By Elizabeth Mandel

SVCT ’ s annual teen production , opening in February 2025 , will be Mean Girls , a brutally hilarious musical adapted by Tina Fey ( 30 Rock ) from her 2004 hit film , Mean Girls . The story follows a new girl attempting to rise to the top of the high school popularity pecking order by taking on The Plastics , a trio of frenemies .

Next in this engaging season is Unnecessary Farce , another hit comedy by Paul Slade Smith . ( SVCT ’ s production of the political comedy , The Outsider , by the same playwright was a 2022 sellout at Limelight in Gilroy .) As with most farces , doors feature prominently in this one : eight doors , two cops , three crooks , and two adjoining hotel rooms … go !

Youth productions like Finding Nemo Jr . typically give 50-70 children the opportunity to perform , often for the first time , on a big stage and to decide whether acting is a passion for them . SVCT actively encourages youth involvement , requiring no participation fees and reducing ticket prices for all audience members . Most of SVCT ’ s teen performers started with these youth productions , and the teens often continue on with adult shows . For example , PJ Crocker and Lauren DeRosa ( above ), young adults most recently seen on SVCT ’ s stage in A Comedy of Tenors , started performing with SVCT as teens ( in It ’ s a Wonderful Life in 2018 and in Rock of Ages in 2019 respectively ).

The 2024-2025 season will continue with four more exhilarating productions . This will be the first time SVCT has presented the musical Pippin , which premiered on Broadway in 1972 . SVCT will be presenting the 2013 version , which won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical . Pippin uses the premise of a mysterious performance troupe , led by the Leading Player , to tell the story of Pippin , a young prince on a search for his life ’ s meaning and significance . This revival features a circus troupe performing high energy acrobatics .

Finally , SVCT ’ s season will close in early summer 2025 with The Prom . Four eccentric fading Broadway stars hearing that trouble is brewing in a small town where one student wants to bring her girlfriend to the high school prom , decide to put a spotlight on the issue … and themselves . Like with SVCT ’ s summer 2024 production of Kinky Boots , audiences can expect a message of love and acceptance , along with the humor and energy of classical musical comedy .

All of SVCT ’ s scheduled shows for this season will be at the Morgan Hill Playhouse . Complete season information can be found at https :// www . svct . org / 2024-2025 _ season /. Meanwhile , South County audiences have also been asking about the future of Limelight , which was SVCT ’ s unique and intimate “ bring your dinner ” cabaret-style venue in Gilroy . Since SVCT lost Limelight ’ s lease at the end of 2023 , its future is still a work in progress . SVCT has considered several possible venues , looking for a path forward . They hope and expect to have a new home for Limelight in the near future .

You are invited to join your local community theater as we continue to explore classic and modern themes in our productions . Let SVCT entertain , inspire , enlighten , and educate you , SVCT ’ s South Valley audience . Thank you for supporting and sustaining local community theater for over 55 years !

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