In tough times, the carrion gets snapped up faster. Local theaters are eager to offer themselves as replacement homes for disappointed North Shore Music Theatre patrons, including those who are unlikely to get back the $300 they spent on tickets for a season that won't happen. Stoneham Theatre is first out of the gate, offering NSMT subscribers one free Friday ticket for any of its seven mainstage shows in the 2009-2010 season, which includes musicals "Studs Terkel’s The Good War" (September-October 2009), "The Dinosaur Musical" (March
2010), and "My Fair Lady" (April-May, 2010). Stoneham is also offering a $20 subscription discount to NSMT subscribers. Says Stoneham Artistic director Weylin Symes, "We hope that North Shore patrons find a home at Stoneham Theatre.” But Stoneham had better make hay while the sun shines. ArtsBoston is also working on a masterplan to offer a blanket discount to several of its member theaters. And I can't imagine that Salem Theatre Company and Merrimack Rep will be far behind. They're not as musical-centric as NSMT, but STC has "Hair" this season while Merrimack has "Flings & Eros" vaudeville and "Black Pearl Sings." The complete Stoneham release is after the jump.
STONEHAM THEATRE RESPONDS TO THE CLOSING OF
NORTH SHORE MUSIC THEATRE
Free Fridays for North Shore Subscribers:
Stoneham Theatre will offer one free ticket to one first Friday night performance of any of the seven main stage productions in the 2009-2010 season to 2009 North Shore Music Theatre Subscribers. Tickets are subject to availability, one per subscriber, and good for the following shows:
Friday, September 11, 8pm: Studs Terkel’s The Good War: A Musical Collage of World War II
Friday, October 23, 8pm: The Sparrow
Friday, November 27, 7pm: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
Friday, January 15, 8pm: Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad
Friday, March 5, 7pm: The Dinosaur Musical
Friday, April 9, 8pm: My Fair Lady
Friday, May 28, 8pm: Gaslight
Free tickets will be available beginning Wednesday, July 8 by calling the Stoneham Theatre Box Office at 781-279-2200, open Tuesday through Saturday, 1-6pm and located at 395 Main Street in Stoneham.
Subscription Discount for North Shore Subscribers:
Stoneham Theatre will offer the following discount on 2009-2010 season subscriptions to 2009 North Shore Music Theatre Subscribers:
$179, 7-Show Subscription (regular price $199)
$149, 5-Show Subscription (regular price $149)
Producing Artistic Director Weylin Symes says:
“North Shore Music Theatre has been a staple of the cultural fabric of the Metro North region for over fifty years. Their closing is a huge loss to the Greater Boston theater community and to their loyal patrons. I am very proud to say that Stoneham Theatre continues to thrive both financially and artistically in this difficult economic climate and we are committed to continue to provide the highest quality theatre. We hope that North Shore patrons find a home at Stoneham Theatre.”
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