‘Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical’ makes Lehigh Valley debut at Civic Theatre of Allentown May 8-17

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Civic Theatre of Allentown will stage the Lehigh Valley premiere of “Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical” from May 8 to 17 at its Historic 19th Street Theatre, marking the first regional production of an off-Broadway parody with deep local roots.

The musical, written by Jonathan Hogue, sends up the first several seasons of the Netflix series “Stranger Things.” It was originally directed off-Broadway by Nick Flatto, a Bethlehem native and Muhlenberg College alumnus. The Civic production is directed by Civic’s artistic director, William Sanders.

Carly Covel, Civic’s director of marketing, said Flatto is expected to attend opening night on May 8 at the 527 N. 19th St. venue.

“We’re just very excited to be the first theater in the Lehigh Valley to get to produce this work,” Covel said.

The show runs for two weekends, with performances Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., a Thursday performance May 14 at 7:30 p.m., a Saturday matinee May 16 at 2 p.m. and a closing matinee May 17 at 3 p.m. Regular tickets are $35, with discounts for seniors, students and military patrons at $30.

Civic Theatre recommends the production for ages 10 and older due to language and suggestive content.

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Covel said the humor skews mature and that the show contains innuendo and adult-themed scenes. Viewers familiar with the source material, she said, can use the Netflix series as a guide for whether the stage version is appropriate for younger fans.

She said the parody is structured to work for audiences who have never watched “Stranger Things,” with character introductions built into the script alongside references aimed at longtime fans.

Pay-what-you-can performance May 9

Civic will offer a pay-what-you-can performance on Saturday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m., with tickets starting at $10. Covel said the discounted performance is a season-long practice intended to lower the cost barrier to live theater.

“We understand that seeing live theater can be expensive and there is a barrier to enjoying this art form, and we want to take that barrier down,” Covel said.

Group discounts are also available through the box office, according to the theater’s news release. Groups of eight or more receive 20 percent off, and groups of 15 or more receive 25 percent off regular ticket prices.

Parking and accessibility

Civic does not operate its own parking lot. Covel said free street parking is generally available on 19th, Liberty and Allen streets near the theater.

The 19th Street Theatre offers accessible seating, including transfer seats for patrons using mobility aids and dedicated spaces for both manual and motorized wheelchairs, Covel said.

Civic does not permit infants in the audience, and all attendees must hold a valid ticket and remain seated for the full performance, according to the theater.

Tickets are available online at civictheatre.com and at the box office beginning one hour before each performance. Covel recommended buying in advance, citing strong demand.

About Civic Theatre

Civic Theatre of Allentown is a nonprofit community theater founded in 1927 by two Morning Call reporters. The company has operated continuously at the 19th Street Theatre since 1957, and the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2024.

Covel said the cast is composed entirely of community volunteers.

“We are a place for professional production and community storytelling, and we create accessible experiences for all audiences,” she said.