SUMMER 2012 SEASON

1. GOOD PEOPLE

   DTF REGIONAL PREMIERE

   by DAVID LINDSAY ABAIRE

   JUNE 20-JULY 7

   

   "Mr. Lindsay-Abaire's keenly observed drama "Good People" most directly engages with defining issues of the American moment, the ever-widening chasm between classes and the precarious hold that those on the bottom have on even the slenderest financial stability." - New York Times

   Pulitzer and Tony Award winning writer-David Lindsay Abaire (Rabbit Hole), has written a moving, funny and thought provoking play set in Boston's Southie, which takes a brave look at the "have's and have not's" with this heart warming story for which Frances McDormand won the Tony Award for Best Actress.

2. BOEING-BOEING

   by MARC CAMOLETTI

   JULY 12-JULY 28

   

   "...this latest edition of a play named for an aircraft soars right out of its time zone and into some unpolluted stratosphere of classic physical comedy." - New York Times

   French farce at its best! Don't miss this zany story about an American businessman living in Paris while juggling affairs with three airline stewardesses. A great vehicle for our stellar cast of comic actors, who can "cut loose like preschoolers on the playground of their dreams".

1. THE WHORE AND MR. MOORE

   DTF NEW PLAY WORLD PREMIERE

   by MICHAEL CRISTOFER

   AUGUST 2-AUGUST 11

   

   Michael Cristofer won both the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award for his renowned play The Shadow Box, which went on to become a film directed by Paul Newman and starring Joanne Woodward. He is an accomplished screenwriter, having written such successful films as Falling in Love with Robert DeNiro and Meryl Streep, The Witches of Eastwick with Jack Nicholson, and Bonfire of the Vanities directed by Brian De Palma.

   This is the 37th Year Summer Season Event NOT TO BE MISSED!

2. DEATHTRAP

   by IRA LEVIN

   AUGUST 16-SEPTEMBER 1

   

   "Deathtrap has more twists than a bucket of snakes." - The Telegraph (London)

   Just back from a hugely successful revival on London's West End starring Simon Russell Beale and Jonathan Groff, don't miss this ingeniously constructed play which offers a rare and skillful blending of two priceless theatrical ingredients: gasp-inducing thrills and spontaneous laughter.

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Additional Programming

2012 NEW PLAY READING SERIES

Tuesdays at 7:00 pm - $12.00

Sherry Kramer's plays have been performed in theatres here and abroad and include productions at Actor's Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival, The Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Second Stage in NY, Soho Rep, Yale Repertory Theatre, EST, the Rude Mechanicals, and the Tokyo International Arts Festival. She has taught playwriting at the Iowa Playwrights Workshop, the Michener Center for Writers at UT Austin, and Bennington College. She is currently a core member of the Playwrights Center, Minneapolis.

Laura Eason is the author of more than 20 full-length plays, both original work and adaptations. Produced full-length plays include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Actors Theatre of Louisville, Denver Center, Hartford Stage, New Victory Theatre) and Sex With Strangers (Steppenwolf Theatre, Sydney Actors Theatre run by Kate Blanchett).

Cusi Cram's plays include Dusty and the Big Bad World (Denver Theatre Center), Lucy and the Conquest (Williamstown Theatre Festival), All the Bad Things (LAByrinth Theatre Company at the Public Theatre), Fuente (Barrington Stage & O'Neill Playwrights Conference), The End of it All (South Coast Rep), Landlocked (Miranda Theatre) and A Lifetime Burning (Primary Stages NY). She is in her second season as a writer on the Showtime series The Big C, starring Laura Linney and Oliver Platt.

GALLERY CAFÉ WITH TAPAS AND LIVE MUSIC

Friday & Saturday - Pre-show 6:30-8:00 pm

Join us in our beautiful outdoor café for delicious tapas, a glass of wine, coffee or dessert, fantastic art exhibits, and live music by local favorites!

THE WOOD BROTHERS: THE WHISKEY SESSIONS

SAVE THE DATE - July 22nd

Wood Brothers Tickets

An evening with The Wood Brothers and Goldtown - The Whiskey Sessions at the Dorset Theater Festival - Exclusive event, hors d'oeuvres, prohibition period cocktails, single barrel bourbon, honky-tonk barroom, with more info to come - get your tickets soon - limited availability and VERY cool event! 5:30 doors open!

"THE PLAY'S THE THING" SUMMER CAMP

July 9th-20th - $300

A two-week camp for ages 7-14 for young thespians interested in playwriting, producing and acting in their own original play.

FALL NEW WORKS SERIES

Early September

DTF will extend its season during the first 3 weeks of September with its first annual New Works Series, which will include the Local First - Vermont Playwright Series and the Jean E. Miller Young Playwrights Competition Presentation.

HILDENE AND DTF PRESENT: THE RIVALRY

by Norman Corwin - August 21st at 6:30 pm - Free

Experience the famed Lincoln/Douglas debates with a cast of renowned civic leaders from the region, including Madeleine Kunin. Lively Q & A to follow hosted by DTF's Artistic Director Dina Janis and Hildene's Executive Director Seth Bongartz. A MUST SEE SUMMER EVENT!

HILLS ALIVE! FESTIVAL WEEK

July 7th-15th

Join DTF, Southern Vermont Arts Center, Manchester Music Festival & Weston Playhouse as they premiere this exciting annual arts festival with joint programming featuring "world class art with a view."- www.hillsalive.org

2011 Season Summary

Noises Off

2011 was the second stellar season under the artistic direction of Dina Janis. Plays included the poignant drama, Superior Donuts by Tracy Letts; Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder; the classic British farce Noises Off by Michael Frayn; and Mauritius, the darkly mysterious thriller by Broadway playwright and Dorset's own Theresa Rebeck. The weekend Gallery Tapas Café offered live music and an elegant tapas menu before the show, with all proceeds once again benefiting Bennington Meals on Wheels.

Superior Donuts

DTF Conservatory Program

Fourteen talented interns from across the country engaged in real hands-on learning in fields ranging from carpentry to stage management, costume design to arts administration. Our Family Production of Charlotte's Web brought in an additional six young actors from NYC, led by a professional director and joined in performance by six local students. New this year was a Summer Theatre Camp for children ages 6-14, during which the youth wrote, designed, and performed an original play, The Mysterious Artifact. DTF is committed to nurturing the next generation of theatre artists through these programs.

2011 Summer Interns with Artistic Director Dina Janis
and playwright Theresa Rebeck (3rd from right)

NEW WORKS INITIATIVES

DTF continued its commitment to promoting New Play Development in this region. DTF partnered with the Lark Play Development Center in NYC and with renowned playwright Theresa Rebeck to host the 4th Annual Theresa Rebeck Spring Writer's Retreat. Seven highly talented emerging playwrights gathered for a week at Rebeck's Dorset home to develop new work. During the summer, 3 plays developed in prior year retreats were produced as staged readings. We offered these free to the public, and those attending enjoyed the excitement of seeing cutting edge work and the opportunity to provide feedback to the playwrights, directors and actors.

Dial M for Murder

Mauritius

Annual Fund Drive now underway

Read Artistic Director's message