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Chester County Press

The Barley Sheaf Players announce 2016-17 season

08/09/2016 10:52AM ● By J. Chambless

By Doug Schultz

The Barley Sheaf Players in Lionville invite you to set sail with them on their 2016-2017 season, opening on Sept. 9 with the Noel Coward comedy, "Hay Fever."  Combining the best of a British comedy of manners with a roaring farce, "Hay Fever" brings together the four members of the Bliss family. Judith, the matriarch, is a retired London stage actress with a flair for the overdramatic. Her husband, David, is a self-absorbed novelist. Their son, Simon, is a would-be artist who probably shouldn’t be, and their daughter, Sorel, is a spoiled and moody debutante. When each member of the family invites a guest to stay with them for the weekend, they discover that a weekend in the idyllic English countryside can be anything but blissful. Add in one surly servant, and watch the sparks (and laughs) fly.

In October – just in time for Halloween – comes "Wait Until Dark," a suspenseful tale of three con men who try to coerce a blind woman into handing over a mysterious doll. With the help of her young upstairs neighbor, Susy begins to question what she knows to be true, but will she figure out the rouse before the stunning conclusion? This 1960s era thriller will have you on the edge of your seat and guessing until the end.

In December, director Rhonda Bastarache will present "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" – a holiday tradition at Barley Sheaf. In this unusual take on the Christmas story, a family full of misfits decides to join the town’s annual Christmas pageant, but not all of the townspeople are happy to see them. Acceptance and understanding are demonstrated in this heartwarming holiday tale, and in the end, the unexpected happens: a touching moment where the true meaning of Christmas is discovered.

In March, as the snow melts and spring rolls around, the Barley Sheaf Players will present "The Drowsy Chaperone," a large musical with lots of heart, and tons of laughs. Step inside the apartment of a Broadway enthusiast, who shares with the audience the recording of one of his favorite classic musicals. As the record spins, his vision of the show begins to come to life in his own home, and we the audience are treated to delightful songs, amazing tap dancing, and several spit-takes as "The Drowsy Chaperone" transports us to a world where there’s always a song in our heart, even when we’re feeling blue.

In April, audiences will be treated to the hilarious comedy, "Arsenic and Old Lace."  In this darkly comic tale, Mortimer Brewster is excited to announce his engagement to Elaine to his aunts, Martha and Abby. His excitement soon turns to panic when he discovers a dead body in the window box seat of Martha and Abby's home. He fears his sick brother, Teddy, committed the murder but when he investigates further he reaches a shocking and unexpected conclusion. When Mortimer’s other brother Jonathan arrives at the home, chaos breaks loose, lights flicker and the police arrive to arrest the criminals. Come enjoy this classic tale of murder and mayhem.

Finally, in June, the Barley Sheaf Players’ season will conclude with "Peter and the Starcatcher," an adult prequel to the beloved story of Peter Pan. As the story begins, a young orphan is being shipped off to a distant island to be a slave to an evil king. When he is discovered by a young girl named Molly, a Starcatcher-in-training whose mission is to protect a mysterious trunk full of "starstuff," they embark on a fantastic and magical adventure to save the trunk from pirates, including the fearsome (and flamboyant) Black Stache. This heartwarming and hilarious script tells the story of how this once-nameless orphan learned to fly above the grownups that treated him so poorly and became the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up.

Individual tickets for these shows, as well as discounted season subscription packages, are available now at www.barleysheaf.org. Tickets may also be reserved by calling the box office at 610-363-7075.