2025 Korda Season
In the midst of a thus-far successful 2024 season that kicked off its third decade of live theatrical performances, Korda Artistic Productions is announcing a diverse slate of shows for 2025 that features an offering for every taste. The season will include a popular mystery-crime caper based on the work of bestselling crime novelist Agatha Christie; a famous Oscar Wilde comedy; an acclaimed ghost story brought to life on stage; a summer camp program; plus a holiday panto. Added into the mix are four Broadway musicals including a comedy musical satirizing the legal system, capitalism, and more; a musical-within-a-musical journey of an original show to the bright lights of Broadway; a horror-comedy-musical loosely inspired by the 1956 horror film Invasion of the Body Snatchers; and a jukebox musical blending a 1950s sci-fi film with Shakespeare’s The Tempest in a show that will be staged at the nearby Walkerville Centre for the Creative Arts, in partnership with the school’s theatre program, and with Stratford Off the Wall to design and create the exciting production. With the exception of the WCCA co-production, all other shows in the season will come to life on stage at the intimate KordaZone Theatre on Seminole Street.
“Korda's third decade of entertaining and thought-provoking theatre continues with a season that mixes the unknown with the familiar," says Jeff Marontate, Korda’s Resident Director. "We examine the loss of identity and individuality in a selection of shows that balance laughter, music and mystery. Whether they confront corruption or battle conformity, this season's protagonists must rediscover the self in order to succeed, or survive!"
Urinetown: The Musical
February 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21 & 22, 2025
Book by Greg Kotis
Music by Mark Hollmann
Lyrics by Hillman and Kotis
Directed by Tracey B. Atin
A side-splitting sendup of greed, love, revolution (and musicals!), in a time when water is worth its weight in gold. Winner of three Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score, three Outer Critics Circle Awards, two Lucille Lortel Awards, and two Obie Awards, URINETOWN is a hilarious musical satire of the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, environmental collapse, privatization of natural resources, bureaucracy, municipal politics, and musical theatre itself! In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity’s most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides that he has had enough and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom! Hilariously funny and touchingly honest, Urinetown provides a fresh perspective on one of America’s greatest art forms. The production is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International, 423 West 55th Street, Second Floor, New York, NY 10019. www.MTIShows.com.
“What kind of musical is this? A fresh, unique, original, impudent, colorful, exciting, irreverent, surprising and wonderful musical, that’s all!” – The New York Observer
“Who would have thought that a 1999 Fringe Festival curiosity about ecological disaster, overpopulation and the right to pee would even make it to Broadway, let alone receive ten Tony nominations?... Kotis and Hollmann [have] proven that originality and irreverence can thrive on the Great White Way.” – Time Out New York
“Of course, you’re not supposed to like that title – that’s part of the big, good-natured, and remarkably successful joke that is Urinetown. A terrifically spirited sendup of musicals and their conventions.” – The New Yorker
Murder on the Orient Express
March 28, 29, 30, and April 4, 5, 6, 10, 11 & 12, 2025
Based on the Book by Agatha Christie
Adapted by Ken Ludwig
Directed by Dean Valentino
Ken Ludwig’s clever adaptation of the Agatha Christie classic MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS boasts all the glamour, intrigue and suspense of Dame Agatha’s celebrated novel, with a healthy dose of humour to quicken the pace. Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. The luxurious train is surprisingly full for the time of the year, but by the morning, it is one passenger fewer. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed eight times, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, the passengers rely on detective Hercule Poirot to identify the murderer – in case he or she decides to strike again. Murder on the Orient Express was selected as part of Korda’s first-ever public call for production proposals, and will be directed by Dean Valentino. This production is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals, 250 West 57th Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10107-0102. www.concordtheatricals.com.
“Strikes the perfect balance of the cerebral and the comic. Get on board – it’s a great ride.” – Houstonian Magazine
“The fast-moving, powerful theatrical locomotive Murder on the Orient Express will get you to a better place, and slay you merrily en route.” – Hartford Courant
“A love letter to the original material, with a swift moving script adaptation by Ken Ludwig... Everything you could want – broadly drawn characters, exotic settings, and a spectacular murder with no shortage of suspects.” – BroadwayWorld
Return to the Forbidden Planet
April 25, 26, 27, and May 2 & 3, 2025
Book by Bob Carlton
Music & Lyrics by Various Artists
Directed by Jeff Marontate
Co-Produced with the Walkerville Centre for the Creative Arts
Design and Creative Elements in partnership with Stratford Off the Wall
Shakespeare’s forgotten rock and roll masterpiece! Inspired by The Tempest, this high-energy jukebox musical is packed with rock ‘n’ roll classics, including “Great Balls of Fire,” “Good Vibrations,” “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood,” “Young Girl,” and “Gloria.” In RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET, audiences blast off on a routine flight and crash into the planet D’Illyria, where a sci-fi version of The Tempest – set to rock ‘n’ roll golden oldies – unfolds with glee! The planet is inhabited by a sinister scientist, Dr. Prospero; his delightful daughter Miranda; Ariel, a faithful robot on roller skates; and an uncontrollable monster, the product of Prospero’s id. This will be a co-production between Korda and the Walkerville Centre for the Creative Arts. The show will be staged at the nearby WCCA, and in partnership with Stratford Off the Wall. Under the guidance and direction of Korda’s Artistic Director Jeff Marontate, youth mentorship opportunities in the performing arts will be built into the process. This production is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals, 250 West 57th Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10107-0102. www.concordtheatricals.com.
“The best rock and roll show in town!” – The Daily Express
“A masterpiece... Take one plot (Shakespeare’s The Tempest), one B movie (Forbidden Planet), and for added flavor plunder the entire Shakespearean canon for dialogue (the more pungent the plagiarism, the more piquant the final effect)... your favorite blasts from the past... ring out of the story with such unadulterated audacity that the cue lines themselves beg for mercy.” – What’s On
“Prepare to dance in the aisles.” – Time Out.
[Title of Show]: The Musical
May 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31, and June 1, 2025
Book by Hunter Bell
Music & Lyrics by Jeff Bowen
Directed by Atin, Menard, Roberts and MacDonald
Music Direction and Accompaniment by Benjamin Goldstein
A musical about two guys writing about musical about two guys writing a musical. Jeff and Hunter, two struggling writers, hear about a new musical theatre festival. However, the deadline for submissions is a mere three weeks away. With nothing to lose, the pair decides to try to create something new with the help of their friends Susan, Heidi and Larry on the eighty-eights. With the cast in place, Jeff and Hunter begin a conversation about what to write about. Eventually, Jeff suggests they write about what to write about. They make a pact to write up until the festival’s deadline and dream about the show changing their lives. [TITLE OF SHOW] – taken from the space on the festival’s application form which asks for the “[title of show]” – follows four friends on their journey through the gauntlet of creative self-expression as they write and perform their show at the festival and learn so much about themselves as people, friends, and artists along the way. [Title of Show] is, above all, a love letter to musical theatre... and to the joy of collaboration. Presented as a special “From the Vault” offering, the production will reunite Korda’s original cast – Tracey B. Atin, Christopher Lawrence Menard, Kathy Roberts, Dan MacDonald, and Benjamin Goldstein – to bring the story to life through their fresh new vision. This production is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals, 250 West 57th Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10107-0102. www.concordtheatricals.com.
“This is a show about creating art – the successes and pitfalls, laughs and tears, confidence and doubt, magic and mayhem that is part of the journey to making compelling theatre. It is a story of friendship that feels like family; the exact type of bond that builds and sustains community theatres around the world. This is, in many ways, a show about Korda, the KordaZone Theatre, the artists who fill it and breathe life into it, and how beautiful and terrifying, complex and satisfying the whole wild journey can be.” – The Cast and Creative Team.
“Sly, sassy, inspired.” – Entertainment Weekly
“Terrific. A kick-a$% time.” – New York Daily News
The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals
June 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, and July 3, 4 & 5, 2025
Book by Nick and Matt Lang
Music & Lyrics by Jeff Blum
Directed by Jeremy Burke
Everything in Hatchetfield seemed normal until people began singing... Then, they began dancing... And now, a musical pandemic is sweeping the entire city. It’s up to Paul (an average guy who doesn’t like musicals) and his friends to stop this musical apocalypse and fight for humanity’s future. THE GUY WHO DIDN’T LIKE MUSICALS is a horrifying comedy musical that premiered in Los Angeles and was created by the folks behind A Very Potter Musical and Holy Musical, B@man! The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals was selected as part of Korda’s first-ever public call for production proposals, and will be directed by Jeremy Burke, who helmed 2023’s Romeo & Juliet and 2024’s The Trench. This production is presented through special arrangement with StarKid Productions, LLC. www.teamstarkid.com.
“The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals is hilarious, horrifying in its underlying message... more than just a loving mockery of musical theatre. It can be heartbreaking at times.” – The Lafayette
“It’s also some of the best satire of musical theater as a genre to ever exist.” – The Scarlet Letter
Extension-Korda Summer Sessions
July and August 2025
Produced by the Extension-Korda Youth Players
Korda’s summer tradition continues in 2025 with the EXTENSION-KORDA SUMMER SESSIONS program to include summer camps, musical performances, productions, cabaret nights and special events. Over the years this innovative program has become a popular experience for youth artists to work alongside mentors and peers to learn the ins and outs of operating, programming and performing in a true community theatre setting. This program has been supported for many consecutive years by the Federal Government’s Canada Summer Jobs program - support that is greatly appreciated by the Korda family. Stay tuned for more information, including participation opportunities, as it becomes available.
The Importance of Being Earnest
September 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26 & 27, 2025
Written by Oscar Wilde
Directed by Jeff Marontate
In 1890s London, two friends use the same pseudonym for their on-the-sly activities, and hilarity ensues in this brilliant play. Oscar Wilde’s classic is a delight from the first cucumber sandwich on as Jack’s double life catches up with him. Billed as a Trivial Comedy for Serious People, the play is a farcical comedy in which carefree young John Worthing invents a fictitious brother, “Ernest”, whose wicked ways afford John an excuse to leave his country home from time to time to journey to London. There, he stays with his close friend and confidant, Algernon Moncrieff. John falls deeply in love with Algernon’s cousin, Gwendolen, while she falls head-over-heels for John’s alter-ego. Things come to a head in a charming and quite unexpected way as both Jack and Algernon discover the importance of being earnest while answering to the name of Ernest. Korda’s production will be directed by Resident Director Jeff Marontate, who helmed the 2023 and 2024 sold-out productions of The Rocky Horror Show and Psycho Beach Party.
“...endlessly funny comedy about courtship, hidden identities and social posturing among deliciously superficial people.” – The New York Times
“Knockabout fun with Wilde’s genteel wit.” – The Guardian
The Woman in Black
October 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31, and November 1, 2025
Based on the Book of the same name by English author Susan Hill
Adapted by Stephen Mallatratt
Directed by Kimberley Babb
“It was nine-thirty on Christmas Eve...” The framework of this spine tingler is unusual: a lawyer hires an actor to tutor him in recounting to family and friends a story that has long troubled him concerning events that transpired when he attended the funeral of an elderly recluse. There he caught sight of THE WOMAN IN BLACK, the mere mention of whom terrifies the locals, for she is a spectre who haunts the neighbourhood where her illegitimate child was accidentally killed. Anyone who is unfortunate enough to see her will suffer a terrible tragedy! The lawyer has invited some friends to watch as he and the actor recreate the events of that dark and stormy night. A classic of the genre. This production is presented through special arrangement with Concord Theatricals, 250 West 57th Street, 6thFloor, New York, NY 10107-0102. www.concordtheatricals.com.
“Ingenious – a journey into fear.” – The New York Times
“It tightens its grip on the spectator like a medieval instrument of torture.” – The Daily Express
“A real theatrical spine chiller... A truly nerve-shredding experience!” – The Daily Mail
“The chills are irresistibly effective... a delicious spell of malevolence and menace.” – Time Out
The Annual Korda Holiday Panto
December 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13 & 14, 2025
Directed by Mark Worsley
Though the exact title and story are yet to be set, Korda’s traditional December family offering will be an original holiday panto that gives a fresh take on a familiar tale. Expect silliness for the kids, naughty jokes for the grown-ups, bad drag, great music, magic, mayhem, and loads of audience participation for everyone in a goofy, delightful, all-ages musical production to close out the 22nd season in style. Korda will seek a director for the 2025 panto production.
“... the wink-winking and nudge-nudging will be family-friendly. Adults can enjoy the double entendres, but the slapstick and sight gags are fun for all ages.” – The Windsor Star
Media Contact Details
& Resources
Korda Artistic Productions
Jeff Marontate, Resident Director
P: 226-757-3032
E: jmarontate@aol.com | kordazone@gmail.com
W: Kordazone.com
P:
All performances of all shows in the 2025 Season will take place at The KordaZone Theatre
2520 Seminole Street, Windsor, Ontario.
Helpful Links
Korda Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/15726790159/.
KordaZone Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kordazone/.
Kordazone Flickr Albums: https://www.flickr.com/photos/127347470@N04/albums.
Musical Tickets: $30 General Admission.
Show Tickets: $25 General Admission; Pay-What-You-Can nights once per production.
*TICKET PRICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE; PARTICULARLY FOR MUSICALS*
Purchasing Tickets Online: Eventbrite links will be available online; One price point only.
Purchasing Tickets In Person: ½ hour before showtime; cash and debit only at the door.
Auditions/Directing: Opportunities posted to Korda’s website and socials (as available).
