Founded in 1928, the La Porte Little Theatre Club is one of the oldest and longest running community theater groups in northwest Indiana.
SEUSSICAL THE MUSICAL This is a musical based on the works of Dr. Seuss. But it isn’t just a string of his stories set to music. And it isn’t just one of his stories. In fact, what has been done is to create a totally new, full-length book musical, with a story which weaves together his most famous tales and characters in unexpected ways. The Seuss lexicon includes hundreds upon hundreds of wondrous characters, creatures, places and things. “Seussical” incorporates elements from at least 15 of his books, as well as many of his best-loved and most familiar characters. Many of these characters never met one another before. But they meet in this musical. And in the course of the evening, some will fall in love, some will have desperate adventures and some will save the world. And they’ll all travel everywhere from the Jungle of Nool to McEligot’s Pool to Palm Beach. Dr. Seuss believes in helping a friend, in not giving up, in keeping a promise. He believes in the value and the dignity of others, in working to preserve the fragile sweetness of the natural world, and he believes that peace is the ultimate ideal, among nations and in every heart. He also believes in the pure power of the imagination. You will find all these serious concerns at the heart of “Seussical”. Performances
Directed by: Susie Richter and Davelle DeMarco
October 7, 8, 9
October 14, 15, 16
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LAST NIGHT AT BALLYHOO
Dirceted by: Jim Snyder
The comedy is set in the upper class German-Jewish community living in Atlanta, Georgia in December 1939. Hitler has recently conquered Poland, Gone with the Wind is about to premiere, and Adolph Freitag (owner of the Dixie Bedding Company) and his sister Boo and nieces Lala and Sunny - a Jewish family so highly assimilated they have a Christmas tree in the front parlor - are looking forward to Ballyhoo, a lavish cotillion sponsored by their restrictive country club. Adolph's employee Joe Farkas is an attractive eligible bachelor and an Eastern European Jew, familiar with prejudice but unable to fathom its existence within his own religious community. His presence prompts college student Sunny to examine intra-ethnic bias, her Jewish identity (or lack thereof), and the beliefs with which she's been raised.
The Last Night of Ballyhoo is a play by Alfred Uhry best known as the author of Driving Miss Daisy.
Performances
November 18, 19, 20
November 25, 26, 27
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DOWN THE ROAD
Adult Only Drama
Directed by: Doug Campbell
DOWN THE ROAD centers on a convicted serial killer and the husband and wife writing team hired to help him write an account of his crimes. The killer, Bill Reach, has admitted to the murders of nineteen women, but there may have been more. Over many weeks of interviews, the couple—Dan and Iris Henniman—grow more and more uncertain of the ethics of what they are doing. Are they simply relating terrifying events, or are they helping readers consume rape, murder and mutilation as if they are consuming any other product of our society? Are they, in fact, helping to turn Bill Reach into a celebrity
Performances
March 2, 3, 4
March 9, 10, 11
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MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS OF 1940
Directed by: Bonnie Quigley
The creative team responsible for a recent Broadway flop (in which three chorus girls were murdered by the mysterious "Stage Door Slasher") assemble for a backer's audition of their new show at the Westchester estate of a wealthy "angel." The house is replete with sliding panels, secret passageways and a German maid who is apparently four different people-all of which figure diabolically in the comic mayhem which follows when the infamous "Slasher" makes his reappearance and strikes again-and again. As the composer, lyricist, actors and director prepare their performance, and a blizzard cuts off any possible retreat, bodies start to drop in plain sight, knives spring out of nowhere, masked figures drag their victims behind swiveling bookcases, and accusing fingers point in all directions. However, and with no thanks to the bumbling police inspector who snowshoes in to investigate, the mystery is solved in the nick of time and the "Slasher" unmasked-but not before the audience has been treated to a sidesplitting good time and a generous serving of the author's biting, satiric and refreshingly irreverent wit
Performances
May 4, 5, 6
May 11, 12, 13
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La Porte Little Theatre
218 A Street
PO Box 1573
La Porte, IN 46352-1573
(219) 362-5113