Wagner College Theatre’s dramatic range is on full display in its 2022-23 season. Beginning with a classic, early-20th century musical and capping off with a joyous, modern Broadway hit, WCT’s main stage will be traversing centuries, styles and generations.
Kicking off the season is “The Cradle Will Rock.” The stuff of Broadway legend, Marc Blitzstein’s pro-union/anti-Big Business masterpiece is dramatic, funny, and remains as relevant today as it was during the Great Depression. Originally directed in 1937 by Orson Welles, the show follows Larry Foreman in his efforts to unionize Steeltown’s workers and challenge the dominance of the greedy Mr. Mister. Directed by Mickey Tennenbaum with musical direction by Tom McDonough, “The Cradle Will Rock” will be riling folks up Oct. 6-8 & 13-16. For all WCT shows, Thursday, Friday and Saturday night performances begin at 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday matinees begin at 2 p.m.
Next up is the sure-to-delight “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” in which a distant heir to a family fortune sets out to hasten the line of succession by using a great deal of charm and a dash of murder. Written by Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak, this musical comedy captures the best of Broadway’s Golden Age and was the winner of four Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Directed by WCT’s own Tony Award-winning professor Michele Pawk, with musical direction by Lauri Young, “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” will dazzle audiences Nov. 17-19 & Dec. 1-4.
For the new year, WCT will be offering an entirely new show: “Used Records (The Story of a Family)”. Conceived and directed by Jack Cummings III — artistic director of Transport Group, an off-Broadway theater company — “Used Records” is a completely new work that will explore the story of one family through generations spanning the 20th and 21st centuries. Love, happiness, grief and trauma roll like a ball through families from one generation to the next, often undetected. A daughter can be affected by a great aunt whom she never knew. A grandfather’s actions as a youth can impact the life of his children forever. A long-lost sister can never be found, but remain a strong presence within a family for decades. Through a series of circumstances, one family member decides to finally unpack it all and piece together the fabric of what has led their family to where they are today. See something you’ve never seen before March 2-4 & 9-12.
What better way to finish out a school year than with “The Prom”? Inspired by true events and written by Matthew Sklar, Chad Beguelin and Bob Martin, “The Prom” celebrates love, acceptance and perseverance. The plot follows a group of actors as they try to rehab their reputations by supporting Emma, a teen from Indiana whose prom was cancelled because she wanted to bring her girlfriend. Their quest to change hearts and minds is marked by mishaps, comedy, tears and self-acceptance. Dress up and dance night away April 27-29 & May 4-7.
Even more fun waits for you at Wagner College’s Stage One studio theater, with four shows on the schedule:
- “Goblin Market” — Oct. 20, 21, 22 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 22, 23 at 2 p.m.
- “Rebel Genius” — Dec. 1, 2, 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 3, 4 at 2 p.m.
- “The Vehicles That Brought Me Here” — Feb. 16, 17, 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 18, 19 at 2 p.m.
- “Gallathea” — April 13, 14, 15 at 7:30 p.m. and April 15, 16 at 2 p.m.
Contact the box office for all the details at 718-390-3259 or boxoffice@wagner.edu, or visit us at https://wagner.edu/performing-arts/
If you feel ill or test positive for Covid-19, please do not come to the theater; contact the box office and we will do our best to accommodate your ticket request for another date. All audience members at WCT productions are strongly encouraged to wear masks when attending the productions.
About the Wagner College Theatre
Wagner College’s Performing Arts Department provides students with a strong liberal arts background combined with intensive training in dance, music, acting, design and more. With more than 50 years producing musicals on Staten Island, Wagner College has become a leader in the field and has been ranked among the top five collegiate theater programs in the United States by the Princeton Review since 2004, most recently ranking third nationally in the 2023 Best 388 Colleges guide. Through a rigorous combination of theory and practice, the department seeks to foster leadership, a sense of community, artistic integrity, intellectual expertise and the best professional values to serve students in their chosen profession.
