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2008-2009: The Walnut's 200th Anniversary Season! All-American Stories!


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HAIRSPRAY – The Broadway Musical
Book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan
Music by Marc Shaiman
Lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman
Based upon the New Line Cinema film written and directed by John Waters
November 4 – January 4
This Broadway sensation explodes onto the Walnut stage with an all-new production bringing big songs, big hair and big dreams to the holiday season! Get out your Hairspray! It's 1962 and it's time for change in Baltimore! Tracy Turnblad has one passion in life—to dance on The Corny Collins Show. When her chance arrives, she grooves her way into instant stardom and the eyes of teen dream Link Larkin. But with the program's scheming producer against her, trend-setting Tracy will need the help of her best friend Penny, her big-hearted mother and the sassy Motormouth Maybelle to show the world that all it takes to make a dream come true is a toe-tappin' beat and a lot of Hairspray!

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
By Tennessee Williams
January 13 – March 1
In 1947, Broadway's hottest young writer brought a new play to the Walnut prior to Broadway. It was an exotic, erotic, passionate and dramatic story, with performances so raw they changed the American approach to acting for generations to come. Tennessee Williams' masterpiece, A Streetcar Named Desire, went on to become a major sensation on Broadway and in Hollywood. Set in the steamy French Quarter of New Orleans, we follow the nervous adventures of a faded Southern belle, Blanche DuBois. This journey of delicate indiscretions, lost dreams and brutish actions leads Blanche to madness, aided by her handsome, masculine brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski. One of the greatest dramas of the 20th century returns to where it began as part of the Walnut's 200th Anniversary celebration.

BORN YESTERDAY
By Garson Kanin
March 10 – April 26
Born Yesterday is one of America's original screwball comedies! Harry Brock is a business tycoon who goes to Washington trying to break into the "special interest" business with an ethically-challenged senator. He realizes that his fiancée, Billie Dawn, may need a makeover to fit his new inside-the-beltway image. To ensure that Billie gets properly "culturefied," Brock hires a D.C. journalist to give the seemingly dim-witted blonde a crash course in politics, history, literature, and—of course—true love. The Golden Age of comedy proves that times haven't changed. Washington pay-for-play, All-American humor and true love weren't born yesterday, they are stronger than ever!

Mel Brooks' THE PRODUCERS
Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan
Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks
By special arrangement with StudioCanal
May 12 – July 12
Mel Brooks' The Producers opened on Broadway to historic, unanimous rave reviews, earning a record-breaking twelve Tony Awards. This laugh-out-loud musical comedy is the story of scheming producer Max Bialystock and his mousy accountant Leo Bloom. Bloom discovers that under the right circumstances they could make more money producing a Broadway flop than they could with a hit. The two set out to produce the worst Broadway musical of all time. But what will they do when their sure-to-offend musical becomes a surprise sensation? You'll find out with this great big, over-the-top, fun-filled musical comedy. The Producers will be a spectacular finale to a once-in-a-lifetime season!

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All plays and dates subject to change.