Sarah Phillips, Artistic Director of Festival Players, Prince Edward County’s professional theatre company, today announced their 5^th anniversary season which runs from June 28th-August 27^th, 2011. The 5^th anniversary season follows a year that saw the company experience record-breaking attendance.

The season will begin with a remount of Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly by Governor General’s Award winning playwright John Gray. Gray’s entertaining and engaging musical about iconic aviatrix Amelia Earhart will have only ten performances prior to its national tour. Festival Players premiered the original work last year to sold out houses. Ottawa actor Eliza-Jane Scott will revive the role she originated last year. Amelia: The Girl Who Wants to Fly will run June 28^th to July 8^th at Fields on West Lake, in Bloomfield.

Leanna Brodie’s powerful and moving story of a young girl’s journey to find herself in The Book of Esther will be the second show of the 2011 season. Set in the rural community of Baker’s Creek, the Dalzell family struggle to keep their farm, family and faith intact when their 15 year-old daughter Esther runs away from home. Festival Players audiences are familiar with Brodie’s razor-sharp wit – in the 2009 season, her Schoolhouse was a runaway audience favourite. The Book of Esther will run July 12^th to 30^th at Mt.Tabor Playhouse, in Milford.

The third show of the 2011 season will be The Ballad of Weedy Peetstraw by Peter Anderson and Dora Award winner John Millard. This comical and clever take on the Faust legend tells the story of a young country boy who sells his soul to the devil to play the banjo. Originally produced by Caravan Farm Theatre in British Columbia, to strong audience and critical acclaim, the performance will feature a live bluegrass band. The Ballad of Weedy Peetstraw will run August 3^rd to 28^th at Rosehall Run Vineyards, in Wellington.

“Our 5^th anniversary season is a celebration of stellar talent. We are thrilled to be creating and presenting original Canadian work in a unique and vibrant community, anchored in both rural life and artistic excellence. It’s here that our theatre artists continue to inspire, entertain, and engage a rapidly growing audience,” says Artistic Director Sarah Phillips. “We’ve got a few other things up our sleeve for this year too. There’s more great news to come!”

The season will run June 28-August 27, 2011. Single tickets will go on sale in early Spring. Flex Pass subscriptions are available and are priced at $81.00+HST until June 24^th. Contact boxoffice@festivalplayers.ca or call 613-471-1991/1-866-584-1991 to order a Flex Pass, and visit www.festivalplayers.ca for ongoing updates about the season and schedule.