She Kills Monsters
by Qui Nguyen
October 5-8, 2022 7:30 PM Nightly
In the Playhouse of the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center
She Kills Monsters tells the story of Agnes Evans as she leaves her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When Agnes finds Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, however, she finds herself catapulted into a journey of discovery and action‐packed adventure in the imaginary world that was her sister’s refuge. In this high‐octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture, acclaimed playwright Qui Nguyen offers a heart‐pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all.
$20 at the door | $15 for Seniors 60+ and Employees | Marshall University students admitted FREE with a valid ID.
Our Town
by Thornton Wilder
November 9-12 and 16-19, 2022 7:30 PM Nightly and November 12, 2021 2:00 PM
In the Francis-Booth Experimental Theatre of the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center
Our Town presents the small town of Grover’s Corners in three acts: “Daily Life,” “Love and Marriage” and “Death and Eternity.” Narrated by a stage manager and performed with minimal props and sets, the play depicts the simple daily lives of the Webb and Gibbs families as their children fall in love, marry, and eventually – in one of the most famous scenes in American theatre – die. Thornton Wilder’s final word on how he wanted his play performed is an invaluable addition to the American stage and to the libraries of theatre lovers internationally.
$20 at the door | $15 for Seniors 60+ and Employees | Marshall University students admitted FREE with a valid ID.
Steel Magnolias
by Robert Harling
February 15-18 and 22-25, 2023 7:30 PM Nightly
In the Francis-Booth Experimental Theatre in the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center
The action is set in Truvy’s beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, where all the ladies who are “anybody” come to have their hair done. Helped by her eager new assistant, Annelle (who is not sure whether or not she is still married), the outspoken, wise‐cracking Truvy dispenses shampoos and free advice to the town’s rich curmudgeon, Ouiser, (“I’m not crazy, I’ve just been in a bad mood for forty years”); an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee, who has a raging sweet tooth; and the local social leader, M’Lynn, whose daughter, Shelby (the pretiest girl in town), is about to marry a “good ole boy.” Filled with hilarious repartee and not a few acerbic but humorously revealing verbal collisions, the play moves toward tragedy when, in the second act, the spunky Shelby (who is a diabetic) risks pregnancy and forfeits her life. The sudden realization of their mortality affects the others, but also draws on the underlying strength—and love—which give the play, and its characters, the special quality to make them truly touching, funny and marvelously amiable company in good times and bad.
$20 at the door | $15 for Seniors 60+ and Employees | Marshall University students admitted FREE with a valid ID.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Conceived by Rebecca Feldman
Additional Material by Jay Reiss
Music & Lyrics by William Finn
Book by Rachel Sheinkin
April 12-15, 2023 7:30 PM Nightly | April 16th at 2:00 PM
In the Playhouse of the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center
Winner of the Tony and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee has charmed audiences across the country with its effortless wit and humor. Featuring a fast‐paced, wildly funny and touching book by Rachel Sheinkin and a truly fresh and vibrant score by William Finn, this bee is one unforgettable experience.
An eclectic group of six mid‐pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made‐up) words, hoping never to hear the soul‐crushing, pout‐inducing, life un‐affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves! At least the losers get a juice box.
$20 at the door | $15 for Seniors 60+ and Employees | Marshall University students admitted FREE with a valid ID.
