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A former Lexington resident has written a musical for the stage and it is making its debut this weekend.
The world premiere of “Nightcaps,” a new fully-sung musical drama, will be presented at Second Stage Amherst in Amherst this Friday, Aug. 4, and Sunday, Aug. 6.
This production is written, acted, and directed by creative people who all call Virginia home.
The brainchild of lyricist Brooke Vandervelde of Amherst, a 1982 Lexington High School graduate, and composer Richard Rose of Richmond, “Nightcaps” is set at a small college in the Piedmont in 2018 with flashbacks to 1910 and 1941. Five friends, doing research in the college archives, discover that the truth about the past can be hard to find and even harder to face, a challenge faced by many today.
“Nightcaps is meant to be both entertaining and challenging,” said Vandervelde. “The dialogue is fast-paced, Richard’s music is absolutely brilliant, and it’s been gratifying to see our workshop audiences over the past year connect with the characters from past and present.”
Vandervelde felt it important to engage the local community in the production. Amherst Glebe Arts Response, a presenter of creative works about local history with a history of tackling difficult subject matter, and Second Stage Amherst, a center for arts and community in the town of Amherst, have co-presented the ‘Nightcaps’ workshops and will co-present the August world premiere. Vandervelde is thrilled with the production team, what she calls a truly phenomenal cast, and the help and support from members of the theater community.
Show times for “Nightcaps” are 7 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Sunday.
Second Stage Amherst is located at 194 Second Street in Amherst. Tickets can be purchased through Second Stage Amherst at the website secondstageamherst.org $12 in advance or $15 at the door at show time.
