Four separate shows to see, each running three weekends from June 20 - September 7th (Fri. Sat. Sun.)

"Ax Me No Questions" or "Pines Are Never Blue but Ever Green", Written and directed by Sandra Hennings Miller opening June 20.

“The Labors of Love” Written by Jack Perry and Robert Neil Porter with music and lyrics by Jack Perry. Directed by Liz Olive opening July11.

“The Road to Wasioja” or “Do You Feel a Draft?”  Written by Tom Gall and Directed by Jen Gall opening August 1.

“A Schreck in the Night” or “Yes! We Have Nosferatu” written by Gregory David Miller and directed by Nan Johnson opening August 22.

Our Board is hard at work selecting the shows that will round out our 2008-2009 season:

"Steel Magnolias"   Written by Robert Harling and directed by Cheryl Frarck, our fall production opens October 24, 2008 and plays Friday, Saturday and Sunday for three weekends.

tbd Our traditionally joyous holiday show will open Thanksgiving weekend on November 28, 2008 and plays Friday, Saturday and Sunday for three weekends. (and yes, we're almost settled on the show - just a few loose ends to tie up, so stay tuned!)

"The Odd Couple" Written by Neil Simon and directed by Kent Griffin, our February show will play Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for three weekends beginning February 6. 2009.

"The Nerd" Written by Larry Shue and directed by Bob Soland.  Back by popular demand, the show opens April 17, 2009 and plays for three weekends on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. .

Please note that our evening performances begin at 7:30PM    (Sundays are still at 2:00PM)

2008 marks the MTC's 37th year of providing live entertainment for the whole family. Plan to spend some time with us this summer when you make Mantorville one of your recreation destinations. 

Bring the whole family! Four completely different melodramas for you to enjoy - some old, some new, always fresh and fun!

We are pleased to report that our summer melodrama season is made possible, in part, by the generous support of KMTelecom. We hope you appreciate them as much as we do!

And new this season, we are pleased to announce that the Hubbell House and Mantorville Theatre Company will be offering our fabulous Dinner and Theatre package that has become so popular during our "off" season! Details can be found on our Reservations Page by clicking on the picture to the left.

"Ax Me No Questions" or "Pines Are Never Blue but Ever Green", Written and directed by Sandra Hennings Miller.

Ashley Oaks and her aunt Violet have taken over the lumber mill after her father mysteriously dies. Sliver Longjohn, is the lumber foreman and has been running the mill since the accident. He has been selling the lumber to Mrs. Windell for a substantial kickback. Betty Brown and Douglas Fir mistrust and have been trying to "get something" on Sliver and Mrs. Windell. The sheriff says that the only way he can do anything is if there is proof. Douglas and Ashley devise a plot to get that proof and save the mill, but before all this can happen, Ashley finds herself tied to the sawmill. Will Douglas Fir come in time to save her? Will the villains be brought to justice? Hey, this is a melodrama. Of course they will.

Sandra Hennings Miller has produced a number of highly successful melodramas and we are happy she chose our stage to premier many of them. She has chosen an outstanding script to help us open our summer melodrama season - You won't want to miss it! "Ax Me No Questions" plays June 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29. July 4, 5, 6. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30PM, Sunday shows are at 2:00PM. Prices are $8 for adults and $7 for students and seniors.

“The Labors of Love ” Written by Jack Perry and Robert Neil Porter with music and lyrics by Jack Perry. Directed by Liz Olive.

Elinor Elsinor has just been employed as the new governess of the Gotrocks household.  The budding love between the spunky maid and simple gardener is interrupted by the sensible and properly Victorian housekeeper, Miss Faithful, and preparations for Elinor’s arrival.  Once she arrives, Elinor meets the perfect and handsome hero, Dick Dashing and it’s love at first sight.  Meanwhile, the underhanded Lawyer Scrounge and cunning Hattie Hateful are bent on the acquisition of the fortune of Mrs. Gotrocks, the not-so-abstemious Matriarch of the household.  “WHO KNOWS” what will become of the Gotrocks fortune and those who stand in the way of those who want it?

Liz Olive has been a part of many of our shows in the past - most recently as the music director for our very successful holiday show "Uh Oh!, Here Comes Christmas" - so naturally, this show is full of it (music, we mean!) Our second summer melodrama plays July 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30PM, Sunday shows are at 2:00PM. Prices are $8 for adults and $7 for students and seniors.

“The Road to Wasioja” or “Do You Feel a Draft?”  Written by Tom Gall and Directed by Jen Gall.

Yes, Righty and Lefty are back for a third time. The intrepid cowpokes have once again hit the dusty trail - this time to Wasioja.  In this melodramatic adventure of comedy, song and heroism, they find themselves squaring up against the evil villain, Snidely Condescending. His plot to ruin the Union, the local paper and run off with the beautiful heroine will only be thwarted with audience participation - cheering, booing and sighing for all of the players! We hope you'll join us, as you are bound to enjoy the show - hands down!

The dynamic duo of Lefty and Righty are brought to us, once again, by the dynamic team of Tom and Jen Gall (We'll let you decide if one is right and one gets left!) Our third summer melodrama plays August 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30PM, Sunday shows are at 2:00PM. Prices are $8 for adults and $7 for students and seniors. 

“A Schreck in the Night” or “Yes! We Have Nosferatu” written by Gregory David Miller and directed by Nan Johnson.

schreck: var. schrecken German  v. frighten, scare; n. fright, fear

nosferatu; (nos fer’ ah too) Romanian n.vampire

When the lovely Sonia Smithson inherits her uncle’s fabulous museum and his home with its cellar full of antiquities, she also inherits a mysterious, large, SPOOKY, packing case from Transylvania.  The collection is also the target of the nefarious Professor Phelonius A. Sault, his assistant, and a lovesick gypsy woman.  Sonia and her best friend, Armanda Legg, must save the precious, historical artifacts and preserve them for the good of humanity!  They must also save themselves!

Archeology, mystery, intrigury, things-that-go-bump-in-the-night, things-that-go-bump-in-the-day - - while you may be saying "I want my mummy",  this show will have you schrecking with laughter! Both Greg Miller's pen and Nan Johnson's directing have produced fabulous results in the past. We're sure you will find it a fitting finale to our Melodrama season, playing

August 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31 September 5, 6, 7. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30PM, Sunday shows are at 2:00PM. Prices are $8 for adults and $7 for students and seniors. Watch this space for more details on the show on Sunday September 7th - as it will be coordinated with the Marigold Days festivities.

Sometimes characterized as a "chick flick", you should know that "Steel Magnolias" was first born as a poignant play that combines comic drama, serious drama, a bit of the melodramatic, and a just plain good story that is worth seeing by members of both genders (although we recommend that you bring a pocket pack of Kleenex, if you lean in that direction.)

Set in Truvy's beauty parlor (which is located in her home), the show follows the lives of six women over the course of three years - beginning with the marriage of Shelby and following the events surrounding her decision to have a child, even though she has Type 1 diabetes. The cast includes Truvy, Shelby, Shelby's mother M'Lynn, the "high society" widow Clairee, the "curmudgeon" Ouiser, and the ever-changing Annelle. Although the plot revolves around M'Lynn, Shelby and her medical challenges, the real story lies with the underlying group friendship that is developed between these diverse women. As you watch and enjoy this show, you will find times when you are thinking "That's just like my mother" or "That's just like my sister", but you are also likely to have a few surprises.

(How did someone named "Robert" get to write something with such insight? You might want to read about it in Wikipedia.)

"Steel Magnolias" plays October 24, 25, 26, 31, November 1, 2, 7, 8, 9. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30. Sunday shows are at 2:00. Tickets are $14 for adults and $12 for students and seniors(65).

Auditions!

If you are interested in taking a more active role in our production of "Steel Magnolias," please plan on attending auditions on Sunday, August 24th at 7:00 PM at the Mantorville Opera House. The all-female cast has six parts ranging in age from 19 to 70.

Holiday season in Mantorville: We are just now completing our evaluation of shows for November 28, 29, 30, December 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14 for our festive holiday production. Please note that we are once again providing an outstanding alternative to the fifteenth football game and staring at leftovers in the refrigerator the weekend of Thanksgiving - a great time to get out on the town with the family and see a show!

"The Odd Couple" Written by Neil Simon and directed by Kent Griffin

You won't want to miss this classic of classics from the king of modern comic drama. Simon has made us laugh and cry with his greatest tool - the attraction and distraction of opposites. In this case, we diverge from our usual February "romantic" comedy, since this couple isn't quite in that vein. What we have is the juxtaposition of Felix Ungar, a fastidious, hypochondriac news writer and Oscar Madison, a sports writer who is on the other end of the spectrum. The common thread between them is that Oscar is recently divorced and Felix' marriage is on the rocks ("No wonder", each might say to the other.)

"The Odd Couple" played for 966 performances on Broadway, in its first run, was rewritten (by Simon) for film, rewritten (also by Simon) for female characters, became a popular television sitcom, and was even made into an animated series. With such strength of comic material, we know you'll want to bring your Valentine to our February production, playing February 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22 with Friday and Saturday shows at 7:30 and Sunday shows at 2:00. Tickets are $14 for adults and $12 for students and seniors(65).

"The Nerd" Written by Larry Shue and directed by Bob Soland.

Ever know someone that you felt you had to befriend but whom you wish would just GO AWAY? Such is the plight of Willum Cubbert, who owes his life to Rick Steadman from bad times in Vietnam, but whom he has never met. Rick shows up at a somewhat inopportune time and turns out to be an extremely "inopportune" guest. What follows is nothing short of riotous comedy that will keep you in stitches.

To complete our 2008-2009 season, we promise you another outstanding production that won't tax you nearly as much as the newly elected administration will be blamed for. (This might be a good time to mention that donations to the Mantorville Theatre Company are tax deductible!) "The Nerd" plays Friday and Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:00 on April 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 and May 1, 2 and 3. Tickets are $14 for adults and $12 for students and seniors(65).