Hartford Stage Reveals First Season Under Obie-Winning Artistic Director Melia Bensussen

The Tony Award-winning Hartford Stage has announced an initial lineup of four offerings for its 2020-2021 season. The slate of productions were selected by Obie winner Melia Bensussen in her inaugural season as artistic director.

Among the season programming is Martín Zimmerman's world premiere play Simona's Search, to be directed by Bensussen. The original drama follows a girl who, curious about her father's life in Latin America before moving to the United States, obsesses over his secrets. Soon, her thoughts and dreams become haunted by the mystery of his past.

The new season will also include Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous, the latest work from celebrated writer Pearl Cleage. The new play follows Anne and Betty, best friends who return to the United States to participate in an arts festival after 25 years of living abroad in creative exile. Susan V. Booth will direct.

An imaginative retelling of Mary Shelley's horror classic Frankenstein will also appear at Hartford Stage. In the new interpretation, written and directed by David Catlin, an eerie evening of ghost stories is spun as Shelley herself breathes new life into her tale of the infamous Victor Frankenstein.

The fourth offering in the new season is a fresh staging of Shakespeare's As You Like It directed by Bensussen. Two additional productions, as well as casting, further creative team details and production dates will be announced at a later time.

Entering its 57th season, Hartford Stage has been the launching pad for numerous productions that moved to New York City, including the Broadway fan favorite Anastasia and the Tony-winning Best Musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder. Hartford Stage was honored with the 1989 Regional Theatre Tony Award.