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Drayton Entertainment Announces 2024 Season

October 5, 2023

Smash Hit Broadway Musicals, Thrilling Whodunits, and Heartwarming Comedies Set to Lift Spirits in 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Award-winning Drayton Entertainment has announced its 2024 Season, which features 16 productions across the local region. Blockbuster musicals, captivating murder mysteries, and delightful comedies will take centre stage March 27 to December 29 at the charitable theatre organization’s four venues in Waterloo Region and Wellington County: the original Drayton Festival Theatre, St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, St. Jacobs Schoolhouse Theatre, and Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge.

“This is an exciting season filled with entertaining shows for theatregoers at every stage of life,” says Alex Mustakas, Artistic Director of Drayton Entertainment. “From hit Broadway musicals like Jersey Boys, to laugh-a-minute comedies, to some new traditions for the holiday season, there really is something for the whole family!”

Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge

The 2024 Season in Cambridge opens with the Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Award-winning musical, Jersey Boys. This international phenomenon takes you behind the scenes – and behind the music – of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons as they work their way to the heights of stardom, thrilling audiences with electrifying performances of chart-topping hits like “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Sherry,” “Walk Like A Man,” “Too Good To Be True,” and more. Jersey Boys is written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Ellice, with music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe. Don’t miss this worldwide phenomenon that will leave you exclaiming, “Oh, What a Night!” This Broadway blockbuster runs from March 27 to April 21.

Taking the stage next is Steel Magnolias, a delightfully entertaining comedy that explores the dynamics of life, love, and laughter in a small-town Louisiana beauty parlour as six southern women learn to embrace the future – and all of its uncertainties. This bittersweet comedy by Robert Harling will be on stage from June 19 to July 6.

The feel-good blockbuster Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical is on stage July 24 to August 10. Based on the Latent Image/Specific Films Motion Picture distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical is adapted for the stage by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott. Priscilla is the story of three drag queens who hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love and friendship. With a spectacular array of outrageous costumes, flamboyant choreography, and a hit parade of dancefloor favourites including “It’s Raining Men,” “I Will Survive,” and many more, this wildly fresh and funny musical is a journey to the heart of FABULOUS!

Continuing this show-stopping lineup of productions is A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, a murderous musical comedy filled with unforgettable music and non-stop laughs! Winner of the Tony Award® for Best Musical, this hilarious whodunit follows a penniless clerk who, after learning that he’s eighth in line for an earldom, sets off down a sinister path, knocking off his relatives one by one. A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder is a musical comedy, with a book and lyrics by Robert L. Freedman and music and lyrics by Steven Lutvak. This production runs October 16 to November 3.

Concluding the 2024 Season in Cambridge is Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, a lavish spectacle for the entire family! With music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, and book by David Ives and Paul Blake, this classic musical features songs like “Happy Holidays,” “Blue Skies,” and the ever popular “White Christmas” and is guaranteed to fill audiences with the joy of the season from December 4 to December 29.

St. Jacobs Country Playhouse

The 2024 Season in St. Jacobs launches with an awesomely hilarious musical comedy that wails with big chords, big hair…and an even bigger heart. Set in 1987, Rock of Ages follows aspiring rocker Drew Boley as he meets and falls madly in love with Sherrie, a fresh-faced Midwesterner who has recently moved to Los Angeles to chase her movie star dreams. This hit jukebox musical features 28 classic rock tunes like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “We Built This City,” and “I Want To Know What Love Is,” and many more. Rock of Ages is written by Chris D’Arienzo, with arrangements by Ethan Popp. After a sold-out run in Grand Bend in 2023, the music that ignited a generation is set to rock St. Jacobs from May 8 to June 1.

Next up is the ageless comedy Doris and Ivy in the Home by Norm Foster, which is a riotous tale that will shatter your preconceived notions of what “senior living” ought to be. When retired prison guard Doris Mooney moves in to a retirement home and quickly befriends Ivy Hoffbauer, what follows is a testament to living each day to the fullest. This mirthful production is on stage from June 19 to July 6.

The season continues with the irresistible Broadway hit, Kiss Me, Kate. Cole Porter’s high-spirited musical comedy follows the ferocious backstage antics of a touring company performing The Taming of the Shrew, featuring a flamboyant feuding couple, gun-toting gangsters, and some of the best numbers ever written for the stage including “Another Op’nin’, Another Show,” “Too Darn Hot,” “Wunderbar,” and “So in Love.” Kiss Me, Kate has music and lyrics by Cole Porter, with book by Sam and Bella Sepwack. This Tony® Award-winning extravaganza will be winning hearts from August 7 to September 1.

With the arrival of cooler weather comes the innovative and exciting whodunit, An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley. When Inspector Goole arrives unexpectedly at the prosperous Birling family home, their peaceful dinner party is shattered by his investigation into the death of a young woman. As the Inspector’s investigation unfolds, secrets long thought hidden are slowly revealed. This compelling and haunting masterpiece will be on stage from October 9 to October 27.

The 2024 Season concludes with Drayton Entertainment’s perennially popular family panto. Next year’s offering will have the whole family saying “Bah humbug!” when A Christmas Carol: The Panto hits the stage. The classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge is reimagined by Caroline Smith to include all the hilarious antics of an old-fashioned panto in this production, which runs from November 28 to December 29.

Drayton Festival Theatre

Opening the 2024 Season in Drayton is BEEHIVE - The 60s Musical, a musical celebration of the most powerful and iconic female voices of the 1960s, created by Larry Gallagher. Told from the perspective of six women who come of age in this enigmatic decade, BEEHIVE takes audiences on a nostalgic journey through timeless hits of the era such as “My Boyfriend’s Back,” “Son of a Preacher Man,” “Natural Woman,” and many more. This uplifting and upbeat salute to female empowerment is on stage June 5 to June 23.

Up next is the laugh-a-minute comedy Halfway There by Norm Foster, which tells the story of a small Maritime town that gets tipped off its axis when a heartbroken doctor from Toronto takes a temporary job at the clinic and becomes interested in a local waitress. This raucously funny comedy about the unshakeable bonds of friendship is on stage July 3 to July 21.

The season will close with Naked Radio, on stage from August 7 to August 25. This truly unique production, which blends comedy and music, will show us the power of human connection. When a snowstorm knocks out the county, the local radio station loses its tie to the pre-programmed feed and the DJs are forced to improvise, rejuvenating the station and the community it serves. The music for Naked Radio was written by Paul Libman, with book and lyrics by Dave Hudson.

St. Jacobs Schoolhouse Theatre

The irresistible ‘50s and ‘60s jukebox musical The Marvelous Wonderettes will take audiences on a trip down memory lane with hits like “Stupid Cupid,” “Lipstick on Your Collar,” “Heatwave,” “RESPECT,” and more. This effervescent musical revue written and created by Roger Bean chronicles the story of four best friends as they navigate relationships, growing up, and following their dreams, and will be on stage from July 9 to September 1.

Up next is the joyous and heartwarming love story, Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise. Crackling with humour, emotion, and poignancy, Dear Jack, Dear Louise tells the story of a wartime romance that begins when two strangers meet by letter during World War II. This production will be warming hearts just in time for the cool days of autumn, running from October 2 to October 27.

Closing out the 2024 Season is the sparkling new holiday tradition conceived and created by David Rogers, Merry & Bright. Featuring beloved holiday classics, inspiring songs, and soul-stirring Broadway anthems alongside joyful storytelling and humorous anecdotes, this production is sure to make the holidays merry and bright, filling hearts with the joy of the season from November 12 to December 29.

Additional Programming

The sophomore Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy High School Musical Program will allow high school students across Waterloo Region to learn valuable life skills, gained by participating onstage and behind-the-scenes, in a fully staged production of Footloose. Based on the beloved ’80s movie, Footloose tells the feel-good story of a young rebel who inadvertently heals the heart of a small town when he encourages the local youth to defy the edict of a strict preacher and hold a dance. The production will run at St. Jacobs Country Playhouse from February 14 to February 25, 2024.

Footloose is adapted for the stage by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie with music by Tom Snow and lyrics by Dean Pitchford, with additional music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins, and Jim Steinman.

Ticket Information

Tickets are on sale exclusively to Members on Tuesday, November 28, and to Subscribers on Tuesday, December 5. Tickets are on sale to everyone by phone, in person at select Box Office locations (Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge and St. Jacobs Country Playhouse only), and online at draytonentertainment.com/2024/ beginning on Friday, December 8.

To order by phone, please call 519-621-8000 or toll free at 1-855-372-9866. For more information about Drayton Entertainment’s complete 2024 Season on all seven stages, please visit draytonentertainment.com/2024/.

Season at a Glance

Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge
St. Jacobs Country Playhouse
Drayton Festival Theatre
St. Jacobs Schoolhouse Theatre
Other Programming

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For more information, or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Samareh Jones, Marketing & Development Associate
Phone: (519) 621-5511 ext. 256
samareh@draytonentertainment.com

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