Chris Gibson - Page 64

As the curtain falls on another successful Lyceum Season, Artistic Director Quin Gresham and Managing Director Steve Bertani are thrilled to announce the 2010 Season schedule. 'Our goal in assembling the Lyceum's 50th season was to create a fun and celebratory combination of musicals and plays befitting this major milestone', says Artistic Director Quin Gresham. 'We think we have just such a line-up.'

UNBEATABLE! is a ground-breaking new musical that seamlessly weaves moments of poignant drama and well-timed comedy. UNBEATABLE! reminds us and audiences that at any given moment, an unforeseen event can drastically change the course of our lives, and force us to re-evaluate our priorities.

The Sheldon presents the St. Louis Ragtimers, Tuesday and Wednesday, November 10 and 11, 2009 at 10 a.m. in the perfect acoustics of the Sheldon Concert Hall. Enjoy complimentary coffee and pastries at 9 a.m. in the beautiful Louis Spiering Room and a morning of Dixieland in the concert hall.

Piwacket Children's Theatre begins their 2009-2010 season with a retelling of the familiar Cinderella story, here called CINDERBOTTOM. Like all of their productions, there's a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor that makes it palatable for both children and adults, and there are a number of cute little catchy singalong type tunes interspersed as well.

With the premiere in the U.S. of Polish writer Ingmar Villqist's powerful play HELVER'S NIGHT artistic director Philip Boehm has once again demonstrated the enduring appeal of Upstream Theater. Boehm consistently provides his audience with challenging and innovative translations of playwrights from around the world. This particular production benefits greatly from the exceptional performances of Linda Kennedy and Christopher Harris, as well as Boehm's own keen directorial touch.

The Orange Girls Theatre company wraps up its 2009 season with the journey of a seemingly stereotypical housewife as she attempts to rewrite the story of her life in David Lindsay-Abaire's screwball comedy WONDER OF THE WORLD, presented September 25 through October 11 at COCA's Anheuser-Busch Black Box Theater.

Echo Theatre Company presents the regional premiere of THE SECRETARIES by The Five Lesbian Brothers from September 25-October 11. Directed by Echo's Artistic Director Eric Little, the comedy will feature the talents of two-time Kevin Kline Award winners Colleen Backer and Lavonne Byers and Julie Layton, Sara Renschen and Amanda Williford*.

Australian born guitar vituoso Tommy Emmanuel showcased his unique talent on the stage of the Sheldon Concert Hall, offering a display of fleet-fingered picking that brought the house down.

Upstream Theater will open its fifth season with the US premiere of Ingmar Villqist's internationally acclaimed HELVER'S NIGHT, translated from the Polish and directed by Philip Boehm, starring Linda Kennedy and Christopher Harris, with set design by Scott C. Neale, costumes by Michele Siler, and lighting by Joe W. Clapper.

The Sheldon presents Tommy Emmanuel with special guest Rick Price, Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 8 p.m. in the perfect acoustics of the Sheldon Concert Hall. Called 'one of the greatest guitar players in the country' by Chet Atkins, two-time Grammy nominee Tommy Emmanuel has a professional career that spans over four decades and continues to intersect with some of the finest musicians throughout the world.

Shakespeare's MACBETH is a perfect choice for the beginning of the Fall season, especially when one looks ahead to that most macabre of holidays; Halloween. Shakespeare's play is filled with gruesome murders and bloody mayhem, although a great deal of it does occur offstage. Like many of his tragedies, a lot of people perish as a power-hungry man, this time cajoled by his woman, claws his way to the throne.

LOVE KILLS, Kyle Jarrow's musical meditation on the relationship between Charlie Starkweather and Caril Fugate, who embarked on a killing spree in Nebraska during the late 1950's, is an intriguing piece that succeeds in confounding expectations. If there's any truth to be gleaned from the facts presented in this dramatization, then New Line Theatre's compelling production will provide you with the opportunity to judge for yourself.

Through personal stories and family photographs, Erin Kelley, a direct descendant of noted Shawnee chief, Tecumseh, shares her experiences of being of blended-culture ancestry. Illustrating how our assumptions about ethnic and cultural groups shape society, Kelley encourages young people to take pride in what makes them unique. Most appreciated by audiences ages 10 and older.

The Sheldon presents Rhonda Vincent and The Rage, Sunday, October 4, 2009 at 3 p.m. in the perfect acoustics of the Sheldon Concert Hall. A multi-instrumentalist and talented singer, International Bluegrass Music Association award-winner Rhonda Vincent returns with her band The Rage to strike a perfect balance between classic bluegrass sounds and her modern take on the genre.

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is really a triumph of staging with Harold Prince's direction presenting and coordinating these spectacular set pieces with cinematic precision. The constant movement of actors and curtains and backdrops provides a dazzling display of theatrical technique and technical virtuosity. Maria Bjornsson's amazing production design and Andrew Bridge's moody concert lighting scheme also contribute immensely. And, of course, there's Webber's full-bodied orchestral score (with lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe) to contend with as well.

SLEEPING BEAUTY WAKES, which unfolds entirely through song, reunites GrooveLily with Tony Award-winning librettist Rachel Sheinkin, perhaps best known for her book to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. They previously collaborated on the inventive holiday tale STRIKING 12(inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Match Girl), which came to Edison Theatre in 2007.

The New Jewish Theatre announces their 2009-2010 season. Called a 'Bat Mitzvah Season of Tradition', the list includes: CONVERSATIONS WITH MY FATHER (currently playing), BROOKLYN BOY, THE PEOPLE'S VIOLIN, ROMEO AND JULIET, and LAUGHTER ON THE 23RD FLOOR.

CONVERSATIONS WITH MY FATHER is kind of a misnomer. The character of Eddie Ross (nee Goldberg) doesn't converse as much as harangue the people around him. But, don't take this as a knock on Herb Gardner's play; it's more of a clarification than anything. This isn't just the ramblings of a bitter old man, but an exploration of his particular experience immigrating to America, and trying to fit in by rejecting his Jewish heritage.

SLEEPING BEAUTY WAKES, which unfolds entirely through song, reunites GrooveLily with Tony Award-winning librettist Rachel Sheinkin, perhaps best known for her book to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. They previously collaborated on the inventive holiday tale STRIKING 12(inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Match Girl), which came to Edison Theatre in 2007.

Piwacket Children's Theatre Announces their 2009-2010 Season at the Black Cat Theatre in Maplewood, MO. The 2009 season opens with a production of CINDERBOTTOM which highlights the value of kindness in a world that isn't always so kind.