Staff photo / Andy Gray The cast of Trumbull New Theatre’s production of the musical “Deer Camp” features, from left, Jerome Teasley, John Brien, Ron Wolford and Jim Desharnais.

Trumbull New Theatre closes its 2025-26 season with the musical comedy “Deer Camp.”

The emphasis is on the comedy in the script by Gene Jurek with music by Doug Spartz. The show is set at a hunting cabin, where four friends gather every year.

They tell their spouses the purpose is to bag a deer, but the reality is they’ve never fired a shot.

The trips primarily are an excuse to play cards, trade stories and escape their everyday routines. The only things they’ve killed are plenty of cases of beer and maybe some brain cells along the way.

“One of the characters, Moose, his deck isn’t all the way stacked,” music director Michelle Jones said.

Their familiar routine is disrupted on this trip.

“They’ve never shot a deer, and their wives are telling them, ‘No deer this year, no trip next year,'” assistant director James Penn said.

Jones described the songs as simple and fun, and they primarily serve as a vessel for the comedy.

“It’s not typical musical music,” Jones said. “It’s just simpler, I guess. For a regular musical, I would have to be practicing my piano part. For this, I can just play and pay attention, which is good. One of the band members figured out it’s only like 24 minutes of music the whole time. And there’s no incidental music in between.”

TNT’s production is an area premiere, so most people will be hearing the songs for the first time. There are songs about drinking (“Rover of Brew”), hunting (“We’re Mighty Hunters”), marital infidelity (“What a Mess”), dating foibles (“She’s Different Somehow”) and their wives’ habits (“Coupon Clipping Ladies,” “She’s Playing Bingo”).

“I have ‘She’s Playing Bingo’ in my head pretty often,” Jones said.

Penn added, “I’m sure they (the audience) will remember three or four songs. They won’t be able to hum them, but they’ll remember them.”

Playing the four hunters in the production directed by Terri Gilbert are Ron Wolford, John Brien, Jerome Teasley and Jim Desharnais. While all of the actors have done shows at TNT before, this is the first time some of them have worked with each other. Despite not knowing each other well, Penn said they were able to build up the camaraderie needed to play characters who have been friends for years.

“Right at the beginning, the guy that plays Diesel, John Brien, had them all going to his place to do a couple of table readings and get to know each other that way,” Penn said. “That helped a lot, I think, because there’s been a lot of ribbing and stuff going on (at rehearsals).”

All of the action takes place inside the hunting cabin. The set was designed by Gilbert and Brett Bunker, and Penn and Jones praised the details Katherine Huff added to the cabin.

In addition to working with the actors to learn the music, Jones will play piano and lead the backing band, which also includes Robin Sanders, guitar, banjo, mandolin and ukulele; Tom Hitmar, guitar; Alan Purdum, bass; and MIchael Valiski, drums.

“The band is very experienced,” Jones said. “I’ve really leaned on them because this is the first time I’ve done this (music direction) here.”

If you go …

WHAT: The musical “Deer Camp”

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday through May 16 and 3 p.m. May 10 and 17

WHERE: Trumbull New Theatre, 5883 Youngstown Warren Road, Niles

HOW MUCH: Tickets are $20 for adults and $17 for students and are available online at. trumbullnewtheatre.tix.com and by calling the TNT box office between 6 and 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday at 330-652-1103.