Presented by the Town Run Theater Company
- Weekend 1: Fri, Jan 9 at 7:00 pm, Sat, Jan 10 at 7:00 pm, Sun, Jan 11 at 3:00 pm
- Weekend 2: Fri, Jan 16 at 7:00 pm, Sat, Jan 17 at 7:00 pm, Sun, Jan 18 at 3:00 pm
- Doors open 30 minutes before showtime
“Rounding Third”
A play by Richard Dresser
Town Run Theater Company Artistic Director: Joe Yates
TRTC Company Members: Joe Yates, Homer Speaker, Emily Wanger, Sarah Ward and Richard Yates
A tumultuous journey of two Little League coaches through an entire season, from their first tentative meeting to the climactic championship game. The audience is the stand-in for the team, so the coaches speak directly to the audience about competition, character, punctuality, and the importance of wearing the right equipment. This is a play that was first produced to rave reviews at the Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown. It’s a funny, family-friendly show, suitable for all ages.
Don is the tough, blue-collar, win-at-all-costs veteran coach whose son is the star pitcher. Michael is a newcomer both to the town and to baseball. He’s a corporate executive, or lacky, depending on one’s perspective, who agrees to be Don’s assistant because he wants a special activity with his son, who’s never played baseball before.
Despite their differences, Michael and Don form an uneasy alliance for the benefit of the team. And over the course of exhilarating victories, heartbreaking defeats, and interminable rain-outs, the two men battle over how to lead the team. Michael believes that the job of the coaches is to shield the kids from the intense pressure of competition while making sure everyone has a good time. Don thinks they should be teaching the kids how to win.
By the end of the play, Don’s personal life has come crashing down around him and he’s forced to see both his son and the team in a different light. And Michael must confront an unfamiliar but powerful sensation: he really wants to win.
Audience: Recommended for ages 13 and up.
General Admission. Advance purchase strongly recommended to ensure selection of performance.
Production Notes
Rounding Third occupies a special place in Shepherdstown’s theatrical history. Written by acclaimed American playwright Richard Dresser, the play debuted at the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) in Shepherdstown roughly twenty years ago, where it was first introduced to audiences as part of CATF’s mission to launch significant new works for the American stage. From its earliest performances, the play attracted attention for its sharp dialogue, emotional intelligence, and distinctly American themes, leading to subsequent productions well beyond West Virginia, including an Off-Broadway run and stagings at respected regional theaters across the country.
Richard Dresser is one of the most frequently produced contemporary playwrights in the United States. His body of work includes more than a dozen plays performed nationwide, with productions at theaters such as Second Stage, Seattle Repertory Theatre, and South Coast Repertory, among many others. Several of his works have enjoyed long regional lives, a mark of durability that speaks to his deep understanding of character and human conflict. Dresser’s writing is known for blending humor with emotional honesty, often exploring family, ambition, and moral reckoning with both warmth and bite.
Bringing Rounding Third back to Shepherdstown reconnects the play to its origins, offering audiences the rare opportunity to experience a work that began here and went on to earn a lasting place in the contemporary American theater canon.
Ticket Prices (including taxes and ticketing fees):
Advance Purchase: $23.30 ($20 ticket plus 7% sales tax & ticketing fees)
At Door Purchase: $28.65 ($25 ticket plus 7% sales tax & ticketing fees)
Pay-What-You-Can Performance: Friday, January 9
NEW: 4-play season passes available (click here for details).
Doors open 30 minutes before showtime.
The historic Shepherdstown Opera House is a cozy vaudeville era theater that seats a maximum of 100 patrons— advance ticket purchase encouraged. Beer, wine, soft drinks and snacks for sale during the performance (ID required for beer & wine purchase, no outside food or drinks please). Lobby, theater & restroom are wheelchair accessible.