CRT Presents “Born Yesterday” and “Sleuth” in August

Next up in their 48th annual summer season, Cortland Repertory Theatre proudly presents the American comedy classic Born Yesterday written by Garson Kanin running from July 31st – August 10th, and the exciting thriller comedy Sleuth written by Anthony Shaffer, running from August 14th – 24th.  Tickets may be purchased by calling 800-427-6160 or at the CRT Box Office at 24 Port Watson Street in Cortland. Tickets are also available for sale 24 hours a day through the CRT website at www.cortlandrep.org. CRT cautions that this is the only approved online ticket service; other online sites charge significantly higher rates for tickets and are NOT approved by CRT.

The sharp and snappy screwball comedy Born Yesterday premiered in 1946 but it’s as fresh as today’s headlines. Harry Brock, a junkyard businessman with a crude way of talking and a huge but fragile ego arrives in Washington, convinced he can bully and buy a senator or two. The monkey wrench in his schemes is Billie Dawn, his seemingly dim-witted ex-showgirl mistress. When Brock hires a reporter to tutor Billie to make her more acceptable to the Beltway crowd, she rapidly comes into her own as a force to be reckoned with. This delicious comedy hilariously skewers Washington corruption and praises an educated electorate. Directing this production is Mark Reynolds, who helmed last summer’s SALT Award winning musical Newsies, for which he received a nomination for Best Director. 

In the Tony Award winning thriller/comedy Sleuth, the ultimate game of cat- and-mouse is played out in a cozy country house, owned by celebrated mystery writer Andrew Wyke. He invites Milo Tindle, a young rival who shares not only Wyke’s love of the game but also his wife, for a seemingly “congenial” visit. Revenge is devised and murders plotted as the two work together (or do they?) to plan the ultimate whodunit. But things are not always as they seem – right up to the thrilling conclusion! A neat, clever little mystery for any amateur sleuth. Sleuth is directed by Trey Compton, who previously directed Legally Blonde this summer, and was nominated for a SALT Award for direction last summer for Rough Crossing.   

Tickets are also available for CRT’s final summer production in 2019, Million Dollar Quartet, running from August 28 – September 13.