Syracuse Stage has announced the six-show lineup for its 2019-20 season.

Included in next year’s repertoire are theater staples such as “12 Angry Men,” “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” “Amadeus,” and “Once,” along with more contemporary works like 2016’s “The Wolves” and the East Coast premiere of “Yoga Play.”

Before the official start of Syracuse Stage’s subscription season, Syracuse Stage will host the world premiere of “Thoughts of a Colored Man” from Sept. 2 to Sept. 22, written by Keenan Scott II and directed by screen and stage actor Taye Diggs. The production aims to welcome audience members into the “vibrant inner life of being Black, proud and thriving in the 21st century,” following a community of men trying to connect with their fears, dreams and visions for the future, per a Syracuse Stage press release.

When finalizing the 2019-20 lineup, Syracuse Stage artistic director Robert Hupp said he prioritized showcasing “diverse and powerful voices.”

“Our 47th season brings to life rich stories that entertain and delight; it’s a poignant season of love and loss, of justice and jealousy,” Hupp said in the release. “We sought works that make you stand up and take notice.”

“12 Angry Men,” an adaption by Reginald Rose from his 1957 teleplay, follows the trial of a teenager accused of murdering his father and tension among juror’s over the credibility of evidence. Playwright and director James Still will direct Syracuse Stage’s co-production of “12 Angry Men” in conjunction with Indiana Repertory Theatre.

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Syracuse Stage veteran director Donna Drake will return for her third musical at the Stage with “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” following her directorial experience with “The Wizard of Oz” and “Elf the Musical.” “Beauty and the Beast,” based on the classic Disney princess tale, will be co-produced with Syracuse University’s department of drama.

“The Wolves,” described by The New York Times as an “exhilarating brightness of raw adolescence,” follows the story of nine 16- and 17-year-old girls on an indoor soccer team, exploring the complexities of each characters as the group forges bonds in and beyond the game of soccer.

Hupp will work alongside Stage veteran, Mickey Rowe, as Rowe takes on the lead role of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in “Amadeus.” The production explores the mysteries surrounding Mozart’s death at the age of 35, with rival composer Antonio Salieri bearing the central question in his final composition: “The Death of Mozart – or, Did I Do It?”

Irish playwright Edna Walsh’s “Once,” adapted as a musical in 2012, is an eight Tony Award-winning production about an Irish busker and Czech émigré who help one another rekindle their passion for music and life. Adapted to the silver screen in 2007, the play’s central anthem, “Falling Slowly,” took home the 2008 Academy Award for Best Original Song.

“Yoga Play,” originally written by Dipika Guha and directed by Hupp, is a comedy poking fun at the authenticity of marketing directors as Joan, the CEO of athletic wear company Jojomon, learns that the manufacturers of the company’s yoga pants have been accused of using child laborers. As the company goes into damage control, it reaches out to a revered and respected yogi to help save its public image.

“It’s fun to pack surprises into our season and ‘Yoga Play’ is just that: a delightful new comedy to wrap things up,” Hupp said in the season’s announcement. “Funny, yes, but right on the money, too, as playwright Dipika Guha turns the fitness industry on its ear. You don’t have to be into yoga to relish this send up of the ‘authenticity’ industry.”

Published on March 5, 2019 at 10:49 pm

Contact Kelsey: katho101@syr.edu | @writtenbykelsey