Ellen Dostal - Page 16

Fringe has something for everyone and even the teens are getting into the act this year when the new musical GENERATION ME opens on June 8. Written for teens and performed by teens, this full-length musical is from the writing team of Julie Soto (book & lyrics) and Will Finan (music) and is directed by Ryan Warren.

Katie Molinaro brings a dose of dark humor to the Fringe Festival this year with her latest one-woman musical RSVP: RIP (Really Into Partying). Written and performed by Molinaro with music by Dana Wells and additional book & lyrics by Shawn Northrip, it is the story of a girl named Janey who, though she's done nothing to deserve it, has everything, but still feels under-appreciated.

Jacob Sidney takes Shakespeare's Hamlet and turns it into HAMLET MAX for the Hollywood Fringe Festival, setting the production in a post-apocalyptic dystopian future that allows for a freer style of interpretation.

From the award-winning team who brought you last year's hit The Pokemusical, comes a new musical GIRAFFENSTEIN based on the tale of Shelley's Frankenstein, as you've never seen it before. Song, dance, and danger. And they're all giraffes.

Following a very successful inaugural production of A Man of No Importance at last year's Hollywood Fringe Festival, Good People Theater Company returns with Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's beloved musical, THE FANTASTICKS, directed by Janet Miller and featuring musical direction by Corey Hirsch.

Though the term is rarely used today, there was an era when ending up an old maid was the worst possible scenario for a woman. Hard times and modest dreams made finding a husband a requirement for happiness, especially during the Depression when people lived off the land, family meant all, and survival depended on the support of one's neighbors in times of need.

What would happen if, at the end of Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet woke up to discover they were stuck in their own Personal Hell, listening to Tony from West Side Story sing 'Maria' for eternity? And in order to escape, they'd need to suffer through a production of their life story performed by the other inhabitants of Hell - Shakespeare's dead characters. Matt Ritchey explores the story line in his new play Romeo and Juliet in Hell, featured at this year's Hollywood Fringe Festival.

Stephen Sondheim's lyrics and James Lapine's book are so brilliantly profound in INTO THE WOODS that, when in doubt, the best thing an actor can do is simply make sure the audience can hear the words. 3-D Theatricals struggles with this basic tenet in its gorgeously appointed though unmanageably large production.

The Hollywood Fringe Festival is just around the corner and this year, more than ever before, audiences will have an opportunity to see creative twists on some familiar classic plays, including some by Shakespeare. At last count, there were 8 productions scheduled to appear and, over the next few weeks, I'll be checking in with them to get the inside scoop so you can make the most of your Fringe experience. It's Shakespeare's 450th birthday this year; let the games begin.

Fraggled Productions has put together a respectable production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Cupcake Theater in Hollywood with a delightfully oddball cast and the requisite fun audience participation. The Tony Award-winning musical, featuring music & lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, additional lyrics by Jay Reiss, and based on a concept by Rebecca Feldman, is a 90-minute comical look at the drama of an annual spelling bee competition with adults playing the roles of its middle school participants

Everyone should have the opportunity to express themselves artistically. Theatre, music, dance, poetry - all forms of art stimulate growth and nurture our intuitive connection to the world around us. CRE Outreach (which stands for Create, Reflect, Empower) uses theatre as a means of artistic exploration for the visually impaired, military veterans, and at-risk youth. It also educates the public about the value of their contributions within the greater artistic community. Both are worthy endeavors.

Cheyenne Jackson won the hearts of a sold-out crowd by completely opening his own in his debut performance at Walt Disney Concert Hall on Saturday night. The self-professed goal of the tall, dark and handsome singer was simply 'to blanket the audience with love,' which he did repeatedly in a program that paid tribute to the '50s and '60s with his Music of the Mad Men Era

Most people never get the opportunity to experience theatre life on the road firsthand but now, thanks to Kevin Spacey and director Sam Mendes, everyone is able to go along for an amazing ride in the new documentary, NOW: In the Wings on a World Stage. The 90-minute film follows twenty British and American actors on a whirlwind ten month international tour of Richard III and will be available for digital download beginning May 2.

Independent Shakespeare Co. once again showcases its intuitive ability to re-imagine Shakespeare for a modern-day audience with an intimate production of his classic romance, Independent Shakespeare Co. ROMEO AND JULIET

No one is standing on ceremony in Impro Theatre's latest comedic invention, SHAKESPEARE UNSCRIPTED. On the contrary, the only formality you'll find here is the kind you leave at the door when you step foot into the theater.

The young, relatively new, City Shakespeare Company is offering a 90-minute modern take on Shakespeare's THE MERCHANT OF VENICE now through April 12, but the well-intentioned effort produces mixed results.

The bleak and barren world in A Noise Within's MACBETH is as much an outward visual of the inner state of Shakespeare's title character as it is the setting for the story itself. Moody, shrouded in shadows, and sparsely but strikingly accented, it has the look and feel of a timeless purgatory.

The shining moment in this 70-minute Civil War musical comes in the final scene when the entire cast executes Ameenah Kaplan's dramatic drum choreography with exciting precision. It's a thrilling conclusion to an otherwise plodding musical by Doug Cooney (book & lyrics) and Lee Ahlin (music).

Stepping into the role of Macbeth is not for the faint of heart. It's a dark spiral of a ride that requires an actor to completely immerse himself in the evolution of evil within a character. Classically-trained actor, Elijah Alexander, talks about his journey preparing to play the role for A Noise Within and what he's learned from touring the country in this fascinating in-depth interview.

What would you do if the government decided to build a road through your backyard without asking, without having the right, and without any regard for what you think? Playwright Vickie Ramirez examines the subject in her latest play, STAND-OFF AT HWY #37, now on stage at the Wells Fargo Theatre for Native Voices at the Autry.