The New England Youth Theatre proudly presents its ninth annual Melodrama Festival Extravaganza, MELO-MADNESS, two double-feature shows a day for three sizzling days. Show times are 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 6, 7 and 8. Each performance is a double feature of two thirty minute plays accompanied by an audience participation-sing-along of classic songs, old time "olio acts", clown bits, corny jokes to tickle the funny bone, boos, hisses and more...MUCH MORE!!

The four melodramas performed by NEYT's Young Company are FLORA OF THE FLOWER SHOP, WAY OFF BROADWAY, PROFESSOR HOBO AND TOO MANY COOKS. "Flora of the Flower-shop" is directed by Sam Perry, assisted by Andrew Marchev and Tyler Hatton Bullock. "Flora" is a classic melodrama where the dastardly landlord, Caruthers B. Coldheart demands the exorbitant rent from poor, sweet Flora of the Flower-shop. The boos and hisses will resound as the heroine struggles to free herself from the villain's web. Old time jokes and songs wrap up this crowd pleasing romp.

"Way Way Off Broadway" is directed by Jei Callahan, assisted by Hayden Bunker and Eliza Rosen. Count von Cliche lures the young and beautiful and talented ?? Daisy Cornball away from her humble home in Gopher Gulch and whisks her away to the big, bad, wicked city. There she is dazzled by the lights of way-way, off-off Broadway and the headlight and an on-rushing train. Can our hero, Rodney Smyth Dashington, arrive in time to snatch Daisy from the jaws of death on the railroad tracks? Only time will tell and time is running out fast!

"Professor Hobo" is directed by Ben Stockman, assisted by Allie Bliss and Clark Glennon. In order to prevent all-out war between America and foreign power Domania, dirty drifter Slim must go through a Pygmalion-esque transformation into the famous author Jefferson Tindal, a pen name invented by two old ladies Clementine and Genevieve Quince. Can he pull off convincing class? Or will he be caught faking the funk? This hobo ain't no ordinary Joe!

"Too Many Cooks" is directed by Nick Bombicino, assisted by Rosa Palmeri and Maeve Spiegler. For this wild, wooly romp, think "Faulty Towers" set in the gay 1990's! Pierre, the temper-mental French chef, quits for the umpteenth time", leaving the Copper Kettle Restaurant high and dry! Things can only get worse, and they do! The hap-less and cook-less Kettle is forced to serve canned concoctions to the Ladies Auxiliary who have chosen the Kettle as their official restaurant for the "Annual Arts Festival". To make matters even worse, Emerson Elsworth, world famous food critic, has arrived to judge the Copper Kettle's cuisine. Mayhem ensues as everyone and his mother (literally) tries to cook their way out of the mess!

There are two performances a day, each a double feature of two short comedy plays with intermission in between, total running time approximately 90 minutes. Friday, July 6th at 3:00 PM features "Way Way Off Broadway" and "Flora of the Flower Shop". That same day, at 7:00 PM, "Professor Hobo" and "Too Many Cooks" will perform. On Saturday, July 7th, "Flora" and "Broadway" perform at 3:00 PM, "Hobo" and "Cooks" play at 7:00 PM. On Sunday, July 8th, "Hobo" and "Cooks" play at 3:00 PM, "Flora" and "Broadway" close out the festival at 7:00 PM.

Tickets for all seats, young and old, are $6.00. Ticket reservations are highly advised: email neyt@sover.net or call the NEYT Box Office at 802-246-6398 The NEYT Box Office will NOT call you back to confirm your order. You will ONLY be called if your order CANNOT be filled. Please NOTE:
Ticket reservation must be claimed by fifteen minutes before curtain time; after that tickets will be sold to folks on the stand-by waiting list.