Alan Portner - Page 9

Al Portner is regional editor for Broadway World – Kansas City. He is a retired career journalist and media executive who has written for publication over more than 40 years. Portner has published daily newspapers in venues as far east as Washington DC, as far west as Honolulu HI.

Contact Alan Portner

About Alan Portner

First Show: The first musical I saw on Broadway was 1776 with the original cast.
Favorite Show: My favorite show current recent show is Phantom Of The Opera

Favorite Stories

BWW Review: AN EVENING WITH SIERRA BOGGESS at Musical Theater Heritage - Because of the presence of Ms. Boggess' parents in a small space environment, I felt like the veil dropped and we saw a glimpse of who this excellent performer really is as a person. I was able to feel the relationship of this family in relation to my own children.
BWW Review: BETWEEN THE LINES at Kansas City Repertory Theatre - BETWEEN THE LINES was a Pre-Broadway tryout production performed in front of the Broadway creative team. The show has yet to open in New York, but it remains clever and engaging. It also generated Broadway World reads at a rate four or five times what would normally be expected in a market of about two million.
The Last Romance at New Theatre Restaurant - THE LAST ROMANCE marked the final teaming of Charley Robinson and Michael Learned. Both were charming in a super venue.
Review: HADESTOWN at Kansas City Music Hall - The touring company of HADESTOWN featured a complex and thoughtful exploration of an ancient myth transported into another, but indefinite point in time. It was early in the run and a super cast was still extremely excited about performing something new. I personally enjoyed sharing uncommon background material that hoped to enhance the audience experience.
BWW Review: CATS at Musical Theater Heritage - CATS is not a favorite musical play. This particular production, however, featured a director who disassembled the entire show and rebuilt it with young, talented actors for a small theater and limited costume/makeup. It was an especially involving experience.

Latest Articles

BWW Review: THE GOLDEN GIRLS PARODY at Starlight Theatre Indoors

March 9, 2020

BWW Review: TITANIC (THE MUSICAL) at Barn Players

February 18, 2020

Barn Players production of TITANIC (The Musical) opened this past weekend at the Arts Asylum to full and appreciative audiences.

BWW Review: AN AMERICAN IN PARIS at Yardley Hall

February 16, 2020

A third evolution of the American classic AN AMERICAN IN PARIS took the stage at Yardley Hall inside the Carlsen Center at Johnson County (KS) Community College to an almost full audience of 1500 souls.

BWW Review: CHURCH BASEMENT LADIES at New Theatre & Restaurant

February 15, 2020

It doesn't much matter whether you happen to be Lutheran, Catholic, another flavor of Protestant, Jewish, or Muslim.

BWW Review: COME FROM AWAY at Kansas City Broadway Series

February 12, 2020

COME FROM AWAY is a 2017 musical play that memorializes the best of how humans can react in the face of the 911 tragedy.

BWW Review: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at The White Theatre

February 11, 2020

William Shakespeare's 1595 comedy A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is one of his most often performed light plays.

BWW Review: FOREVER PLAID at Musical Theater Heritage

February 9, 2020

FOREVER PLAID is a delightful stroll down memory lane for you.

BWW Previews: VALENTINE'S Date shows in Kansas City

February 8, 2020

Still planning your special holiday evening out with your best girl or guy? Kansas City has lots to offer.

BWW Review: THE OFFICE; A MUSICAL PARODY at Starlight Theatre Indoors

February 5, 2020

The Musical Parody of TV's THE OFFICE is for those who are devoted fans of the 2005 a?' 2013 NBC comedy series.

BWW Review: FUN HOME at Kansas City Repertory Theatre

February 3, 2020

FUN HOME (the musical) is, according to KC Repertory Theatre Artistic Director Stuart Carden, a?oethe most important new musical theater piecea?oe of the last decade.

BWW Review: BABEL at Unicorn Theatre

January 26, 2020

The World Premier engagement of Jacqueline Goldfinger's BABEL (as part of the National New Play Network) is enjoying its first, fully realized production at Kansas City's Unicorn Theatre in Midtown.

BWW Review: PROOF at Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre

January 24, 2020

PROOF is an interesting, four person, theatrical enterprise that explores the nexus between genius and profound mental illness.

BWW Review: DIXIE'S TUPPERWARE PARTY at STARLIGHT THEATRE

January 16, 2020

DIXIE LONGATE'S TUPPERWARE PARTY on the Starlight Stage Indoors is a hoot.

BWW Review: BANDSTAND at Yardley Hall

December 19, 2019

Stopping only for one night on December 17, Johnson County Community College presented a new Broadway style musical called BANDSTAND in Yardley Hall.

BWW Review: BERNHARDT / HAMLET at Unicorn Theatre

December 9, 2019

A strong cast presents an excellent Unicorn production of a very new play, Bernhardt/Hamlet, A Woman Unbounda by Theresa Rebeck.

BWW Review: ON THE VERGE OR THE GEOGRAPHY OF YEARNING at Forge Repertory Theatre

December 7, 2019

December 6, 2019 marks the inaugural presentation of Kansas City's new Forge Repertory Theatre.

BWW Review: The Nutcracker - Kansas City Ballet

December 6, 2019

Kansas City Ballet's annual production of Tchaikovsky's a?oeNutcrackera?? remains a first class interpretation of this classic holiday work.

BWW Feature: INNOVATIVE VISION FUELS KC PROFESSIONAL THEATER COMPANY

December 3, 2019

What is it that goes into the process of making art? That is the question that the five founding members of the Forge Repertory Theatre hope to answer with their re-invented approach to funding and transparency as a professional startup project here in Kansas City.

BWW Review: VICTOR/ VICTORIA at Barn Players

November 18, 2019

The Barn Players Community Theater, now located at the Arts Asylum, finishes up their 2019 main stage schedule with a good production of Blake Edwards'Victor/Victoria based on the 1982 smash hit film of the same name.

BWW Previews: TONI STONE at Laura Pels Theatre

May 22, 2019

Toni Stone was the first female to play professional baseball in a major American baseball league and she happened to be African American.

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