The stage is set for Gateway to reopen this summer

Drive-in movies are out and live theater will be in at Gateway Playhouse this summer. The owners of the Bellport theater announced Thursday that the curtain will go back up on its mainstage productions beginning July 14 with "Songs for a New World" kicking off a new season of musicals.

"We are eager to get back on stage again to continue to entertain audiences with the joys of live theater," said Paul Allan, the Gateway's executive artistic director, in a statement. "We are confident our patrons will be thrilled to have their beloved theater back in action in a safe space."

The abstract musical "Songs for a New World," in which the numbers are all tied to the theme of "a moment of decision," will kick off the season from July 14 to July 31. After that, the '50s jukebox musical "Million Dollar Quartet," about a recording session involving Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash, takes over from Aug. 4 to Aug. 21.

Rounding out the season will be "Newsies" (Aug. 25-Sept. 11), "A Gentleman's Guide to Murder" (Nov. 17-Dec. 4) and "Holiday Spectacular on Ice" (Dec. 17-Jan. 1).

Tickets for all shows start are $49; to purchase, call 631-286-1133 or visit thegateway.org. All shows will be played to 100% audience capacity and proof of COVID-19 vaccination 14 or more days before the performance must be presented.

During the pandemic, the Gateway found some success hosting a series of drive-in movies both last summer and this spring. The final films in the series will be screened this weekend with "Back to the Future" on Friday and "Grease" on Saturday. Show time for both is 8:30 p.m.