CT Rep Announces 2018 Nutmeg Summer Series Lineup

Pictured: Terrence Mann (photo by Matt Pugliese)

Storrs, CT - Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) Artistic Director Terrence Mann (pictured) and Executive Producer Matthew J. Pugliese are pleased to announce the lineup for the 2018 Nutmeg Summer Series. The second season under the artistic leadership of three-time Tony Award nominee Mann will include “Disaster!”, “Sweeney Todd: A Musical Thriller In Concert” and “Jesus Christ Superstar”. The Nutmeg Summer Series will run June 7 through July 22. Subscription packages are on sale February 1 for the season. Single tickets will go on sale March 1, 2018, and are available at crt.uconn.edu or call (860) 486 2113.

The summer series begins with “Disaster!” as CRT welcomes the co-writing team of the show to Storrs. Jack , who directed the Broadway incarnation, will direct and three-time Emmy Award nominee and SiriusXM Broadway host, Seth Rudetsky, will reprise the role he originated in the show on Broadway. It’s 1979 and New York’s hottest A-listers (plus a nun with a gambling addiction) are lining up for the opening of a floating casino and discotheque. What begins as a night of boogie fever quickly changes to hilarious mayhem as the ship succumbs to multiple disasters including earthquakes, tidal waves and infernos. This show features unforgettable songs of the ‘70s including “Hooked on a Feeling” and “I am Women” along with many others. Mary Ann Lamb will choreograph.

The second show follows the style of CRT’s successful presentation of “Les Misérables: A Musical Celebration” as we present “Sweeney Todd: A Musical Thriller In Concert”. Artistic Director Terrence Mann returns to the CRT stage in this Tony-Award-winning tale of love, murder and revenge set against the backdrop of 19th century London. Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to London seeking vengeance against the lecherous Judge Turpin who framed him and ravaged his young wife. Mrs. Lovett, the owner of a failing pie shop downstairs fortune sharply shifts when Todd’s thirst for blood inspires a new ingredient for her meat pies that has the people of London lining up. Peter Flynn will direct.

The summer concludes with the iconic rock opera based on the last week of Jesus’ life, “Jesus Christ Superstar” set against the backdrop of an extraordinary and universally-known series of events but seen through the eyes of Judas Iscariot. This timeless score will get a fresh new vision from Artistic Director Terrence Mann and choreographer and Tony Award-nominee, Christopher d’Amboise (CRT’sNewsies). This electric musical will captivate audiences and have everyone asking what’s the buzz?

Full casting and creative teams will be announced at a later date.

All three musicals are performed in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre on the campus of the University of Connecticut. ASL Interpreted Performances are available for the 2nd Saturday Matinee of each show. Call the Box Office to book these seats.

The popular Dine with Design series will take place on Tuesday evenings. Join members of the creative team for a candid look behind the scenes of the production process. The dinner event is $25 per person per show, but all three can be booked in advance with a subscription for only $69.

PERFORMANCE AND TICKET INFORMATION
Evening performances start at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Matinee performances start at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Subscription package options range from $84-$117. Single ticket prices start at $48, with discounted tickets available for students and seniors.

CRT’s Community Partners for the Nutmeg Summer Series include Savings Institute Bank and Trust, Dog Lane Café, Mansfield Downtown Partnership and XL Color.