Roy Berko - Page 18

Greater Cleveland is blessed with a vital theater scene. It the purpose of BROADWAY WORLD.COM-CLEVELAND PROFESSIONAL THEATER TRIBUTES (BWW-CLE Theater Tributes), to recognize theatrical experiences that, in the subjective view of this reviewer, were excellent and deserve recognition.

Yes, Holly (Beth Wood) and Jolly (Liz Conway) are back again. This time in Cleveland Public Theatre's world premiere of' The Loush Sisters Get Hard for the Holidays.'

'The Chaste Genius and His DeathRay Gun,' now on stage at congruence continuum, tells the tale of an obsessive, germ phobic genius who lived most of his life trying to get financial backing from the likes of JP Morgan, to develop his ideas.

Last year, within a short time after getting off the plane in Havana, it became apparent that the Cuban people adore art, music, bright colors, personal style and family unity. And, after long periods of dictatorships, revolution, communism, deprivation of food and other necessities of life, they have also developed survivor and 'can do' attitudes.

'Urinetown: The Musical' opened on Broadway in 2001, but its path from lyricist Greg Kotis traveling Europe, encountering a pay toilet, getting an idea for a story, joining with Mark Hollman, writing the lyrics together, Hollman writing the music, previewing the show at the New York's Fringe Festival, and getting it on Broadway, was filled with pitfalls. Mainly, producers were turned off by the title.

Yes, Beck Center has decided to recycle 'The Little Mermaid,' last year's holiday production so that more children of all ages can follow Ariel, the daughter of King Triton, the master of the sea, in her search for 'a world in which I feel truly realized on my own terms.'

In October of 1978 Will Eisner published 'A Contract with God and Other Tenement Stories.' The fictional tale ushered in a new venue, the graphic novel, using the drawing media to tell tales.

Ensemble Theatre is opening its 28th season, entitled 'We the People,' with O'Neill's 'The Hairy Ape.' The script fits into the theatre's selection of plays that 'celebrates the diversity and dynamics of the population that makes up this 'great nation' while also speaking to the challenges we still face in 2017!'

Okay, I'm a 'Wicked' junky. I've seen the show five times, including seeing it in its first week of the New York run.

The Holocaust was a horrific series of experiences. As the years go by, and the survivors of the atrocities die off, leaving no one to attest to the actual pain and suffering, those who want to make sure that such experiences do not repeat themselves turn to tangible objects and written accounts.

Karamu, the joyful meeting place, is the oldest continually running Black theatre in America. Ensemble, whose purpose is to showcase classical American drama, has some of its history steeped in Karamu.

Have you ever wondered if your life would have played out differently if, at a young age, you had been able to meet 'yourself' a couple of years older, forty years older, and then you as a person near the end of your life? Would the knowledge of the path you would follow, what pitfalls you would encounter, what decisions you made, make your life different?

The quality of the music, the staging, the performances and the story line of Waitress assure that it will delight audiences as it traverses the country. It's a must see for anyone who loves musical theater at its creative best.

The 'new' Cleveland Ballet, under the artistic leadership of Puerto Rico-born Gladisa Guadalupe, a former member of the 'old' Cleveland Ballet, the Dennis Nahat-led company which left CLE for San Jose, California, has been officially named the Resident Ballet Company of Playhouse Square.

Local theater-goers are familiar with the outstanding performance work of Dorothy Silver, often called 'the first lady of Cleveland theater.' Many are also aware of the creative writings of Jordan Harrison from his script development of the television hit, 'Orange is The New Black.' The two merge in Dobama Theater's masterful 'Marjorie Prime.'

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is not a typical Disney stage creation. It is a dark, brooding musical and probably not appropriate for children. While the first act is rather slow, the second act is strong. It is well worth seeing.

Those who are afraid of seeing Shakespeare because of the oft abstract language and confusing plot twists should fear not. This production is a total delight, with a nice mash-up of comedy and outlandish farce, mixed in with a little lover's stardust. It's definite must see!

On June 20, 1973 I had one of my mind-blowing experiences in a theater.

Well is one of those special scripts and performances that showcases the message of what theater is all about. It's a must see experience.

War is hell and, as highlighted in Last of the Boys, its aftermath is often worse. Kudos to Sean Derry and his cast for creating a compelling evening of theater. This is must see theater for anyone interested in fine acting and a more real than life picture of the outcomes of combative and emotional wars on human beings.