As You Like It Revival 1950 - Articles Page 17

A debate started up tonight when a tweeter suggested that Cinderella shouldn't be brunette on Broadway.

Now playing through November fourth, 'West Side Story' is gracing the stage at Tri-Valley Repertory Theatre. Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' is transported to mid-1950's New York City, as two young idealistic lovers find themselves caught between warring street gangs. Their struggle is one of the most heart-wrenching musicals of our time - and Tri-Valley's presentation of this classic is, to say the least, reborn.

The Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre has announced the 2012-2013 FMCT season, including Schoolhouse Rock Live, Woman in Black, Humpty Dumpty is Missing, It's a Wonderful Life, a New Year's Musical Revue, Rumors, Forever Plaid, Gypsy, Follies - Carol Burnett Skits and Songs and Winnie The Pooh KIDS!.

The Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre has announced the 2012-2013 FMCT season, including Schoolhouse Rock Live, Woman in Black, Humpty Dumpty is Missing, It's a Wonderful Life, a New Year's Musical Revue, Rumors, Forever Plaid, Gypsy, Follies - Carol Burnett Skits and Songs and Winnie The Pooh KIDS!.

While overly melodramatic and a bit cliched, MEMPHIS--the winner of the 2010 Tony Award for Best Musical now performing at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood through August 12--is, overall, a rousing, electrically-charged show that rightfully triumphs because of its slick production values and its incredible, top-notch cast. If you want to hear some honest-to-goodness, kick-ass singing, then you must see this show... NOW!

Today we are talking to Patricia Kelly, the widow of one of the most iconic and influential performers in entertainment history, Gene Kelly, all about her husband's incomparable career on Broadway and in Hollywood, in honor of his centennial. Tracing Gene Kelly's journey from his theatre roots starring in Cole Porter's LEAVE IT TO ME!, Rodgers & Hart's PAL JOEY and William Saroyan's Pulitzer Prize-winning THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE on Broadway to his unforgettable screen appearances in many of the greatest movie musicals ever made - COVER GIRL, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, THE PIRATE, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS and many more included - Mrs. Kelly gives us a look into the life of one of the most important artists of the twentieth century. In addition to behind-the-scenes stories involving Kelly's frequent collaborators - such as esteemed director Vincente Minnelli, songwriter and producer Arthur Freed, arranger Saul Chaplin and others - Mrs. Kelly also shares candid anecdotes involving her husband's involvement with directing Rodgers & Hammerstein's FLOWER DRUM SONG on Broadway, helming the feature film adaptation of HELLO, DOLLY! starring Barbra Streisand, as well as his appearing in two idiosyncratic movie musicals later in his life, LES DEMOISELLES DE ROCHEFORT (THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT) for Jacques Demy, as well as his au revoir to movie musicals in form of the Olivia Newton-John roller disco starrer XANADU. Additionally, Mrs. Kelly fills us in on all the details about this weekend's two-night Gene Kelly retrospective celebration, which she leads and narrates, as part of GENE KELLY @ 100 and her future plans for the multimedia presentation - each evening titled AN EVENING OF GENE KELLY and CHANGING THE LOOK OF DANCE ON FILM, respective - as she begins to tour the show across the country. Plus, reflections on SINGIN' IN THE RAIN's 60th anniversary and the recent Fathom HD premiere presentation in theaters, the impact of Kelly's work behind the camera, his choreographic legacy, what a legend is like at home, memories of attending the opening night of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (starring HELLO, DOLLY! lead Michael Crawford), what the master would say about GLEE, SMASH, BUNHEADS and today's movie musical renaissance, as well as much, much more!

BWW had a chance to chat with all four members of 'The Craze' and find out how they transform themselves each night from four immensely talented American musicians of the 21st century to four young lads from 1950's Brighton, England.

Probably the golden age of musical theatre in the US was from 1950 to 1960. Great scripts like King and I, My Fair Lady, and West Side Story were staged. Also produced were such flops as Salad Days, Zuleika, Ankles Away, The Vamp, ShaNgri-La, Shinbone Alley, and Free As Air. Most shows were of the neither great nor flop variety. These included the likes of Call Me Madam, Guys and Dolls, Paint Your Wagon, Can-Can, Wonderful Town, Fanny, and The Pajama Game. Also included in the list was DAMN YANKEES, now on stage at Porthouse Theatre.

BroadwayWorld Chicago contributor Paul W. Thompson, author of the popular weekly column, THE SHOWTUNE MOSH PIT, will be performing his 2012 solo show, SONGS I'VE NEVER SUNG BEFORE, on the afternoons of June 21 and June 28 (both Thursdays). Both concerts last about an hour, and both concerts are FREE!!

Roundabout Theatre Company, in association with Don Gregory, presents the new Broadway production of Mary Chase's Harvey. Previews began May 18, and the show officially opens tonight, June 14, 2012, at Studio 54 (254 W. 54th St.), where it will play a limited engagement through August 5. See how the critics reacted below!

David Saint took time out of his busy schedule to speak with BWW about the current National tour of West Side Story as well as to remember his close friend and trusted mentor, famed librettist, director and screenwriter Arthur Laurents, who passed away a year ago at the age of 93.

The Old Globe's 2012-13 Season will feature the World Premieres of two new musicals: Allegiance - A New American Musical by Jay Kuo and Lorenzo Thione and A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder by Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak. The season also includes George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion in celebration of the classic play's 100th anniversary and the World Premiere of a new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House by Anne-Charlotte Hanes Harvey and Kirsten Brandt. Two recent Broadway hits will make their San Diego debuts at the Globe: David Lindsay-Abaire's Good People and Jon Robin Baitz's Other Desert Cities. Rounding out the season are the West Coast Premiere of Bekah Brunstetter's Be a Good Little Widow and the Southern California Premiere of Tarell Alvin McCraney's The Brothers Size.

Actors' NET of Bucks County will present William Shakespeare's AS YOU LIKE IT from April 20 - May 13, 2012 at The Heritage Center.

When the national touring production of WEST SIDE STORY made its way to the OHIO THEATER last night, I embraced the opportunity to re-visit this 1957 Arthur Laurents' adaptation of Shakespeare's 'ROMEO AND JULIET' and experience the delight of what is truly timeless about classic musical theater.

Guthrie Director Joe Dowling today announced 11 mainstage productions of the theater's 2012-2013 season. The theater's 50th season and seventh on the Mississippi River looks ahead to a vital future with highlights including three new commissioned plays and works that deal vigorously with themes of war, race and politics through history and contemporary times.

Actors' NET of Bucks County will present William Shakespeare's AS YOU LIKE IT from April 20 - May 13, 2012 at The Heritage Center.

MetroStage presents Be Careful! The Sharks Will Eat You!, a one-man show written and performed by Jorge "Jay" Alvarez, who tells a story of bravery, selflessness, and unimaginable courage and survival: the story of his family's escape from the oppression of Fidel Castro's Cuba in 1964. Alvarez offers an autobiographical, multigenerational and cross-cultural performance.

MetroStage presents Be Careful! The Sharks Will Eat You!, a one-man show written and performed by Jorge "Jay" Alvarez, who tells a story of bravery, selflessness, and unimaginable courage and survival: the story of his family's escape from the oppression of Fidel Castro's Cuba in 1964. Alvarez offers an autobiographical, multigenerational and cross-cultural performance.

In the years between the fall of vaudeville and the rise of Comedy Clubs, Americans looking to enjoy some live stand-up would frequently gather at their local jazz venue, where rising stars like Lenny Bruce and Mort Saul would offer their observations in a rhythmic style that many would say mimicked the licks themselves.  In his musical tale of losing his job, No Place To Go, playwright/composer/lyricist/performer Ethan Lipton tells the story of mounting disappointments in wry growls of spoken comical riffs that glide into an after-hours score heavily infused with jazz and blues.

The Town Hall's Broadway by the Year's® 12th Season continues with The Broadway Musicals of 1950 on Monday, March 19th at 8PM. 1950 was a year that brought us famous shows by musical theater icons including Frank Loesser, (Guys and Dolls), Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse (Call Me Madam), and Cole Porter (Out of This World), among others. Produced by The Town Hall, The Broadway Musicals of 1950 is created, written and hosted by Scott Siegel.

Are you looking for something to take your mind off the February blues? Is the constant rain and chilly weather getting you down? Do yourself a favour and head down to the PAL Theatre and check out The Marvelous Wonderettes.

Roundabout Theatre Company in association with Don Gregory, has announced the full company for the new Broadway production of Mary Chase's Harvey starring Jim Parsons (Elwood P. Dowd), Jessica Hecht (Veta Louise Simmons), Charles Kimbrough (William R. Chumley, M.D.), Larry Bryggman (Judge Omar Gaffney), Carol Kane (Betty Chumley), Peter Benson (E.J. Lofgren), Tracee Chimo (Myrtle Mae Simmons), Holley Fain (Ruth Kelly, R.N.), Angela Paton (Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet), Rich Sommer (Duane Wilson), Morgan Spector (Lyman Sanderson, M.D.) and directed by Scott Ellis.

The Ensemble at New Village Arts takes on Shakespeare's broadest farce in THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. Directed by Justin Lang, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS allows the Ensemble to show off its comedic skills. Set in the 1950s as if it were being filmed in front of a "live studio audience", NVA's THE COMEDY OF ERRORS is a tale full of mistaken identity, slapstick humor and romance. Featuring NVA favorites Amanda Sitton, Manny Fernandes, Kristianne Kurner and John DeCarlo, this show promises to be a big departure from NVA's highly lauded OF MICE AND MEN and an easy laugh before the intense dark comedy of BURIED CHILD. THE COMEDY OF ERRORSwill be playing at New Village Arts Theatre (2787 State Street, Carlsbad Village) from February 8 - March 4, 2012. The official opening night is February 11 at 8 PM. Tickets can be purchased at www.NewVillageArts.org or by calling 760-433-3245.

The Ensemble at New Village Arts takes on Shakespeare's broadest farce in THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. Directed by Justin Lang, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS allows the Ensemble to show off its comedic skills. Set in the 1950s as if it were being filmed in front of a "live studio audience", NVA's THE COMEDY OF ERRORS is a tale full of mistaken identity, slapstick humor and romance. Featuring NVA favorites Amanda Sitton, Manny Fernandes, Kristianne Kurner and John DeCarlo, this show promises to be a big departure from NVA's highly lauded OF MICE AND MEN and an easy laugh before the intense dark comedy of BURIED CHILD. THE COMEDY OF ERRORSwill be playing at New Village Arts Theatre (2787 State Street, Carlsbad Village) from February 8 - March 4, 2012. The official opening night is February 11 at 8 PM. Tickets can be purchased at www.NewVillageArts.org or by calling 760-433-3245.

Papatango have teamed up with one of London's leading new writing venues, the Finborough Theatre to present the winning entries in the 2011 Papatango Playwriting Competition 2011, featuring this year's winning play Foxfinder by Dawn King which will play for a four week limited season from 29 November (Press Night: Thursday, 1 December 2011 at 8.30pm) and three runners up who will each receive a one week run - Through The Night by Matt Morrison (Press Night: Wednesday, 7 December 2011 at 6.30pm), Rigor Mortis by Carol Vine (Press Night:Wednesday, 14 December 2011 at 6.30pm) and Crush by Rob Young (Press Night: Tuesday, 20 December 2011 at 6.30pm).