Joseph Harrison - Page 4

One of the brilliant things about musical theatre is it can take many forms. From splashy fun to deep and insightful, musicals can be as varied as any other narrative medium and can often surprise you in their ability to strike an emotional chord that you weren’t expecting. Such is the case with Jason Robert Brown and Marsha Norman’s musical, THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY. With an emotional story (based on the best-selling Robert James Waller novel) and a haunting and gorgeous score, this is a musical that reaches inside, grabs hold of your heart, and pulls you along for a roller coaster ride of emotions. And Osceola Arts, in its current production of this lesser-known but beautiful piece, does a great job bringing this timeless tale to vivid life.

A county spelling bee may not sound like a likely setting for a musical, but THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE defies convention and delivers laughs and a heartwarming story that is sure to please. In the latest production on its Shuler Stage, Titusville Playhouse’s production of this hit musical is filled with quirky characters, fun staging and great music – while also illustrating some of the stresses impacting the children of today – pressure to succeed, parental involvement and the pros (and cons) of standing out from the crowd.

There’s something special about being the first audiences to see a new musical. For a musical theatre nerd like me, it is a thrill that is practically unmatched. And since I don’t live in New York City or thereabouts anymore, it is not something that happens that often. Which is why I was excited to be sitting in the audience for the first performance of an original musical, GORGEOUS, at the Renaissance Theatre Company. As Donald Rupe, Artistic Director and Co-founder of the Renaissance Theatre Company and creator (Book/Music/Lyrics) of GORGEOUS, shared during his curtain speech, the Ren aims to produce new and original theatre in Central Florida and beyond. And I am confident to say, as evidenced by this hilarious, irreverent and entertaining production, that mission is being lived out well by this not-even-a-year-old company, with a level of talent and passion that could hold its own with some of the most established theatres in the country.

Thanks to the 2006 film starring Jennifer Hudson and Beyonce, a lot of people are familiar with the story of the Broadway hit musical DREAMGIRLS. Its story of the rise of a talented group of young women – first as contest winners, then backup singers, then fame and success on their own - resonates with audiences who love to cheer for the success of an underdog (and sometimes the drama that comes along with the journey to the top). Throw in some blockbuster songs, beautiful costumes, and a talented cast to tell the story and you have stage magic. And that is just what audiences will get with the latest production of DREAMGIRLS at the Titusville Playhouse in Titusville, FL – a visually stunning, vocally thrilling, and powerful production of this classic musical.

It’s hard to think of a more fitting production than FROZEN, to make an extended stay at Orlando’s Dr. Phillips Center. As this Broadway hit musical makes its way to the City Beautiful for a run February 24th -  March 6th, I caught up with Caroline Innerbichler, who plays Princess Anna, to find out more about her career, bringing this Disney hit musical to Orlando, and what it’s like performing this show for live audiences all over the country once again.

What a pleasure it is to discover a hidden (or not so hidden!) gem. Such was the case for me this weekend, when I visited, for the first, but certainly not last, time the Winter Park Playhouse in Winter Park (Orlando), FL. The theatre, which positions itself as Central Florida’s only professional musical theatre, is presenting its latest production, the Southeastern premiere of J.C. Johnson and Garry Holmes’ TRAV’LIN: A 1930’s HARLEM MUSICAL ROMANCE. What I discovered when entering this space was a vibrant, warm, inviting and thriving theatre company which, if evidenced by the current production, offers high-quality, entertaining and thrilling productions of musical theatre to Orlando theatergoers. The Winter Park Playhouse, referred to by Executive Director, Heather Alexander in her curtain speech for TRAV’LIN as the “Cheers of Musical Theatre” seems to live up to that reference – a place where everyone knows your name and which welcomes each patron with warm smiles and, most importantly, a good time.

What can be better than revisiting an old favorite? Whether you are reading a book again for the hundredth time, watching a favorite movie that always puts you in a good mood, or listening to music you’ve spent your whole life jamming to, the familiar can be quite comforting and uplifting. Such is the case for me when I get to take in a production of a favorite show – something that has long been a staple in my musical theatre lexicon - and that gives me the chance to check in with old friends and experience a new take on a piece. This is how I approached the latest production of Dan Goggin’s hit musical NUNSENSE at Theatre South Playhouse. The classic musical (the second longest running off-Broadway show in history) continues to surprise and delight, with a simple, yet hilarious premise that still has audiences rolling in the aisles almost 40 years after its premiere. And, by offering NUNSENSE as its official return to professional theatre, Theatre South Playhouse, in Dr. Phillips delivers a hilarious, perfectly conceived and executed, rollicking good time.

It’s hard to imagine a musical theatre world without the iconic, simple but lovely, musical THE FANTASTICKS. Opening at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in 1960 and playing a record breaking 42 years (making it the “world’s longest running musical”), Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt’s “little musical that could” has touched hearts and audiences for the last 62 years. It has evolved and changed over that time (more on that in a minute) but has never lost its core appeal – a beautiful, poetic, and highly theatrical tale of the power and depth of love – gained, lost and found again. Adding to the rich history of THE FANTASTICKS is the latest production of the musical at Orlando Shakes – one which delights, warms the heart and reminds us why it’s good to “Try to Remember” every so often.

Headlines are getting more concerning by the day and the world continues to stay on high alert due to the global pandemic – what can one do to escape? Well, I always say laughter is the best medicine, so taking in Osceola Arts’ latest production – Marc Camoletti and Robin Hawdon’s hilarious farce, DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER – was just what I needed to forget my woes and try and keep up with the fast paced marital treachery and hilarious mix ups happening on stage in Kissimmee.

In the almost 60 years since its Broadway premiere in 1963, Jerry Herman’s classic musical HELLO, DOLLY! has been performed countless times, in countless theatres by countless companies all with a common goal – share the exuberant tale of the indefatigable matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi and her quest to sow love in the hearts of the people of turn-of-the-century New York. And through its current production of this stalwart classic, The Henegar Center hits all the right notes, gets all the expected laughs, and delivers a fresh, fun and lively night of classic musical theatre for Melbourne audiences.

Many of us dreamed as a child of entering the magical lands of our favorite books, movies or other media. Nothing was more thrilling than imagining one could walk through a wardrobe or slide down a rabbit hole into a magical land that was seemingly just on the other side of reality. But unless some of you out there are keeping a huge secret (if so, email me!), journeys like those just don’t exist in real life. Or do they? In the latest immersive presentation by the Memoir Agency and Creative City Project - DRAGONS & FAIRIES - visitors to Harry P. Leu gardens on select evenings will be magically transported into a theatrical adventure with young fairy Freya and her dragon friend, Dauntless, as they journey through a fantasy world filled with bizarre creatures and beautiful settings.

Continuing with the celebration of the opening of Dr. Phillips Center’s Steinmetz Hall will be the professional world premiere of Duke Ellington’s BLACK, BROWN AND BEIGE, a piece that first played at Carnegie Hall in 1943 and was created to “provide a more accurate accounting of African American history written for the first time by a member of his race.” Critically panned simply because it was ahead of its time, Ellington never performed it in its entirety again. This version of the piece, which was commissioned by G. Schirmer, Inc. through Ellington’s son Mercer in 1987 is arranged and orchestrated by music scholar and former Ellington bandmate Randall Keith Horton. I caught up with Mr. Horton to learn more about this piece, why it is so important (and appropriate for the Steinmetz opening celebration) and what audiences can expect from this performance.

Life has a funny way of changing in an instant – pointing you in new directions or opening your eyes to something, or someone you never saw before. Sometimes these changes are welcomed, exciting, full of immediate opportunity, while others can be overwhelming, scary, and daunting. But regardless of what initiates the change – each of us has a choice to make – to embrace it or fight it. Whichever direction one goes, it is inevitable they will learn something along the way, whether they planned to or not. Such is the case for the characters at the heart of  Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein’s hit musical KINKY BOOTS, which is playing now at the Titusville Playhouse in Titusville, FL.

When a state-of-the-art venue like Dr. Phillips Center’s Steinmetz Hall opens and hosts its first live performances, it is truly a special event. The excitement of experiencing a new space, and the thrill of seeing (and hearing) artists in that space is something that doesn’t happen every day. That’s why RISE & SHINE, a one-night-only performance on Friday, January 14th may just be the artistic event of the year. I caught up with Cole NeSmith – Orlando’s own “experience curator, writer, musician, actor and speaker”, Executive Director of the Creative City Project and the co-founder of The Memoir Agency who serves as the creative director for RISE & SHINE.

Webster’s dictionary defines the word family as “a group of people who are related to each other”, which on its surface may seem simple and straightforward, but as many of us can attest, often that can be the farthest from the truth. What happens when relatives share a bloodline but practically nothing else? Do the benefits of being part of a particular family extend to all members? Throw race into the mixture and a southern town with a history of discrimination and you have the formula for Gloria Bond Clunie’s “serious comedy” SWEET WATER TASTE, which plays at Orlando Shakes through January 22nd.

We have all been there. The work party that you feel compelled to attend, whether you want to or not, where some years it is just a bit of egg nog and polite conversation, and others it is a night to remember (or forget, depending on how much you have to drink). Regardless of which type of shindig your company puts on each year, the one being staged at Renaissance Theatre Company under the extensive title THE OFFICE HOLIDAY PARTY MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA SHOW probably has them all beat. This immersive musical experience, the second offering for the new theatre company which was founded earlier this year, is a whole lot of festive fun, and it successfully carves out a niche in the typical holiday theatrical offerings – a grown up, alcohol fueled, interactive and immersive escape into the festivities of that often maligned, but underappreciated event – the annual office Christmas party.  

It is rare for audiences to have the chance to come back and revisit characters in a musical – and when producers do decide to go the sequel route, they often end up critically panned - take ANNIE WARBUCKS or LOVE NEVER DIES, for example. But when a show already doesn’t take itself too seriously, such as Betsy Kelso and David Nehls’ THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL, a follow-up can be just as much of a rollicking good time as the first. Make that sequel a Christmas show and that can be a recipe for a hilarious, entertaining, and yes, heartwarming night of theatre. That is just the case for Titusville Playhouse’s latest production on its Shuler Stage – THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK CHRISTMAS MUSICAL. So, pull up your lawn chair, grab some tinsel and keg nog, and see how the denizens of Armadillo Acres - Starke, Florida’s “most festive trailer park” - deal with the stresses and joys of the holiday season.

As Broadway reopens and theatrical tours resume, audiences all over the United States are getting the chance to experience the latest productions from the Great White Way. The thrill of once again sitting in an audience with fellow theatre lovers and hearing the first notes of an overture is palpable. And getting to enjoy a production that is both entertaining and thought-provoking makes the experience that much more meaningful. Such is the case for the national tour of THE PROM, which will take the stage at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando December 7 – 12. Playing the role of the Broadway diva, Dee Dee Allen, will be Courtney Balan. I caught up with Courtney to find out more about THE PROM, her career and what it’s like performing this show to excited audiences all over the country.

The holidays, for many, are about family, food, and traditions. We listen to familiar songs, pull out decorations that have been in the family for generations, and partake in the annual viewing of familiar holiday classics. One of those classics, that holds a special place for many, and which has been gracing page, stage and screen for almost 200 years is Charles Dickens’ “Ghost Story of Christmas” A Christmas Carol. The tale of crotchety and greedy old Ebenezer Scrooge and his supernatural Christmas Eve adventure through his past, present and future is so familiar it can often feel stale and overdone. But when a fresh twist on the story, say, in musical form, comes around it is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a holiday favorite in a new and exciting way. That’s the case for A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE NEW MUSICAL currently being presented by The Henegar Center in Melbourne, FL.

Did you know there are new Broadway tours coming to the space coast? The Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts in Melbourne, Florida will kick off a new season of touring musicals with BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY on December 6th and 7th. Filling the famous shoes (and glasses) of the iconic Rock and Roll singer who left us too young will be Keaton Eckhoff. I caught up with Keaton to find out more about the show, his career and what it’s like singing (and playing) Buddy Holly’s groundbreaking music.