Heritage Repertory Theatre season opens June 21

Heritage Repertory Theatre opens its 2001 summer season with "Gypsy," an American musical classic, on June 21.

Based on the biography of Gypsy Rose Lee, by Arthur Laurentis, the story chronicles the golden age of vaudeville and the rise of the famous burlesque star and mother of all stage mothers, Mama Rose.

Directed by U.Va. drama professor Robert Chapel, "Gypsy" opens June 21 for 10 performances in Culbreth Theatre.
Since 1974, HRT has been in residence during the summer months as the

University's professional repertory theatre. Leading directors, designers, technicians and actors from across the country join the company each year to produce a season of variety and excellence in rotating repertory.

Other plays in this summer's HRT line up are:

• "Art." Opens July 6 in Culbreth.
Serge buys an expensive new painting and shows it to his two best friends. Their responses challenge the very basis of their friendship, and raise questions over the nature of art. The comedy/drama won both the Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Play in 1998.

• "The Rainmaker." Opens July 12 in Culbreth.
This classic tells the story of Starbuck, a charismatic con man who sells hope to a drought-plagued town. Starbuck also casts his spell on Lizzie, the "plain," unmarried daughter of the rancher who hires him. Recently revived on Broadway, this play is one the whole family will enjoy.

• "Grease." Opens July 19 in Culbreth.
Brush up your ducktails, put on your poodle skirts, and revisit senior year at Rydell High, where the too-cool Danny loves the straight-laced Sandy. Will true love prevail? Of course it will, to such great tunes as "Greased Lightnin'," "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee" and "We Go Together."

• "Dames at Sea." Opens July 17 for 21 performances in the Helms Theatre.
The first show ever performed in the Helms, back in 1974, returns. Ruby is fresh off the bus in New York City, eager to be a Broadway actress. When the star falls ill, she just might get her big break. This tribute to Busby Berkeley is the off-Broadway hit that made Bernadette Peters famous.

Tickets range from $100 for the season to $25 per show for the general public. For details, call 924-3376 or see http://www.virginia.edu/~ drama/heritage/heritage.html