Harold Bloom, America's leading literary critic and author of the best-seller 'Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human," will join Classic Stage Company Artistic Director Brian Kulick in a rare public appearance on Monday evening, February 7 at 7 pm at CSC (136 East 13th Street) as a special one-night-only event to benefit CSC's ongoing Shakespeare programming.
The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson), Producer Mark Russell and the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP President and CEO Sandra Gibson) announce the line-up for UNDER THE RADAR 2011, running January 5-16 at The Public Theater as well as at partner venues around the city.
2010 was a year filled with all sorts of exciting BroadwayWorld interviews - here's some of this year's highlights!
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.
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
The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson), Producer Mark Russell and The Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP President and CEO Sandra Gibson) are happy to announce that tickets are on sale now for UNDER THE RADAR 2011, running January 5-16 at The Public Theater as well as at partner venues around the city.
We are pleased to announce the cast for A Christmas Story: The Musical!, the 5th Avenue Theatre's upcoming holiday production. The roster features an impressive array of Seattle area talent, as well as three actors from New York.
The Public Theater (Artistic Director Oskar Eustis; Executive Director Andrew D. Hamingson), Producer Mark Russell and the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP President and CEO Sandra Gibson) announce the line-up for UNDER THE RADAR 2011, running January 5-16 at The Public Theater as well as at partner venues around the city.
Gotham Chamber Opera, Music-Theatre Group and the Opera Company of Philadelphia announce the commission of a new American opera, DARK SISTERS, composed by Nico Muhly with libretto by Stephen Karam, conducted by Neal Goren, and directed by Rebecca Taichman.
We are pleased to announce the cast for A Christmas Story: The Musical!, the 5th Avenue Theatre's upcoming holiday production. The roster features an impressive array of Seattle area talent, as well as three actors from New York.
The theatrical trailer for the highly anticipated 'Burlesque' has been released. Christina Aguilera will make her big screen debut alongside Cher and Stanley Tucci, who are additionally joined by Alan Cumming, Eric Dane, Dianna Agron, and Kristen Bell.
Jean-Claude van Itallie ('The Tibetan Book of the Dead,' 'The Cherry Orchard,' 'The Serpent,' 'Master and Margarita') is writing 'The Mother's Return' as an addition to his seminal work of modern drama, the trilogy known as 'America Hurrah.' From October 15 to 24, 2010, Theatre Research Ensemble (TReE) will perform 'America Hurrah Revisited & The Mother's Return, a work in progress.' The evening is a re-envisioning of a portion of the famed trilogy together with a first staging of the new addition.
The Antaeus Company, L.A.'s classical theater ensemble, continues ClassicsFest 2010 with an invigorating 'summer splash' of actor-initiated workshops, readings, and special events. Audiences can choose from a veritable smorgasbord of the classics between July 6 and August 15 at the company's interim home, Deaf West Theatre in the NoHo Arts District. All readings and workshops are $10.
The Antaeus Company, L.A.'s classical theater ensemble, continues ClassicsFest 2010 with an invigorating 'summer splash' of actor-initiated workshops, readings, and special events. Audiences can choose from a veritable smorgasbord of the classics between July 6 and August 15 at the company's interim home, Deaf West Theatre in the NoHo Arts District. All readings and workshops are $10.
LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT are thrilled to announce that Caroline Aaron will star as Marjorie Taub opposite Marilu Henner who will star as Lee Green in Charles Busch's hilarious Broadway hit, The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, opening October 1 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.
Artistic Director Robert Falls announced two exciting mainstage additions plus an unprecedented partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art to Goodman Theatre's upcoming 2010/2011 season (begins September 2010), completing the season schedule.
The Antaeus Company, L.A.'s classical theater ensemble, continues ClassicsFest 2010 with an invigorating 'summer splash' of actor-initiated workshops, readings, and special events. Audiences can choose from a veritable smorgasbord of the classics between July 6 and August 15 at the company's interim home, Deaf West Theatre in the NoHo Arts District. All readings and workshops are $10.
Seattle Theatre Group (STG) presents Landon Pigg on Saturday, May 22, 2010 at 8:00pm at the Triple Door. Ask Landon Pigg about his formative years and he'll be the first to tell you he escaped from the clutches of normalcy.
Trudie Goodwin, perhaps best known as Sergeant June Ackland in The Bill will star as Mrs Reynolds in the world premiere of Mrs Reynolds and the Ruffian, a play about modern Britain by Gary Owen, Watford Associate and writer of the 2007 hit, We That Are Left.
Artistic Director Robert Falls announced today that the Chicago premiere of the Tony Award-winning God of Carnage, Yasmina Reza's 'savvy and deliciously caustic new comedy of urban ill-manners' (Chicago Tribune) and Broadway sensation, will take place at Goodman Theatre starting March 5, 2011.
Affirming the role of New York City Opera as a leader in the development of American opera, the company's celebrated annual new music festival, the newly-renamed VOX Contemporary American Opera Lab, will return on Friday, April 30, and Saturday, May 1, to the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts (566 LaGuardia Place, at Washington Square South) at New York University.
In South Coast Repertory's truly excellent World Premiere play DOCTOR CERBERUS (with performances continuing through May 2), playwright Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa takes us back to the mid-1980's to witness the witty coming-of-age tale of one young awkward teen who is just a tad smarter than his years will allow. This, like in all misfits, causes him to be quite anguished by the very nature of his uniqueness in the world. Factor in a standard-issue dysfunctional family that can't quite understand him, and you have the makings of a winning narrative that has plenty of laughs, pathos and enough poignant moments that has us rooting for our hero to make it through to the end unscathed. Growing up different is scary. More broadly, life itself is scary.
Come pursue the varieties of jazz experience at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem! From conversations and live performances to educational sessions and panel discussions, you're sure to have a ball and learn a lot too.
Come pursue the varieties of jazz experience at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem! From conversations and live performances to educational sessions and panel discussions, you're sure to have a ball and learn a lot too.
Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Familiarity with the play is suggested. Go to www.westportcommunitytheatre.com for directions to the theatre; for further information, or if you have any questions, contact the director at orsonround@optonline.net or leave a message at the theatre box office (203) 226-1983. Performance dates are Fridays and Saturdays June 4 - June 20, 2010 at 8:00 PM, Sundays at 2:00 PM, Thursday, June 10 at 8:00 PM and a preview Thursday, June 3 at 8:00 PM
| 1983 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Obie Awards | Special Citations for The musical production | 0 |
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