The Studio is added venue for New Bern Civic Theatre in ’09

New Bern Civic Theatre's 2009 season lineup includes an expanded venue.

Along with the traditional main stage shows at the Athens Theater on Pollock Street, the new addition is The Studio on Queen Street - a black box and cabaret entertainment venue.

 It will host several formats of theatrical experiences. The black box is defined as a type of theater that has no fixed stage or seating area and can be configured as needed for each performance. The minimal performance space was developed in the 1960s in the United States for experimental work or new plays.

Black Box theater has an intimate focus on the story, writing, and performances, rather than technical elements.

Cabaret is a form of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance and theater -distinguished mainly by the performance area - a space with a performance stage and the viewing audience seated at tables.

The Studio swings into action Jan. 9 to 11 with "Cabaret Night", with an open house and 8 p.m. performance.

Other Studio dates include:

"Talley's Folly", April 17 to 19;

"You Know I Can't Hear You When the Water's Running", May 22 to 24; and

"Comedy Night", Oct. 16 to 18.

The Studio is located at 1019 Queen Street.

The 2009 lineup for the main stage at the Athens Theater includes five shows, with three musicals, a comedy and a tragic-comedy:

"The Baker's Wife" - a musical

Based on the book by Joseph Stein and the film La Femme de Boulanger.

Show dates: Jan. 15, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31, Feb. 1,

8 p.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday matinees.

"Narnia" - a StageHANDS musical

Adapted from C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Show dates: March 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28

Public performances: 8 p.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday matinees.

"One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" - a tragic-comedy

Book by Ken Kesey

Preview night: April 31

Show dates: May 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16

8 p.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday matinees

"You Can't Take It With You" - a comedy

By George Kaufman and Moss Hart

Preview night: Sept. 10

Show dates: Sept. 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26 

"Anything Goes" - a musical

Music and lyrics by Cole Porter. Book by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, revised by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.

Preview night: Nov. 5

Show dates: Nov. 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22 

8 p.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday matinees

For more information, call the box office at 633-0567, or the main office at 634-9057.

On the Web: www.newberncivictheatre.org.