Act II Playhouse Celebrates 25 Years in Ambler with Entertaining Mix of Theatrical Genres

Act II Playhouse will present six specially chosen productions to mark its 25th anniversary of providing first-rate live entertainment. The theater is one of several cultural institutions in Montgomery County promoted by the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board.

In reflecting on the theater’s past, artistic director Tony Braithwaite said, “Act II Playhouse has become a fixture of the Ambler community.

“I am so proud of the work that we do at the Playhouse bringing world-class live theatre to Montgomery County here in the heart of Ambler.

“Our silver anniversary season has something for everyone: a bit of drama, a little suspense, some history, music, and lots of laughter.”

The announced presentations for the landmark 2023–2024 season are:

• Boca, a series of comedic scenes from Jessica Provenz, who, in her early career, was playwright-in-residence at the Julliard School. Set in a Boca Raton, Fla., retirement community, the plot has the center’s residents learning that the keys to happiness are closer than they expected.
  • Boca runs Aug- 1–27
• Gaslight, a classic thriller set in Victorian London. Newlywed Bella Manningham finds herself questioning her very sanity as she hears unexplained noises in her own new home and watches the gas lamps dim for no reason.
  • Gaslight takes the stage from Sept. 26 to Oct. 22.
• Christmas in the Catskills, is the 2023 edition of Act II’s holiday show, which routinely sells out each December. Braithwaite interprets the season through the eyes — and mannerisms and viewpoints — of stars like Don Rickles, Rodney Dangerfield, and Mel Brooks.
  • Christmas in the Catskills, a world premiere, opens Dec. 5 and closes Dec. 30.
• When Act II performed the Eleanor Roosevelt biography Eleanor last season, audiences were entranced by its solo performer. The play in the winter 2024 slot at Act II — Tea For Three: Lady Bird, Pat & Betty — is an even greater acting challenge: three first ladies embodied by the same actress.
  • This tour de force runs Jan. 23 to Feb. 18.
• Next spring, a biting showbiz satire, It’s Only a Play, will demonstrate to audiences that the drama on stage often pales in comparison to what goes on behind the scenes.
  • Catch It’s Only a Play between Mar. 19 and Apr. 14.
• The celebratory season at Act II ends with the jukebox musical Forever Plaid. It’s an ode to the tight vocal harmonies of 1950s “guy groups” like The Four Aces and the Cadillacs.
  • Forever Plaid will stir audiences’ musical memories from May 21 to June 16.

Full information on ticket purchases and other details is on the Act II Playhouse website.

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Gaslight was filmed by MGM for a 1944 release; Ingrid Bergman won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in it.