Village theatre launches summer season

Hudson Village Theatre (HVT) is launching a varied summer season of shows, featuring comedy, Vaudeville and the blues.

Starting off their 17th summer season is Old Love, a Norm Foster-penned play which will be directed by Perry Schneiderman and whose cast includes HVT’s artistic director Andrew Johnston. The romantic-comedy runs June 18 to July 5

“This is more insightful than some of Foster’s earlier works; there’s more attention to detail and characters,” Johnston said, adding the quality of the writing in general for the plays they are hosting this summer are quite extraordinary.

Wingfield Unbound (July 8 to 12) continues the series written by Dan Needles which stars Rod Beattie in the role of Walt Wingfield.

Quartet (July 16 to Aug. 2), penned by Oscar-nominated writer Ronald Harwood, will be directed Gordon Mccall, former head of the Centaur Theatre in Montreal.

Having Hope at Home (Aug. 6 to 23,) a multi-generational comedy which has modern medicine and midwifery butting heads, is delivered by playwright David S. Craig. It will be directed at HVT by Diana Fajrajsl.

The Dik and Mitzi Anniversary Show (Aug. 26 to 30), billed as “vintage Vaudeville with a twist,” is written and performed by Wayne Doba and Andrea Conway.

On July 19, HVT’s summer series will end with a blues revue. The Bluesville Express will perform originals to covers of Muddy Waters and BB King.

“They’re old style Chicago blues which has its own horn section,” Johnston said. “Their leader, harmonica player Craig Miller, is a wild man.

“It’s their first time at Hudson Village Theatre,” he added. “I only heard them on CD before.”