed he’d rather shop around for a more “fun” religion, all hell breaks loose. A warm and hilarious look at growing up in the 1950s, and a comedy for anyone who ever had a family…or survived one!
Sirens
January 11 - February 5 2012
by Deborah Zoe Laufer
Produced by: Mary Hausch
Directed by: Lauren Caldwell
Running time: 1 hr 40 min
"The play is a must-see for anyone. The actors are outstanding and you will leave the theater with your face hurting from laughing so hard." —InSite Magazine
"The Hipp’s Sirens gives audiences an evening of fun and good-natured comedy." —Arline Greer, Gainesville Sun
By the playwright of last season’s hit End Days, Sirens is a clever comedy about finding one’s muse. Sam and Rose have been married for twenty-five years and living off the royalties of a hit song that Sam wrote in the early days of their courtship. After Rose discovers Sam’s all-female Facebook friend list, they decide to rekindle their passion with a romantic cruise to the mythical Greek Isles. All goes well until Sam leaps overboard after falling under the spell of a Siren’s song. Through the healing power of laughter, Sirens is the perfect post-holiday pick-me-up.
A Christmas Carol
November 26 - December 18 2011
Adapted by Mary Hausch, from the story by Charles Dickens
Produced by: Mary Hausch
Directed by: Sara Morsey
A Gainesville tradition for the entire family. Join Scrooge, Marley, the Cratchits and a host of Christmas ghosts for this holiday favorite. Dazzling special effects, an original adaptation and a timeless message of goodwill have made A Christmas Carol one of the most popular Hippodrome productions of all time.
This Wonderful Life
November 25 - December 23 2011
by Steve Murray
Produced by: Mary Hausch
Directed by: Lauren Caldwell
“[Christopher] Swan delivers the moon…in the Hippodrome’s delightful production of ‘This Wonderful Life’. What a wonderful way to welcome the holiday season. Don’t miss it. You’ll become a believer too.” —Sherwin Mackintosh, The Gainesville Sun
Back by popular demand! Visit Bedford Falls for a humorous and captivating staging of Frank Capra’s Hollywood classic. This tour de force production for one actor (Christopher Swan) playing 32 characters, from George Bailey to Zuzu, delivers a witty and moving story that is sure to capture your heart and captivate your spirit.
The Turn of the Screw
October 12 - November 6 2011
by Jeffrey Hatcher from the story by Henry James
Produced by: Mary Hausch
Directed by: Lauren Caldwell
Running time: 90 min. including intermission.
"This time of year we can always expect something a little scary and a little sinister from the Hippodrome. The Turn of the Screw is no exception. An unforgettable evening of theater." —Dick Maxwell, Gainesville Sun
"A dazzling act of the imagination." —The New York Times
Based on the classic ghost story, this psychological thriller is a spectacular tour-de-force for two actors. A young governess journeys to a lonely English manor house to care for two orphaned children in what she considers a dream job. But her dream turns into a nightmare as the house’s spectral inhabitants soon reveal themselves.
God of Carnage
August 31 - September 25 2011
by Yasmina Reza translated by Christopher Hampton
Produced & Directed by: Mary Hausch
Running time: 80 minutes. There is no intermission.
Awards: 3 Tony Awards including Best Play
"A hilarious frolic about what happens when grownups attempting to solve their children’s problems act like children themselves." —Dick Kerekes, EntertainingU.com
"Elegant, acerbic and entertainingly fueled on pure bile." —Variety
"Brutally entertaining." —NY Newsday
The most talked about and critically acclaimed show of the 2009 Broadway season is a comedy of manners ... without the manners! A play by the award-winning playwright of Art and Life x3. The scene is an upscale New York City apartment where two sets of sophisticated, educated parents arrange a meeting to discuss the playground antics of their 11-year-old sons. What starts out as a calm and reasonable meeting of the minds turns into a hysterically revealing night of name-calling, tantrums and tears.
Advisory: This hilarious adult comedy contains language and themes best suited for mature audiences.
2010-2011
Suds
June 1 - July 31 2011
Created by Melinda Gilb, Steve Gunderson & Bryan Scott
Produced by: Mary Hausch
Directed by: Lauren Caldwell
Running time: 2 hours
"Suds is all fluff, good fun in the best tradition of the Hippodrome's summertime shows." —Arline Greer, Gainesville Sun
"The audience was singing and clapping along and was ultimately on its feet waving and wildly applauding. How often does that happen?" — Suzanna Mars, Visitsouth.com
SUDS is the delightful story of a young woman and the four guardian angels who teach her about finding true love in, of all places, a laundromat! SUDS is loaded with good clean fun, bubbling energy and over 50 well-known songs that topped the charts of the 1960s (Respect, Where the Boys Are, Say A Little Prayer, and more). It’s the summer musical that will keep you singing long after you leave the theatre.
Thumb Through the Playbill See the Photos Sun Article
SUDS has been enjoyed by a wide range of ages. The Hippodrome believes families who appreciate full-length musical revues (approximately 2 hours) full of fun ‘60s pop culture, pop songs and romance will enjoy SUDS.
The 39 Steps
April 13 - May 15 2011
Adapted by Patrick Barlow
Produced by: Mary Hausch
Directed by: Lauren Caldwell
Running time: 1 hr. 51 min
Awards: 5 Tony Award Nominations; 2 Tony Awards; 2 Drama Desk Awards; Best new comedy, Laurence Olivier Award
"Pulls out all the stops." —Arline Greer, The Gainesville Sun.
"Countless moments of hilarity ... The 39 Steps is an incredibly enjoyable play." —Michael Munoz, GainesvilleActivities.com
The Tony award-winning Broadway hit! Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have THE 39 STEPS, a fast-paced whodunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre! This 2-time Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning treat is packed with nonstop laughs, over 150 zany characters (played by a ridiculously talented cast of 4), an on-stage plane crash, handcuffs, missing fingers and some good old-fashioned romance! A mysterious organization called “The 39 Steps” is hot on a man’s trail in a nationwide manhunt that climaxes in a death-defying finale! A riotous blend of virtuoso performances and wildly inventive stagecraft, THE 39 STEPS amounts to an unforgettable evening of pure pleasure!
Step up to Laughs Gainesville Sun Article
Serendib
February 23 - March 20 2011
By David Zellnik
Produced by: Mary Hausch
Directed by: Lauren Caldwell
Running time: 1 hr. 45 min.
"Acting by the diverse cast is excellent. Lauren Caldwell's casting and direction has guaranteed the success of this production, which melds so many entertaining factors." —Dick Maxwell, Gainesville Sun
"You'll find plenty of comedy, along with engaging monkeys with names, in the play. Director Lauren Caldwell's direction with this remarkable cast is outstanding." —Dick Kerekes, EntertainingU.com
The Hippodrome Theatre is bringing an entirely new world to the stage with SERENDIB. This witty, comical hit of the First Light Festival explores the meaning of monkey-see, monkey-do while pondering “who is the primate in charge?” Set in the lush environs of Sri Lanka and incorporating unique puppetry, SERENDIB features a team of serious scientists studying toque macaques (inspired by a real-life monkey study). When a rival researcher arrives on the scene with an invasive documentary crew, stakes are raised, sexual tensions erupt and egos collide.
Incorporating puppet work designed by Emily DeCola to create a uniquely theatrical world of primate behavior, SERENDIB ponders the line between empathy and anthromorphism. SERENDIB is, “A crazy, wonderful, multilayered play about science and humans and monkeys and love, not necessarily in that order” (MilkCan Theatre Blog).
Be the first to see this Southeastern premiere by David Zellnik (whose new musical YANK is slated for broadway).
Originally commissioned and produced by the Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan FoundationScience & Technology Project. This production funded in part through the EST/Sloan Project Mainstage Initiative
Stage full of monkeys—Gainesville Sun Article
