BLT to reveal season plans Saturday night

Published 9:27 pm Thursday, August 8, 2019

Brookhaven Little Theatre’s upcoming season is promised to be nothing short of remarkable, starting with “Matilda: The Musical.”

The season reveal party and the third annual Haven Awards will be Saturday at The Haven on West Cherokee Street from 8 to 9:30 p.m. with doors open at 7:30 p.m. Admission into the reveal party is free, but a $10 donation at the door is suggested. A cash bar will be available and cash, checks and credit cards are accepted.

Blake Scafidel will perform during the social time.

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Dessert, champagne and sparkling grape juice for the celebration is complimentary.

The winners of the Haven Awards will be announced at the event. This is the third year for the awards, which are BLT’s version of the Tonys. The awards are a fun way to motivate participation in BLT and to reward hard work and dedication, said BLT managing artistic director Emily Waterloo.

Season passes will be available for purchase with VIP access to the best seats in the Haven for all of the shows. Season passes will be available to the general public sometime after the reveal party, possibly within the week, Waterloo said.

Dates for Roald Dahl’s “Matilda” have already been announced. The names of five more shows, including the camp performances by BLTeens and Haven Kids, will be revealed at the party.

“These are going to be sell-out shows,” Waterloo said. “Some are going to take people back to their childhood. There are some classics and a mix of well-known stories and newer stories. This is definitely going to be a season ticket that people are going to want.”

“Matilda” is the first show of the season with auditions set for Sunday and Monday at the Haven. Audition signup is available at http://bit.ly/HavenAuditions. Waterloo said 19 roles are available for adult and older teens, with 10 roles available for children.

“Matilda the Musical” is a stage musical based on the 1988 children’s novel of the same name by Roald Dahl. It was adapted by Dennis Kelly, with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin. The musical centers on Matilda, a precocious 5-year-old girl with the gift of telekinesis, who loves reading, overcomes obstacles caused by her family and school and helps her teacher to reclaim her life. Shows are Oct. 4-20 with daytime school shows available.

Waterloo said the purchase of season tickets gives the BLT volunteers a jump start in revenue for the beginning of the season. The money is used for paying royalties and licensing and reservation fees, which can run as much as $25,000 for a season. That gives them access to scripts and logos and permission to perform the show for a set number of productions. Music scores are not always included in that cost, she said.

While ticket sales provide the revenue for the season, the BLT board relies on grants and donations to continually renovate and improve the historic theatre.

For more information about donating to the Haven or tickets for BLT productions, visit www.haventheatre.org.