BIRMINGHAM — Virginia Samford Theatre will mark its 99th year this fall with the launch of The Season of Hope, a lineup focused on family, inclusion and resilience.
The season opens Sept. 18-21 with the Alabama premiere of “Carole Cook Died for My Sins,” a solo show written and performed by Birmingham native Mason McCulley. Directed by filmmaker and theatre artist Cameron Watson, the play traces McCulley’s journey from Alabama to Hollywood while honoring both his late mother and his mentor, actress and Lucille Ball protégé Carole Cook. The production explores themes of grief, addiction, chosen family and healing.
“Coming back home to Birmingham, and to the Virginia Samford Theatre, is deeply meaningful to me,” McCulley said. “To premiere my play on this historic stage feels like coming full circle.”
Watson, who began his career on the Virginia Samford stage, said he is equally honored to return. “I consider my early experiences at the Virginia Samford Theatre and Birmingham Summerfest integral to the beginnings of my life in the theatre,” he said. “And now, being back after all this time, it is deeply exciting to see how alive and robust the theatre scene in Birmingham is today.”
As part of the opening weekend, the Sept. 21 matinee will feature a post-show talkback with New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow, sponsored by Invisible Histories and UAB’s Center for the Study of Sexual and Gender Health.
The Season of Hope will continue with Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” in December, Jonathan Larson’s “Rent” in February, Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” in April and “Bye Bye Birdie” in June.
“People are looking for connection and hope, not just for themselves but for the future of their community and their loved ones,” said Philip Mann, executive director of Virginia Samford Theatre. “We want to tell stories that cover the entire spectrum of Alabama families.”
Founded in 1927, Virginia Samford Theatre is Birmingham’s longest-running community theatre and was recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Tickets and season passes are available at virginiasamfordtheatre.org.
