The Temple Theatre and Producing Artistic Director Peggy Taphorn announce the 2009-2010 season for Temple Theatre's Main Stage Series.

"The Temple Theatre's 26th season promises to entertain and engage audiences from rousing musicals to side-splitting comedies, to the dramatic to a musical for country music fans, as well as highly anticipated regional premieres. The season will consist of six productions.

"Our 2009-2010 Main Stage Season will be filled with music, laughter, family classics, regional premieres, as well as world premieres," said Peggy Taphorn. "At Temple Theatre we always strive to bring the highest level of exhilarating theater in Central Carolina and our upcoming season provides a variety of new productions and timeless classics."

The Temple Theatre's 2009-2010's Main Stage season consists of:

n "Bingo! The Musical," musical comedy about a colorful group of diehard bingo players and friends, written by Michael Heitzman, Ilene Reid, and David Holcenberg, Sept. 3-Sept. 20.

n "Stones In His Pockets," in which a Hollywood film crew descends upon a small Irish village in County Kerry, by Marie Jones, Oct. 15-Nov. 1

n "A Christmas Carol," an original production created especially for Temple by Michael Hoagland and Jeff Stockberger, based on the novel by Charles Dickens, Nov. 27-Dec. 20.

n "Blood Done Sign My Name," based on the best-selling memoir by Timothy Tyson and adapted by Mike Wiley, Jan. 29-Feb. 7.

n "Marty's El Paso," a new show developed by Jason Petty about the life of performer Marty Robbins, March 11-28.

n A classic musical from Rodgers & Hammerstein, April 29-May 16. The show will be announced at the end of November following a contest in which participants guess the name of the show.

Season tickets will be on sale through Sept. 30: six-ticket packages for $96.

Tickets for all Main Stage shows are $20 for adults; $16 for Thursday evening performances, groups, active military personnel, and Lee County educators; and $10 for students and children.

All tickets may be obtained through the Temple Theatre Box Office located at 120 Carthage Street in downtown Sanford. Box office hours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 2 to 6 p.m., Thursday from 2 to 5 p.m. and open at the theater's box office one hour prior to show times.

Tickets by phone to the Box Office at (919) 774-4155 and online ticketing available by visiting the Temple Theatre Web site at www.templeshows.com.