David Clarke - Page 30

Imagine a darkly ambient realm where angular architecture rises from the shadows and is adorned with three half ovals curtained in sheer white fabric. In this simplistically austere setting, every surface is painted black and gives the impression of some ambiguous but wholly recognizable cabaret. Out of the ether, six shapes emerge. In an assortment of solos and group pieces, these figures sing intensely haunting and puzzling music. Some songs are rigorously jazzy and mesmerizingly chromatic, leaping through major and minor chords with seemingly crazed affectation. Other songs are tuneful and familiar, playing off of bluesy gospel traditions that are tinged with pop sensibilities. This is the world that Adam Guettel, most widely known for the 2005 Tony Award winning musical THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, and Bit of a Stretch Theatre Company have created with the Houston premiere of MYTHS AND HYMNS.

Since we're living in Houston, I promise I won't be upset with you if you tell me you don't know who Mary Testa is. What you first need to understand is that the theatrical gods divinely intervened in her creation. Imagine if Bette Midler and Patti LuPone had a child and named her Mary. Got it? Good. Now, you're beginning to understand why Mary Testa is a theatrical tour de force. With two Tony Awards and other various New York theatre awards under her belt, she has proven herself to be a phenomenal talent that you should not miss.

On August 4, 2013, the 121st anniversary of the grizzly murders, tickets to TUTS Undergrounds' production LIZZIE, the rock-show retelling of the legend of Lizzie Borden, will go on sale. LIZZIE will run from October 10-20, 2013 in the Hobby Center's intimate 500-seat Zilkha Hall. Don't miss your chance to get tickets to this "killer" rock musical.

The first requirement of any girl that steps into the role of Annie is that they have to be totally adorable. With a kind demeanor and sweet charm, former Houston-area actress Sadie Sink has no problems in that domain. This morning, I got to chat with the 11-year-old starlet who is now sharing the role of titular role with Taylor Richardson in the Broadway revival of ANNIE. In our brief talk, we discussed how she got started acting and what it is like playing Annie in both Houston and in New York City.

There really is nothing like the opening of another show, especially when that show is a World Premiere production. Last night, an enthusiastic audience filed into MidTown Art Space to witness FLY IN THE WINDSHIELD, S. Denise O'Neal's first play in three years, brought to life. Several in the audience had attended the reading at Theatre Suburbia and were telling those who had not experienced her craft about how powerful and poetic S. Denise O'Neal's writing was. Needless to say the anticipation and stakes were high, and last nights audience received exactly what they wanted from the production.

In 1964, Tom Stoppard emerged from a mansion in Berlin with a one-act play called ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN MEET KING LEAR. Two years later, his reworked play, entitled ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD, opened to acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival on August 24, 1966. A successful 1967 production at London's Old Vic made Tom Stoppard an overnight success. At almost 47-years-old, this play still excites theatergoers, actors, directors, and producers alike. The savvy exploration of the relevance of art, the commentary on insignificance, the absurdity, and the existentialism are just a handful of the hooks that allure people to the work and have garnered the show praise time and time again. In Houston, it feels that Cabal Productions' presentation of the play proudly exclaims Guildenstern's line 'We're still finding out feet,' without heeding The Player's warning, 'I should concentrate on not losing your heads.'

In my opinion, one of the most incredible aspects of theatre is the World Premiere of a new piece. While these works seldom become the next big hit on Broadway, it is always fascinating to experience a product on the ground floor and be a part of it from the beginning. Luckily, for me, the Houston theatre community revels in giving me the opportunity to enjoy that experience with moderate regularity. The next brand new work to hit Houston stages is S. Denise O'Neal's THE FLY IN THE WINDSHIELD. The play is based on her interviews with men recovering from addiction in a F.I.R.M Recovery's 90-day faith-based rehab program. She took time out of her busy tech week schedule to give me insight into the work, its inception, and its development.

Earlier this year, on March 18, Van Dean, Kenny Howard, and Michael J. Moritz, Jr. brought together a melange of Broadway's most impressive young talent for WHEN I GROW UP: BROADWAY'S NEXT GENERATION, a cabaret concert at 54 BELOW. Kenny Howard says that this group inspired him 'not only with their talents but also with a maturity that is far beyond their years.' For this cabaret concert, the children tackle the adult repertoire of their heroes, taking on music from SPRING AWAKENING, THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, THE LAST FIVE YEARS, AVENUE Q, [TITLE OF SHOW], and more.

As usual, the summer is chockfull of mind numbing entertainment. Hollywood releases action packed blockbusters. Television channels flood the airwaves with brainless reality shows and thinly written dramas. Everywhere you turn, there are offerings of entertainment for the sake of entertainment. Summer musicals are no exception, and Galveston's Island East-End Theatre Company (ETC) is presenting Mel Brook's glitzy, splashy musical YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN to pad out this summer. Following the wild success of THE PRODUCERS, Mel Brooks reassembled his creative team and jumped back into the saddle of creating theatrical musicals. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN had it's pre-Broadway try-out in Seattle in 2007, ran on Broadway from November 8, 2007 through January 4, 2009, and has had enjoyed two successful national tours across the United States.

I'm not sure what rock I've been hiding under, but I had never heard of Maripat Donovan's LATE NITE CATECHISM shows until Stages Repertory Theatre announced this summer's offering, LATE NITE CATECHISM LAS VEGAS: SISTER ROLLS THE DICE. This series all began in 1993 in Chicago, when Maripat Donovan opened the original LATE NITE CATECHISM. At the inception of the series and the original show, Maripat Donovan, an actress interested in doing a stand-up show about the lives of the saints, and Vicki Quade sat down to hash out a show. Since the beginning, it was planned as an interactive piece of theatre, and has since gone on to garner many positive reviews and leave audiences rolling in the aisles.

In recent American culture, bullying has reached new heights and gained a lot of power. It seems like the word and programs implemented to stop bullying are inescapable. Sadly, it also seems that these prevention programs are largely ineffective. In Houston, Texas, a skilled group of talented professionals are embarking on a creative venture that may or may not answer some questions we all have about bullying. BULLY, A NEW MUSICAL, conceived as a film, has a score, lyrics, and book written by Aaron Alon. The goal of the project is to get people talking in hopes that those conversations will be reparative, meaningful, impactful, healing, and begin to reexamine and even create new solutions to the problem of bullying. Recently, I sat down with writer Aaron Alon, director Justin Doran, and actor/singer Brad Goertz, and discussed this new musical film in the making and its upcoming Concept Cast Recording.

FANCY NANCY THE MUSICAL, produced by The Vital Theatre Company, opened Off-Broadway at the McGinn/Cazale Theatre in New York City on September 29, 2012. The popular production was extended twice. On November 24, 2012, it moved Downtown to The Culture Project and ran through April 28, 2013. Since it closed in New York, the musical adaption of Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glassner's popular book series went on a limited National Tour, and the musical is slated to return to the McGinn/Cazale Theatre on September 28, 2013.

In 1874, W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan wrote their first of 14 comedic operas together. As a duo Gilbert and Sullivan enjoyed early success with their notable operas H.M.S. PINFORE and THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE. Moreover, modern musical theatre traces its roots to this influential theatre duo. Therefore, it is no surprise that the comedic operas penned by Gilbert and Sullivan still delight and enthrall audiences all these years later. The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston was founded by a handful of Gilbert and Sullivan aficionadas in 1952. Their inaugural summer performance was THE GONDOLIERS. This summer, they are producing a charming and enchanting production of Gilbert and Sullivan's H.M.S. PINAFORE.

It is generally agreed upon that the best theatre challenges audiences, and after they experience the piece they are altered. Bayou City Theatrics' production of Andrew Lippa's THE WILD PARTY vastly excels in this domain. If you're unfamiliar with the show, rest assured that Andrew Lippa's THE WILD PARTY exists in the periphery of the theatre consciousness. Most of those who are aware of it are fans of Andrew Lippa or know a handful of numbers because they follow the Broadway stars Idina Menzel, Taye Diggs, Brian D'Arcy James, and/or Julia Murney. Bayou City Theatrics took a big risk with producing the musical, but the lascivious, violent, alcohol-drenched production had a profound and strangely enchanting affect on those lucky enough to attend last night's opening night performance. From what we experienced, I am sure that its allure and effect will only get stronger as the run progresses.

I have to admit, at first I thought I was being lied to when I was told that Stephen King and John Mellencamp collaborated on a musical. I mean, I love the musical CARRIE, but I've never thought of Stephen King writing as fodder for musicals. Needless to say, my curiosity was piqued. I simply couldn't hide my excitement about getting the opportunity to listen to the concept album-like soundtrack for GHOST BROTHERS OF DARKLAND COUNTY, a musical with a Book by Stephen King, Music and Lyrics by John Mellencamp, and Musical Direction by T Bone Burnett. With one listen, it was more than apparent that the bluesy, folk-rock music on the disc expertly captures Americana in a sinister and foreboding way.

Mary Testa, a two-time Tony Award nominee and celebrated veteran of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and film, is coming to Houston this summer for two performances only. In addition to her theatrical and film work, she has done numerous solo cabaret performances, but she has a real treat in store for Houston audiences. For the first time ever, she is doing a cabaret performance comprised of musical numbers she performed in various shows. Both of these evenings are sure to fun-filled treats that audiences simply won't want to miss. In anticipation of these thrilling performances, Mary Testa and I talked about her lauded career in theatre and her upcoming cabaret at Houston's Music Box Theater entitled ON BROADWAY… AND A LITTLE BIT OFF!

No sooner than Masterworks Broadway's new release of SEVEN COME ELEVEN: A GAMING GAMBOL starts playing, listeners will find themselves transported to the intimacy of The Upstairs Room, lined with lavish, red fabric and soft light emanating from antique globes. We easily picture ourselves sitting at a small table amidst New Yorkers enjoying a night out on the town. As Julius Monk greets his live audience and us listeners, in our mind's eye we can see the lights dimming and we get lost in the enthusiastic performances of Philip Bruns (the father on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, the original Morty Seinfeld on Seinfeld), Ceil Cabot, Rex Robbins (1974 GYPSY Revival), Steve Roland, Donna Sanders, and Mary Louise Wilson (1998 CABARET revival, GREY GARDENS), who are accompanied by William Roy and Carl Norman at the plural pianos.

For a third time, Rachael Logue, Chelsea Ryan McCurdy, Christina Stroup, and Holland Vavra are taking the stage as The Marvelous Wonderettes, and Houston audiences couldn't be more thrilled. Stages Repertory Theatre is currently producing the Regional Premiere of Roger Bean's frilly musical THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES: CAPS AND GOWNS, which takes audiences to 1958 for the quartets graduation and to 1968 for Missy's wedding. This sweet as cotton candy, fluffy theatre confection sells the audience with powerhouse performances and delights with nostalgic appeal.

Houston audiences adore Betsy Kelso and David Nehls' THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL. The raucous musical originally opened Off-Broadway in September 2005. Stages Repertory Theatre initially brought the musical to Houston in a production that ran from July 12, 2006 to March 31, 2007. Due to popular demand, they brought the show back from June 1 to September 4, 2011. Now, Standing Room Only Productions is presenting their take on the popular musical, ensuring that Houston's summer theatre season sizzles with witty, boisterous entertainment.

Tamarie Cooper's OLD AS HELL is meh. NOT! In fact, this year's offering in the cherished tradition of Houston theatre's summer line-up sparkles with clever wit and ebullient hilarity. This may only be my second summer to see a Tamarie Cooper musical, but in so many ways I found this one better than last year's raucously irreverent DOOMSDAY REVUE. Maybe with one Tamarie Cooper show under my belt, I had a better idea of what to expect. Maybe like a good wine Tamarie Cooper is only getting better with age. Or maybe it's both. Regardless, I sincerely wish I had been there to see them all.