The Musical Comedy Murders Of 1940 & More Set For Hedgerow Theatre Opens 5/22

Hedgerow Theatre has selected an award-winning line up of shows for its summer season. Producing Artistic Director Penelope Reed wants audiences to "lighten and laugh" and is producing three comedies to make sure audiences have a good time at the theater on 64 Rose Valley Road throughout the summer.

First up, May 22-June 7, is a remounting of the popular murder farce, The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, which the theater first produced in 1998. The newly staged production under Reed's direction, will feature an all-new cast of ensemble favorites and many of the theater's current resident company members. The cast includes Clyde Brooks, Maggie Cogswell, Brian Gallagher, Dustin Kamatt, Zoran Kovcic, Janet McWilliams, Betty Lou Roselle, Roberta Sloan, Carl Smith and Sue Tiedeck.

June 11-28, the popular musical Nunsense makes its Hedgerow debut. Joining the cast will be alumnae Micki Sharpe, who studied theater at the Hedgerow before joining the original cast of Nunsense for its original Philadelphia premiere at the Society Hill Playhouse. Sharpe returns to Hedgerow to joins long-time Hedgerow actress Susan Wefel and company members Maggie Cogswell and Sarah Gagfen and guest artist Heidi Starr for a high-energy revisit to the musical, now in its 25th year.

July 10-Aug. 30, Hedgerow honors what has become a popular summer tradition over the last few years, by presenting its eighth-annual summer Ray Cooney comedy. This year, the theater stages One For The Pot, written by Ray Cooney and Tony Hilton. Directed by Jared Reed, the wild plot concerns an inheritance which is suddenly claimed by a hilarious succession of men named Hickory Woods.

In addition to these comedies, the theater will be teaching acting to children and teens throughout the summer by one- and two-week camp sessions as well as entertaining children every Saturday morning with Cinderella and Cinderella's Princess Birthday Party.
For more information on Hedgerow's summer season, call 610-565-4211 or visit www.hedgerowtheatre.org.

For tickets, call 610-565-4211 or visit www.hedgerowtheatre.org. Hedgerow Theatre is at 64 Rose Valley Road, Media.

Photo: Maggie Cogswell as Helsa Wenzel in The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940