Theatre Royal Stratford East announces new season

The Theatre Royal Stratford East announces their new season.

Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Stratford East, Kerry Michael has today announced details of the venue's upcoming season at the east London venue.

The season opens with Counting Stars by award-winning playwright Atiha Sen Gupta which runs from 26 August to 17 September, with an official opening on 1 September 2016. The production, which is directed by Pooja Ghai with designs by Diego Pitarch, will transform the stage into a studio format nightclub installation.

"Inside the toilets of a nightclub, Sophie and Abiodun are Nigerian immigrants who work as attendants for no wage, subsisting on tips alone. This is where they first met and soon they will celebrate their one-year anniversary. Sophie is optimistic and obsessed with horoscopes and Cosmo. She sees herself as a "PA to the stars" and pampers her customers like they are celebrities. Abiodun has a degree in physics. He is charming, smart, and increasingly frustrated with how they are being treated by management. He sees this all as "class warfare"."

This is followed by the drama Glasgow Girls, conceived and directed by Cora Bisset with book by David Greig which returns to the theatre from 20 September to 1 October 2016 as part of a UK tour.

Directed by Cora Bissett it is described as "a life-affirming, song-filled Scottish drama based on the true story of seven teenagers, whose lives change forever when their school friend and her asylum-seeking family are forcibly taken from their home to be deported. The young women are galvanised to take a stand and fight for the life of their friend, her family and, ultimately, for the rights of all children of asylum-seekers."

The world premiere of The Hotel Cerise, inspired by Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard by Bonnie Greer will run from 20 October to 12 November 2016, with an official opening on 25 October, directed by Femi Elufowoju Jr with designs by Ellen Cairns.

"As the leader of the free world ends his eight years in office, a black middle class family risk losing their beloved hotel and cherry orchard, where Martin Luther King once rested and Miles Davis played. The Hotel Cerise was a famous retreat for affluent black people during the time of segregation - a landmark and symbol of Black America. A place where they were welcome and safe."

2016 will conclude with the annual pantomime which this year will be Sinbad The Sailor. Featuring book and lyrics by Paul Sirett, music and Lyrics by Wayne Nunes and Perry Melius, it runs from 28 November to 21 January with an official opening on 8, 9 and 10 of December.

"With heaps of surprises along the way, join Sinbad and his friends on a voyage to mysterious places as they strive to successfully complete their perilous quest." The production is directed by Kerry Michael with design by Jenny Tiramani & Harriet Barsby and lighting by David Plater.

The first show of 2017 will be The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, featuring book, music and lyrics by Kirsten Childs. Running from 1 February to 11 March 2017 with an official opening on 8 February 2017, it is described as "a life-affirming and funny coming-of-age story which follows Viveca, a bright girl from a black middle class family in LA, who dreams of becoming a dancer", and is "a sassy and satirical look at how women have been defined by others and themselves throughout the 1960s - 1990s with an original score of jazz, pop, Motown and lots of R & B".

Tickets for the new season are now on sale.