Encore Musical Theatre Gears Up for Fourth Season in Dexter

Big things are coming to the in 2012.

Following a successful year of sold-out performances, the debut of a and the purchase of the theater's building, the company is returning to its roots by offering a full lineup of classic musical theater performances.

"We have an exciting season lined up," Encore Theatre co-founder Dan Cooney said. "We're returning to shows with a smaller, more manageable cast."

Cooney said last season's shows, which included The Music Man and It's a Wonderful Life, were received well by audiences but put a strain on the small theater's resources.

"The good news is revenue and attendance across the board for the season was up," Cooney said. "It's such a blessing. It speaks to the integrity and vision of the theater. Everything is moving in a positive direction."

2011 was a year of experiments, including the debut of the company's "" series, featuring several smaller shows with more mature themes, as well as a revamped premiere of It's a Wonderful Life: The Musical, co-written by Kathie Lee Gifford.

Cooney said the "Encore on the Edge" series will not return in 2012, citing small audience attendance for Nevermore, a musical journey through Edgar Allan Poe's life, and The Last Five Years.

"The shows got rave reviews, but it didn't generate enough interest," Cooney said. "It was a turnoff for the local audience. As a nonprofit, we can't afford to do musical theater that patrons won't support.

"I adored the whole process (of experimenting with the series), but it's not about me," he said. "I can't just do theater that turns me on. To be successful, we have to figure out what works for the community at large."

That means returning to classic shows such as The Sound of Music, which the theater performed in 2010, he said.

Even the theater's intended tradition of closing its season with It's a Wonderful Life did not withstand the chopping block.

"I think we've had our time with it, and now we're through," Cooney said. "I saw the revised version, and I don't think there's anything more we can add to it.

"I think two years in a row is enough. It's a good show, but I think we can do better, so we're abandoning the vision of performing It's a Wonderful Life every year at the Encore in favor of some better-quality shows."

Classic musical theater returns

This year's lineup includes Smokey Joe's Cafe (Feb. 2-Feb. 26), Godspell (March 29-April 22), Fiddler on the Roof (July 12-Aug. 12), The Fantasticks (Sept. 27-Oct. 21) and Home for the Holidays: An Encore Christmas (Nov. 23-Dec. 23).

"Smaller shows are thrilling, fun and easier to manage," Cooney said. "We're in our fourth year, so eventually, we're going to run out of choices; but hopefully, audiences who have seen Nunsense and other shows will be impressed with our version."

Cooney said that when planning the season, the largest deciding factor is the audience.

"It all comes down to whether or not we think we can get 2,200 people to come to our shows, and in the next five years, we want to expand that to 3,500," he said. "This season, we have a decent mix of drama and comedy we will be offering."

'We're constantly expanding'

Before he heads to Vietnam for a much-deserved vacation, Cooney said he will return to Dexter this week to discuss the theater's five-year goals.

"We want to take a look at how we're positioned going into 2012 and beyond," he said. "With the purchase of our building, by the end of the five-year plan, we are hoping to offer substantial changes to better accommodate our actors, crew and, most importantly, our audiences."

Some of those changes include replacing audience seats, sprucing up the lobby area, opening another restroom area and adding space for actors' dressing rooms.

"We're considering everything from every angle," Cooney said. "We have to prioritize our needs. For instance, do we replace the chairs because one person tells us they were uncomfortable? We're constantly expanding, growing and cleaning to bring the theater up to a satisfying comfort level for our patrons."

As the season gets under way, Cooney said he looks forward to what the new year has in store.

"I continue to be grateful for those who have come and supported us," he said. "The fact that we're opening for a fourth year is huge; there are hundreds of theaters across the country who closed their doors last year.

"Our success is a credit to the good management team at the Encore and the support from the Dexter community."

For more information on the Encore's 2012 season, visit theencoretheatre.org.