Kimberly Moy - Page 3

At some point in life you've probably pondered a career in the performing arts. For some that dream dies early, but for others they can turn their talent into a career. Orlando local Alexandra Pernice spent some time growing up here and learning how to be a professional performer. She now returns to Orlando with the national tour of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS this week.

Let's face it there are a lot of Christmas stories out there. From the moment Thanksgiving is over, the holiday movies begin to play non-stop and people begin blasting Christmas music. For theaters around the world Charles Dickens' A CHRISTMAS CAROL is that holiday staple sure to bring in audiences of all ages. EVERY CHRISTMAS STORY EVER TOLD takes that idea and turns it on its head.

Capitalism is encapsulated in Theater on the Edge's portrayal of AMERICAN BUFFALO. Written by David Mamet, AMERICAN BUFFALO sits among the best modern American plays. While the play is a microscopic look into the lives of three men just trying to make a buck, it draws parallels to the underlying greed of corporate America. Theater on the Edge gives a raw, raucous, and honest production that would make Mamet proud.

The Winter Park Playhouse brings to life the musings and music of English playwright, composer, master-of-all-things theater Noel Coward. As a playwright, many of Coward's works still make their way into modern theater repertoire including BLITHE SPIRIT, PRIVATE LIVES and many more. A MARVELOUS PARTY is a light show that strings together songs and anecdotes written by Coward. Though slightly high-brow, I like to think of his work as observational satire and a peek into the life of a successful theater genius.

Orlando Shakes' STUART LITTLE delights young audiences and keeps the grown ups entertained too. This play is filled with colorful adventure, limitless optimism, and easy laughs that is exactly the pick-me-up needed this time of year. While most of the performances are sold-out to school audiences, there are still a few shows left for the general public to catch. If you have young ones this is definitely too much fun to miss.

Halloween is my favorite holiday to dress up in costume and become someone or something else. (This year I was a T-REX). For theater folks costumes are just a part of the job. And for some, costumes are apart of daily life.

Every year at the anniversary of 9/11, we stop and reflect about where we were, who was lost and the events that followed. It always catches me by surprise how much time has passed since 2001. DYING CITY is a play that follows one family's life after 9/11, but not in the way you may think. Student director, Alliyah Corley took some time to answer BroadwayWorld Orlando's questions about the show.

What does an antique store and vampires have in common? Both will give you the creeps. Walking into Carmine Boutique you would probably look over your shoulder several times as you peruse the shop's collection of skulls and taxidermied items. Carmine Boutique is described as an 'antique, oddities, taxidermy shop with an Edwardian fetish club.' That strange feeling is exactly what Jeremy Seghers felt and immediately sparked the inspiration for producing his immersive staging of DRACULA.

It's a Broadway classic with show tunes that have permeated popular culture. This year Orlando Shakes brings WEST SIDE STORY to its mainstage to kick off its 28th season. With everything that Orlando has endured this Summer, WEST SIDE STORY has never been more relevant. At the start of the show, two cast members come out, one speaking in English, the other in Spanish to dedicated the performance to one of the 49 victims of the Pulse tragedy. It is a touching tribute that fits this story well.

As the school year begins again we get a fresh crop of productions from our local colleges. To kick off this season Rollins College presents THE FOREIGNER. Grace Zottig is a senior and is gaining some hands on experience at directing alongside Thomas Ouellette. Grace took some time out of her busy schedule to answer some of my questions. It is refreshing to hear from someone just at the start of her career.

Music and theater come together in TheatreWorks Florida's latest production ROCK OF AGES. This show promises to be a rock concert and feel good American story. Director, choreographer, and TheatreWorks Florida's artistic producer, Scott A. Cook takes a few moments out of his busy rehearsal schedule to answer BroadwayWorld Orlando's questions.

The Summer of teenage angsty themed musicals continues with BARE: A POP OPERA. It is one of those shows that never quite made it to Broadway, the closest being an off-Broadway run in 2004, but still has a cultish fan base. It is also a regional favorite with productions as far as the Philippines and Argentina. What makes this story different is that it is a pop opera, fully told through song. Young Artists Theatre took on this production challenge with limited resources, choosing to focus on storytelling.

After what can only be described as the worst week in history for Orlando, we are all healing and trying to find answers amid so much loss. The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts has been a gathering place and public memorial for people to gather and leave tokens of remembrance. Theater has always been a place to escape. Now more than ever, I think we all need some art to rest our weary hearts. One week after the tragic events, DayStar Theater Arts debuts SPRING AWAKENING at the Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater proving that Orlando is strong and will learn to move on.

While you may think actors flock here to become princesses or superheroes, Orlando is also quickly becoming a training ground for up and coming talented students. The Dr. Phillips Center has been the two year reigning pinnacle of the Orlando theater arts scene. To complement this world-class facility, the School of the Arts sits behind the Dr. Phillips Center and hosts a variety of performing arts classes for all ages.

Performing arts grow self-confidence, teach collaboration, and reawaken creative skills that become latent throughout the year. The specialized performing arts camps in Orlando are exceptional. There is something for every budget and every interest.

Orlando is a breeding ground for new and creative pieces. We're surrounded by some of the world's greatest entertainment venues and entertainers. Orlando is also home to some well-known professional wrestling entertainment like TNA Impact and the WWE Performance Center. While most people don't consider wrestling a performance art, a new play blends the two.

As a kid I was obsessed with elephants and if you took a look at my desk today, you would think that I still am. I wish that the 'Elephant and Piggie' books were around when I was a kid, but alas, author Mo Willems didn't create them until 2007. Since then, these books have been a hit with kids because of their humor and easy to read comic book style writing. Now Elephant and Piggie have left the page for the stage in Orlando Shakespeare's production of ELEPHANT AND PIGGIE 'WE ARE IN A PLAY!'

The Rollins College theater season comes to a close with DETROIT. This play's plot and theme seems all too real for many Americans as it highlights life as an adult and the challenges we face. Playwright Lisa D'Amour came to Rollins College to speak about the play and see the first performances. Show director Kathleen Capdesuñer chatted with BroadwayWorld Orlando about her experience directing and learning from the show's playwright.

STOMP is one of those shows I've heard about, seen the advertisements, seen the commercials, but have never experienced in person. If you're like me then it's time to see this show, if you haven't. STOMP was a concept devised in the UK by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas in 1991. It came to the United States in the early 1990s and has been going on ever since. Not many shows can have that distinction of going on past the twenty year mark. It's also one of those shows whose concepts wormed its way into popular culture. Now that I've seen it, I can understand its longevity and appeal.