Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival, which has re-branded as The Rev Theatre Company, has unveiled its 2020 summer season. The lineup includes Griffin Matthews and Matt Gould's Witness Uganda, a production of the Broadway musical Rocky, the "adults-only" Dixie’s Tupperware Party, Rodgers and Hammerstein's State Fair, and Buddy — The Buddy Holly Story.
The 2020 season will kick off June 10 with Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens, and Thomas Meehan's musical adaptation of Sylvester Stallone’s Oscar-nominated Rocky, the story of amateur boxer Rocky Balboa. Performances will continue through July 1.
Next up will be Witness Uganda, based on the real lives of its husband-and-husband writing team: Matthews and Gould. When Griffin, a young man from New York City, volunteers for a teaching project in a small town in Uganda, he finds himself on a journey that will change his life forever. Performances will run July 8–29.
READ: Catching Up With Witness Uganda’s Matt Gould and Griffin Matthews
The Rev will present State Fair, August 5–25, followed by Dixie’s Tupperware Party, August 28–September 3, in which the fast-talking, gum chewing, ginger-haired Dixie revamps the traditional Tupperware party. Rounding out the season will be Buddy, September 15–October 7, which details the true story of Holly's rise to fame.
On the organization's name change, Producing Artistic Director, Brett Smock says: “‘The Rev’ is short for many words. For us, it refers to the infusion of energy and to a turning, like the carousel that once inhabited our theatre. The word also references our deep reverence for our history and our community.
“We have evolved tremendously over the years. We are not just a Festival, not just a Playhouse, not just a Youth Tour—we are a nationally recognized arts organization with extensive programming and education initiatives. Most of all, we are a theatre company and so, for the first time in our history, we proudly adopt that title as we enter into our next 60 years. ‘The Rev Theatre Company’ brings cohesion, respect and vibrancy to our brand.”
The 2020 season will also feature a return of its new musical development program, The PiTCH, now heading into its ninth season. For more information visit Fingerlakesmtf.com/2020-season.
