[flourish] The 2010 Season

Breaking news: Paul Barnes is at the Acoustic Cafe in Winona along with Doug Scholz-Carlson and Jonathan Gillard Daly announcing our 2010 season. It will, no doubt, be on CNN shortly, but we’d hate to see any of our patrons die of suspense, so here it is:

…and a surprise – GRSF’s first ever play by someone not named William, first musical, first original work by members of our company:

It’s been our tradition to pair something comedic with something more serious, and in so doing to stretch our resident company in two entirely different directions while also offering audiences a broad and varied playgoing experience. Othello and Comedy continue the tradition we established in our 2004 inaugural season and have endeavored to maintain ever since.”

The Daly News returns as the third production in the GRSF seventh season, after playing a sold-out, one-night only benefit performance in 2009. Written by GRSF founding company member and veteran actor, Jonathan Gillard Daly with music by Larry Delinger and Gregg Coffin, composer of GRSF’s 2009 production of Love’s Labour’s Lost and 2005′s Much Ado About Nothing. A musical adaptation of newsletters compiled by Gillard Daly’s grandfather, Martin Daly, The Daly News chronicles the true story of a family separated by the events of World War II.

As Paul is telling the audience at the Acoustic right now: “Jon, Larry, Gregg and I worked on The Daly News at PCPA Theaterfest in California during the mid-’90′s, and Jon has continued to develop the piece since its successful premiere there. After an acclaimed run at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre last winter, I knew GRSF audiences would respond to this newly evolved work. Winona playgoers were enraptured by The Daly News and have been clamoring to know when they might be able to see it again. We’re happy to include it as part of our 2010 season and expect that it will bring an entirely new audience to the Festival.”

After last year’s moving production of Hamlet, we certainly can’t forget the Apprentice/Intern Production:

Shakespeare’s early revenge play – perhaps the bloodiest of all of Shakespeare’s plays.

One more surprise: we’re going to run a week longer in 2010. The season will open the weekend of June 25th with Comedy of Errors and Othello (and Yo-Yo Ma playing at the Beethoven Festival on Sunday). To celebrate the sacrifices of the greatest generation, we’ll open The Daly News on the 4th of July and run all three in repertory until August 1st. Titus Andronicus joins the line-up July 25th, so you’ll have your choice of 4 plays in the final week, not to mention Prelude Concerts, Front Porch speakers, and all our educational programs.

When you add new exhibits at the Marine Art Museum, concerts at the Beethoven Festival, the Trinona triathalon, kayaking on the Mississippi, biking the bluffs and trails – you may as well sell your cabin now and plan on Winona for the summer.

At least that’s what we think.