A highly anticipated production of Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins opens Lyric Stage Boston’s 2023/24 season with an astonishing cast of Boston area artists performing this electrifying theatrical gem with Direction by Courtney O’Connor, Music Direction by Dan Rodriguez, and Choreography by Ilyse Robbins.
With the American dream out of reach, nine of the most notorious figures in our nation’s history ignite a chain of monumental nightmares. The white picket fence is set on fire in Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s tragically funny and unnerving musical which peers inside the shattered minds of presidential assassins (both successful and failed) from John Wilkes Booth to John Hinckley, Jr. This gallery of historical misfits jolts us into their blurry points of view with unapologetic humor, fiery anthems, carefree tunes, and unbridled energy that boldly blurs the lines between ambition and madness.
Director Courtney O’Connor says, “Stephen Sondheim’s dark masterpiece speaks perhaps even more to audiences today than when it was written over 30 years ago. In a divided country where people are screaming to be heard, it is a prescient reminder that the past can also be a roadmap of the future. I look forward to working with the brilliant Dan Rodriguez and this incredibly talented company of artists to share this deeply complex and complicated American story.”
Performances begin Friday, September 15, and run through Sunday, October 15.
Founded in 1974 and in residence at 140 Clarendon Street since 1991, Lyric Stage Company is Boston’s longest-serving resident theater company. Its mission is to produce and present live theater in Greater Boston with an intimate approach that promotes inclusivity and connection. The Lyric Stage leads an effort to integrate live theater and theater education into the lives of all residents of greater Boston.
Lyric Stage and Beacon Communities, LLC, the owners of 140 Clarendon Street, have agreed that the building will be Lyric Stage’s “forever” home, ensuring that the theater will remain a vital and essential part of the cultural fabric of the city.
In partnership with Beacon Communities, LLC, Lyric Stage will continue its commitment to improving the lives of Bostonians alongside a partner who shares those same values. With the partnership of Pine Street Inn, 111 of the units in the building will become supportive housing for people exiting homelessness. The combined energy of Beacon’s supportive services alongside one of the city’s cultural gems makes 140 Clarendon a paragon of two institutions coming together to make the city a better place for its residents.