Presto! "Piazza" is on the way

"Winner of six Tony Awards, The Light in the Piazza represents an ambitious departure from the pop-inflected formula typical of contemporary Broadway musicals. Adam Guettal's score is unusually lush, moody and dramatic, reaching back for inspiration to neo-romantic orchestral music and classical opera."--Sydney Morning Herald

The first production of our 95th season is the romantic Tony award-winning musical "The Light In The Piazza," with a book by Craig Lucas and music & lyrics by Adam Guettel.

Margaret Johnson, the wife of an American businessman, is touring Florence in 1953 with her daughter, Clara. While sightseeing, Clara-a beautiful, surprisingly childish young woman-loses her hat in a sudden gust. As if guided by an unseen hand, the hat lands at the feet of Fabrizio Naccarelli, a handsome Florentine, who returns it to Clara.

This brief episode, charged with coincidence and fate, sparks an immediate and intense romance between Clara and Fabrizio. Margaret, extremely protective of her daughter, attempts to keep Clara and Fabrizio apart.

As "The Light In The Piazza" unfolds, a secret is revealed: in addition to the cultural differences between the young lovers, Clara is not quite all that she appears. Unable to suppress the truth about her daughter, Margaret is forced to reconsider not only Clara's future, but her own hopes as well.

"The Light In The Piazza" is based on a novella by Elizabeth Spencer and earned 5 Tony awards.

Arlington Friends of the Drama Theatre's production runs October 13-29. Mark your calendars!