Given the sketchy economic climate, officials at The Colonial Theatre in Keene are banking on bringing in the crowds with a season of sure-fire hits and favorites.
With offerings like Garrison Keillor, “The Nutcracker,” and “Jesus Christ Superstar,” the 2009-10 season has a more mainstream feel than past seasons.
“One of the things that I had in mind when I put the season together … was that the economic climate was going to be difficult,” said Alec Doyle, executive director of The Colonial Theatre Group Inc. “I wanted to be alert to the fact that people are going to be more selective. So I chose more popular-leaning shows. So there’s nothing extreme this year, but there’s still certainly something for everyone.”
Still, there is some new and diverse fare on the lineup as well, including an interactive family science show, a tribute to pop group Queen and frontman Freddie Mercury and a highflying performance by Cirque Le Masque.
The Colonial is ushering in the new season with the smooth sounds of The Manhattan Transfer, a popular New England draw that is making its first Colonial Theatre performance.
“We always try to have a jazz offering,” Doyle said. “But it can be extremely difficult to draw an audience to jazz. But (Manhattan Transfer) is a good blend of jazz with a pop feel to it.”
For more than 35 years The Manhattan Transfer has been offering up its jazzy pop vocal stylings the world over with its takes on classics like “The Boy From New York City,” “Birdland,” “Java Jive” and “Tuxedo Junction. Tickets for the show, set for 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, range in price from $44 to $58.
While October comes in on a smooth line of jazz, just around the corner is another sound. If you listen closely, you might hear the cry, “Fernando.” That’s right, dancin’ queens, put on your five-inch candy clodhoppers and grab your mama mia because ABBAMania is coming to town. (7:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 5, $26-$40.)
Next up are the acrobatic dancers of Momix, which creates images out of props, light, shadow and the human body. (8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, $30-$44.)
“This sort of speaks to the diversity of our season since Momix will bring in an entirely different audience than something like ABBAMania,” Doyle said.
The Colonial sends November out with a bang, clack, clang and shuffle as Tap Dogs takes the stage. With roots in the industrial community, Tap Dogs performers pound out rhythms as well as dances. (7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, $35-$49.)
A slew of holiday shows have sprung up over the years, but not many can compare to the longstanding popularity of the holiday classic “The Nutcracker.” This year, the New York Theater Ballet will present a one-hour, kid-friendly version of the show. (2 and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, $19-$29.)
January brings a dose of laughs with North Shore Comedy Troupe, with comedians Mike Donovan, Brad Mastrangelo and Dan Cohen, plus North Shore Comedy house band The Grinning Lizards. (8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, 8 p.m., $21-$23.)
“Mad Science” arrives at the end of the month with “CSI: Live takes the stage,” an interactive family show that allows kids to be a part of the detective work by recreating and analyzing crime scenes and evidence to help solve the case. (2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31, $19-$23.)
Everything’s alright by February, when Ted Neeley, the performer who originated the title role in the original Broadway tour and film, returns to stage in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony Award-winning rock opera. (8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26, $39-$65.)
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, which gained a following after contributing to Paul Simon’s “Graceland” album, returns to Keene once again for a celebration of South African musical traditions. (8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, $23-$37.)
February makes some noise with ScrapArts Music. “It’s a show that has a Stomp feel with a Blue Man Group energy,” Doyle said. The show features more than 150 instruments made from found industrial scraps. (7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, $25-$39.)
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, Solas takes the stage with its blend of classic Celtic vocals and traditional Irish instruments. The band, which formed in 1996, has performed most of the major Celtic and folk festivals around the world. (8 p.m. Saturday, March 13, $21-$35.)
Comedienne Paula Poundstone, best known for her frequent appearances on National Public Radio’s weekly quiz show “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” and stand-up routines on late-night talk shows, will perform next. (8 p.m. Friday, March 19, $23-$37.)
The signature sounds of singer Freddie Mercury will return to stage in “One Night of Queen,” featuring Gary Mullen and his band. The show will feature classic tunes like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Killer Queen,” “We Are The Champions” and “We Will Rock You.” (8 p.m. Friday, March 26, $26-$40.
Moscow Festival Ballet’s “Sleeping Beauty” is set to Tchaikovsky’s dynamic score and brings elements of both the Bolshoi and Kirov ballet companies to stage. (7 p.m. Saturday, March 27, $32-$46.)
The Grammy Award-winning ensemble Chanticleer will present a variety of a capella music from the Renaissance to jazz and gospel and back. (8 p.m. Friday, April 9, $25-$39.)
By April, it will be time to kick back and set a spell. Put the feet up and enjoy a bygone era with the ultimate story teller Garrison Keillor of National Public Radio’s “A Prairie Home Companion.” (7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 11, $49-$79, with $100 ticket including post-show reception with Keillor.)
“He crosses over to a lot of different groups,” Doyle said. “He’s the consummate story teller and comedian. But a lot of his work has a poignancy to it, too. There has been a lot of interest in bringing him to the Colonial. So I have no doubt this one will sell out.”
Next up is The Acting Company’s production of “Romeo and Juliet.” (7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 14, $25-$39.)
For those longing for the days of bra-burning, gut-wrenching love songs and anti-war anthems, Janis Ian and Karla Bonoff will offer the “Songs of a Generation” tour. (8 p.m. Friday, April 16, $24-$38.)
Broadway meets Keene in the spring with “100 Years of Broadway,” two hours of music from “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Chicago,” “Les Miserables,” “CATS,” “West Side Story” and some newer shows. (8 p.m. Friday, April 30, $29-$43.)
The Colonial winds down its winter season with a hot trip to “Carnivale” with Cirque le Masque. The European-style circus incorporates dance and mime with acrobatics, lavish costumes and special effects. (7:30 p.m. Friday, May 7, $29-$43.)
The Colonial ends it season with a perennial favorite, the “Buddy Holly Family Reunion,” which recreates the last show played by Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens in February 1959. And as an added treat, The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis himself, will make an appearance. (8 p.m. Saturday, May 15, $25-$39.)
The Colonial Theatre is located at 95 Main St., in Keene. For more information, call the box office at 352-2033 or log onto www.thecolonial.org.
