Beth Lazarou News

Main Street Theater's 2012-2013 Theater for Youth Season is closing with a musical presentation of ALICE IN WONDERLAND. The Prince Street Players, founded in New York City in 1965, originated the production, which featured Adaptation, Book, and Lyrics by Jim Eiler with Music by Jim Eiler and Jeanne Bargy. Main Street Theater's production captures the frenetic whimsy of Wonderland, complimented by the cast's resounding and remarkable youthful energy.

After riveting audiences with an emotionally raw and intellectual inaugural production of Stephen Sondheim's ASSASSINS, MJR Theatricals/Music Box Musicals is serving up a wondrously side-splitting, laugh-a-minute presentation of the Tony-award winning musical THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE. The clever and hilarious musical is based on Rebecca Feldman's C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E improvisation performed by The Farm, with music and lyrics by William Finn and a book by Rachel Sheinkin. It treats the audience as if they are really at the fictional spelling bee, and the cast gleefully breaks the fourth wall to interact with members of the audience. The musical follows six quirky kids (played by adults) through the spelling bee, and introduces the audience to three adults that are just as peculiar as the kids.

Presenting their second out of three productions for this year's 'Get Talking' series, Stages Repertory Theatre is producing Julia Cho's THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE. The deliciously existential and fairy tale-esque drama won the 2010 Susan Smith Blackburn award, a prize given to plays written by women in the English language. The somewhat simplistic and formulaic plot introduces audiences to a linguist, George, who is the curator of a language library that preserves the last remaining strands of dead and dying languages. Despite his love for languages, he is inept in communication, which estranges him from his wife, Mary. George and his assistant, Emma, fly in a couple from a devastated Eastern European country to record their native language, the romantic and beautiful Elloway. However, the couple is bickering, so they have cast off Elloway and are using the 'hateful' language of English to fight.

Bayou City Concert Musicals has a track record of enjoyable and wholly entertaining performances. They burst onto the Houston Theatre scene with a concert production of FOLLIES. Since FOLLIES, Paul Hope has astounded audiences with productions of FALSETTOS, SHE LOVES ME, 70, GIRLS, 70, ASSASSINS, FIORELLO!, THE SECRET GARDEN, PAL JOEY, ON THE TOWN, GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, FINNAN'S RAINBOW, and ONE TOUCH OF VENUS. Each of these shows was a sensational hit in its own time, but has been notoriously neglected as time merrily rolls along. Each of these concerts has been accompanied by a live orchestra, which only increases the price tag for producing the fabulous productions. To help keep ticket prices affordable, Paul Hope utilizes showcase cabarets as fundraisers. Like his concert productions, the cabarets are jam packed with the best of the best of Houston's musical theatre talent who only aim to captivate and enthrall. The latest cabaret, JEROME KERN IN HOLLYWOOD, is no exception.

Sally Edmundson directs The Language Archive by award-winning playwright Julia Cho, having its regional premiere at Stages Repertory Theatre in February and March.

Stages Repertory Theatre's PANTO MOTHER GOOSE is their fifth original "panto" production, and this new tradition has become quite the holiday favorite in Houston. For those who may not know, "panto" is a British tradition of winter musical comedy theater that puts a fresh, raucous spin on fairy tales by injecting the familiar stories with references to contemporary culture and encourages audience interaction (i.e. cheering for the heroes and booing the villains every time they enter the performance space). The product is a fun, lively performance that is fun for the whole family.

Stages continues its new holiday tradition with this whimsical all-ages spin on the beloved nursery rhymes of Mother Goose.

Stages continues its new holiday tradition with this whimsical all-ages spin on the beloved nursery rhymes of Mother Goose.

Just under a week until Halloween, Bayou City Theatrics kicks off their inaugural season with Richard O'Brien's cult-favorite, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW. While audiences at the Toyota Center waited for the original material girl to take the stage, Bayou City Theatrics channeled 80s inspired glam pop-punk fashions with their own breed of material girls (and boys) and treated their audience to a fresh rendition of the classic show.

"Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show"-that sexy, campy, rock 'n' roll musical-will be produced at Vue Nightclub. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

Life Is a Dream by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, translated and adapted by Nilo Cruz, runs through Oct. 21 at Main Street Theater in Rice Village. Check out new photos from the production below!

In 1975, Main Street Theater began with a dream of bringing quality theatre to Houston audiences. Whether we are actually existing or living in our imaginings, one thing is certain: Main Street Theatre has fulfilled its reverie for 37 years, and is continuing to do so with the opening of the first production of their 38th season-the Regional Premiere of Nilo Cruz's adaptation and translation of Pedro Calderon de la Barca's LIFE IS A DREAM.

What is life? What is this world? What is real, and what is only illusion? Pedro Calderon de la Barca's sweeping play LIFE IS A DREAM explores these questions that resonate in our souls. With previews tonight, September 15, 16, and 19, Life Is a Dream opens September 20 and runs through October 21 at Main Street Theater - Rice Village, 2540 Times Blvd.

What is life? What is this world? What is real, and what is only illusion? Pedro Calderon de la Barca's sweeping play LIFE IS A DREAM explores these questions that resonate in our souls. With previews September 15, 16, and 19, Life Is a Dream opens September 20 and runs through October 21 at Main Street Theater - Rice Village, 2540 Times Blvd.

Main Street Theatre has been a staple in the Houston theatre scene since Rebecca Udden found the company in the 1970s. Over time, the company has continued to evolve and grow. It seems that Houston audiences may not be fully aware of just how dynamic this stellar theatre company is. To help set the record straight, Rebecca Udden, Founding and Executive Artistic Director, and Vivienne St. John, Theater For Youth Producing Director, spoke with me about this fantastic and multifaceted theatrical company.

Despite being completely busy preparing for the concert staging of A TOUCH OF VENUS, Paul Hope, Artistic Director and Founder of Bayou City Concert Musicals, took a break from his busy schedule to talk to me about his innovative and charitable organization. Since it's inception, Bayou City Concert Musicals has been providing Houston audiences with well-produced and lauded performances of often-neglected musicals. Continuing to grow an ever-increasing loyal audience and fan following, I asked Paul Hope to tell me more about Bayou City Concert Musicals and the shows they choose to produce.

ain Street Theater's regional premiere production of Liz Duffy Adams' DOG ACT is a dark and challenging show that is fantastically moving and altogether enjoyable. Skillfully directed by Andrew Ruthven, DOG ACT tells the tale of Rozetta "Zeta" Stone and Dog, traveling vaudevillians, as they journey across a barren, post-apocalyptic United States in search of passage to China. Along the way, they encounter and team up with Vera Similitude and Jo-Jo, an enigmatic duo that vacillate between being helpful and deviously sinister. The piece really comes together in the second act, when the cast rehearses their vaudeville act, showcasing the play within a play that fully discloses the parable-esque themes of both the framing narrative and the vaudevillian act that the characters perform.

Main Street Theater's next production is the regional premiere of Liz Duffy Adams' DOG ACT, which is a post-apocalyptic comedy. The plot follows Zetta Stone and her companion Dog, who is voluntarily undergoing a species demotion, as the travel across The Remains of the United States with their vaudeville troupe. In preparation for this fantastic production, Liz Duffy Adams took a few moments of her time to talk to me abut the genesis of DOG ACT, her writing process, advice for other artists, and women artists in general.