Goodspeed Musicals Announces Season of New Musicals at The Terris Theatre in Chester

Two-time Tony Award-winning Goodspeed Musicals announces its first season of new musicals since 2019 at The Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn. Opened in 1984 for the development of new musicals, Goodspeed’s Terris Theatre will welcome back audiences this year with a musical celebration of the wit and humor of Dolly Parton followed by an exciting and innovative musical inspired by the true story of a deaf Welsh sniper in World War I.

Here You Come Again
July 26 – August 27

The season will open with Here You Come Again, a rollicking and touching new musical that brings Dolly Parton together with a diehard fan going through a trying time. With her wit, humor and trademark charm, Dolly teaches him a whole lot about life, love and how to pull yourself up by your bootstraps… even if your bootstraps don’t have rhinestones! Packed with hits like “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” “Islands in the Stream” and more, this is one musical that is sure to make you smile!

Here You Come Again is written by Emmy-Award winner Bruce Vilanch (The Terris: A Sign Of the Times, Broadway: Hairspray) who was also a Hollywood Square for six years; Gabriel Barre (Goodspeed: Billy Elliot, Sweeney Todd, Finian’s Rainbow; The Terris: A Sign of the Times, Amazing Grace; Broadway: Amazing Grace); and Tricia Paoluccio (The Terris: Camille Claudel; Broadway: Fiddler on the Roof, The Green Bird, A View from the Bridge) featuring songs written or recorded by Dolly Parton (And Others). Best known for creating original musicals, Barre will also direct and choreograph Here You Come Again, which will run July 26 – August 27.

Private Jones
October 13 – November 5

Next will be Private Jones, running from October 13 – November 5. Private Jones is inspired by the true story of a deaf solider in World War I who displays remarkable skill as a sniper while hiding his profound hearing loss. Driven by an ensemble of deaf, hearing and hard-of-hearing actors and a dynamic Celtic score, witness how one man’s journey through war becomes all the more treacherous because he―and we―can’t hear what’s coming next.

Private Jones is written and will be directed by Marshall Pailet (Off-Broadway: Regina Comet, Who’s Your Baghdaddy, Triassic Parq). Music direction will be by Madeline Benson (Broadway: Waitress, Six). Choreography will be by Misha Shields (Off-Broadway: Baghdaddy, Wonderland, Who’s Your Baghdaddy). Director of Artistic Sign Language for the production will be Alexandria Wailes (Broadway: For Colored Girls…, Spring Awakening, Big River).

Now in her third season as Goodspeed’s Artistic Director, Donna Lynn Hilton shared, “We are thrilled to re-open our Terris Theatre for the first time since 2019. Please join us as we develop our next big hit so you can say ‘I saw it first at Goodspeed!’ With our GoodWorks commissioning program, Mercer Writers Grove and Festival of New Musicals all serving as a direct pipeline to the Terris stage, Goodspeed’s commitment to new musical theatre development is stronger than ever.”