An Allentown theater will present the Lehigh Valley premiere of the musical “Groundhog Day.”

Between The Lines Studio Theatre had announced Edward Albee’s classic drama “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” May 10 - May 19, in the troupe’s 15th Street black box theater, as its first show of the 2025 season.

In an email received May 10 after the deadline for the May 7 and 8 Focus section print edition, “Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, we have had to postpone this production until the fall,” Rachel Williams, Managing Director, Between the Lines Studio Theatre, stated.

The drama, directed by Kathy Patterson, is about the volatile relationship between George (Eric Hersh) and Martha (Rachel Williams), a middle-aged married couple, during a late-night gathering with a younger couple, Nick (Dylan Rex) and Honey (Brooke Harrsch).

Civic Theatre of Allentown’s “Groundhog Day” opened May 9 and continues through May 19, Main Stage, Nineteenth Street Theatre.

“Groundhog Day” is based on the 1993 hit film comedy starring Bill Murray, directed by Harold Ramis and written by Ramis and Danny Rubin.

The musical comedy is about a man’s journey of self-discovery as he relives the same day over and over.

The show has music and lyrics by Tim Minchin (“Matilda: The Musical”) with a book by Rubin.

Phil Connors (Jarrod Yukasaukas) is an arrogant Pittsburgh TV weatherman who is frustrated to be reporting on the annual Groundhog Day ceremony in small-town Punxsutawney, Jefferson County.

When he arrives in Punxsutawney, the community is hoping that the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, will not see his shadow, signifying an end to winter and the start of spring.

Full of scorn for everything and everyone he encounters on his way to Gobbler’s Knob where the annual ceremony takes place, Phil meets his attractive new producer Rita Hanson (Mariel Letourneau).

During his assignment, he finds himself stuck in a time loop, forced to repeat the same day. As he keeps reliving Groundhog Day, Phil goes from despair to hope as he tries to change himself and win over Rita.

The musical made its world premiere in London in 2016 and was nominated for eight Laurence Olivier Awards, winning for Best New Musical and Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. The musical opened on Broadway in 2017, and was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

“Groundhog Day” is directed by Civic Theatre of Allentown Managing Artistic Director William Sanders, with music direction by Todd Deen and choreography by Sanders and Rose Fortkamp.

The May 15 performance is “Pay What You Can.”

“Groundhog Day,” 7:30 p.m. May 9, 10, 15, 16; 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m. May 17; 2 p.m. May 18, Civic Theatre of Allentown, 527 N. 19th St., Allentown. 610-433-8903, https://civictheatre.com/

“Curtain Rises” is a column about the theater, stage shows, the actors in them and the directors and artists who make them happen. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com