Maine's Ogunquit Playhouse's 2022 season, the 90th for the regional mainstay, will include the world premiere of a Mr. Holland's Opus musical and a new production featuring the late Marvin Hamlisch's final score, a musical adaptation of The Nutty Professor, which hasn't been staged since its then-Broadway-aimed 2012 production in Nashville.
The summer season will open with the regional premiere of The Cher Show, which played Broadway in 2018. Telling the story of the superstar's six decade-long career, the Rick Elice-penned biomusical will be directed at Ogunquit by Gerry McIntyre and choreographed by Jane Lanier. Set to run May 12-June 25, Ogunquit's production will use Bob Mackie's Tony-winning Broadway costume designs.
Next up is The Nutty Professor, a musical adaptation of the Jerry Lewis-led 1963 film about a shy and nearsighted chemistry teacher who is transformed into a suave Casanova-type by a magical potion. The adaptation premiered in Nashville helmed by Lewis in 2012. The score, with music by Marvin Hamlisch (A Chorus Line) and lyrics by Rupert Holmes (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Curtains), would turn out to be Hamlisch's last; the EGOT-winning composer died during the work's premiere run. Ogunquit's production, set to be directed by Marc Bruni (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), will be the musical's first presentation since its Nashville premiere, with performances beginning July 1 and continuing through August 6.
Based on the 1995 film starring Richard Dreyfuss, Mr. Holland's Opus tells the story of a frustrated composer who finds purpose as a beloved and inspirational school music teacher. The world premiere musical adaptation will be directed by Tony winner BD Wong, who has also written the work's book and lyrics, the latter to Tony nominee Wayne Barker (Peter and the Starcatcher)'s music. Broadway vet Darren Lee (Allegiance, Pacific Overtures) will choreograph. The musical will begin performances August 12 and continue through September 17.
The season concludes with Clue, based on the 1985 cult favorite film. Adapted by Sandy Rustin from Jonathan Lynn's screenplay and featuring additional material by Hunter Foster and Eric Price and original music by Michael Holland, the musical takes the characters from the Hasbro whodunit board game and puts them into a fast-paced stage farce. The relatively new adaptation—it had its world premiere at Cleveland Playhouse in pre-pandemic 2020—has quickly become a favorite at theatres across the country, and was the most produced play at high schools in the 2020-2021 school year. Ogunquit's production will be helmed by Casey Hushion, and is set to run September 22-October 30.
For more information, visit OgunquitPlayhouse.org.
