After a banner year in 2009, with record attendance and rave reviews, the much anticipated Festival Players 2010 season has been announced.?

First up, the classic Canadian thriller I’ll Be Back Before Midnight by Peter Colley. A couple from the city rents an old farmhouse in the country. Their dream of a quiet retreat becomes a nightmare, though, when they find out about a murder in the house and the vengeful ghost that is reported to stalk the night. Laugh-out-loud funny and scream-out-loud scary. Not recommended for children (or the faint of heart!). It’s no surprise that Colley’s play has thrilled audiences and critics alike in over 25 countries and become the most-produced Canadian play ever.

Festival Players is delighted to be partnering with Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador to bring a most remarkable play to our community. Tempting Providence by Robert Chafe has toured world-wide, to the UK, Australia, the United States and across Canada, garnering awards wherever it goes. It’s the story of Myra Bennett, a young British nurse, who arrives on the rugged shores of Newfoundland in 1921. There were no roads, no electricity, and the nearest town was a day away on foot. The only medical professional for miles, she pulled teeth, set broken limbs, and birthed babies. It’s a spell-binding tale of strength and heroism told with humour and elegant simplicity.

The final show in the 2010 line up premieres the new version of the musical Amelia by John Gray. Gray’s Billy Bishop Goes to War is well known to audiences, winning the Los Angeles Critics Drama Award, the Governor General’s Award for Drama and the Chalmers Canadian Play Award. With Amelia, he re-imagines the meteoric rise and mysterious disappearance of the legendary Amelia Earheart, pioneering aviatrix. It’s part biography, part love story, part thrill of the flight – and chock full of wonderful music.

“It’s a stellar line up,” says Artistic Director Sarah Phillips. “There’s something for everyone – award winning plays, playwrights, and performers. Our audiences responded really well to the work in 2009 and we’re sure they’re going to be equally enthusiastic about the 2010 season.”

The season will expand to 8 weeks in 2010, running from late June to late August. Flex Passes are on sale until Dec 21 at the deepest discount of the year; $67 gets you three tickets to the 2010 season. That’s a 25% discount off the price of three regular priced tickets. Contact boxoffice@festivalplayers.ca or call 613-399-5677 to order a Flex Pass now for the theatre-lover on your Christmas list – or maybe even treat yourself!