DRAYTON – Drayton Entertainment will present a 2019 playbill packed with Broadway blockbusters, comedies, dramas, tributes and a number of fun-filled family musicals and pantos.
Artistic director Alex Mustakas continues to aim to bring a wide variety of crowd-pleasing productions to the award-winning charitable not-for-profit theatre organization’s seven stages throughout Ontario.
In 2019 as Drayton Entertainment will be among the first professional regional theatres in North America to produce the stage adaptation of Rocky: The Musical, based on the popular Sylvester Stallone film.
The company will also produce the Canadian professional regional premieres of both Newsies and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Rocky: The Musical is story of struggling small-time boxer Rocky Balboa, who gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to fight against heavyweight champ Apollo Creed in South Philadelphia.
The production will open the season at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge from March 6 to March 31, and then run in the summer at the Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend from July 18 to August 3.
Disney’s Newsies is the rousing tale of a band of teenaged newsboys in New York City at the turn-of-the century, who rise up and strike against the unfair conditions imposed on them by the titans of publishing.
Newsies will be on stage from June 27 to July 13 at the Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend, and then July 18 to Aug. 3 at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse.
The Australian musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, will launch the season at St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, playing for four weeks from March 13 to April 7. This stage adaptation follows three drag queens as they set out on a hilarious adventure across the Australian outback in a battered old bus nicknamed Priscilla.
Other major musical blockbusters like Annie, Grease and Elf: The Musical are also on the playbill, along with the return of popular musicals like Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Thoroughly Modern Millie.
The family musical Annie tells the story of a brave young orphan forced to live in a miserable orphanage in 1930s New York. Annie will entertain audiences from June 5 to June 30 at the Drayton Festival Theatre, and then Oct. 2 to 27 at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge.
Summer brings the hit Broadway phenomenon Grease from July 10 to Aug. 3 at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge, and then Aug. 8 to 31 at the Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend.
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is back – this time in Drayton and Penetanguishene. The show will run from July 11 to Aug. 10 at the King’s Wharf Theatre in Penetanguishene, and Aug. 15 to 31 at the Drayton Festival Theatre.
The romantic musical comedy Thoroughly Modern Millie will launch the season in Grand Bend at the Huron Country Playhouse from June 5 to 2.
The nostalgic Canadian musical You’ll Get Used To It … The War Show will be on stage at two venues in celebration of the 75th Anniversary of D-Day.
The joys and sorrows of war are explored in this sentimental musical that follows the journey of six Canadian infantrymen, featuring popular music from the 1930s and 1940s. The show is on stage as a tribute to veterans June 5 to 22 at St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, and June 27 to July 13 at the Huron Country Playhouse II in Grand Bend.
Drayton Entertainment’s 2019 playbill also includes several comedies as well as more serious fare.
The new Canadian play GLORY, based on the rise of Ontario’s Preston Rivulettes Women’s Hockey Team, will be on stage at four Drayton Entertainment venues. The show runs from May 15 to June 8 at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge, June 12 to 22 at the Huron Country Playhouse II in Grand Bend, June 26 to July 6 at the King’s Wharf Theatre in Penetanguishene and July 10 to 20 at the Drayton Festival Theatre.
Acclaimed plays ART, Twelve Angry Men and The Miracle Worker will be on stage next season.
ART, a comedy that explores the value of art and the fickleness of friendship will be on stage from Oct. 2 to 20 at St. Jacobs Country Playhouse.
The courtroom drama Twelve Angry Men will play at the Huron Country Playhouse II in Grand Bend from July 18 to Aug. 3, and at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge from Aug. 7 to Aug. 24.
Based on the true story of Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan The Miracle Worker will be on stage at St. Jacobs Country Playhouse from April 24 to May 12.
Two tribute shows are also on the docket – Fiddler on the Loose and Good Ol’ Country Gospel.
Fiddler on the Loose is a musical variety show that features over 60 songs running the gamut of genres from country and bluegrass to Celtic, classical, pop, and more. This show is on stage from July 24 to Aug. 10 at the Drayton Festival Theatre.
Good Ol’ Country Gospel is a tribute to the sacred hits with a country twist. This musical tribute is on stage from Sept. 11 to Dec. 22 at the St. Jacobs Schoolhouse Theatre.
Jack and the Beanstalk: The Panto will entertain from June 5 to 22 at the King’s Wharf Theatre in Penetanguishene, and then Aug. 8 to 31 at the Huron Country Playhouse II in Grand Bend.
Another panto the Sleeping Beauty will run at St. Jacobs Country Playhouse from Nov. 27 to Dec. 22.
Elf: The Musical hits the stage at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge from Nov. 20 to Dec. 22. Based on the 2003 movie starring Will Ferrell, Elf: The Musical is a Christmas-themed fish-out-of-water musical comedy.
Tickets are on sale now for 2019 performances.
For more information about the 2019 season visit www.draytonentertainment.com/season-2019-announcement.
