Candide to Replace The Wiz in Berkshire Theatre Festival 2009 Season

Leonard Bernstein’s classic operetta Candide has replaced the previously announced production of the musical The Wiz in the Berkshire Theatre Festival’s 2009 season.

Candide will be presented as a semi-staged production by BTF’s Unicorn Company, July 8-August 15, with an opening on July 11. Ralph Petillo will direct the piece, based on the novella by Voltaire, and featuring a book by Hugh Wheeler. It tells the story of a young man’s journey of self-discovery as he tries to find his place in a world that appears to be growing increasingly hostile.

As previously reported, the Mainstage season will kick off with a special edition of TheaterMania contributor Scott Siegel’s Broadway by the Year series (June 19-27), followed by Eric Hill’s production of Paul D’Andrea and Jon Klein’s The Einstein Project (June 30-July 18), Warner Shook’s production of Neil Simon’s The Prisoner of Second Avenue (July 21-August 8), and Anders Cato’s production of Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts (August 11-29).

The Unicorn Theatre season will kick off with Hill’s production of Brian Friel’s Faith Healer (May 21-July 4), and additional productions will include Zayd Dohrn’s Sick (August 18-September 6), and Andre Guerdat’s bioplay Red Remembers, about sportscaster Red Barber, starring Tony Award nominee David Garrison and directed by Tony Award winner John Rando (September 11-November 1).

For more information, call 413-298-5536 or visit www.berkshiretheatre.org.