Historic Community Theatre in Wayland, MA

2022-23 Season

Agatha Christie’s
Murder on the Orient Express
Adapted by Ken Ludwig

Directed by Chris Cardoni (Black Coffee, A Streetcar Named Desire)

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Friday, Oct. 28 8pm
Saturday, Oct. 29 2pm & 8pm
Thursday, Nov. 3 & Friday, Nov. 4 8pm
Saturday, Nov. 5 2pm & 8pm
Thursday, Nov. 10 & Friday, Nov. 11 8pm
Saturday, Nov. 12 2pm & 8pm

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There is nothing like murder on a train to get a theatre season rolling! And who other than Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot can untangle the elaborate Murder on the Orient Express? This sharp adaptation of Agatha Christie’s masterpiece has been recently conceived by Ken Ludwig (Lend Me a Tenor, Moon Over Buffalo). The world-famous Poirot is trying to enjoy a restful trip from Istanbul upon the luxurious Orient Express. He is, unfortunately (for him or the murderer?), eventually caught up in one of the wildest murder mysteries he’d ever encountered. The train is laden with exotic people from around the world: countesses, actresses, military men, even scoundrels. And Monsieur Poirot must use all of his ‘little grey cells’ to put together the pieces to solve this crime. And, he must do so before the train reaches its final destination, and before anyone else is murdered.

Hercule Poirot:

Monsieur Bouc:

Mary Debenham:

Hector MacQueen:

Michel:

Princess Dragomiroff:

Greta Ohlsson:

Countess Andreyni

Helen Hubbard:

Colonel Arbuthnot:

Samuel Ratchett:

Head Waitress:

Shayne Doherty

Adam Heroux

Allison Rudmann Putnam

Craig Ciampa

David Mularski

Anne Damon

Catherine Haverkampf

Kristie Norris

Jennifer Gasser

Mike Hadad

Jason Myatt

Kate Mahoney

The Bridges of Madison County

Book by Marsha Norman
Music & Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown

Directed by Katie Swimm (Cinderella, Peter and The Starcatcher)

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Friday, Feb. 24 8pm
Saturday, Feb. 25 2pm & 8pm
Thursday, March 2 & Friday, March 3 8pm
Saturday, March 4 2pm & 8pm
Thursday, March 9 & Friday, March 10 8pm
Saturday, March 11 2pm & 8pm

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What can you really learn about someone in four days? More important, what can you learn about yourself? Francesca is an Italian-American, brought back from World War II Europe by an American soldier to become an Iowa farmer’s wife. Is that who she is? Robert is a photographer for National Geographic, and he’s come to take pictures of covered bridges in the county. He finds much more than just photogenic bridges when he meets Francesca, and he’s instantly enamored by her. His openness and his strength become a catalyst for Francesca to reconsider her choices and her heart. In the crucible of a small Iowa farm, The Bridges of Madison County weaves an almost incredible tale of romantic ideals and yearnings that flowed from the novella by Robert James Waller. A book written by Marsha Norman (‘night, Mother) and music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown (The Last Five Years, Mr. Saturday Night) heighten the theatrical experience as they reinforce the magic that overtakes two sober people who fall in love, and allow themselves to explore that love passionately.

Francesca:

Rob:

Bud:

Carolyn:

Michael:

Marge:

Charlie: 
Marian/Chiara:

Lisa Tierney

Matthew Ford 

Matt Welch 

Lila Hoffman

Sean Donnelly

Nicole Burke

Brian Higgins 
Emily Lambert

Ensemble: Robert Orzalli, Tom Marsh, Shai Wolf, Paul Nelson, Maddie Sabin, Jenny Wiech-Delaney,  Barbara Kessler, Melissa Paz

Casa Valentina

By Harvey Fierstein

Directed by Donnie Baillargeon (The Price, Fun Home)

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Friday, May 5 8pm
Saturday, May 6 2pm & 8pm
Thursday, May 11 & Friday, May 12 8pm
Saturday, May 13 2pm & 8pm
Thursday, May 18 & Friday, May 19 8pm
Saturday, May 20 2pm & 8pm

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During the summer of 1962 mainstream society had very little room for any behavior considered out of the norm. These were still the days that men were to behave “like men”, and nobody was to be outrageous (except Jerry Lewis). But, if you were a man who dressed in women’s clothes, there were few opportunities for finding community, let alone understanding. It is in this “ancient” society that George and Rita have built a refuge in the Catskills for men to express their true selves; where George can rule the roost as Valentina: a house bursting with music, conversation, and conviviality. Yet, the bonds of the community are severely strained when a leader for a national “Sorority” movement comes to the Catskills to recruit them. But joining this Sorority might cost them more than they’re willing to pay: their anonymity, their friends, and fundamentally perhaps, a piece of themselves. In Casa Valentina, we find that there are no easy answers, no perfect havens, no painless choices and that the “only way out, is through”.

Maytag Virgin

By Audrey Cefaly

Directed by Celia Couture (Silent Sky)

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Friday, July 21 8pm
Saturday, July 22 2pm & 8pm
Thursday, July 27 & Friday, July 28 8pm
Saturday, July 29 2pm & 8pm
Thursday, Aug. 3 & Friday, Aug. 4 8pm
Saturday, Aug.  5 2pm & 8pm

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In Maytag Virgin, Audrey Cefaly’s 21st-century take on romance after loss, two neighbors are working through their own pain and guilt, each finding a way back to the “land of the living” after losing their spouse. Jack has just moved to this Alabama neighborhood to start working at the high school that Lizzy has lately taken time off from, still grieving from the death of her husband. Jack spends much of the first year in his new home updating and redecorating it, but he has left a Maytag dryer sitting on his porch for what some people (Lizzy included) would feel is way too long. Lizzy always dries her laundry on clothes lines and is suspicious about this machine; she also makes it a point to express her displeasure with Jack’s refusal to move the Maytag inside. It takes some time and effort from them both, but eventually, Lizzy starts loosening up around Jack. Over the course of Jack’s first year in the neighborhood, he and Lizzy find a path towards friendship and beyond. They are coming to terms with their losses and accepting what they have gained in the aftermath.