Regional Roundup: Top 10 Stories This Week Around the Broadway World - 11/25; THE SECRET GARDEN in DC, THE FUNDAMENTALS in Chicago and More!

By: Nov. 25, 2016
Enter Your Email to Unlock This Article

Plus, get the best of BroadwayWorld delivered to your inbox, and unlimited access to our editorial content across the globe.




Existing user? Just click login.

**BONUS** Voting is NOW OPEN for the 2016 Regional Awards in ALL regions below:

Appleton, Atlanta, Austin, Australia-Sydney, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Buffalo, Central New York, Central Pennsylvania, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Connecticut, Dallas Delaware, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Israel, Italy, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Long Island, Los Angeles, Louisville, Madison, Maine, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Jersey, New Orleans, Omaha, Orlando, Palm Springs, Philadelphia, Philippines, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh, Rhode Island, Rockland / Westchester, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Seattle, Sioux Falls, South Africa, South Bend, Spain, St. Louis, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee, Toronto, UK / West End, Washington, DC, West Virginia, Wichita

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in Washington, DC, Chicago, Orlando and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include THE SECRET GARDEN in DC, THE FUNDAMENTALS in Chicago, and PYGMALION in Orlando, just to name a few.

East/Northeast

PRELUDE TO A KISS

1. Rhode Island: Editor Larry O'Brien reviews PRELUDE TO A KISS at 2nd Story Theatre. He says, "...the performances were solid across the board, particularly Hakeem and Oakes, who take turns as the Old Man and Rita. In the first act, Hakeem makes Rita a charming, funny, and vivacious character; we can see why Peter falls for her. In the second, after the persona switch, she's not quite so likable, not quite herself, and it takes Peter (and the audience) a while to figure out why. " Read more here.

2. Washington, DC: Editor Jennifer Perry reviews THE SECRET GARDEN at Shakespeare Theatre Company. She says, "Armstrong's production concept allows this enchanting and emotionally resonant story to be presented in an honest, believable, and straightforward way. Yet, he still accounts for the role that ghosts and haunting memories play in the story development and character progression. His idea to use picture frames to bring Lily to life is particularly inspired and on point. That is not the only technical aspect that serves the story well though. Mike Baldassari's lighting and Anna Louizos' sets are crucial to demonstrate the physical transformation of Mary's world (and it's likely the set transitions will get smoother as the run progresses)." Read more here.

Midwest

3. Chicago, IL: Editor Rachel Weinberg reviews THE FUNDAMENTALS at Steppenwolf. She says, "Erika Sheffer's witty and laugh-out-loud funny new play THE FUNDAMENTALS paints a bleak portrait of corporate culture within the New York location of a fictitious major hotel chain. Sheffer sets the tongue-in-cheek tone from the initial moments of the play, which opens with an overly polished film emphasizing the staff's important role in optimizing the guest experience. This hilarious, dry wit also extends to the natural and biting dialogue." Read more here.

4. South Bend, IN: Editor Katherine Waddell reviews KALAMAZOO at The Acting Ensemble. She says, " Mary Ann Moran, who played Peg, and Bill Frascella, who played Irv, truly at times, felt young. As a young woman myself, it was easy to recognize the giddiness of new love that most of the time is only attributed to being a certain age. Moran and Frascella embodied perfectly, what felt like, adolescent and young adult nerves, love, insecurities, and much more. They were personable, intimate, and desperate, in a youthful manner, for their new-found life." Read more here.

South/Southeast

PYGMALION

5. Orlando, FL: Editor Libby Champion reviews Mad Cow's PYGMALION. She says, "Mad Cow's take on PYGMALION is both ambitious and absolutely delightful. Unlike other productions of the play, Mad Cow decided to use Shaw's original, unedited language from when the play was produced in 1913. Over the years, Shaw's interpretation has been changed and altered to reflect more romantic tones in the story - this includes the most well-known take on the play, the film "My Fair Lady" featuring Audrey Hepburn - so it was refreshing and exciting to witness Shaw's play the way it was meant to be seen." Read more here.

6. Austin, TX: Editor Joni Lorraine reviews BASKERVILLE - A SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY at Austin Playhouse. She says, "While Zac Thomas gets a bit of a break and is only tasked with playing a few, Marie Fahlgren and Stephen Mercantel are left to play all the remaining thirty-something characters. The premise of the show won't work unless these two can pull it off, and the pair do so in this production in great fashion. Thomas, Fahlgren and Mercantel understand this broad, scenery-chewing-exhausted-when-the-show-is-over requirement Ludwig calls on his actors to provide in BASKERVILLE. They're tasked with playing characters AND being-themselves-playing-characters and we're all in on the joke." Read more here.

West Coast

7. Denver, CO: Editor Felicia Tassone reviews A CHRISTMAS STORY at Midtown Arts Center. She says, "Midtown Arts Center's exceptional cast makes this heartwarming tale completely fun. Elijah Walker Brandt as Ralphie is an exceptional young talent with a fantastic voice and plenty of charisma to lead the casT. Ryan Fisher shines as little brother, Randy (The role is also played by Ivan Austin Grown.) Charlotte Campbell charms as Mother and John Jankow masters the role of The Old Man and brings a hearty dose of humor to the show. Daniel Harkins is terrific as Jean Shepherd who narrates the show with both sensitivity and humor. The show's ensemble includes a fantastic troupe of children, that will dazzle you with their talents." Read more here.

AN ACT OF GOD

8. Phoenix, AZ: Editor Herbert Paine reviews Arizona Theatre Company's AN ACT OF GOD. He says, "Thou shalt surrender all your closely held notions of the divine almighty as a merciful, loving, responsible, and empathetic deity. She is unequivocally none of those things, and, in Arizona Theatre Company's adaptation of David Javerbaum's AN ACT OF GOD, the Lord (Paige Davis) descends from her celestial perch to set the record straight." Read more here.

International

9. Indonesia: Editor Albertus Raynaldi reviews KHATULISTIWA at Jakarta Theatre, Taman Ismail Marzuki. He says, "The foundation set the musical performance date to early November, in accordance to Indonesia's National Veteran's Day which was celebrated in the 10th of November 2016. It is hoped that this musical could be a great contribution to children of the nation the message of endeavor, and give inspiration and character to the children itself." Read more here.

National Tour Highlight:

10. Regional Managing Editor Christina Mancuso reviews CINDERELLA at the Ohio Theatre. She says, "With a fresh new take on the beloved classic, Rodgers + Hammerstein's new CINDERELLA stage adaptation (based on a new book by Douglas Carter Beane) combines the basic elements of the original yet adds in modern-day twists. The balance is brilliant -- Spirited, savvy young woman who still lives in a house of drudgery, yet confidently searches for her own happiness with compassion, kindness, and forgiveness." Read more here.

STUDENT BLOGGERS! We'd like to feature a few of our student bloggers below!

College: College student Keanna Irving blogs about her school production, ARCADIA. Read her blog here.
High School: High school student Cassandra Hsiao shares what it's like to rap a question to Tony-Award Winner Lin-Manuel Miranda. Watch her video here!

This week, we'd like to welcome Kelli McGurk as our newest contributing editor in Orlando, and Katherine Reardon who is joining our New Jersey team.

*BONUS* - Interested in joining our team, but not exactly sure what we do? All of your questions are answered, along with every open position from guest and student bloggers, Regional Editors, BWW sites and more! Check it out here!



Videos