[Capdist-announce] Ancram Center for the Arts Announces 2025 Season

[Lauren Letellier]

*Ancram Center for the Arts Announces 2025 Season and *

*Celebrates 10th Anniversary as the Upstate Home for Visionary Theater
Makers *



*(Ancram, NY – April 28, 2025)* – Ancram Center for the Arts, under the
leadership of Co-Directors Jeffrey Mousseau and Paul Ricciardi, announced
its 2025 season which includes, in addition to its renown storytelling
programs, a regional premiere, three site-specific original performances,
and two staged readings developed in the Center’s Play Lab Residency
Program.

“Our 10th anniversary season is bracketed by two great theater pieces that
explore searching and longing, family and legacy,” said Mousseau. “In July
we’ll stage the regional premiere of *Where the Mountain Meets the
Sea,* written
by Jeff Augustin with music by The Bengsons (Drama Desk, Drama League, and
Lucille Lortel Awards nominees). A Haitian man travels from Miami to
California on a once-in-a-lifetime road trip and, years later, his gay son
travels the same route in reverse. These parallel journeys allow them to
forge a connection that had eluded them for years.” *Where the Mountain
Meets the Sea* was previously produced by Manhattan Theatre Club.



“In September, we’ll present *Penelope, *a musical retelling of Homer’s* The
Odyssey *with music and lyrics by Alex Bechtel and a book by Bechtel, Grace
McLean & Eva Steinmetz,” said Ricciardi. “*Penelope, *the wife of Odysseus
who left her alone for 20 years while he went off to fight in the Trojan
War, was developed during COVID as sort of a pandemic parable. The story of
her isolation and loneliness is a poignant, powerful ode to all those who
wait: For someone they love, and for something they believe in.” McLean, a
breakout star of *Suffs *who co-wrote the play*,* will portray Penelope,
backed by a five-piece band, in this first-ever theatrical run to feature
her in the starring role. *Penelope *was previously staged as a concert
version at the Public Theater’s Joe’s Pub, following a premiere at the
Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, and a production at Signature Theatre
in Arlington, VA.



Ancram Center’s biennial theatrical triptych “Plein Air Plays” returns with
three original short performances created for secret, site-specific Ancram
locations where the setting becomes a character. Past Plein Air playwrights
include writer, actor, storyteller, LGBTQ activist and Oscar-winner Celeste
Lecesne *(The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey), *downtown cabaret
superstar Salty Brine* (The Living Record Collection*), actor/writer Frank
Boyd (*The Holler Sessions*), and other extraordinary talents.

The Center’s “Play Lab Residencies” support visionary theater-makers
introducing original work they’ve created while in residence in Ancram.

This year’s new works are *Blue Cowboy*, an evocative solo work about a NYC
screenwriter on assignment in Idaho and his encounters with an enigmatic
rancher, written and performed by three-time Obie Award winner and
acclaimed monologist David Cale (*Harry Clarke*); and songs and excerpts
from *Framed,* by Ancram’s own Mary Murfitt, based on true events
uncovering a love triangle than ends in a murder.  Past residency artists
include Pulitzer Prize finalist Dael Orlandersmith (*You Don’t Know the
Lonely One*) and Obie Award winner Heather Christian (*None: A Practical
Breviary*), among others.



In its signature nights of storytelling where friends and neighbors share
authentic personal stories, Ancram Center will start the season at Roe-Jan
Park on June 28th with REAL PEOPLE REAL STORIES, and end at Ancram Center
on November 22 with a second RPRS edition.



To celebrate its 10th Anniversary Season of groundbreaking original
theater, authentic storytelling, and community engagement, Ancram Center
will host a benefit party on Saturday, Aug. 2 featuring surprise guest
performances. Tickets are available at www.ancramcenter.org.



*SEASON AT A GLANCE*



*REAL PEOPLE REAL STORIES*

Saturday, June 28th @ 7:30pm, Hilltop Barn, Roeliff Jansen Park

Saturday, November 22 @ 3pm, Ancram Center



*WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE SEA*

By Jeff Augustin

Music by The Bengsons

Directed by Christopher Windom

July 11-20, Ancram Center

Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays @ 7:30pm

Sundays at 3pm



*ANCRAM CENTER’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY BASH*

Saturday, Aug. 2 @ 6:30-10:30pm

The Farm at Pond Lily, Elizaville



*PLEIN AIR PLAYS 3.0*

August 7-10

Thursday, Friday @ 5pm & 6pm

Saturday, Sunday @4pm, 5pm, 6pm

At various Ancram locations



*PLAY LAB RESIDENCY: BLUE COWBOY*

Written and performed by David Cale

Saturday, Aug. 16 @7:30pm

Sunday, Aug. 17 @ 4pm

Ancram Center



*PENELOPE*

Music & lyrics: Alex Bechtel

Book: Alex Bechtel, Grace McLean & Evan Steinmetz

Directed by Eva Steinmetz

Starring Grace McLean

Sept. 19-28

Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays @7pm

Sundays @3pm

Ancram Center



*PLAY LAB RESIDENCY: FRAMED*

Book & Lyrics: Mary Murfitt

Music: Mary Murfitt and Pam Drews Phillips

Sunday, Oct. 19 @4pm

Ancram Center





Tickets and information available at www.ancramcenter.org







[image: Grace McLean.jpg]

Grace McLean, *Penelope *


[image: Jeff Augustin.jpg]

Jeff Augustin, Author, *Where the Mountain Meets the Sea*


[image: Shaun and Abigail Bengson.jpg]

Shaun and Abigail Bengson, Music, *Where the Mountain Meets the Sea*
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