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“The Minutes” @ The Umbrella

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photo credit: Jim Sabitus

“Intensely compelling…one of the best shows this season. [I]ngeniously staged by Edmiston…THE MINUTES is an allegorical masterpiece by Letts and one which would have probably made Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling proud…or jealous that he did not write it himself.” – Kevin T. Baldwin, METRMAG

The Umbrella Arts Center is proud to present the Greater Boston premiere of The Minutes by award-winning playwright Tracy Letts (August: Osage County), called one of the most thrilling on Broadway in recent years. Nominated as Best New Play by the Tony Awards and Outer Critics Circle in 2022, and for the Pulitzer Prize in drama, The Minutes is part biting comedy, part Hitchcockian mystery, and at its dark heart an unflinching allegory about small-town politics and real-world power.

This new production is helmed by Scott Edmiston, three-time Norton-winning director, hailed as “one of Boston’s finest directors” by the Boston Globe, who calls Letts’ play “completely original and outrageous…both funny and dark, located somewhere between The Office and The Twilight Zone. It’s brilliant in the way that it uses comedy to dramatize some serious issues facing our country today. It takes a hard look at the growing movement to deny or rewrite some of the unpleasant truths about America’s past. What are some of the myths about ourselves and our nation that we find hard to admit — and why?”

LIVING CONCORD SPECIAL

  • Thursday, March 14, 2024 Performance Only – Use this Living Concord Link to save 10% on tickets with special code “LIV01742”. This performance will also feature a special post-show talkback with members of the Concord DEI and Concord 250 committees discussing local topics surrounding historical interpretation and how it relates to themes in the play.

SPECIAL ENGAGEMENTS

  • Sunday, March 10, 2024 3:00PM – Kid-Care Performance* – The Umbrella is pleased to offer a Kid-Care Show Program, giving parents and caregivers an opportunity to attend select performances while their child(ren) engage in art activities inspired by the production. This program aims to provide better access to arts and culture events and create a shared experience opportunity for families. Spaces are limited and can be reserved alongside ticket purchases.
  • #DinnerAndAShow Thursday Night Out Packages! Thursdays in Concord are now a fun and easy entertainment Date Night thanks to optional pre-show dinners here at The Umbrella provided by Nosh restaurant and the Concord Market! Coming straight from work? Park free at The Umbrella, then take a load off and enjoy a delicious catered dinner, pick up beverage at concessions, and explore our free art galleries at your ease until it’s time for curtain! Details on our chef-planned menus for The Minutes coming soon!

 

The Umbrella Stage Company presents: Middleton Heights

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The Umbrella Stage Company presents Middleton Heights

March 31 – April 23, 2023
World Premiere commissioned by The Umbrella
By Hortense Gerardo
Directed by Michelle Aguillon
Presented on the Black Box Stage

BOOK TICKETS NOW

“Funny, heartbreaking, well-paced, and full of memorable moments. [This] play left me feeling warm, full, and hungry for more” – Linda Chin, Theater Mirror

The Umbrella Stage Company is thrilled to commission its first full-length play, created by local playwright Hortense Gerardo.

Called one of “13 fresh theater productions to see this spring,” (Jacquinn Sinclair, WBUR Artery), Middleton Heights is a dark comedy that follows Meena and her Filipino family as they assimilate to life in a fictional Midwestern suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. The play traces historical events from 1967 to 2014 and the pursuit of the American Dream, refracted through the intersectional lens of the Asian American Pacific Islander immigrant experience.

In the world premiere of an original play commissioned by The Umbrella Stage Company, Hortense Gerardo’s Middleton Heights unravels a wry, charming and honest tale that follows Meena and her Filipino family as they assimilate to life in a fictional Midwestern suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. The play traces historical events from 1967 to 2014, examining transformative social moments from the Hough riots to the Robert Kennedy and MLK assassinations to the protests in the aftermath of the killing of Tamir Rice, refracted through the intersectional lens of the Asian American Pacific Islander immigrant experience and the pursuit of the American Dream.
A writer, choreographer, filmmaker, and anthropologist, Gerardo is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America and The International Center for Women Playwrights, and Director of the Anthropology, Performance and Technology Program UC San Diego. From 2018-2020, she served as the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s artist-in-residence, promoting creative placemaking and community resilience through art throughout MAPC’s 101 cities and towns.
This production is directed by Michelle Aguillon, who has helmed several popular productions for The Umbrella Stage, including this season’s sold-out run of Kate Hamill’s Dracula, Fences, Joy Luck Club, To Kill a Mockingbird, and True West, which earned a DASH Award for Best Production (Play). Aguillon and Gerardo have collaborated frequently on recent projects, including last season’s Incantation for The Umbrella Stage @Home New Works series and Scensation for the Boston Theater Marathon XXIII, among others.

Special Associated Programs

  • Friday, March 31 – Iskwelahang Pilipino (IP) Rondalla Ensemble performs pre-show
  • Sunday, April 2 – Trish Fontanilla post-show Talk Back with Playwright and Director, in partnership with BosFilipinos
  • Saturday, April 15 – Iskwelahang Pilipino (IP) Student Dance Group performs pre-show
  • Sunday, April 16 – Kid-Care Performance*, Post-show Talk Back with the cast, moderated by WPTZ NBC5 Morning Host Lauren Granada
  • Sunday, April 23 – Iskwelahang Pilipino (IP) Tinikling Dance Group performs pre-show

* The Umbrella is pleased to announce our new Kid-Care Show Program, a pilot program to give parents an opportunity to attend select performances while their child(ren) engage in art activities inspired by the production. This is a new pilot program aimed at providing better access to arts and culture events and creating a shared experience opportunity for families. Spaces are limited and can be reserved alongside ticket purchases.

Playbill Notes

Community Partners

Related Readings

Past Associated Programs

The Umbrella Stage Company was pleased to present a special program on October 30, 2021 exploring the Filipino American Experience through the dramatic writing and production process as part of the 2021 Concord Festival Authors. An interactive discussion with playwright Hortense Gerardo, director Michelle Aguillon, and actors Jude Torres, Liza Fermin-Granada, and Justin Budinoff presented a scene of an original play examining what it means to be a Filipino American in relation to the American Dream through the lens of a Filipino family in the suburbs of Cleveland. The event included a short scene-in-progress from the commissioned World Premiere!

Events

Holiday Pops Concert with the Firebird Pops Orchestra

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‘Tis the season to warm your soul with the festive sounds of the Firebird Pops Orchestra in The Umbrella’s state-of-the-art Theater 144.

Cozy up to two acts of beloved holiday classics–plus some new favorites!–performed by talented musicians from across New England. Let these rich, vibrant orchestrations provide the soundtrack to your December as you enjoy solos by Mara Bonde, Sandra Piques Eddy, and Stephen Markarian with your loved ones.

Bringing the family? Pops the perfect introduction to the magic of the symphony for listeners of all ages. During intermission, let little ones explore Educational activities with an Umbrella instructor while you visit Concessions and take in the beautiful abstract works in the Allie Kussin Gallery, Joy & Peace.

There’s nothing quite like experiencing the joy of a full orchestra together—especially when everyone gets to sing along. Let your voice join in a rousing sing-along finale that fosters the warmth of community against the December chill.

Friday, December 12, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 12:00 PM & 4:00 PM
Sunday, December 14, 2025 at 3:00 PM

About The Firebird Pops Orchestra:
The online musical sensation Firebird Pops was born “out of the ashes” of the COVID-19 shutdown, its inaugural virtual performances taking grateful audiences by storm. Under the baton of founder and music director, Brendan Kenney, almost 60 musicians performed Harry Potter Symphonic Suite, a medley of the score from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, garnering praise from MuggleNet.com, Nerdist, and New England’s Channel 7 News. Since then, the orchestra has continued to grow in size and notoriety with its innovative digital performances from Phantom of the Opera, the launch of the Firebird Vox choir, and fresh seasonal concerts for the Halloween and Winter Holidays. Formally granted nonprofit status, the Firebird Pops organization looks forward to expanding its in-person repertoire, and The Umbrella is proud to introduce them to live audiences in our state-of-the-art Main Stage Theater 144!