Greer Firestone - Page 6

In this #METOO world of Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer and Donald Trump, one might look a bit circumspect at the staging of a 'bedroom' farce. As explained in the program notes, flight attendants in the '60's has to be single, between the ages of 21 and 27 and have a 'neatly proportioned figure' and 'pleasing appearance'. They were glamour girls and starlets of the skies.

With the triumphant success of TV's "Dancing With The Stars", it was a no-brainer to mount a tour of DANCE TO THE MOVIES. It discos, sambas, thrust pelvis's, waltzes and jitterbugs into The Playhouse for a short run May 18-20.

I always felt that the Beatles' songS of peace and love had as much to do with the fall of communism as much as Pres. Reagan's 1987 Berlin prouncement, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall".

Nine years running, excellence in all aspects of theatre - cast and creative crew - continue to substantiate UD Rep Ensemble as the most professional troupe in Delaware.

Tapper/Singer/Director Maurice Hines and brother Gregory first performed with Ella Fitzgerald at The Flamingo in Vegas. He knew he was in the presence of greatness. Maurice called her 'the greatest singer I have ever heard'.

Aside from the joy of living one's dream with a national tour, MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL is a production of historical consequence. The actors in the present touring production landing at The Playhouse May 1 understand its significance and the honor bestowed upon them.

'Now that you're gone, all that's left is a Band of Gold….' Well, that was 1970, and while the singer of the song's husband may have quit, Freda Payne the songstress is very, very much still around. She stars in Delaware Theatre Company's regional premiere of ELLA: First Lady of Song, opening April 18.

If memory serves, way back in 1987 the movie DIRTY DANCING sizzled with sexual energy, engendered by the super charged chemistry between the poster boy of charisma, Patrick Swayze and the naive Baby, who liquifies under his charms as quickly as a Rita's water ice in July.

Like DROWSY CHAPERONE, now playing at Candlelight, DIRTY DANCING's origins were counter to novels than generally are the genesis for Broadway productions. It is based in large part on screenwriter Eleanor Bergstein's own childhood, a daughter of a Jewish doctor from New York.

Lerner and Loewe created MY FAIR LADY from Bernard Shaw's "Pygmalion". Rodgers and Hammerstein adapted the 1909 Ferenc Molnar play "Liliom" and transplanted the setting from Budapest to the coast of Maine in CAROUSEL. That's generally how musicals are birthed. Not so with THE DROWSY CHAPERONE, which makes its nascency the more intriguing and Broadway fanciful.

There is ofttimes a quality difference from non-equity versus equity tours. The former is comprised of young actors earning their stripes. For many it is their first tour. Any deviation from a highly professional, class A production was not evident with CABARET, at The Playhouse through March 18. This is a great, glamorous and gripping show.

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE opens at Candlelight on March 17. The chaperone in the show is not lethargic. He/she is slowly getting plastered.

Artistic Director Sandy Robbins comments in the Program Notes that any director would prefer staging KING LEAR rather than A FLEA IN HER EAR.

The Playhouse Wilkommen's UD grad Carl Pariso in the role of Cliff Bradshaw in a spectacular staging of CABARET opening March 13 through the 18th.

May December relationships are fraught with peril. We are now informed they function in theoretical physics and the space between notes of music.

Final bows. Standing O from a boomer ++ crowd on a Sunday matinee opening weekend. I thought to myself how privileged I am to be able to attend and write about DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS (DRS) and the hundreds of shows prior over 30 + years.

DIAL M FOR MURDER. Dial M for Magnificent regarding UD REP ENSEMBLE. Since 2008's THE HOSTAGE, Rep Ensemble has been unequivocally THE professional theatre in the state and equal to any in the region, if not Broadway.

Delaware Theatre Company is preparing us for the Winter Olympics with a limited run of GO FIGURE: THE RANDY GARDNER STORY, a live autobiographical audience interactive show on the renown skater's life. Tai Babilonia and Dorothy Hamill are featured.