Produced by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc.

Opening this weekend, the Barn Players Theatre is proud to bring you The Man Who Came To Dinner -- a screwball comedy by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart that's a perfect accompaniment to the long, hazy days of summer. The production kicks-off this Friday evening, July 11, at 7:30 p.m.

The show focuses on the misadventures of Sheridan Whiteside, an irascible man who becomes confined to bed after breaking his hip following supper with the Stanleys. A tumultuous six weeks follow in which the Stanley living room is monopolized by the petulant, hot-tempered invalid all the while ex-convicts are invited to meals and transatlantic calls bring home a $784 phone bill. The arrival of strange gifts from Whiteside's friends further destroys all hope of domestic tranquility for the Stanleys.

Thanks to our own in-house dramaturg, Ross Harmon, you can learn all about the glorious history of this family favorite as well as the real people upon whom Kaufman and Hart based their cast of zany characters. Go to: http://www.thebarnplayers.org/currentshow/

The production is directed by Jessica Franz, and features Bill Pelletier as the irascible Sheridan Whiteside, Courtney Stephens as Maggie Cutler, and Matt Griggs as Bert Jefferson. The cast also includes Nathan Stock; Christina Schafer Martin; Kevan Myers; Irene Blend; Bob Allen; Matt Koenen; Marina Monks; Elizabeth Goetzman; Carol Leighton; Steve Parker; Petra Allen; Nick LaBruzzo; Jen LaBruzzo; Sean Leistico; and Mandy Skeels.

The production runs Fridays and Saturdays July 11-12, July 18-19, and July 25-26 at 7:30pm, with Sunday matinee performances on June 13, 20 and 27. All performances are at The Barn Players Theatre, located at 6219 Martway, Mission, Kansas.

Tickets are $12 for regular admission; $10 for seniors (age 65 and older); $5 for students with valid student ID; and $8 for groups of 10 or more. Tickets may be purchased at the box office, which opens one hour before curtain time; cash or check only. No credit cards are accepted. The box office opens one hour prior to curtain time. For reservations call (913) 432-9100 or visit our website at www.thebarnplayers.org.

The Barn Players Theatre is excited to bring a new play festival to the region: It's the Barn's 6 x 10, featuring an evening of original ten-minute plays. The selected plays will be performed in a festival scheduled for December 5-7, 2008.

Entries are now being accepted, and are limited to submissions from writers and playwrights living within 200 miles of Kansas City. All entries should be ten minutes in length and may not have been previously produced. The Barn plans to select six original plays to be produced as a part of this new festival. For more details, check the Barn website at www.thebarnplayers.org.

And be sure to mark your calendars now for the 6 x 10 Play Festival this December!

The Barn Players is proud to congratulate Alyson Golladay on being recognized as a Blue Star Award winner in the best actress category for her portrayal of Mrs. Lovett in the Shawnee Mission Northwest production of Sondheim's Sweeny Todd

Alyson was recently featured in two Barn Players productions. She was part of the ensemble in the crowd favorite Bat Boy, and appeared as Violet in the Barn Junior production of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, where she acted alongside her brother, Caelin Golladay, who portrayed Pigpen.

Alyson just finished a Master Class with Nancy Opal, who currently plays the title role in the professional touring production of The Drowsey Chaperone. This fall, Alyson will spend her senior year at Shawnee Northwest doing what she loves most: singing and acting. Look for her behind the scenes helping out with the upcoming production of A New Brain.

Congratulations Alyson, we are proud of you!

The Barn Players are raising money to improve our electrical systems in our performance space, and we need your help! While some minor expansions did occur when we first occupied the facility, we're now facing a significant upgrade that's needed to help expand our lighting and sound needs.

Our goal is to raise $25,000.

Won't you consider a contribution to help us meet that goal? Your donation is completely tax deductible, and your name will appear in our program as an esteemed Barn Supporter.

Please contribute what you can to help us improve our electrical systems so that the Barn Players can continue to bring you the best in local community theatre...one show at a time!

• You've been thinking to yourself: "How can I demonstrate my strong support for the Barn Players Theatre?" We understand--it's a common question. Here's the answer: Show your support with your wardrobe! BARN SUPPORTER T-Shirts are now on sale!! Get yours today! All proceeds from the sale of these t-shirts will go toward electrical upgrades for our theatre. Shirts are $20 each and feature the Barn's logo against a vivid red background. Our fundraising goal is to reach $20,000. T-shirts have been donated by Custom Casuals Embroidery...thanks Eric!!
• If a picture's worth a thousand words...we've got more words than the dictionary!!!Here's another fabulous opportunity to show your support for the Barn Players...and enjoy memories of your favorite Barn productions. Thanks to our own Vida Bikales, you can now purchase a compact disc full of production photos from our past shows, including head shots, publicityphotos and production stills. Each CD is just $10, and all proceeds from the sales will go to benefit the Barn Players Theatre. To order your CD, please contact Vida at VBikales@aol.com .
• With the dog days of summer just around the corner, be sure to stop by and see our good friends at PRIOR ATTIRE, located at 4024 W. 95th Street. As you know, PRIOR ATTIRE carries the best in "gently-used" men's and women's clothing and accessories. So, wag your tail on over to check out their summer bargains, including melt-down bargains on a small selection of 14 carat gold jewelry. Join the crowd and go green?free up closet space by donating some of your gently-used clothing, shoes, accessories, and household items and support the Barn Players Theatre at the same time! Call Rebecca at 913-648-6012 for details on how to donate. Please visit our friends at Prior Attire today!
• Speaking of "green," please help support the Barn's own efforts to be more environmentally sensitive by remembering to put your recyclables in the blue recycling containers near our concessions stand.
• Don't forget about our Dinner & A Show partnership with Melbee's Restaurant. Experience fine dining before seeing The Man Who Came to Dinner. The Theatre Package includes two theatre tickets to a Barn Players production and Melbee's famously elegant three-course meal, all for only $60 per couple. Just call MelBee's at 913-262-6121 for reservations. Melbee's is located at 6120 Johnson Drive in Mission.
• Need to reach out to some arts savvy folks? Why not advertise with the Barn Players? It's a win-win proposition. You can advertise a quarter page ad for as little as $40 for the run of an entire production or $160 for a total of five shows. We'd be happy to help you design your ad, too. Just contact (913) 432-9100 for information about how to place your ad with the Barn Players Theatre.
• Oops, you left your jacket in the car? Now, for your comfort and enjoyment, the Barn is pleased to offer polar fleece blankets, which are available to our patrons during productions. Please ask our concessions volunteer or house manager for a blanket if you become chilled.