David Clarke - Page 39

Will Eno, who is currently enjoying his Broadway debut with THE REALISTIC JONESES at the Lyceum Theatre, won the 2010 Horton Foote Prize for Promising New American Play with his darkly comedic musings on the lives we lead between birth and death in his play MIDDLETOWN. With a solid Regional Premiere, The Catastrophic Theatre is gifting Houston audiences with a chance to experience the wry, philosophic work that celebrates the mundane.

The 1980 film Xanadu is known for being a notoriously bad movie. In 2007 it was adapted into a stage musical by Douglas Carter Beane, featuring songs from the film written by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar. This summer, Stages Repertory Theatre is presenting the candy-coated confection as their giddy summer musical. The end product couldn't be more fun, frivolous, and everything audiences would want from the campy, fun show.

In 2009, Theatre Royal Haymarket mounted what is heralded as the most successful production ever of Samuel Beckett's WAITING FOR GODOT. It was followed by the first-ever staged adaptation of Truman Capote's BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S. Recently, a documentary called THEATRELAND was released to DVD. The 2 disc set allows audiences to see the fun and a touch of the drama that occurs in the daily world of professional theatre.

Houston Ballet's current season is wrapping up quickly. Last night they opened a mixed repertory program titled MODERN MASTERS, and in about two weeks they'll be opening SWAN LAKE, this season's closer. As everyone expected, Houston Ballet's current program is filled with beautiful and stunning movement, incredible feats of dance athleticism, and gorgeous emotionality. MODERN MASTERS features four short pieces that highlight the range of the company all while celebrating the best of modern ballet choreographers.

When it comes to breathtaking, dazzling musical scores Jason Robert Brown is no stranger; therefore, his fans and theatergoers in general hotly anticipated his latest musical THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY. Ghostlight Records released a beautiful recording of the Tony nominated score on May 19, ensuring that this score can be enjoyed for generations to come.

The Ensemble Theatre is currently producing a revival of John Henry Redwood's 1997 dramedy THE OLD SETTLER. The interesting piece, which examines various types of love, first premiered at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey. During it developmental stages it was part of the 1995 Eugene O'Neill Theatre Conference in Waterford, Connecticut and was rehearsed and performed in several Russian cities in 1996 by both an American and Russian cast. PBS also filmed it for a TV Movie adaption starring Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rasad, which originally aired on April 25, 2001. Additionally, the show has proven to be quite popular in regional theatres, and The Ensemble Theatre's entertaining production ensures Houston audiences know why.

Standing Room Only Productions is kicking off the summer with a revival of the fun musical revue FEELING ALRIGHT!. The show takes audiences back to 1975 to celebrate the 10 Year Reunion of Memorial High School's Class of 1965. As relationships change shape and truths are laid bare, the energetic cast rocks the audience with tuneful favorites that fit nicely into the light-hearted and romantic plot of the musical.

According to Jessica Walker, she spent much of her career playing trouser roles in opera and musical theatre. From her curiosity, the kernel for THE GIRL I LEFT BEHIND ME was planted. With Director and Co-Writer Neil Bartlett, Jessica Walker crafted a variety show that explores and celebrates this once loved but now almost entirely forgotten aspect of performance history.

Shirley Jones & Jack Cassidy stepped into RCA Victor's Studio A on September 17 & 18, 1959 to record their concept album MARRIAGE TYPE LOVE. For some reason the album was never released. Now, Masterworks Broadway has released the long anticipated album after almost 55 years. Fans of the celebrated duo and new listeners alike can enjoy the romantically schmaltzy and sweetly jazzy album for years to come.

William Shakespeare's THE WINTER'S TALE has experienced intermittent popularity. With a complex structure, the play is a tragedy, comedy, and romance. Shakespeare draws large inspiration from Robert Greene's Pandosto, and some scholars claim the play is a parallel to the fall of Anne Boleyn. As we bid farewell to the longest winter in recent memory, Houston's Stark Naked Theatre Company is producing a whimsical and surprisingly touching take on THE WINTER'S TALE.

George Bernard Shaw was profoundly affected by World War I. His first full-length piece following the war was HEARTBREAK HOUSE, which exposes the devastating aspects of the idle and self-indulgent British upper echelon. Main Street Theater is giving Houston audiences heavy social commentary, featuring Shaw's celebrated wit, with their well-executed production of HEARTBREAK HOUSE.

EVITA began as a rock opera concept album. The success of the album led to the 1978 production on London's West End and the 1979 production on Broadway. With a slew of regional productions, revivals, and tours, EVITA continues to capture the hearts of audiences, and the U.S. National Tour of the 2012 Broadway Revival production is a prime example of why.

Matthew Lopez's drama THE WHIPPING MAN premiered in 2006 at the Luna Stage Company in Montclair, NJ. In 2011, it had its NY Premiere at Manhattan Theatre Club, which received rave reviews and extended four times due to consistently selling out. Now, Stages is presenting Houston with the Regional Premiere of the interesting and celebrated work.

Last week, while the U.S. National Tour of the Broadway Revival of EVITA was in San Antonio, I got the chance to chat with Sean MacLaughlin, who is playing Colonel Juan Peron, about the show and his career. Houston audiences will recognize him from last season's production of CAMELOT, produced by Theatre Under the Stars, where he played Lancelot.

Inspired by noted linguist David Crystal's YouTube videos, Kate Pogue decided to bring an original pronunciation performance of Shakespeare to Houston. This summer, she and UH-D's O'Kane Theatre are remounting their popular production of JULIUS CAESAR, giving Houston audiences another chance to experience this novel approach to Shakespearean plays.

Houston's Brilliant Lecture Series motivates and inspires audiences by bringing in national and international leaders, roles models, philanthropists, artists, humanitarians, authors, and entrepreneurs to talk with Houston audiences. Gifting Houstonians with an hour of her time, the incomparable Bette Midler discussed her life as an entertainer and philanthropist.

Everyone's favorite tough-as-nails Southern lady, Madea, is back in Tyler Perry's MADEA'S NEIGHBORS FROM HELL. Honestly, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the filmed stage play. Whatever I was expecting, this DVD exceeded those expectations and proved to be a highly enjoyable and entertaining experience.

Friends, Houstonians, and theatre fans, lend me your eyes. University of Houston-Downtown is remounting their original pronunciation staging of William Shakespeare's JULIUS CAESAR. This production will also be traveling to the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe festival this August. Recently, I got to speak with Kate Pogue and Luke Fedell about this novel experiment in language.

Closing their 2013-14 Season, HGO is presenting Georges Bizet's acclaimed CARMEN. For this production, Award winning Broadway Director and Choreographer Rob Ashford took the reins and has created a CARMEN that is as beautiful as it is exciting.

Alfie Boe, who is internationally recognized for his tenor voice, first gained recognition in the US when he starred in Baz Luhrmann's LA BOHÈME. In 2010, he took on the role of Jean Valjean for the 25th Anniversary Concert of LES MISERABLES. Now, he is gearing up for the US release of his latest album, TRUST, and his appearance on Mr. Selfridge. Recently, I chatted with Alfie Boe about these projects and his career.