Scott Lupton News

Main Street Theater continues its 2015-2016 Theater for Youth season with the delightful family musical LYLE THE CROCODILE, based on Bernard Waber's adored children's books Lyle, Lyle Crocodile and The House on East 88th Street.

SRO (Standing Room Only) Productions is producing AMERICAN IDIOT at Obisidian Theater in Houston, TX this fall. The original musical, by Billy Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer, won two Tony awards, a Drama Desk award, and a Grammy for best Musical Theatre Album. The story centers on three young men and their paths to self-discovery. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Director Chris Patton and Actor Justin White about the upcoming SRO production in Houston, TX.

The wacky and wonderful Pippi Longstocking will be at Main Street Theater all summer long! Pippi Longstocking: The Family Musical, based on the beloved novel by Astrid Lindgren, will play Todays at 2pm and 5pm and Sundays at 2pm from June 14* - Aug. 3 at Main Street Theater-Chelsea Market, 4617 Montrose Boulevard in the Museum District. Ticket prices for public performances are $17 - $13. Tickets are on sale in person at the Main Street Theater Box Office at 2540 Times Blvd. in Rice Village, via phone at 713.524.6706 or online at MainStreetTheater.com. Group rates are available.

The wacky and wonderful Pippi Longstocking will be at Main Street Theater all summer long! Pippi Longstocking: The Family Musical, based on the beloved novel by Astrid Lindgren, will play Saturdays at 2pm and 5pm and Sundays at 2pm from June 14* - Aug. 3 at Main Street Theater-Chelsea Market, 4617 Montrose Boulevard in the Museum District. Ticket prices for public performances are $17 - $13. Tickets are on sale in person at the Main Street Theater Box Office at 2540 Times Blvd. in Rice Village, via phone at 713.524.6706 or online at MainStreetTheater.com. Group rates are available.

Theater LaB Houston, known as Houston's premiere Off-Broadway Theater, is continuing its residency at Obsidian Art Space with with an exciting 2014 season. From March 26 - 30, the company is presenting the Regional Premiere of Dan LeFranc's SIXTY MILES TO SILVER LAKE. In anticipation of this new season, I recently spoke with director Linda Phenix about SIXTY MILES TO SILVER LAKE.

Playing at Main Street Theater over spring break is A Year with Frog and Toad, running through April 5, 2014 at Chelsea Market.

Main Street Theater presents A Year with Frog and Toad, based on the books by Arnold Lobel. A Year with Frog and Toad will play Saturdays, today, March 1 - April 5 at 1:00pm and 4:00pm and Mondays - Fridays, March 10 - 14 and 17 - 21 at 1:30pm.

Main Street Theater presents A Year with Frog and Toad, based on the books by Arnold Lobel. A Year with Frog and Toad will play Saturdays, March 1 - April 5 at 1:00pm and 4:00pm and Mondays - Fridays, March 10 - 14 and 17 - 21 at 1:30pm. Performances will be held at Main Street Theater-Chelsea Market, 4617 Montrose Boulevard in the Museum District. Ticket prices for public performances are $17 - $13. Tickets are on sale in person at the Main Street Theater Box Office at 2540 Times Blvd. in Rice Village, via phone at 713.524.6706 or online at mainstreettheater.com. Group rates are available.

It's that time of year again. You know the one where we break out the fishnets and take that oh so familiar step to the left followed by a jump to the right. Halloween and Richard O'Brien's THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW may as well be synonyms. Luckily for Houston audiences, Bayou City Theatrics is producing the beloved show as a one night only fundraiser on Halloween. I recently spoke with Colton Berry and Tye Blue to get the scoop on why this year's floorshow is too good to miss.

It is generally agreed upon that the best theatre challenges audiences, and after they experience the piece they are altered. Bayou City Theatrics' production of Andrew Lippa's THE WILD PARTY vastly excels in this domain. If you're unfamiliar with the show, rest assured that Andrew Lippa's THE WILD PARTY exists in the periphery of the theatre consciousness. Most of those who are aware of it are fans of Andrew Lippa or know a handful of numbers because they follow the Broadway stars Idina Menzel, Taye Diggs, Brian D'Arcy James, and/or Julia Murney. Bayou City Theatrics took a big risk with producing the musical, but the lascivious, violent, alcohol-drenched production had a profound and strangely enchanting affect on those lucky enough to attend last night's opening night performance. From what we experienced, I am sure that its allure and effect will only get stronger as the run progresses.

Bayou City Theatrics' STEPHEN SCHWARTZ SPECTACULAR is set for tonight, July 12, 2013 at 8:00 pm. Celebrate the musical genius of Stephen Schwartz in a sensational concert and fun-filled carnival atmosphere!

Bayou City Theatrics' STEPHEN SCHWARTZ SPECTACULAR is set for July 12, 2013 at 8:00 pm. Celebrate the musical genius of Stephen Schwartz in a sensational concert and fun-filled carnival atmosphere!

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.

Set in the gin-doused Roaring Twenties, ANDREW LIPPA'S WILD PARTY transports you to New York City and into the lives of Vaudeville's sexiest dancer and twisted clown, Queenie (Danica Johnston) and Burrs (Colton Berry). After what seems like a lifetime of numerous unsuccessful lusts and loves, the pair finds each other through the hazy backdrop of jazz and hangovers. They soon come to experience their own hangover, in the form of redundant normalcy. Determined to add some heat to their stagnant lives, Queenie decides to throw the party of the century. As their tiny loft begins to buzz and spin with all seven of the deadliest sins, the party hosts fall victim to their own iniquity. Scroll down for a first look at Bayou City Theatrics' production!

Bayou City Theatrics is continuing their inaugural season with Houston's first locally produced professional staging of Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA. The musical, with a book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang, was originally produced on Broadway by Disney Theatrical Productions, and ran on there from March 23, 2000 to September 5, 2004 for a total of 1,852 performances. The successes of the Broadway production lead to two national tours. The 2002-2003 equity tour served as a duplicate of the Broadway staging; however, David Henry Hwang revised the book for the 2006-2007 non-equity second national tour, creating a show that was a bit darker by removing some of the campy comedy from the character of Amneris. Having seen both tours, it seems that the version licensed by Music Theatre International is the same book used by the Broadway version.

Straight? from? collaborating? on? Disney's? The? Lion? King,? Elton John? and? Tim? Rice? went? on? to? their? next? success,? Aida.? Adapted? from? the? immortal opera transporting for? an? enslaved? Nubian? princess.? This? ancient? tragedy? is? infused? with? an? eclectic, contemporary is? reincarnated? by? Bayou? City? Theatrics? at? the? Barnevelder? Movement? Arts? Complex, May?2?12.

What happens when artists reclaim prominent fairy tale figures from Disney's sparkling and sanitzied translations? Well, for one, INTO THE WOODS is born. The show, with a book by James Lapine and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, presents fairy tale characters that are closer to their origins. They are bawdy, sarcastic, humorous, and ultimately tangibly real in their own ways. The varnish is removed and their valuable lessons are given to light again. Whether you love or hate Stephen Sondheim's work, there is no denying that the man is brilliant and INTO THE WOODS, as produced by Colton Berry's Bayou City Theatrics, magnificently illustrates this.

How do you measure a year? Bayou City Theatrics, Houston's newest musical theatre company, asks this question through their pay-what-you-will performance of RENT (book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson) on New Year's Eve. The show is staged in a concert-style, allowing the audience to focus on the brilliant music, by the late Jonathan Larson, which made the musical a worldwide phenomenon.

How do you measure a year? Bayou City Theatrics, Houston's newest musical theatre company, asks this question through their pay-what-you-will performance of RENT (book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson) on New Year's Eve. The show is staged in a concert-style, allowing the audience to focus on the brilliant music, by the late Jonathan Larson, which made the musical a worldwide phenomenon.