The Auburn Players Community Theatre is planning a busy 2008-2009 season.

The group announced a schedule Monday that includes seven productions for the group, now in its 48th season.

The season opens in early September at Cayuga Community College with the Auburn Players Youth Theatre's production of “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Jr.” Eliza Hunt of Weedsport will direct that show.

Also in September, the Auburn Players' Second Stage will produce submitted works for the Original Short Play Festival at the Auburn Public Theatre. That annual event welcomes first-time playwrights and veteran writers into the process.

This year's Christmas season play will be “Carry on Santa,” which looks at the issue who will carry on gift giving and spreading goodwill when Santa retires. Barbara Murphy of Auburn wrote the play and will direct. Groups and businesses can book the performance for early December.

January 2009 will feature first-time director Jason Manning of Auburn overseeing the drama “Our Country's Good,” a piece that looks at themes of justice and redemption in an 18th century Australian penal colony setting.

For the Valentine's season, Auburn's Bourke Kenney will direct “Closer Than Ever” at Auburn Public Theatre, a cabaret-style musical. The group will also look to team up with restaurants to offer a dinner theater program.

The group turns its attention to Shakespeare in April with a production of “Much Ado About Nothing.”

Jamie Bruno of Auburn, an active participant in the Syracuse Shakespeare Festival, will direct.

The season concludes in June with “Oliver,” the classic Dickens story, under the direction of Dia Carabajal of Auburn.

Cayuga Community College will host that performance.

A complete list of dates and venues is still being worked out.

For more information contact Bourke Kennedy at bourke@kenlark.com, call 253-4315 or visit the www.auburnplayers.net.