BALLBOYS, a new tennis comedy musical, comes to the Goel Center for Theater and Dance on the campus of Phillips Exeter Academy as a showcase concert reading on Thursday, September 17 at 7 PM.

BALLBOYS is set in a New Hampshire ski town during the 1983 Korg International Tennis Tournament. Scruffy local ballkid Denny Bean battles his elitist rival Lexington Duxbury for the love of Bitsy Whitby, whose ultra-rich father schemes to move the tournament to Connecticut.

Meanwhile, harried tournament director Janice Abbott fights to save the Korg and the Valley's future, while three-time champion Johnny O’Donnell faces father time – and rising prodigy Kwame Dubois.

This all-original musical grew in part from the experience of James Mahoney (Book & Lyrics, PEA '91) as a low-level ballboy at the Volvo International Tennis Tournament in North Conway, NH. Along with David Salmela (Music) and director CJ Lewis, the show features live music from acclaimed national and Seacoast theater performers and a five-piece band.

With big laughs, 1980s nostalgia, romantic and tennis rivalries, and plenty of New Hampshire heart, this showcase concert reading offers the Seacoast a first look at a new musical following several years of development in Minneapolis, MN.

Come help welcome BALLBOYS to New Hampshire! This is a free event, open to the Academy community and the public. (Please RSVP if you will be visiting campus for this show.)

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