A Man of No Importance, an intimate backstage musical set in Dublin, Ireland, kicks off Civic's 2006-07 Mainstage season. Presented in its Lehigh Valley premiere, the show opens Oct. 6 and runs through Oct. 22 on Civic's 19th Street Theatre stage. Civic Artistic Director William Sanders, who directs the show, was part of the team that created its 2002 New York premiere. Read His Notes "The production was an artistic success and a wonderful experience for all involved," Sanders says of the original production. "I wanted not only to bring this beautiful story and beautiful music to our patrons here in the Lehigh Valley, but to extend the life of this magnificent piece of theatre." "A Man of No Importance" is a musical about self-discovery and the magic of theatre, by the creative team from "Ragtime": Stephen Flaherty (music), Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) and Terrence McNally (book). Flaherty and Ahrens' work is familiar to Civic audiences; their "Seussical" led off Civic's 2005-2006 season and will be presented again this season in a special production for young audiences. Civic will also produce McNally's play "Love! Valour! Compassion!," March 30 through April 21. WDIY, Lehigh Valley Community Public Radio, sponsors "A Man of No Importance." The 2002 New York production, at the Lincoln Center Theatre, was directed by Joe Mantello, whose Broadway directorial credits include the Tony Award-winning hits Wicked and Take Me Out. A Man of No Importance marked Sanders and Mantello's 10th and most recent collaboration. A Man of No Importance tells the story of Alfie Byrne, a 1960s Dublin bus conductor who recites poetry to his passengers, and who, in his spare time, serves as the artistic director of a local community theatre, St. Imelda's Players. With his dedicated group of amateur actors by his side, Alfie is determined to produce Oscar Wilde's scandalous classic "Salome," complete with the dance of the seven veils — a plan which attracts the ire of the Catholic Church and threatens more than Alfie's production. In the midst of scandal, Alfie must grapple with issues of artistic censorship and his own identity, all the while fighting for what he believes in — and ultimately inspiring his circle of family and friends to see the magic that the theater has to offer. In his author's notes for A Man of No Importance, McNally describes Alfie's journey in the play as one of self-discovery and personal enlightenment. "The theatre is not a place to hide from the world but instead the very place where we may finally discover our true selves," McNally writes. "I would be very surprised if you did not find at least a small part of your world in theirs. Alfie and his friends are all of us." A Man of No Importance will feature a number of familiar faces, led by Matthew Stitzer, as Alfie, previously seen in The Glass Menagerie and the 1998 edition of A Christmas Carol. Musical Director Justin Brehm returns to Civic, having worked on last season's Tick! Tick! Boom! He leads an eight-member professional orchestra for the show. Meet The Cast A Man of No Importance runs Oct. 6-22 in Civic's 19th Street Theatre, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown. Performances are Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Oct. 15 and Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $24 to $28, with discounts available for students and seniors. Discounts are available for groups of 15 or more, including 40% discounts for opening weekend. This production is recommended for mature audiences. Tickets and information are available at (610) 432-8943, and will soon be available online. Director's Notes Meet the Cast Links 2006-07 Mainstage season Morning Call feature MergeDigital blog