Upper Darby Summer Stage Announces 48th Season
Performances by area young people include popular fairy tale classics, three Summer Stage premieres, and Broadway’s Tony award-winning, Memphis.
Drexel Hill, PA | May 31, 2023 Upper Darby Summer Stage announces ticket sales for a thrilling lineup of musical theatre performances by talented young people beginning July 5 and running through August 10.
The Summer Stage season kicks off on July 5 with Disney’s High School Musical 2 Jr., in which Troy, Gabriella and the whole Wildcat gang find summer jobs at the Country Club to the tune of iconic hits “Fabulous,” “Work This Out” and “You Are The Music In Me.” Up next comes the Summer Stage premiere of Matilda Jr., a witty ode to the anarchy of childhood and the power of imagination. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. plays the following week, transporting theatre-goers to the Beast’s enchanted castle populated by the likes of Lumiere, Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts. July closes out with performances of the Summer Stage premiere of The Three Little Pigs, a charming tale of adventure from the award-winning musical writers of Honk! and Broadway’s Mary Poppins.
August begins with Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella: Youth Edition, a traditional take on the fairy tale that casts a spell with its timeless beauty and enchanting melodies. Finally, Children’s Theatre culminates with the highly anticipated Summer Stage premiere of Disney’s Finding Nemo Jr., which brings a vibrant underwater world to life on stage in a story full of family, friendship and adventure.
The six Children’s Theatre shows begin July 5 and end on August 10, one debuting each week. The four performances of each show take place Wednesday and Thursday mornings at 10:30 a.m. and on Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m. All performances take place at Upper Darby Performing Arts Center, 601 N. Lansdowne Avenue, Drexel Hill, PA. Tickets for Children Theatre shows are $11 to $15 and tickets for the Mainstage show are $18 to $22. Tickets may be purchased online at udsummerstage.org or by calling the box office at 610-814-7270.
Also in late July and early August, this season’s Mainstage offering, Memphis, invites audiences into the underground dance clubs of 1950’s Memphis, Tennessee, for a Broadway hit that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love. Winner of Broadway’s “triple crown” for Best Book, Best Original Score and Best Musical, Memphis is filled with laughs, thrills, and rock & roll music penned by Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan. Mainstage at Summer Stage has become a must see regional performance, with The Philadelphia Inquirer noting “Summer Stage manages to reach a level of professionalism and aesthetic excellence that is nothing short of miraculous.”
The Mainstage performances are recommended for teens and adults, and those showtimes are July 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m., August 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m. and July 29 at 1:30 p.m.
Entertaining over 30,000 ticket-holders every summer from throughout the metro region, Upper Darby Summer Stage is known as one of the most successful and longest running youth theatre programs in the country. Over 125 Summer Stage staff members who are professional directors, choreographers, costumers, and technicians are committed to providing excellent musical theatre training for students, and high-quality performances for families.
Summer Stage Children's Theatre is an immersive experience that begins at the entrance of the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center, where kids and families are greeted by invigorating sights and sounds that set the scene for the show as well as enthusiastic show participants eager to welcome visitors in. After what seems like no time at all, young theatre-goers transfixed by the magic of the stage are tumbling back out to the lobby and entrance to meet and take photos with their favorite cast members.
"Our 48th season is overflowing with stories about the journeys we take and embracing the risks that come with them,” remarked Summer Stage Artistic and Managing Director Chris Luner. “Through the power of their shared storytelling, our seven spectacular titles remind us that the journey ahead is always worth taking," he continued.
Upper Darby Summer Stage is a program of the nonprofit Upper Darby Arts & Education Foundation, which has been serving the Upper Darby community for 25 years.
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Media:
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