'Matilda,' 'Ring of Fire,' among Theatre Three's new season

A girl with telekinetic powers, a miser who sees ghosts and the Man in Black are among the characters making up Theatre Three's 54th season.

Last season ended on a stormy note, with the Port Jefferson venue sustaining severe water damage following heavy rains on Aug. 18. Now the theater is all cleaned up and ready to go with season-opener "Matilda the Musical," based on Roald Dahl's classic tale of a girl with supernatural talents who is at odds with the evil headmistress of the boarding school she attends, from Sept. 14 to Oct. 20.

Up next will be a Theatre Three perennial, its 39th annual production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" (Nov. 9-Dec. 28). Executive artistic director Jeffrey Sanzel once again plays the embittered Ebenezer Scrooge, who discovers the true meaning of Christmas after being visited by three spirits.

Theatre Three then gears up for Valentine's Day with the romantic charmer "Crossing Delancey" (Jan. 19-Feb. 9), about a Manhattanite who finds her soul mate with a little help from a matchmaker.

Sparks of a different kind fly in "Ring of Fire" (March 1-30), a jukebox musical featuring 38 songs of country music legend Johnny Cash, including "I Walk the Line," "I've Been Everywhere" and the title number.

Things take a suspenseful turn with the edge-of-your-seat thriller "Wait Until Dark" (April 18-May 11), about a blind woman terrorized by thugs searching for a stash of heroin that she doesn't realize is in her basement apartment.

The final offering may be the most intriguing. "Half Time" (May 24-June 22) is based on the true story of 10 dancers — all over 60 — who audition to perform at halftime for a professional basketball team. Only after making the cut do they find out that they have to dance hip-hop style. 

Sanzel said what he finds compelling about the lineup is how it achieves a full-circle moment. " 'Matilda' is about the ability of children to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others — to be strong and face adversity," he said. " 'Half Time' celebrates people of a certain age embarking on a new chapter, stepping out of their comfort zone, and succeeding. Both show different, but equally valid, empowerment."