Executive Producer Lou Spisto today announced that The Old Globe will produce the World Premieres of four new plays and musicals in its 2011-12 Winter Season. The season will feature the World Premiere musicals Some Lovers by music legend Burt Bacharach and Tony Award winner Steven Sater and Nobody Loves You by Gaby Alter and Itamar Moses, as well as the West Coast Premiere of John Kander and Fred Ebb's The Scottsboro Boys, recently nominated for 12 Tony Awards including Best Musical, directed and choreographed by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman. The two plays receiving World Premiere productions are Somewhere by Globe Playwright-in-Residence Matthew Lopez and The Recommendation by Jonathan Caren. The new season also includes revivals of Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show and the Eugene O'Neill classic Anna Christie directed by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner David Auburn. Special events include the World Premiere of Odyssey by Todd Almond, a music theater event conceived and directed by Lear deBessonet celebrating the Globe's 75th Anniversary, The Old Globe/University of San Diego Graduate Theatre Program production of Twelfth Night and Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, which returns for its 14th consecutive year.
Joe's Pub at The Public Theater debuted in October 1998 and has quickly became one of New York City's most celebrated and in-demand showcase venues for live music and performance.
Currently celebrating its 15th anniversary season, the internationally acclaimed Aspen Santa Fe Ballet (ASFB) returns to the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Dr., to present three Chicago premieres, Tuesday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m.
The Homecoming closes March 27, 2011, at the American Conservatory Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco).
American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2010-11 season with a revival of Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter's most provocative play, The Homecoming, directed by A.C.T. Artistic Director and longtime Pinter collaborator Carey Perloff.
Broadway/L.A. announces the lineup for its 2011-2012 PANTAGES SEASON, a seven-show package that includes six Los Angeles premieres of recent Broadway productions - COME FLY AWAY, BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES and MEMPHIS - and the return of the most successful show in Pantages Theatre's history, WICKED.
American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2010-11 season with a revival of Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter's most provocative play, The Homecoming, directed by A.C.T. Artistic Director and longtime Pinter collaborator Carey Perloff.
Rochelle Slovin, Director of Museum of the Moving Image, today announced the complete schedule for the screenings and programs that will celebrate the grand re-opening of America's only museum dedicated to film, television, and digital media.
Joe's Pub Releases Schedule for December 23rd through January 1st including AMBER MARTIN: AMBER ALERT!, SCREAM ALONG WITH BILLY: A VERY NICO CHRISTMAS, JACKIE FIVE-0H!: A CELEBRATION OF JACKIE HOFFMAN'S FIRST 50TH BIRTHDAY, OUR LADY J: THE GOSPEL OF DOLLY, and SANDRA BERNHARD.
Joe's Pub Releases Schedule for December 23rd through January 1st including AMBER MARTIN: AMBER ALERT!, SCREAM ALONG WITH BILLY: A VERY NICO CHRISTMAS, JACKIE FIVE-0H!: A CELEBRATION OF JACKIE HOFFMAN'S FIRST 50TH BIRTHDAY, OUR LADY J: THE GOSPEL OF DOLLY, and SANDRA BERNHARD.
Joe's Pub Releases Schedule for December 23rd through January 1st including AMBER MARTIN: AMBER ALERT!, SCREAM ALONG WITH BILLY: A VERY NICO CHRISTMAS, JACKIE FIVE-0H!: A CELEBRATION OF JACKIE HOFFMAN'S FIRST 50TH BIRTHDAY, OUR LADY J: THE GOSPEL OF DOLLY, and SANDRA BERNHARD.
Joe's Pub Releases Schedule for December 23rd through January 1st including AMBER MARTIN: AMBER ALERT!, SCREAM ALONG WITH BILLY: A VERY NICO CHRISTMAS, JACKIE FIVE-0H!: A CELEBRATION OF JACKIE HOFFMAN'S FIRST 50TH BIRTHDAY, OUR LADY J: THE GOSPEL OF DOLLY, and SANDRA BERNHARD.
Joe's Pub Releases Schedule for December 23rd through January 1st including AMBER MARTIN: AMBER ALERT!, SCREAM ALONG WITH BILLY: A VERY NICO CHRISTMAS, JACKIE FIVE-0H!: A CELEBRATION OF JACKIE HOFFMAN'S FIRST 50TH BIRTHDAY, OUR LADY J: THE GOSPEL OF DOLLY, and SANDRA BERNHARD.
Rochelle Slovin, Director of Museum of the Moving Image, today announced the complete schedule for the screenings and programs that will celebrate the grand re-opening of America's only museum dedicated to film, television, and digital media.
Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) announces 2010 Next Wave Festival, featuring 16 music, dance, theater, and opera engagements from Sep 21-Dec 19. BAM 2010 Next Wave Festival is part of Diverse Voices at BAM sponsored by Time Warner Inc.
Just in time for holiday vacation, 'CATS' the 'now and forever' show as it came to be known, the show that revolutionized musical theatre, is coming to Broward Center for the Performing Arts for 5 performances December 17 to 19, 2010. Tickets are available at the Broward Center Box Office Monday to Friday 10AM - 5 PM, Saturday and Sunday 12 Noon - 5pm and 1 ½ hours prior to show times; or online at www.broadwayacrossamerica.com; www.browardcenter.org; via phones 954-462-0222 or 800-982-2787. Groups of 15 or more are invited to call 954-626-7814 or 954-462-0222.
Joe's Pub Releases Schedule for December 23rd through January 1st including AMBER MARTIN: AMBER ALERT!, SCREAM ALONG WITH BILLY: A VERY NICO CHRISTMAS, JACKIE FIVE-0H!: A CELEBRATION OF JACKIE HOFFMAN'S FIRST 50TH BIRTHDAY, OUR LADY J: THE GOSPEL OF DOLLY, and SANDRA BERNHARD.
The 5th Avenue Theatre is presenting a brand new addition to holiday theater offerings with the new adaptation of the classic 1983 film, "A Christmas Story: The Musical". And while half the show harkened fond memories of the film and left me with a wonderful sense of hope for this new piece of musical theater, the other half fell into old familiar musical traps and left me wanting as it shot its eye out.
In case you haven't seen the movie that is shown incessantly over the holiday season (sometimes for 24 hour periods nonstop) here's a brief rundown. We follow the quest of young Ralphie Parker as he plots and schemes to convince his parents (and Santa) to get him the best Christmas present in the world, a Red Ryder 200 Shot Carbine Action Air Rifle. The problem is he keeps running into obstacles of his Mother, his teacher and even Santa as they warn him away from the gift with the familiar, "You'll shoot your eye out." But Ralphie is tenacious and will have his prize. Meanwhile we also get to know the rest of the Parkers and their neighbors as we dive into the world of story originator Jean Shepherd. Complete with bullies, major awards and triple dog dares, the story harkens back to a simpler time when the biggest thing kids had to worry about was what Santa was bringing them.
The show itself is a charmer with book by Joseph Robinette who manages to keep the feel of the original material intact and still hits all the points and jokes that have become so familiar. The problem I ran into was with the songs. As I said, half of the show worked great. Act One was filled with wonderful tuners that captured the tone perfectly. And composers/lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul seemed to show that someone understands the structure of musical theater. The songs were either perfect for moving the story along or emphasizing through song what a character couldn't do any other way. And the songs "Ralphie to the Rescue" and "A Major Award" were both complete show stoppers and crucial to the story. Then we hit Act Two and suddenly it was like a completely different writing team as the songs ceased being essential as every single moment in the play got one right up to the end. So many superfluous numbers that could have been forsaken for just telling the story weighed down the second half until it finally ended with a whimper of exhaustion.
The cast however is superb and has the perfect style for the period. Clarke Hallum plays the scheming Ralphie and even though he was a bit presentational at times, his voice is right up there with any of the adults on stage. Anne Allgood is endearingly lovely as Ralphie's Mother and her moment in Act Two where she covers for Ralphie had me in tears. Frank Corrado is spot on as the narrator Jean Shepherd as he weaves this wonderful tale for us in the guise of a radio drama. And special kudos to John Bolton as Ralphie's "Old Man" who practically steals the show with is antics and especially with his overly zealous "Major Award" number.
With a gorgeous set from Walt Spangler and costumes that look like they were transported right from the movie by Elizabeth Hope Clancy, this show could have been the new theatrical holiday standard by which all of the "Elf"s, and "Grinch"s would be judged. I only wish the writers had realized what they were doing so right in the first half and could have kept it up in the second.
"A Christmas Story: The Musical" plays at the 5th Avenue Theatre through December 30th. For tickets or information contact the 5th Avenue Box Office at 206-625-1900 or toll free at 888-5TH-4TIX (584-4849) or visit them online at www.5thavenue.org.
Photo Credit: Chris Bennion
Just in time for holiday vacation, 'CATS' the 'now and forever' show as it came to be known, the show that revolutionized musical theatre, is coming to Broward Center for the Performing Arts for 5 performances December 17 to 19, 2010. Tickets are available at the Broward Center Box Office Monday to Friday 10AM - 5 PM, Saturday and Sunday 12 Noon - 5pm and 1 ½ hours prior to show times; or online at www.broadwayacrossamerica.com; www.browardcenter.org; via phones 954-462-0222 or 800-982-2787. Groups of 15 or more are invited to call 954-626-7814 or 954-462-0222.
Joe's Pub Releases Schedule for December 23rd through January 1st including AMBER MARTIN: AMBER ALERT!, SCREAM ALONG WITH BILLY: A VERY NICO CHRISTMAS, JACKIE FIVE-0H!: A CELEBRATION OF JACKIE HOFFMAN'S FIRST 50TH BIRTHDAY, OUR LADY J: THE GOSPEL OF DOLLY, and SANDRA BERNHARD.
As promised last week, today's From The Archives features promotional materials from the early 1980s.
Just in time for holiday vacation, 'CATS' the 'now and forever' show as it came to be known, the show that revolutionized musical theatre, is coming to Broward Center for the Performing Arts for 5 performances December 17 to 19, 2010. Tickets are available at the Broward Center Box Office Monday to Friday 10AM - 5 PM, Saturday and Sunday 12 Noon - 5pm and 1 ½ hours prior to show times; or online at www.broadwayacrossamerica.com; www.browardcenter.org; via phones 954-462-0222 or 800-982-2787. Groups of 15 or more are invited to call 954-626-7814 or 954-462-0222.
Joe's Pub Releases Schedule for December 23rd through January 1st including AMBER MARTIN: AMBER ALERT!, SCREAM ALONG WITH BILLY: A VERY NICO CHRISTMAS, JACKIE FIVE-0H!: A CELEBRATION OF JACKIE HOFFMAN'S FIRST 50TH BIRTHDAY, OUR LADY J: THE GOSPEL OF DOLLY, and SANDRA BERNHARD.
Joe's Pub Releases Schedule for December 23rd through January 1st including AMBER MARTIN: AMBER ALERT!, SCREAM ALONG WITH BILLY: A VERY NICO CHRISTMAS, JACKIE FIVE-0H!: A CELEBRATION OF JACKIE HOFFMAN'S FIRST 50TH BIRTHDAY, OUR LADY J: THE GOSPEL OF DOLLY, and SANDRA BERNHARD.
Joe's Pub Releases Schedule for December 23rd through January 1st including AMBER MARTIN: AMBER ALERT!, SCREAM ALONG WITH BILLY: A VERY NICO CHRISTMAS, JACKIE FIVE-0H!: A CELEBRATION OF JACKIE HOFFMAN'S FIRST 50TH BIRTHDAY, OUR LADY J: THE GOSPEL OF DOLLY, and SANDRA BERNHARD.
| 1983 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
Videos
