We all know that with the coming of January we’re expected to “ring out the old and ring in the new.” We can thank poet Alfred Lord Tennyson for that long-standing idea. It comes from his 1850 poem “Ring Out, Wild Bells.”

As a Victorian Age poet, his time was one of vibrant expansion and development in the arts, literature and architecture. No wonder he leaned into change.

While the old isn’t necessarily being rung out at the Warehouse Theatre Company, there are plenty of new things ringing in, and the WTC is leaning into change of its own. A mainstage production is in rehearsal, but added to that are new classes, new performance events and new developmental activities for youth.

Irish romance

In traditional fashion, creatives are hard at work on the next Warehouse production, “Outside Mullingar.” This John Patrick Shanley play is a modern Irish romance that reminds us that it’s never too late to take a chance on love. With a Valentine’s night opening, this show is tailor made for date night.

The four-person cast includes WTC favorite Grace Schefter, two actors performing in their second Warehouse production, George Bellah (“The Quality of Life”) and Matt DuFault (“The Sound of Music”), and Cait Towry, a first-time company performer.

The show runs Feb. 14-March 2.

Kids dance company

The first of new events to ring in the year involved the youngest performers in town. On Jan. 8 the first meeting of the newly established “Warehouse Theatre Kids’ Musical Theatre Dance Company” took place. Over the five-week workshop, choreographer and WTC board member Carol Garza will teach one weekly session to nine dancers in the first and second grade age range, followed by a session for 10 kids in grades three through five.

“The idea for this five-week workshop came after seeing so many children audition for WTC's recent production of ‘The Sound of Music,'” Garza said. “It was amazing to see how many kids wanted the chance to perform.”

While both teacher and students were a little nervous at that opening session, one message was a constant. “Have fun!" Garza said. "Then, week two, students were running into the room ready to show what they remembered and eager to learn the rest of the dance. Some of them had even met up over the weekend to practice.”

Garza adds, “I’m also very lucky to have two West Valley High School sophomores, Elyse Berger and Savanna Ross, as assistants. These two have shown great leadership, helping break down dance steps for students and adding their own choreography ideas and cheering the students on.”

The fun for students and staff alike will reach its peak on Feb. 5 at the final session for each group. The young dancers will get the chance to perform their choreographed number for family members and friends that night.

Script-in-hand performance

And while those performances are happening in one room, rehearsals for a second fresh Warehouse endeavor will be happening in another. Under the guidance of first-time director Jenny Brown, a cast of three will bring the psychological thriller “Misery,” William Goldman’s adaptation of the Stephen King novel to the stage. Premiering Feb. 7, it’s the first play in the WTC’s new “Script-in-Hand” series.

“It's very exciting and rewarding to be putting together this groundbreaking show," Brown said. "This is really theater stripped down to its essentials.”

The nature of script-in-hand performances creates a powerful theatrical experience. These shows have no costumes and few, if any, props. Lighting and sound effects are minimal, and a narrator reads the stage directions to paint scenes and provide needed details for the audience.

“The focus is entirely on the performers and their craft bringing these characters to life,” Brown said. That makes the audience key collaborators in the show.

These performers will have just three rehearsals together before presenting the play to an audience. From an open audition of over 20 people, director Brown selected two Warehouse Theatre veterans and one WTC newcomer for her cast.

In “Misery,” successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon (Jeff Honeycutt) is rescued from a car crash by his “No. 1 fan,” Annie Wilkes (Rise’ Honeycutt). The catch is that Sheldon is actually a captive in Wilkes’s secluded home. Wilkes demands that Sheldon write a new novel to her liking and is willing to employ mental and physical torture to see that it happens. The only other character in the play is Sheriff Buster (Erik Johnson) whose interference in matters does not go well. Johnson will also handle the duties of narrator.

You may have guessed that Jeff and Rise’ are a married couple. Rise’ credits Jeff with encouraging her to audition.

“I have never done anything like this and always thought I’d be too nervous to memorize and deliver lines in a play," Rise' said. "But Jeff reminded me that this kind of experience – with the script right there - is a safer space. Plus, I love the ‘Misery’ book and movie. In fact, Stephen King is a favorite author.”

Rise’ found the audition experience to be as advertised. “Except for Jeff, I didn’t know anyone there, but I was immediately put at ease by the director and other auditioners," she said. "They made it a very safe space to play in. Having the script in hand was great and I had real fun doing improvisation. I was just shocked and so excited to be chosen to play Annie Wilkes.”

It wasn’t a great shock to Jeff when Rise’ got the nod. “We were paired up for the final read of the night. She was so good; I found myself becoming kind of nervous. I thought, ‘she does know this is a script in hand performance, right?’ She was very convincing. If she calls me Paul at home, it’s a little chilling,” he says with a wide smile.

As a WTC special performance, “Misery” will offer another new wrinkle. Patrons will have complimentary hors d’oeuvre and wine purchase options through the Warehouse’s pairing with Yakima Valley Vintners, the Vineyard and Winery Technology Program at Yakima Valley College.

Youth musical

The Warehouse’s partnership with YVC is set to take the next step on Feb. 9 with auditions for a youth musical. Under the direction of WTC board member and YVC theater instructor Ray Pritchard, the program will offer youngsters from ages 13-19 a chance to bring “The Phantom of the Opera” to life.

Those chosen for a role will have until July 14 to work on their lines and songs before fully immersing themselves in a three-week intensive experience running from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. from Monday through Friday each week. The musical will then have four performances over the first weekend in August. It’s a program built for youth who are passionate and wanting to explore a future career in the theater.

It seems that the Warehouse Theatre Company is taking Tennyson’s advice to ring in new things in this new year. It brings with it new opportunities for the company to realize its mission to engage, enrich and encourage the people of the Yakima Valley. With the constancy of mainstage productions, plus a growing number of classes and performance opportunities, one might even say that 2025 has the potential to be a year of vibrant expansion for the WTC.

• Vance Jennings is executive director of the Warehouse Theatre Company. The company contributes a column in Explore every four weeks.