BALLBOYS, a new tennis comedy musical inspired by the Volvo International Tennis Tournament and the unforgettable summers it brought to the Valley, comes to Theater in the Wood on Saturday, September 19, at 2:00 PM.

Set in a New Hampshire ski town during the 1983 Korg International Tennis Tournament, BALLBOYS follows scruffy local ballkid Denny Bean as he battles his elitist rival, Lexington Duxbury, for the love of Bitsy Whitby—whose ultra-rich father is scheming 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 Kwamé Dubois.

The musical grew in part from the experiences of James Mahoney (Book & Lyrics) as a low-level Volvo ballkid. Led by David Salmela (Music) and director CJ Lewis, the show features an all-original multi-genre score imbued in the sincere yet synthy sounds of one of pop's most eclectic and dynamic years -- 1983.

Following several years of development, readings, and concerts, and a November 2025 Actors’ Equity workshop in Minneapolis, this performance offers Mount Washington Valley audiences a first look at BALLBOYS in the place that inspired it.

WHAT IS A CONCERT READING?

A cast of 8 professional performers and a live six-piece band will perform the complete story and score in a lively, script-in-hand presentation. You’ll hear every song and follow the full story, without the scenery and costumes of a fully staged production.

WHO IS BALLBOYS FOR?

If you enjoy witty comedy, light satire, a teen coming-of-age story, or rocking out to new songs that harken to a simpler, shorter-shorts time with friends old and new -- BALLBOYS is for you.

If you volunteered at the Volvo, attended matches, chased autographs, worked concessions, served as a ballkid—or anguished in endless traffic before the North-South Road -- you will see yourself in BALLBOYS!

It’s also a musical for people who don’t typically like musicals-- anyone who loves sports comedies like Caddyshack and Slap Shot, ’80s period pieces like Wet Hot American Summer and Say Anything, or the music of Thompson Twins, Pat Benatar, Bonnie Tyler, Taco, and Toto - BALLBOYS has you covered.

THE VOLVO CELEBRATION

After the performance, stay for a celebration of the Volvo! Reconnect with former ballkids, player drivers, linespeople, wranglers, press boxers, volunteers, spectators and tournament employees. You can also meet the cast and creative team of BALLBOYS and share your own Volvo stories and memories.

A cash bar will be available during and after the performance.

SCHEDULE

Doors open: 1:00 PM
Concert reading begins promptly: 2:00 PM
Brief intermission
Volvo celebration immediately following the performance
Event concludes at approximately 5:00 PM

TICKETS AND VENUE INFORMATION

General admission seating: $25 (+ a $2.54 Humanitix booking fee).

10% Discount for those who volunteered, attended, or played (!?) at the Volvo! Just name the unofficial mixed drink of the Volvo International as one word, and you're set. (We'll of course have those iconic drinks, Honey Deuces, and more available at the cash bar.)

Theater in the Wood
41 Observatory Way
Intervale, New Hampshire

Free parking available on site. For guests requiring wheelchair or mobility access, drop-off is available at the theater entrance. Vehicles then park in the upper lot. For additional accessibility assistance, contact Theater in the Wood at 603-356-9980.

Age guidance: recommended for ages 12 and older for light "spicy" language, iced wine drinking, and a breakdancing scene.

Come help us welcome BALLBOYS to the Valley—and celebrate the tournament that inspired it! (1980's tennis outfits and attitudes encouraged.)

Contact the host of BALLBOYS Concert Reading & Volvo Reunion

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