Cortland Repertory Theatre proudly welcomes the Bright Start Touring Theatre to their 50th Anniversary Summer Season at the Little York Pavilion this summer. Now in its 20th year, Bright Star Touring Theatre is a national touring theatre company based in Asheville, North Carolina. Its mission is to challenge, engage and delight audiences all over the world. They have performed for schools, communities, and camps, large and small, from Seattle to Manhattan to Moscow. Their shows are literary, curriculum and character-education based classics that are as entertaining as they are educational. For this summer CRT is hosting three different Bright Star Productions, each performed by just two versatile actors playing multiple roles. All performances are perfect for Pre-K through adult audiences. Tickets are $5.00 per person, and children under 2 are free.

On Friday, July 8, and again on Thursday, July 28 – both at 10:00 AM – Bright Star performs their unique version of “The Little Mermaid”. Hilarious duo Lenny and Mabel, self-proclaimed “The Greatest Actors in the World!”, provide this fun version of Hans Christian Anderson’s classic fairy tale. The story follows the adventures of a mermaid who wishes to become human and win the heart of a human prince. This surprising tale of love and loss explores the difficulty of being yourself in unfamiliar waters - and is quite a bit different from the popular movie versions!

Next, for one show only on Saturday, July 9 at 10:00 AM, comes the swashbuckling “Treasure Island”. Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tells the story of buccaneers and buried gold which centers on the conflict between good versus evil. The quintessential literary adventure, the story of Long John, Doc Livesey, and the lad Jim has captivated audiences for over 100 years. This cast of two performs an exciting version of treasure, pirates, and ocean adventures.

Finally, for one show only, on Friday, July 29 at 10:00 AM comes one of Bright Star’s most popular shows “Upcycled Cinderella”. When the scheduled performers fail to arrive for the day’s performance, the janitors “Dustmop” and “Binny” decide to take over in this hilarious take on the classic fairy tale, Cinderella. This spunky princess shows that, with a little creativity and ingenuity, you can make the most of any situation!

Tickets for all Bright Star Productions, and all of CRT’s summer mainstage shows, go on sale starting Monday, May 23. Tickets can be purchased by calling the CRT Box Office at 800-427-6160 or stopping by CRT Downtown at 24-26 Port Watson Street in Cortland. Box Office hours starting May 23 at M-F, 9:00A–6:00P and Saturdays from noon–6:00P. Tickets will also be available 24 hours a day at www.cortlandrep.org