Melissa Giordano - Page 17

Oscar Wilde's 'The Importance of Being Earnest' at the Smithtown Performing Arts Center is a wonderful replication of the Broadway production. In this hilarious, beautiful classic, 117 years since its first showing, it is enlightening to get a glimpse into another time period.

'Nine', presented by the BroadHollow Theatre Company, proved to be a great incarnation of a Broadway favorite. The cast, directed by Jason Allyn, sounded excellent, the set was fantastic, and the costumes were beautiful. Now playing through March 11th at BayWay in Islip, this production will also be presented at their Elmont location starting March 17th.

From the moment the curtain for 'Hairspray" rises, you can tell you're in for a great time. Running through March 11th at CM PAC of Oakdale, you'll find this Tony-award winning show has a great story (by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan), great music (by Shaiman and Wittman), and a wonderfully talented cast directed by Patrick Grossman.

When you attend a Linda Eder performance, you can expect a variety of genres to be performed with her soaring voice. She includes a great mesh of standards, Broadway, pop, including material from her own albums.

You can always depend on the John W. Engeman Theater of Nortport, Long Island, to provide top-notch productions. Their latest, Neil Simon's "The Sunshine Boys", is no different, especially under the superb direction of BT McNicholl.

The exquisite John W Engeman Theater of Northport hosted yet another glorious evening in their ongoing concert series 'Broadway Spectrum'. During their dark week between shows, the Engeman brings together Broadway performers for a one night engagement. The performers divulge little antidotes about their careers and sing selections from their favorite roles. The incredible cast this time around included Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Sara Jean Ford, Shuler Hensley, Andrew Samonsky, and Emily Skinner.

In "Deathtrap" by Ira Levin, writer's block gets the better of Sidney Bruhl as he conjures a plan to steal the brilliant play of one of his students. Aggravation and desperation take center stage in Edward Brennan's production, playing at the Quogue Community Hall through January 29th.

In the Pulitzer Prize winning play 'Proof' by David Auburn, college bound Catherine struggles with having the same brilliant knack for numbers as her mathematician father and the dreadful possibility she has inherited his dementia. Playing through January 28th at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson, Long Island, this fantastically done production will surely strike a nerve.

The last few shows I've attended have featured, in part, a terrific, young cast. The members of the company of "Annie" at CM PAC in Oakdale, NY were no exception. Timothy Pappalardos' adaptation shows a bright future for Long Island theater and a true team coming together to put on a fun show running now through January 15th.

If anything gets you into the Christmas spirit, it will be seeing Theater Threes' annual production of "A Christmas Carol". Jeffrey Sanzel, who directs and stars as Ebenezer Scrooge, has brought together an incredible cast and crew to tell this timeless Charles Dickens' tale.

Seeing a show like Rodgers and Hammersteins' "The Sound Of Music" is nothing short of fulfilling. Director Danny Gorman and Musical Director Cara Brown of the Smithtown Performing Arts Center have splendidly put together an amazing cast to present this timeless, relevant story based on the memoirs of Maria Augusta Trapp.

One of the best things about the 'Broadway Highlights' concert series at the John W. Engeman Theater is that there is something for everyone. It is a great way for someone new to theater to get exposed to classic songs. At the same time, it is enjoyable for the seasoned theater goer who wants to relive some amazing Broadway moments. And it is all in their backyard in Northport, Long Island.

Arena Players Repertory Theater Company's presentation of 'Toyer' by Gardner McKay is a haunting story that shows the determination and great strength of the mind. Under the exciting direction of Frederic De Feis and a cast of only two, this new production will be presented as a limited engagement at the Vanderbilt Carriage House Theater until December 4.

When you present a production of 'Phantom', you have to get it right. Noel Ruizs' incarnation at the CM Performing Arts Center in Oakdale, Long Island marvelously delivers the classic tale of the Phantom and Christine Daae'.

Laura Benanti's concert in Long Island this weekend focused on family, intertwined with antidotes about her career on the stage, in TV (or lack there of, she joked), and in movies. The Tony winner was fantastic as she took the stage at Landmarks' beautiful Jean Rimsky Theater in Port Washington, Long Island.

For opening night at their new home at the Vanderbilt, the Arena Players Repertory Theater Company chose to put on 'God Of Carnage' by Yasmina Reza. I was quite shocked by the small space. With about 100 people in the room, it was a great turnout. If you're not familiar with the Vanderbilt Estate, the security guard may have to show you where the theater is as he had to with me.

To "have everything" is usually up for interpretation. The John W. Engeman Theaters' beautiful production of "Camelot" shows us it is possible even if we don't realize it at first. In one of the most classic period pieces, "Camelot" tells a tale of the rise of power, looking to have it all, and the fear of losing what you have built so successfully.

Set in the 1950's, the Pajama Game shows the frustration between management and labor unions, intertwined with a love story of people on opposite sides of the picket line (Babe and Sid with Babe the leader of the strike and Sid one of the heads of management). The show is still a very relevant, especially in the current economy, with businesses trying to cut as much as they can while trying to increase their output of products and overexerting their employees. It is this seemingly timeless struggle that is at the heart of the Pajama Game, and portrayed excellently in this production.

The Engeman continues its thrilling concert series.