New Directors' Showcase ✦ Aug. 7 – 16

Produced by Kristi Ann Jacobson

BOX OFFICE HOURS
6:00pm – 8:00pm | Aug. 6 & 7, 13 & 14
1:00pm – 3:00pm | Aug. 8 & 15

The lobby opens 1 hour prior to curtain. The house opens approximately ½ hour prior to curtain. Performances will take place in the The Robert B. Stewart Performance Hall.

The New Directors' Showcase is an exciting platform where emerging directors get the chance to demonstrate their creative talents by directing a one-act play. Under the expert guidance of performer and seasoned director, Kristi Ann Jacobson, these up-and-coming directors receive invaluable mentorship. Ms. Jacobson's extensive experience in capturing nuanced and provocative stories ensures that participants not only refine their directing skills but also gain deep insights into the art of storytelling. This showcase is a unique opportunity for new directors to shine.

Cox and Box Reheated
Book and adaptation by Troy Turnley. Music adaptation by Lesley Niemi. Based on "Cox and Box" by F.C. Burnand and Arthur Sullivan, inspired by "Box and Cox" by John Maddison Morton

Directed by Troy Turnley

Cox and Box Reheated is a fast, funny modern workplace farce inspired by the classic comic operetta, now reimagined as a brand-new operetta for today's fluorescent-lit world. In this premiere production, the B.I.G. Corporation becomes the battleground for clashing personalities, office politics, shared spaces, and reheated lunches, all colliding in a battle of routine versus disruption. With sharp dialogue, updated lyrics, and a proudly absurd corporate setting, the show turns everyday workplace frustrations into comic mayhem while asking whether even the most mismatched coworkers can find common ground when the workflow goes completely off the rails.

Content Advisory: Not yet available

A Ringing of Doorbells
by Thornton Wilder

Directed by MJ Jordan

An ordinary afternoon is interrupted when an "unexpected" pair of visitors arrives at a wealthy widow’s door. Their story is polished, their manners impeccable—but something isn’t quite right.

As the visit unfolds, suspicion lingers beneath polite conversation, and a subtle battle of observation, intention, and control begins to emerge. What is truth, what is performance, and who is truly in charge?

In A Ringing of Doorbells, Thornton Wilder turns a simple social call into a quietly suspenseful encounter where every word—and every pause—matters.

Content Advisory: This play is suitable for all ages.

Laundry and Bourbon
by James McLure

Directed by Sasha Richardson

Set on a sweltering summer afternoon in small‑town Texas, Laundry and Bourbon is a sharply funny and quietly poignant one‑act that brings audiences onto the back porch of Elizabeth Caulder. As she folds laundry and sips bourbon with her quick‑witted friends Hattie and Amy Lee, the conversation drifts from gossip to grievances to the deeper heartaches they rarely say aloud.

McLure’s writing blends humor with heartbreak, capturing the resilience of women who shoulder more than they let on. Over the course of one humid afternoon, these three friends reveal the frustrations, loyalties, and longings that shape their lives—reminding us how laughter can soften even the hardest truths. It’s a warm, spirited tribute to friendship, fortitude, and the stories shared over a good drink on a long, hot day.

Content Advisory: This production contains adult language and mature themes, including discussions of marital infidelity, the long-term emotional impact of the Vietnam War, and the effects of substance use.