Jeffrey Kare - Page 2

On Saturday, April 1st, Broadway legend Ben Vereen will be coming to North Carolina to perform at High Point Theatre with his one-man show, STEPPIN' OUT. 

Based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown, and Jackie Wilson, Dreamgirls tells the story of a young female singing trio from Chicago, Illinois called 'The Dreams,' who become music superstars. Through gospel, R&B, smooth pop, disco and more, this musical explores themes of ambition, hope, and betrayal, all set in the glamorous and competitive world of the entertainment industry.

From February 7th-12th, North Carolina Theatre will be presenting DREAMGIRLS at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium, which is located inside Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. I had the great pleasure of interviewing actress Joy Woods, who will be taking on the role of Deena Jones. Some of her previous credits include the Off-Broadway revival of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, the Broadway production of SIX, and most recently the world premiere stage musical adaptation of Nicholas Sparks' THE NOTEBOOK in Chicago.

From January 25h-February 12th, PlayMakers Repertory Company will be presenting William Shakespeare's famous tragedy, HAMLET, featuring lighting design by Tyler Micoleau.

Come From Away is based on a true story of when the isolated community of Gander, Newfoundland played host to the world. What started as an average day in a small Canadian town turned into an international sleep-over when 38 planes, carrying thousands of people from across the globe, were diverted to Gander's air strip on September 11th, 2001. Undaunted by culture clashes and language barriers, the people of Gander cheered the stranded travelers with music, an open bar, and the recognition that they're all part of a global family.

Tina - The Tina Turner Musical follows the life and career of legendary recording artist Tina Turner. The story begins with her upbringing in Nutbush, Tennessee, continues with her tumultuous relationship with Ike Turner, and ends with her transformation into the global queen of rock 'n' roll. In case anyone's wondering, this is a different dramatization from the 1993 Academy Award nominated biographical film, What's Love Got to Do With It.

One of the newer theatre companies in the Triangle Area is Firebox Theatre Company. It's located in Wake Forest, North Carolina. I had the great pleasure of interviewing both of the founders, Cora Hemphill & Tim Artz, about all of this and more.

Based on John Waters' 1988 cult film of the same name, Hairspray takes place in Baltimore, Maryland in the year 1962. The story centers on a plump teenage girl named Tracy Turnblad, whose lifelong dream is to dance on the local TV dance program known as The Corny Collins Show. When Tracy wins a role on the show and becomes an overnight sensation, she launches a campaign to integrate the show.

Set in Chinquapin, Louisiana during the late 1980s, Steel Magnolias takes place in Truvy's beauty salon where all the ladies who are 'anybody' come to have their hair done. Helped by her eager new assistant, Annelle (who is not sure whether or not she is still married), the outspoken, wise-cracking Truvy dispenses shampoos and free advice to several of her friends.

From November 4th-13th, North Carolina Theatre will be launching their 2022-23 season with a production of Robert Harling's STEEL MAGNOLIAS at A.J. Fletcher Opera Theatre, which is located inside Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Actress Kathleen Garrett is taking on the role of Ouiser Boudreaux. She has most recently appeared as Laura Bush on the Showtime series, THE FIRST LADY, as well as Netflix's Emmy nominated miniseries, INVENTING ANNA. Next, she'll be seen on NCIS: LOS ANGELES. She has countless other screen credits which includes appearing on episodes of different TV shows such as HOME IMPROVEMENT, ER, MURDER, SHE WROTE, MURPHY BROWN, THE WEST WING, BEVERLY HILLS, 90210, MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, LAW & ORDER, and many more. She's also appeared in Oscar nominated films such as 2007's AMERICAN GANGSTER directed by Ridley Soctt and 2020's THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 directed by Aaron Sorkin. I had the great pleasure of interviewing her about a lot of this and more.

Based on Disney's 2013 Academy Award-winning animated movie musical of the same name as well as Hans Christian Andersen's 1844 fairy tale, The Snow Queen, Frozen follows two royal sisters named Anna and Elsa. Read our review of the stage show, based on the blockbuster film, which eventually became the highest-grossing animated movie of all time at the worldwide box office (before it was eventually dethroned by Frozen II six years later).

What did our critic think? Yellow Face follows Asian-American playwright DHH. Fresh off his Tony Award win for M. Butterfly, he leads a protest against the casting of Jonathan Pryce as the Eurasian pimp in the original Broadway production of Miss Saigon, condemning the practice as 'yellowface.' His position soon comes back to haunt him when he mistakes a Caucasian actor, Marcus G. Dahlman, for mixed-race, and casts him as the lead Asian role of his own Broadway-bound comedy, Face Value. When DHH discovers the truth of Marcus' ethnicity, he tries to conceal his blunder to protect his reputation as an Asian-American role model by passing the actor off as a 'Siberian Jew.'

Based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play, Pygmalion, My Fair Lady is set in London in the year 1912. Read what our critic has to say.

Ring of Fire is a musical presented as a concert by a group of five performers playing the songs of legendary country music artist Johnny Cash. The show, which was conceived by William Meade and created by Richard Maltby, Jr., opened on March 12th, 2006 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Broadway. Sadly, it only ran for 57 performances after closing on April 30th of that year. This production presented by North Carolina Theatre happens to be directed by Randy Redd, who was a member of the original Broadway cast.

Loosely based on Giacomo Puccini's 1896 opera, La bohème, Rent follows a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive and create a life in New York City's East Village in the thriving days of Bohemian Alphabet City, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS.

Ain't Too Proud follows the journey of The Temptations from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and unmistakable harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one.

Tonight, NBC will air its sixth live musical production. Following in the footsteps of The Sound of Music, Peter Pan, The Wiz, Hairspray, and Jesus Christ Superstar, the peacock network will be presenting Annie. Based on Harold Gray's comic strip titled Little Orphan Annie, this musical tells the story of a little orphan with equal measures of pluck and positivity who charms everyone's hearts, despite a next-to-nothing start in New York City in the year 1933.

From November 18th-21st, Judson Theatre Company will be presenting a new holiday comedy by Stan Zimmerman & Christian McLaughlin titled YES, VIRGINIA at Owens Auditorium inside the Bradshaw Performing Arts Center. Actress Arnetia Walker stars in the production opposite Mindy Sterling. She has appeared on Broadway in THE SIGN IN SIDNEY BRUSTEIN'S WINDOW, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, RAISIN, THE WIZ, and DREAMGIRLS. Her TV credits include: QUANTUM LEAP, NURSES, THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR, MAD ABOUT YOU, NYPD BLUE, MALCOLM & EDDIE, JUST SHOOT ME!, THE STEVE HARVEY SHOW, TOUCHED BY AN ANGLE, CITY OF ANGELS, JUDGING AMY, EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, and DYNASTY. Her film credits include: THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, THE WIZARD OF SPEED AND TIME, SCENES FROM THE CLASS STRUGGLE IN BEVERLY HILLS, LOVE CRIMES, FOR LOVE OF THE GAME, and COLLEGE ROAD TRIP. I had the great pleasure of interviewing her about all of this and more.

Stan Zimmerman is a playwright who has two events coming up at Owens Auditorium inside Bradshaw Performing Arts Center, both of which will be presented by Judson Theatre Company in Pinehurst, North Carolina. On November 14th, he'll be sharing some behind the scenes stories from his days of working as a writer on the first season of THE GOLDEN GIRLS in an event titled AN EVENING ON THE LANAI. Meanwhile, a new holiday comedy he co-wrote with Christian McLaughlin titled YES, VIRGINIA starring Mindy Sterling & Arnetia Walker will be running from November 18th-21st. I had the great pleasure of interviewing him about all of this and more.

Based on Sydney Pollack's 1982 Academy Award-winning film of the same name, Tootsie follows Michael Dorsey, a skilled actor with a talent for not keeping a job. Desperate and out-of-work, Michael makes a last-ditch effort at making his dreams come true...by disguising himself as actress Dorothy Michaels. In a meteoric rise to Broadway stardom, Dorothy soon has audiences falling at her feet while Michael (disguised as Dorothy) is falling for his co-star, Julie Nichols. It isn't long before Michael realizes that maintaining his greatest acting success is going to be much harder than he expected.