The upcoming live, six-play season at the Indiana Repertory Theatre will feature hybrid offerings as well as the return of plays missed because of the pandemic. After a season of producing an entirely virtual experience, the IRT’s new season will open in October 2021 and run through June 2022.
“We are so thrilled to be able to share these productions and plan for a season where we can be together again in the Theatre,” said Janet Allen, the IRT’s Margot Lacy Eccles artistic director. “We look forward to welcoming our multi-generational audiences back into the IRT to see these thought-provoking, entertaining stories truly come to life on our stages.”
In an effort to continue to provide accessibility and comfort opportunities to audiences, the IRT will once again partner with WFYI to film the productions and provide streaming options for each production, while also following existing safety guidelines for in-person performances.
The new season will begin with The Book Club Play, a fizzy comedy about why we gather and why we love books, written by Karen Zacarías. Next, the Indy holiday tradition – Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol – will return in a reimagined version of Tom Haas’ adaptation and will feature a new actor playing the lead of Ebenezer Scrooge – Indy favorite Rob Johansen.
When the IRT was forced to cancel the 2020-2021 season, a few remaining shows never reached the stage. Of those, three will be making their debut this season, including the much-anticipated The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin by Jessica Huang, the pop-culture hit Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling, and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, adapted by Tobias Andersen.
Through these productions, the IRT is hoping to reunite many of the design teams and cast members who were originally slated to create these plays. The remaining production of the season will join The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin in the INclusion Series, which celebrates diverse storytelling, and will be announced this summer.
The 2021-2022 Season is generously supported by OneAmerica Financial Partners. Seated packages are available now. Flexible and Virtual packages will be available this summer, and single tickets, both in-person and virtual, will go on sale in the fall. To learn more about season package benefits and to purchase, visit irtlive.com.
2021-2022 SEASON AT THE INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE
* The Book Club Play by Karen Zacarías, Oct. 6 – Oct. 31 on the OneAmerica Mainstage. Description: “Fizzy, funny delight.” Can a book club be more than just a book club? When a documentary filmmaker sets up a camera and the wine starts flowing, a lot more than literature gets discussed. Truths are told and secrets are revealed as six young professionals find that there is more to a book – and life – than the cover. A sweet, tart comedy with all the feels.
* Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, adapted by Tom Haas, Nov. 26 – Dec. 26 on the OneAmerica Mainstage. Description: Now more than ever, we need to gather together to celebrate the joy of the season. A Christmas Carol shines a light on the power of kindness and love in this uplifting tale of one man’s journey to redemption. As the weather turns cold, warm your heart with the IRT as we joyfully reimagine and tenderly bring this annual holiday treasure to new life.
* Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, adapted by Tobias Andersen, Jan. 26 – Feb. 20 on the OneAmerica Mainstage. Description: “A searing sci-fi tale.” In a dystopian future where the written word is forbidden, firemen are paid to burn books instead of fight fires. But when Montag starts to read the books he is supposed to burn, he begins to question the life he leads. Now he must choose between continuing his regimented existence or risking everything for the right to think. Published in 1953, this science fiction classic is even more relevant today.
* To be announced: March 23 – April 16 on the OneAmerica Mainstage.
* The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin by Jessica Huang, April 20 – May 15 on the Upperstage. Description: “A a surreal journey through past and present. Despite the U.S. ban against Chinese immigrants, Harry Chin forged a new identity to earn precious American dollars to send home to his starving village. Now he is trapped between two families and two worlds. Seasoned with magic and mystery, this hauntingly theatrical tale from our overlooked history considers the personal and political repercussions of making a group of people illegal.
* Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling, May 10 – June 5 on the OneAmerica Mainstage. Description: “Strong and sassy.” Before it was a movie, this pop culture favorite was an off-Broadway hit. With sharp, witty banter and memorable one-liners, six women from all walks of life celebrate the everyday joys and tears of small-town living while gathered at their favorite hair salon. When tragedy strikes, the play reveals the steely bonds of compassion and love that hold true friends together.
