Kyle Christopher West - Page 12

In 1964, HELLO DOLLY opened on Broadway, starring a relatively unknown, 43-year-old Carol Channing as the lead. Reviving the show in 1978, 1981, and 1995, Channing's personality is almost synonymous with the title character. With the demanding role requiring someone with a true star quality, many celebrities have tackled the bold character (including Ginger Rogers, Pearl Bailey, Phyllis Diller, Ethel Merman…and, of course, Barbara Streisand). It is no surprise that Arlington Player's has gambled on a local small-town-star as the headliner in their current production.

Earlier this week, I spoke with Jennifer Blood from Denver, where she's currently performing with the first national touring company of MATILDA. Jennifer recently appeared on Broadway with the cast of A GENTLEMEN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER, and even served as Sutton Foster's standby as the title character in VIOLET. Not only does she have a local Texas connection, having performed at Casa Manana in their 2008 production of STEEL MAGNOLIAS, she also participated in early workshops of MOONSHINE, the new musical currently running at Dallas Theatre Center.

As the hot Texas sun starts to cool off, and school buses are back on the traffic-lined roads, one thing is clear: summer is nearly over, and fall is right around the corner. Just as Pumpkin Spice Lattes begin flowing at Starbucks, Texas Ballet Theatre welcomes in the new season with DRACULA, now onstage at the Winspear Opera House, and soon moving to Bass Hall. Though Halloween might still be a few weeks away, this fine company is starting off the celebration with a scare!

Growing up on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, cotton patches were nowhere to be found, and 'gospel' was hardly a part of my vocabulary. When I learned of COTTON PATCH GOSPEL at Theatre Too (the black box stage at Theatre 3), I must admit I was prepared to judge (and avoid) the show based solely on its title. Still, when I was invited to come review the show, I cautiously accepted and asked a new friend to join me at the theatre. There, like a Biblical miracle, the company of COTTON PATCH GOSPEL made a convert out of me.

One Sweet Weekend in Honolulu

When HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH opened off-Broadway in 1998, I'd just entered high school. As a teenage theatre geek in Massachusetts, my only available resources were local theatres, and the few Broadway cast recordings sold at the local mall, so I remained oblivious. When the 2001 movie was later produced, I'd grown to identify as a member of the LGBT community, but queer independent films were far off my radar, despite the cult following that had quickly developed surrounding this particular film. Now, although I will miss the recent Broadway revival of HEDWIG (which will close on September 13), I've grown familiar with the material, thanks in part to YouTube, and many years of visiting the famous Musical Theatre Mondays at NYC's Splash bar (R.I.P.), which frequently showed clips of "Wig in a Box," "Wicked Little Town," and "The Origin of Love."

Often, we enter the theatre hoping to be moved, inspired, or educated. Other times, we go simply for the entertainment, and why not? Over at the Irving Arts Center, Mainstage Irving-Las Colinas and their cast of CURTAINS offers exactly that: a fantastic night of pure fun!

Over in Addison, WaterTown Theatre has had a nearly invincible season. With stellar performances of BONNIE AND CLYDE, ALL MY SONS, and even the new work THE SPARK, the past ten months have been exciting and successful for the first-rate group. As their season finale, however, SWEET CHARITY fails to live up to WaterTower's well-deserved reputation.

Famous con artist Frank Abagnale Jr. managed to pass himself off as a pilot, an ER doctor and a lawyer between the ages of 15-21 before finally getting caught. Although he never tried his hand as an actor, Frank Jr.'s biography, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, created dramatic opportunities for two other young stars, first on-screen with Leonardo DiCaprio, and later on Broadway with Aaron Tveit. Although the Broadway producers failed to find the financial (and critical) success that Abagnale and the film producers celebrated (closing after only 6 months), the musical launched a non-union production, which toured the US for another 7 months before rights were released to regional theatres. Now, marking its local debut, Uptown Players' new production is here - and it definitely makes the most of the musical's victories to create a fantastic opportunity for another star in our midst.

Last week, I had the opportunity of speaking with Jarvis B. Manning Jr., a Texas native from the national tour of MOTOWN The Musical. In addition to speaking about returning to his hometown as a professional performer, Jarvis spoke about the unique experience of touring the country during the Michael Brown trials, and the emotion the cast has felt while performing in different cities.

Not only is OKLAHOMA! celebrated as the inaugural collaboration between theatre icons Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, but it's also credited as the first "book musical," a musical play where the songs and dances are fully integrated into the context of the show. Based on its reputation as an easy-to-produce, family-friendly favorite, OKLAHOMA! is a staple among theatres across the country. This season, the show happens to appear in several local line-ups, and last Thursday I rode my surrey out to Farmer's Branch to catch the final dress rehearsal of Firehouse Theatre's endearing production.

Like most theatre enthusiasts, I've always enjoyed Stephen Schwartz's score for PIPPIN, with "Magic To Do" and "Corner Of The Sky" easily being my favorite songs. That being said, the original production of the show (which, admittedly, I knew only from the VHS recording of the original Broadway cast, and a low-budget college production I saw) never resonated with me. While the opening of the show was always exciting, the show lost its glitter after the first few scenes. Then, in 2013, when I took a front-row seat at New York's Music Box Theatre to catch the celebrated Broadway revival, I found myself lost in this version's newly polished magic. The revival had won me over, and eventually I made two more trips back to New York (to the same seats) for two additional performances.

This evening, Dallas Summer Musicals hosted an exclusive press event, featuring John Rubinstein and Sasha Allen answering questions from the Dallas/Fort Worth media representatives. Members of the press were also invited to attend warm-up rehearsal onstage before the show. Check out our exclusive photos below! PIPPIN appears onstage at Music Hall at Fair Park from July 7th-July 19th, and at Bass Performance Hall from July 21st-July 26th. For tickets and more information, visit http://www.pippinthemusical.com.

My first experience with LES MISERABLES was in 1996, as a tween performing in my school's musical review. While most other kids learned the material and moved on, I saved my pennies for the cast recording, memorizing the show word-for-word. After moving to New York in 2004, my work provided me with virtually unlimited tickets to the city's hottest shows. By the time LES MISERABLES returned to Broadway (in 2006, with a carbon-copy revival of the original production that had closed three years previously), I was a jaded New York twenty-something, no longer inspired by the 'tourist trap' hits. Then, as I sat in the darkened Broadhurst Theatre, the turntable moved, and I realized I was watching an unparalleled piece of theatre history.

Everyone knows Cinderella. As one of the Brothers Grimm's most retold tales, this story made its way through the years from the pages of books to the stage and screen. So, it may come as a surprise that, in 2013, after dozens of successful movies (several of them musicals) and a handful of star-studded touring productions of the same title, CINDERELLA finally opened its first Broadway production. Bringing the enchantment of this extraordinary rags-to-riches story of a young girl becoming a princess to life, CINDERELLA is a magical feast for kids of all ages.

BWW Interviews: Audrey Cardwell of CINDERELLA at Music Hall At Fair Park And Bass Performance Hall

Before Broadway celebrated hit jukebox bio-musicals like JERSEY BOYS, MOTOWN THE MUSICAL or even MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, a little show opened in 1989 called BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY. Written about the famous singer's short-lived career as a successful twenty-something-old music icon with signature thick-rimmed glasses, BUDDY takes the audience on a rock-and-roll journey from the radio stations of Lubbock, Texas, all the way to New York's Apollo theatre, and eventually to his (spoiler alert) fateful plane ride. Although the Broadway production was short-lived, the show celebrated twelve years in London, and has had a successful life in regional and touring productions across the country.

As summer approaches, so does an exciting season of local and touring stage productions, with an array of choices for the entire family. Here are our picks for Dallas and Fort Worth's hottest tickets this summer.

The lively Dallas/Fort Worth theatre scene thrives due to the many local artists working for little more than applause. While not every production can be a home run, it's always nice to see a company attempt to create something new and unique. With MAN OF LA MANCHA at Artes de la Rosa, kudos are due for their experimental, daring approach to this oft-performed piece.

As the understudy to leading man Dan Deluca, Michael Ryan, the temporary Newsie leader, triumphs at Winspear Opera House!