Steve Wilson - Page 7

Once, the humorous modern musical, opened on Tuesday June 16 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, Missouri. The love story only needs to be seen Once to appreciate the beauty and charm of the captivating tale. Once is based on the motion picture written and directed by John Carney, with book by Edna Walsh and music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova.

A Little Bit Wicked, the Music of Stephen Schwartz presented by the Heartland Men's Chorus played Saturday June 13 and Sunday June 14 at the Folly Theater in Kansas City, Missouri. A Little Bit Wicked was the final show of the 29th season of the Heartland Men's Chorus.

The critically acclaimed Tribes continues at the Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri through June 28, on the Levin Stage. Theodore Swetz directs the humorous British drama written by Nina Raine, which made its world premiere in 2010 at London's Royal Court Theatre. Tribes opened in 2012 Off-Broadway, winning the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play.

Opening night of Jesus Christ Superstar on Saturday June 5 proves why Musical Theater Heritage is the Kansas City Superstar of musical theater. Directed by Musical Director Sarah Crawford the rock opera with lyrics by Tim Rice and Music by Andrew Lloyd Weber surpasses any musical performance this year in Kansas City. The concert style performance proves that elaborate sets, costumes, and choreography are not necessary when the stage is filled with some of the best talent in Kansas City.

With the daily downpours in Kansas City, the only way to see a full moon is in the audience of The Full Monty at the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre. Karen Paisley directs the comical musical with book by Terrence McNally, music and lyrics by David Yazbeth, and musical direction by Loren Bridge. The Full Monty runs through June 14 at the theater located at 3614 Main.

How do you tell if a musical is a success? The answer is easy, it is a success when at intermission, you walk into the restroom, one person is whistling, and two are humming songs from the show. That is what happens with the Quality Hill Playhouse production of Judy, Barbara, Liza at the Playhouse at 303 W. 10 in Kansas City. Judy, Barbara, Liza wraps up the 20th season of Quality Hill.

Mother Freaking Hood! is not a play anyone should see once, because that is not near enough times to catch all the humor that causes the audience to erupt with laughter throughout the two-act play. Mother Freaking Hood! opened on Saturday May 30 at the Goppert Theatre inside Avila College in Kansas City, Missouri to roars of laughter. The Moonshine Variety Company production is without a doubt the funniest musical comedy of the theater season in Kansas City.

Imaginative and innovative use of multi-media makes Six Degrees of Separation a unique must see at The Barn Players in Mission, Kansas. David Martin directs Six Degrees of Separation, written by John Guare, which opened on Friday March 29 and runs through June 14. Vida Bikales, President of The Barn Players, stated the Barn hired Martin to direct the production due to his vision of the use of multi-media in the production. She said his use of video saved numerous set changes that would have been costly and time consuming.

The Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri presents Tribes by Nina Raine June 3 through June 28 on the Levin Stage located at 3828 Main. Theodore Swetz directs the Unicorn Theatre production of Tribes, which features David Fritts, Jan Rogge, Nicole Marie Green, Jake Walker, Paul Ososki, and Lisa Lehnen.

The Heartland Men's Chorus honors composer Stephen Schwartz with A Little Bit Wicked at the Folly Theater in Kansas City. The program runs two nights only, Saturday June 13 and Sunday June 14. The chorus if more than 120 singers pays tribute to the 40 years of work by Schwartz with songs from his Broadway and film musicals.

Down the Road, a magnificent production of Andy Perkins continues at the Buffalo Room located inside the Westport Flea Market in Kansas City, Missouri. Lee Blessing wrote Down the Road a social-issue drama that unfolds inside a motel room and a prison. He has written two other social-issue dramas Two Rooms and Patient A.

Take a shower, put on your best duds, but do not forget the Hairspray now playing at The New Theatre in Overland Park, Kansas. Hairspray with book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music by Marc Shaiman, and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman runs through July 12. Dennis D. Hennessy directs the magnificent dinner theater production, with Richard J. Hinds providing choreography and Mark Ferrell with music direction. Hennessy, Hinds, and Ferrell were in the same capacity in 2012 for The New Theatre production of Hairspray.

Reprising her role from the New Theatre production of Hairspray, Mandy Morris returns to Kansas City as Amber Von Tussle. Hairspray with book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music by Marc Shaiman, and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Mark Shaiman runs through July 12 at Ithe dinner theater. Dennis D. Hennessy directs the New Theatre production and Richard J. Hinds provides choreography.

With enchanting beauty and grace, the Kansas City Ballet brings Dances Daring (Then and Now) to the stage of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. From the moment of the first curtain rising, to the fall of the final curtain the beautifully crafted and performed movements of the four-part ballet mystifies the audience.

Mike Bartlett's dark comedy Cock continues on the Jerome Stage at The Unicorn Theatre through May 17. Jeff Church directs the Unicorn production with a title that may be a turn-on or turn-off, but one that definitely gets everyone's attention. Produced on the intimate Jerome stage the play utilizes no props, scenery, or specific costumes to give all the focus to the drama that takes place on the small stage.

The Unicorn Theatre announced their 2015-2016 season. The 42nd season of intimate, inspiring, and invigorating new plays opens on August 26, 2015. In addition to a full line up of new productions to Kansas City, the Unicorn will also continue the In-Progress New Play Reading Series, bringing scripts in development and under consideration for production in upcoming seasons before the public.

Quality Hill Playhouse in Kansas City, Missouri announced their 2015-2016 season. Century of the Songbook explores 100 years of music. Producing Artistic Director J. Kent Barnhart has programmed four original cabaret revues and one Broadway revue, each highlighting songs of the musical tradition called the Great American Songbook. The Playhouse season focuses on contributions to the Songbook by first Americans, big band leaders, women songwriters, Broadway musicals, and folk singer-songwriters.

What They Did For Love: The Songs of Marvin Hamlisch and Burt Bacharach continues at the Quality Hill Playhouse, 303 W. 10th, through May 17. J. Kent Barnhart, Producing Artistic Director of the Playhouse, accompanies Melinda MacDonald, Tim Noland, and LeShea Wright, on piano and vocally. Barnhart emcees the production displaying his wit and sense of humor as he reveals often little known history about the songs and their creators.

As spectacular as the lights of the Aurora Borealis, that is how Spinning Tree Theatre lit up the stage on opening night of Fiddler on the Roof at the Just Off Broadway Theatre. Jerry Bock wrote the music, Sheldon Harnick the lyrics, and Joseph Stein the book for Fiddler on the Roof, a musical based on Tevye and his Daughters (or Tevye the Dairyman) and others stories written by Sholem Aleichem.

Musical Monday closes with the cast singing "One Day More," which is the amount of time left to catch one of the most phenomenal shows to appear at Musical Theater Heritage at Crown Center. Musical Monday and Tuesday opened on April 20 with Jerry Jay Cranford singing Les Miz from Forbidden Broadway. The theme of the two-day musical event is Les Miserables and Others. Others included tunes from Chorus Line and Little Shop of Horrors.