Theatre Charlotte sets 80th season
JULIE YORK COPPENS
Theater Writer

Consider yourself briefed: The musical "Oliver!" will open Theatre Charlotte's 80th season this fall, executive director Ron Law announced Thursday.

The community troupe's season finale will be another rags-to-riches musical with roots in the early 1960s -- also set in a slum and featuring an urchin chorus, an orphan hero, his sleazy protector and a tragic heroine with an abusive boyfriend, though the similarities end there. "Little Shop of Horrors" will spread its man-eating tendrils across the Theatre Charlotte stage in May 2008.

Here's the full lineup of shows, all at 501 Queens Road. For subscription information, call 704-376-3777 or go to www.theatrecharlotte.org.

MAINSTAGE

• "Oliver!," with music, Lyrics and Book by Lionel Bart. Directed by Billy Ensley and Choreographed by Linda Booth. Sept. 13-30.

• "The Heidi Chronicles," the 1989 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama by Wendy Wasserstein. Directed by Julie Janorschke. Nov. 8-18.

• "Walking Across Egypt," a heartwarming comedy adapted by Reid Leonard from the novel by Clyde Edgerton. Directed by Dennis Delamar. Jan. 31-Feb. 10, 2008.

• "The Diary of Anne Frank," the classic Holocaust memoir, dramatized by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, recently adapted by Wendy Kesselman. Directed by Ron Law. March 20-30, 2008.

• "Little Shop of Horrors," Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's doo-wop fable, inspired by a Roger Corman movie about a carnivorous plant. Directed and Choreographed by Ron Chisholm. May 1-18, 2008.

STAGE 501

• "Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years," adapted by Emily Mann from the book by Sarah L. & A. Elizabeth Delany with Amy Hearth. Oct 11--14.

• "Nouveau," new one-acts by members of Playwrights in Progress. April 10-13, 2008.

• "9 x 9 x 9," short pieces by Playwrights in Progress. June 5-7, 2008.

• Latino Play Reading, in Spanish with English subtitles, work TBA. June 21, 2008.

SPECIAL PRODUCTIONS

• "Outward Bound," a benefit performance for Theatre Charlotte of the first play presented by the amateur troupe (then the Charlotte Drama League) 80 years ago, written by Sutton Vane. Oct 7.

• "A Christmas Carol," adapted from Dickens by Doris Baizley. December 6-9.