Frank Benge - Page 8

Frank Benge

A Kansas native, Frank Benge has been involved in the Austin area theatre scene as a Director, Designer, Writer and Performer for the past 20 years. He holds a double BA in Theatre and English from Washburn University.






BWW Review: SONG ABOUT HIMSELF is a Moving Examination of Communication
BWW Review: SONG ABOUT HIMSELF is a Moving Examination of Communication
October 31, 2016

SONG ABOUT HIMSELF is Mickle Maher's latest play which is set in a dystopian future where viruses and malware have effectively destroyed the Internet. The populace had been so obsessed with social media that this destruction has left a world of people who communicate in little more than mumbles and broken descriptions of emojis. This fascinating piece would work quite perfectly as an episode of Black Mirror in that it is a look at a technical future gone horribly awry. It also is a clever use of Walt Whitman's Song of Myself, widely considered to be the first 'Poem of Chaos'. The world of Maher's play is clearly a world in chaos, and identity is a central theme of both works. SONG ABOUT HIMSELF uses extremely minimalist staging and Maher has created an original language that is part broken description of social media actions and part corruption of Walt Whitman's poetry. While familiarity with Whitman will enrich your experience, it is in no way necessary to the experience.

Austin Shakespeare Presents PRESENT LAUGHTER by Noel Coward, 11/16-12/4
Austin Shakespeare Presents PRESENT LAUGHTER by Noel Coward, 11/16-12/4
October 29, 2016

Austin Shakespeare brings Noel Coward's classic comedy Present Laughter to the Rollins Studio Theatre at The Long Center for the Performing Arts from November 16, 2016 - December 4, 2016. Chaos, romance and dazzling dialogue are shaken up to concoct this perfect cocktail for the holiday season! Marc Pouhe stars as the 1930's matinee idol, Garry Essendine, who is self-obsessed, slipping into middle age, and still surrounded by admiring women. Artistic Director Ann Ciccolella says, "Marc was so funny offstage at Macbeth this summer that I envisioned him in a full-out comedy."

BWW Interview: Dr. Billy Harden and Spectrum Theatre Company
BWW Interview: Dr. Billy Harden and Spectrum Theatre Company
October 29, 2016

Recently BroadwayWorld had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Billy F. Harden to discuss Spectrum Theatre Company which was founded in 2013. We asked him to give our readers a broader view of Spectrum Theatre Company past, present and future. Currently Austin audiences are enjoying Spectrum's production of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND.

ZACH THEATRE to Expand Arts Education Offerings With New ZACH North
ZACH THEATRE to Expand Arts Education Offerings With New ZACH North
October 29, 2016

ZACH Theatre offering exceptional theatre education to serve Greater Northwest Austin with new ZACH NORTH facilities located at 12129 Ranch Road 620N, Austin, TX 78750. With an expansion in the Capital Region, ZACH NORTH will give Central Texan youth, ages 3.5 thru grade 5, the chance to experience ZACH Theatre's professional training without the barrier of traveling into downtown Austin. "With Austin's burgeoning growth, we have seen a rise in traffic which has made access to our South Lamar location more challenging for suburban families," explains Nat Miller, ZACH Theatre's Director of Education. "Our hope is that by expanding our theatre education offerings into their backyard, and being close to a major corridor that more families from North Austin, Cedar Park, Leander, Round Rock, and Pflugerville are able to be a part of our great programming."

Austin Opera Names Annie Burridge As New General Director
Austin Opera Names Annie Burridge As New General Director
October 29, 2016

Austin Opera Oct. 24 announced the appointment of Annie Burridge as General Director of Austin Opera. Currently the Managing Director of Opera Philadelphia, an opera company recognized for its groundbreaking audience engagement and programming model, Ms. Burridge will assume her new position in November 2016, with a 5-year contract through October 2021. The announcement was made today by Elisabeth Juen Waltz, Chairman of the Austin Opera Board of Trustees and Jon Nash, President of the Austin Opera Board of Trustees. Ms. Burridge's nomination was confirmed at a special Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, October 24th.

A WOLVERINE WALKS INTO A BAR Starring Jaston Williams and Lauren Lane Opens, 11/11
A WOLVERINE WALKS INTO A BAR Starring Jaston Williams and Lauren Lane Opens, 11/11
October 29, 2016

Jaston Williams' hilarious new show A WOLVERINE WALKS INTO A BAR starring Jaston Williams and Lauren Lane opens Friday, November 11th Stateside at the Paramount (719 Congress Ave). For more information and to purchase tickets go to: http://tickets.austintheatre.org.

BWW Interview: Jeff Davis of THE YELLOW WALLPAPER at Agape Theatre
BWW Interview: Jeff Davis of THE YELLOW WALLPAPER at Agape Theatre
October 29, 2016

BroadwayWorld recently had an opportunity to sit down with Jeff Davis, Artistic Director for Agape Theatre and author of an adaptation for the stage of Charlotte Perkins Gilman 's 1982 short story THE YELLOW WALLPAPER for a rare look into the process of adapting a classic piece of literature as a theatrical experience. THE YELLOW WALLPAPER will play the Hewlett Room of the Georgetown Public Library for one night only, Saturday, November 12th at 7:30pm.

BWW Review: Charming Yet Meaningful THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO From Paradox Players
BWW Review: Charming Yet Meaningful THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO From Paradox Players
October 24, 2016

Alfred Uhry's second play, THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO, is a Tony award winner for Best Play that is another exploration into the lives of Jewish southerners. Uhry first introduced this society in his Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Driving Miss Daisy. The setting and plot was developed from his own experiences growing up in a southern Jewish family, as well as from stories he heard as a child. The Ballyhoo of the title is a sort of German-Jewish debutante ball. At heart a humorous look back at a time long gone, the play is also an exploration of Jewish identity and the power of prejudice inflicted on Jews by other Jews. Uhry has deftly interwoven this theme into his story of the privileged world of the Levy / Freitag families. The Levy / Freitag families live in a big home in one of Atlanta's finest neighborhoods. They belong to an elite country club. Their daughters attend prestigious private schools. Even a Christmas tree in their window, however, doesn't change the fact that they are Jews living in a mostly Christian society. German-Jews such as the Levys and Freitags look down on "the other kind", which are the Eastern European Jews. While exploring the self hatred and class consciousness of anti-Semitism, Uhry's serious message is beautifully wrapped in witty banter, comedic moments, and colorfully comedic characters and characterizations.

BWW Review: Doctuh Mistuh's NEVERMORE Dazzles at Austin Playhouse
BWW Review: Doctuh Mistuh's NEVERMORE Dazzles at Austin Playhouse
October 24, 2016

NEVERMORE: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe is a Canadian musical that was written and composed by Jonathan Christenson which follows the rather dismal life and internal struggles of Edgar Allan Poe that later on inspired his work as an author. The script contains references to both his poems and short stories. While most of the script dramatizes true events in his life, other aspects are entirely fictitious. The musical was originally produced at the Catalyst Theatre in Edmonton, Alberta and went on to be performed across Canada, and at the Barbican Theater in London, and the New Victory Theatre in NYC. The current production now playing at Austin Playhouse is a regional premiere.

BWW Review: SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET at Austin Theatre Project
BWW Review: SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET at Austin Theatre Project
October 17, 2016

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET is the 1979 Tony Award winning Best Musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler which is based on Christopher Bond's 1973 play of the same name. It has enjoyed several revivals and has been presented by multiple opera companies. Set in 19th century England, the show details barber Sweeney Todd's (Joe Penrod) return to London after 15 years of exile to take revenge on the corrupt judge who banished him. He conspires with a local baker, Mrs. Lovett (Cathie Sheridan), who has a struggling pie shop below the space that becomes Todd's tonsorial parlor. The character originated in serialized Victorian popular fiction, known as 'penny dreadfuls'

BWW Review: THE DROWNING GIRLS at Theatre En Bloc
BWW Review: THE DROWNING GIRLS at Theatre En Bloc
October 10, 2016

THE DROWNING GIRLS, began its life in 2008 at the Edmonton Fringe in Calgary, AB. Written by two actors and a director, the story comes from an actual murder case in England in the early 20th century. A man named George Joseph Smith courted and wed multiple women and used a different identity every time. His modus operandi was to isolate the victims from their families, getting all of their property signed over to him. He would then purchase life insurance on them and proceed to drown his victims in a bathtub. THE DROWNING GIRLS is told from the perspective of the three brides: Bessie (Christin Sawyer Davis), Alice (Sarah Danko) and Margaret (Bridget Farr). Their stories take place in three separate years but get woven together from beyond the grave. The three play not only themselves, but every other character involved in their fate, from serial murderer to family members and doctors. The resulting play is one of poetic language, lyrical rhythmic movement and a breathtaking social critique on marrying in haste. What we are treated to is how love can lead to the less-than-happily ever after.

BWW Review: THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI Massively Misinterpreted
BWW Review: THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI Massively Misinterpreted
October 3, 2016

THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI is a 1941 play by German playwright Bertolt Brecht. Using satire, it tells of the rise of Arturo Ui, a ruthless fictional 1930's Chicago mobster and his takeover of 'the cauliflower racket' by disposing of all who oppose him. It is meant to be an allegory on the rise to power of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany. The play was written in Helsinki, Finland while Brecht was awaiting entry into the United States after fleeing Germany and was not produced on the stage until 1958. It would be 1961 before it was produced in English. Brecht intended all along that the play was to be produced for the American stage. The play is often compared to the film The Great Dictator (1940), which also featured an absurd parody of Hitler.

BWW Review: PRISCILLA is a Campy Disco Delight With Heart
BWW Review: PRISCILLA is a Campy Disco Delight With Heart
October 2, 2016

PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT: THE MUSICAL is a jukebox musical adapted from Australian film director-writer Stephan Elliott's 1994 film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Adapted by Elliott and Allan Scott, the musical uses well-known pop and disco songs as the score. It tells the story of two drag queens and a transgender woman who make a trip from Sydney across the desert in a bus they name Priscilla to do a drag show in the resort town of Alice Springs in the Australian desert. Along the way, they encounter a slew of odd characters, homophobia and love in the most unexpected of places. The original production debuted in Australia at the Lyric Theatre, Sydney in October 2006. The Australian success of the show lead to a two-year West End production and finally the Bette Midler produced Broadway debut in 2011. The production now on stage at Zach Theatre is one of the first regional productions of the show.

BWW Review: Disney's NEWSIES Charming Family Fare
BWW Review: Disney's NEWSIES Charming Family Fare
September 28, 2016

NEWSIES is a Disney Theatrical Productions musical based on their 1992 film Newsies. The original film took its inspiration from the Newsboys Strike of 1899 in New York City. NEWSIES has a book by Harvey Fierstein with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman. It premiered at the Paper Mill Playhouse in 2011 and made its Broadway debut in 2012, where it played for 1004 performances. The stage version contains songs from the movie and several new numbers. Those who grew up on the film version will notice that this new adaptation has written out Jack's original love interest Sarah Jacobs as well as the New York Sun reporter Brian Denton, who writes about the Newsies. These characters have been replaced by a new character, Katherine Plumber, a reporter who is a composite of the characters from the original film. The North American tour, which is currently playing at the Bass Concert Hall, started in October 2014 and is ending its 43 week run on October 2, 2016 here in Austin, TX.

BWW Review: Beckham and Joplin Deliver First-Rate Performances in LUNGS
BWW Review: Beckham and Joplin Deliver First-Rate Performances in LUNGS
September 26, 2016

LUNGS is a 2011 play by Duncan MacMillan that is a wickedly funny, yet touching, look at the insecurities and fears of a generation for whom apprehension and precariousness are the norm. When the concept of bringing a child into the world comes up (in of all places, IKEA), W (Liz Beckham) and M (Michael Joplin) weigh all of the consequences that surround that decision: bringing a child into a world that is perhaps irretrievably screwed up, how will they offset the carbon footprint of another life on the planet, how will it change her body, their love life, and ultimately, their relationship. All of this becomes even more complicated by the fact that they are not married.

BWW Review: THE TOTALITARIANS is Razor Sharp Side-Splittingly Funny Satire
BWW Review: THE TOTALITARIANS is Razor Sharp Side-Splittingly Funny Satire
September 12, 2016

THE TOTALITARIANS is a new play by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb that had its world premiere in 2014. It is a satirical comedy that takes a behind the scenes look at modern politics and how a speech writer can make or break someone running for public office. Although the play is about a woman running for Attorney General in Nebraska, the play shines a bright light on the current political campaign here in America examining just how easy it is to sway the populace with unsubstantiated facts and catchy slogans. It also happens to be one of the sharpest satires since the days of Jules Feiffer.

BWW Review: SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD Offers Look At Early Jason Robert Brown
BWW Review: SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD Offers Look At Early Jason Robert Brown
September 6, 2016

SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD is a musical theatre piece by Jason Robert Brown. Originally produced Off-Broadway at the WPA Theatre in 1995, this was Jason Robert Brown's first produced show. It is neither a book musical or a revue and has been called a 'song cycle', which was put together out of songs he had written for other venues and events. I was very much struck by the fact that many of these songs sounded like they could fit into his latter shows such as 'The Last Five Years' or 'Parade'. In the final analysis, calling this a musical is a stretch. What it all boils down to is a series of songs very loosely connected by the theme: 'the moment of decision.'

BWW Review: ORPHANS is Funny, Touching and Deeply Moving
BWW Review: ORPHANS is Funny, Touching and Deeply Moving
August 29, 2016

ORPHANS is a play by Lyle Kessler that premiered in 1983 in Los Angeles, winning the Drama-Logue Award. It made its Broadway debut in 2013. Earlier this Spring, Street Corner Arts selected Aaron Johnson and native Austinite Sarah Kimberly Becker to helm this debut production of their new Sidewalk Series. The new program mentors promising Austin theatre-makers in producing and fully realizing a production. If this debut effort is any indication of what the future of this program holds, Austin is in for a real theatrical treat.

BWW Review: Joey Hood Delivers a Breathtaking Tour de Force Performance in W
BWW Review: Joey Hood Delivers a Breathtaking Tour de Force Performance in W
August 23, 2016

W is a new play that is a translation of Woyzeck which was written by Georg Buchner. This new translation by John Hood has been adapted by Zachary Christman. Buchner's original work remained incomplete at the time of his death. It has been posthumously 'finished' by multiple authors, editors and translators. Woyzeck is one of the most performed and influential plays in German theatre. It is believed Buchner began writing the play in 1836 and it remained in a fragmentary state when he died in 1837. Woyzeck was first published in 1879, some 42 years later, in a heavily reworked version by Karl Emil Franzos. It would be another 34 years before the play was first performed on November 8, 1913 at the Residenztheater in Munich. Considered both naturalistic and expressionistic in tone, it is loosely based on the true story of Johann Christian Woyzeck, a Leipzig wigmaker who later became a soldier. In 1821, Woyzeck murdered Christiane Woost, a widow with whom he had been living, in a jealous rage. He was later publicly beheaded.

BWW Review: HAND TO GOD is a Pitch Black Comedy Perfectly Executed
BWW Review: HAND TO GOD is a Pitch Black Comedy Perfectly Executed
August 23, 2016

HAND TO GOD is a fiendishly funny black comedy about the divided human soul written by Robert Askins. It was originally produced Off-Broadway in 2011 and 2014 and made it's Broadway debut in 2015, receiving five Tony Award nominations, including for Best New Play. Described by Askins as an 'irreverent puppet comedy...about a possessed Christian-ministry puppet,' the play takes it's title comes from a Southern expression about honesty. Capital T is currently presenting the regional premiere of the play in a production that is as good as theatre gets.



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