Aurora Fox 2011/12 season ranges from folksy comedy to musicals on skates

The wait is over. The Aurora Fox unveiled the lineup for its 2011/12 season, and the roster ranges from the familiar to the bold.
The upcoming season boasts a wide thematic range, from a return to Jeff Daniels' folksy characters in "Escanaba" to a staging of the 2007 musical "Xanadu," a campy production on roller skates that's based on the cult 1980 film of the same title. The five-production season also includes three regional premieres.
The Aurora Fox's 27th season includes "Roshomon" by Fay and Michael Kanin, the regional premiere of "Escanaba" by Jeff Daniels, the regional premiere of "Crumbs from the Table of Joy" by Lynn Nottage, the regional premiere of the musical "Xanadu" by Douglas Carter Beane, Jeff Lynne and John Farrar and "Amateur Night at the Big Heart" by Terry Dodd.
Guest productions of "The Elephant Man" by PHAMALy and "A Chorus Line" by the Gravity Defied Theatre Company will round out the season.
Look for further input from Aurora Fox Executive Producer Charles Packard in the next couple of days. In the meantime, here's the press release from the Fox and some related video clips.

The Aurora Fox Theatre Company announces

2011-2012 Season Lineup
Feb. 8, 2011

RASHOMON

by Fay and Michael Kanin

based on stories by Ryunokuke Akutagawa

September 9 - October 9, 2011

Discover a world of honor, intrigue and deception

Challenge yourself to uncover the truth as four people give different accounts of the same crime. Brimming with action and secrets, Rashomon is a compelling tale about the quest for justice and the complexities of human nature.

From the 1950 film version of "Rashomon," directed by Akira Kurosawa

ESCANABA

by Jeff Daniels (Regional Premiere)

Nov. 18 – Dec. 18, 2011

Celebrate enduring connections

Make this Christmas special and feel right at home with a mystical tale full of quirky characters, warmth and humor. In Michigan’s U.P., two hunting buddies explore family, loyalty and the journey to find a place where they can truly feel settled. In the process, they learn how to deal with black bears, why you should never try to hang a cabin door by yourself and exactly what it takes to bring down the Soady Ridge Buck. Holy Wah!

An excerpt from Jeff Daniels 2001 film "Escanaba." The upcoming production at the Fox will serve as the "pre-prequel" to the story told in the film.

CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE OF JOY

by Lynn Nottage (Regional Premiere)

Jan. 27 –Feb. 19, 2012

Uncover the power of new perspectives

Explore the turbulence of changing convictions and the hidden possibilities obscured by ridged preconceptions. Join us in 1950s Harlem for a lyrical, funny and moving tale about the fractured quest toward self discovery.  Race, religion, politics, and community ties are all challenged as one family navigates the changing times and re-defines itself as it tries to make room for its various members to find their own joy.

Input from the cast of a past production of "Crumbs from the Table of Joy" in Buffalo, NY.

XANADU

book by Douglas Carter Beane

music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar

(Regional Premiere)

March 2 – April 1, 2012

Believe in the magic again.

Escape with us and revel in an outrageously fun romantic adventure on skates. Xanadu is a sweet story about following your muse, risking it all for love and making your dreams come true.

Take it away, Olivia Newton John.

AMATEUR NIGHT AT THE BIG HEART

by Terry Dodd                                                     

April 20 – May 13, 2012

Find Where You Belong

Make new friends, have a good laugh and let the real you break free.  Join us at the Big Heart Bar and Grille where you will find a group of beautiful losers in a rural bar on a Saturday night.  Join them as they open their hearts,  struggle against past  mistakes, and try to  ensure the bad guys get what they have coming.  This is a fun, down-to-earth romp with real people who will remind you of folks you know- maybe even yourself.