Lots of laughs and a double dose of Neil Simon are planned at Trumbull New Theatre next season.

The community theater in Niles announced its lineup for 2024-25 at its board meeting this week.

The selection process was easier than usual, but not by design.

“We only had five directors submit, and most only submitted one show,” board trustee and webmaster Lisa Bennett said.

The season will open with the Neil Simon comedy “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” which is based on Simon’s early career as a comedy writer on “Your Show of Shows,” the 1950s variety show starring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca.

“It’s a little different for him,” Bennett said. “The humor is a little more sarcastic, less slapstick, less farce than some of Neil Simon’s pieces.”

It will be directed by board President Brett Bunker. In March 2025 Robert Spain will direct Simon’s “Last of the Red Hot Lovers.”

“That one’s just pure Neil Simon at his best,” Bennett said.

Bennett will direct the musical “9 to 5,” opening Nov. 8. It will be the second opportunity for local theatergoers to see the musical in 2024 with Youngstown Playhouse opening its production in June. It’s based on the 1980 film starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton about three women who get revenge on their misogynistic boss, and the title song from the movie was a chart-topping hit for Parton.

“I love the movie, and I love that they made it into a musical,” Bennett said. “I know we have a lot of Dolly Parton fans.”

TNT will start 2025 with “Red Herring,” a murder mystery set during the Cold War in the early 1950s and written by Michael Hollinger. Megan Myers will direct.

“It’s a mystery, but it has a lot of comedic elements,” Bennett said.

The season will conclude in May 2025 with another play set in the past – “Suite Surrender,” written by Michael McKeever. Two legendary 1940s film divas with a long-running feud are assigned to the same suite at the Palm Beach Royale Hotel. Terri Gilbert will direct.

Fliers announcing the upcoming season were mailed this week to current subscribers. TNT is only doing one musical instead of two for its 2024-25 season, so the season ticket fee actually dropped by a couple of dollars compared to the 2023-24 price.

Once again, TNT is offering two season ticket packages. The regular pass is $82, and subscribers can reserve their seats and performance dates the week before the show opens. For $4 more, the premium pass allows subscribers to pick their seats and show dates upon purchase without having to make reservations for each show.

If you go …

Sept. 6 — The comedy “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” directed by Brett Bunker.

Nov. 8 — The musical “9 to 5,” directed by Lisa Bennett.

Jan. 10. 2025 — The mystery-comedy “Red Herring,” directed by Megan Myers.

March 7, 2025 — The comedy “Last of the Red Hot Lovers,” directed by Robert Spain.

May 2, 2025 — The comedy “Suite Surrender,” directed by Terri Gilbert

All shows will run for three weekends (with Sunday matinees on the second and third weekend) at Trumbull New Theatre, 5883 Youngstown-Warren Road, Niles.

Season tickets are $86 for premium passes (which allows subscribers to pick their show dates and seats in advance instead of making reservations for each performance) and $82 for regular season passes. Season ticket fliers were mailed to current subscribers this week. For more information, go to trumbullnewtheatre.com.