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.

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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.

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 Review: SPAMILTON at Starlight Theatre

November 6, 2019

Need an evening that stretches your G-rated mind with a fun, supremely entertaining, ninety minute rib-tickling exercise? How about an evening free from national politics? Oddly, it is available in a show about the nation's founders and others.

BWW Review: MY MOTHER IS ITALIAN, MY FATHER IS JEWISH & I'M IN THERAPY at Musical Theater Heritage

November 2, 2019

MY MOTHER IS ITALIAN, MY FATHER IS JEWISH, & I'M IN THERAPY is a long-running off Broadway comedy show that has landed in Musical Theatre's main room for a three week long run.

BWW Review: DEAR EVAN HANSEN at Kansas City Music Hall

October 17, 2019

Dear Evan Hansen was the winner of six 2017 Tony awards including Best Musical and Best Performance by an actor.

BWW Review: SENSATIA at Quixotic Theater

October 16, 2019

Sensatia the Cirque Cabaret, is an incredible journey through multiple entertainment genres .

BWW Review: RAGTIME at Musical Theater Heritage

October 13, 2019

a?oeRagtimea?? at Musical Theatre Heritage is more than just a great show.

The Last Romance at New Theatre Restaurant

October 12, 2019

An evening at the theater does not get much better than New Theatre's “The Last Romance.

BWW Review: SWEET CHARITY at Theatre In The Park (Indoors)

October 12, 2019

Opening this past Friday was the Theatre In The Park, indoor, community theater production of 1966's 'Sweet Charity' The show is best known for several Cy Coleman/Dorothy Field songs that have long survived the play's original run and several revivals.

BWW Review: RISE UP at The Coterie Theatre

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