Rosebud Theatre has announced its lineup of seven plays and musicals for the 2015 Season. Playing on the Opera House stage will be The Miracle Worker, The Wizard of Oz, Mass Appeal, and A Wind in the Willows Christmas in Rosebud as well as the company’s Theatre For Young Audiences offering, Treasure Island. Two productions will appear on the BMO Studio Stage in 2015 with Wildwood Fire playing in May/June and Last Train to Nibroc playing in July/August.
“Somewhere under a rainbow, you’ll find Rosebud. The plays this season are all about finding yourself in an unexpected place where miraculous things happen,” says Morris Ertman, Artistic Director. “Annie Sullivan has what some would call a destined encounter with Helen Keller, an unexpected invitation that changes everything. Dorothy finds herself in Oz in a production of the musical that will surprise and delight. June Carter Cash surprisingly finds herself sharing her life story with Johnny in a concert/story of rare intimacy. A Wind in the Willows Christmas takes all of the beloved Toad Hall characters into two new stories featuring the music f composer John Rutter that surprise even them. All of the shows this season will take us to unexpected places. And that’s true of Rosebud – the place as well as the plays.
Rosebud Theatre’s 2015 season kicks off March 27 (until May 16) with The Miracle Worker by William Gibson. Helen Keller is blind, deaf, and mute. In a battle of wills, a young teacher fights to release the child from her dark, silent world. This true story captures the drama of Annie Sullivan’s perseverance and her hard-won friendship with a little girl whom no one could save.
Playing May 6 – June 20 on Rosebud’s Studio Stage is Wildwood Fire by Lauren de Graaf and Kelsey Krogman. Both de Graaf and Krogram are Rosebud School of the Arts alumni, and Wildwood Fire made its debut last July as de Graaf’s final student project. June Carter and Johnny Cash are set to play a concert in Rosebud, but Johnny has landed himself in the hospital. What’s a Carter girl to do when the show must go on? Come and hear June Carter Cash and her mother Maybelle Carter sing their way through the joys and the tears that come with loving the Man in Black.
From May 29 to September 5, the beloved musical The Wizard of Oz by Frank L. Baum, adapted by John Kane, will play on the Rosebud Opera House stage. A massive tornado sweeps a teenage Dorothy and her dog Toto off to the land of Oz. With the help of the Good Witch of the North and a few friends she meets along the way, she travels the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City in hopes that the Great and Powerful Oz can get her safely home before the Wicked Witch of the West can stop her. A magical prairie musical adventure for the whole family based on the much-loved movie.
Playing July 2 – August 29 on the BMO Studio Stage in Rosebud is Last Train to Nibroc by Arlene Hutton. It’s December 1940. On an eastbound train from California, a bookish young woman – dreaming of adventure as a missionary – shares a seat with a worldly young flyer who wants to be a writer. When May and Raleigh discover they are from neighbouring towns, romantic interests emerge that simply must be explored. A cheeky tale about an unpredictable romance and the places it can go.
In the fall (September 18 – October 24) is Mass Appeal by Bill C. Davis. When popular Father Farley is challenged by a young seminary student, he is outraged. Yet he sees something in Mark Dolson worth investing in, so tries to set the headstrong student straight. Personalities inevitably collide with comedic and serious results. A charming play about staying true to your convictions and holding onto your dreams. If you liked Tuesdays with Morrie, don’t miss Mass Appeal.
And finally, for Christmas (November 7 – December 21), Rosebud Theatre will stage A Wind in the Willows Christmas in Rosebud. Featuring the music of John Rutter’s Three Musical Fables, this whimsical evening of song and story will entertain and delight. A wild and reckless car ride adventure ends when Toad of Toad Hall arrives home just in time for Christmas Eve. The evening festivities take Badger, Ratty, Mole, and their orchestra on a storytelling journey through fanciful tales of battles with reluctant dragons and of monks with their singing donkeys. Festive fun for the whole family!
The 2015 Theatre for Young Audiences offering will be Treasure Island. Written by Adam Furfaro with music by Steve Thomas, Treasure Island tells the classic children’s story with a delightful play-within-a-play twist. Special morning and afternoon school matinees and public performance are scheduled March 10 – 14.
Along with our newly announced 2015 Season, we’re continuing to offer the popular Rosebud Presents series of concerts and theatre offerings. The five events already scheduled include The Wheatland Band, Wingfield’s Folly, Cara Luft, John Wort Hannam, and Paul Young – so there’s lots going on in Rosebud next season!
2015 Season Tickets are now on sale through the Rosebud Theatre Box Office at 1-800-267-7553.
– 5 Show Season Tickets are $262
– 4 Show Season Tickets are $252
– 3 Show Season Tickets are $189
When you purchase your season tickets before December 20, 2014 you will receive bonus tickets to The Miracle Worker and/or Wildwood Fire productions based on the ticket package purchased. Season ticket holders who wish to add-on Rosebud Presents have pre-sale access and a discounted rate until January 15.
“There’s something here for the whole family,” says Executive Director, Adam Furfaro. “Morris and our team have put together another really strong season for theatre goers of all ages. Our Rosebud Presents series is introducing many new people to Rosebud Theatre and shows like The Wizard of Oz, Treasure Island and The Miracle Worker are helping us grow a new generation of patrons. We are expecting close to 40,000 to come through our little hamlet in 2015.”
About Rosebud Centre of the Arts (RCA)
RCA is located an hour’s drive northeast of Calgary, nestled in the picturesque country hamlet of Rosebud, Alberta. Rosebud Theatre celebrated its 30th Anniversary Season in 2013, and is one of Alberta’s premiere theatre companies with an international reputation as an excellent Canadian destination for high quality live theatre. In 2012, it was named one of the 25 Most Innovative Organizations by Alberta Venture Magazine. In past years, Rosebud Centre of the Arts has received multiple awards including Travel Alberta’s “Alberta Pride” ALTO Award, the “Rural Tourism Champion” award and the Rozsa Awards. Annually, more than 30,000 patrons enjoy the “Rosebud Experience” of professional theatre, complemented by unique dining, art galleries, museums and shopping. Rosebud is also home to Rosebud School of the Arts, a post-secondary educational institution that offers conservatory training in theatre and music to students, many who advance to perform in productions by Rosebud Theatre.
