Ronn Burton - Page 2

This 2014 Tony-winner for Best Musical is still fresh and intoxicating years later. Crisp direction, superb musicianship, and pitch-perfect performances ensure an engrossing evening of delightful English Music-Hall operetta mixed with the fierce satire of a modern theatre piece. A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER earns its stripes, and if you are presented with the opportunity to experience the zaniness and delight it has to offer, that is an opportunity not to be missed.

New works are always a breath of fresh air in the Oklahoma City theatre scene, and the Oklahoma premiere of CONSTELLATIONS - a co-production between Next Stage and KnockDownDragOut staged at the IAO Gallery downtown - is a treasure trove of script, performance, and execution. A two-hander of this magnitude requires strong acting and direction; luckily, audiences at the IAO Gallery are in more than capable hands. CONSTELLATIONS offers profound, thought-provoking drama in an effervescent and entrancing package.

One of the most creatively imagined productions the Oklahoma City arts scene has offered in recent memory blurring the lines of genre - both musical and theatrical - by interweaving turn-of-the-century sideshow with modern-day circus and Americana folklore, GALLOW WALKERS: A PARANORMAL FOLK OPERA is unlike anything else you'll experience this spooky season. Let me put it bluntly: you shouldn't miss Michael Todd's creative masterwork - experience for yourself the bewitching alchemy this team has concocted you'll be better off for it.

BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL is one of the increasingly common type of shows the jukebox musical yet, BEAUTIFUL raises the expectations of what a jukebox musical can be. The story revolves around Carole King, whom Sarah Bockel portrays to gawky, effervescent perfection. BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL continues OKC Broadway's reputation of bringing in top-notch performances to Oklahoma City.

Okay, let's just get real for a moment: if one approaches this show as an adult and compares it with the canon of theatrical literature, this a production which often falls flat. However, in comparison to average children's entertainment (which is clearly the producers' targeted demographic) it holds up well. Your average elementary aged kid will be thoroughly and utterly charmed. But the parents who brought them? That might be a different story. The performers are all supremely talented, with dozens of Broadway shows to their credit. Even if I felt they might have been instructed to push every moment, they still allow their glorious voices to shine through. While it doesn't run in the same league as the classic Disney films, this production does its job: providing fluffy entertainment for an evening out after school, getting through everything as quickly as possible to make sure the kids get back home in bed to be ready for school tomorrow.

Lyric closes out their Civic Center season with HAMILTON mega-star Lin-Manuel Miranda's initial hit musical, the Tony-winning IN THE HEIGHTS. Premiering on Broadway in 2008, this depiction of the flavorful New York City neighborhood at the top of Manhattan paints a vivid and delightful portrait of the struggles and celebrations of everyday Americans. IN THE HEIGHTS is an exciting capstone to Lyric's wildly successful summer season…don't miss it!

This updated retelling of Romeo and Juliet is set in 1950s New York City, yet its themes of racism and hatred of anything deemed "different" ring especially true in today's political climate, sadly. WEST SIDE STORY is a compelling reminder of just how much hatred, prejudice, and ignorance can destroy what we all hold so dear. One of Lyric's most fully realized productions I can think of in recent memory…do yourself a favor and allow the message of this piece to penetrate your heart and mind - for truly great art has the power to influence the world.

The Bethany Stage, a relatively new theatre company in the Oklahoma City metro area, presented their first musical production, GUYS AND DOLLS. Let me assure you, the beloved score is in capable hands: the four leads of the show carry the show nicely. Artistic Director Audra Faust has led this fledgling theatre company to a successful first musical production, and I look forward to more from her group of players.

Lyric Theatre kicks off its summer season with this rollicking concert of golden oldies - the finale medley alone is worth the price of admission, but Lyric's production serves up nearly two hours worth of your favorite songs from Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis. Tried-and-true hits like "Blue Suede Shoes", "Great Balls Of Fire", "Fever", "Hound Dog" and many more each get their moment in the spotlight. These performers are musicians first and foremost, and it shows. Yet none of them fall into the trap of impersonations…each actor brings his character to life with a crisp vitality that keeps the show nimble and appealing.

OKC Broadway closes out its inaugural season with Dancing With The Stars' luminaries Derek and Julianne Hough. This fast-paced spectacle features death drops, acrobatics, singing, and choreography of all styles. Derek and Julianne display their astounding versatility and never hold back: hip hop, tap, jazz, tango, salsa, waltz-plus both of their incredible singing voices…this show has it all. Is there anything these superstar siblings can't do?

Lyric Theatre continues its 2017 Season with the Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning I AM MY OWN WIFE, a one-man show starring familiar Lyric performer Matthew Alvin Brown. Brown portrays over 30 characters, utilizing a myriad of accents and dialects, to tell the engrossing true story of of a 20th Century antique collector, who also happened to be a communist informant, secret gay nightclub owner, and self-proclaimed transvestite. This story is an important one - especially significant with transgender rights being so politicized at the moment; yet in Brown and Baron's capable hands, a veritably entertaining evening at the theatre … not to be missed.

BroadwayWorld sat down with Lance Marsh, Head of Performance at TheatreOCU and Conference Chair for the new Center for Excellence in Classical Theatre Training, to discuss their inaugural conference and the exciting future of the organization.

CityRep, Oklahoma's award-winning professional theatre, is proud to present six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald in a one-night only Broadway Concert event. This extraordinary evening marks Ms. McDonald's Oklahoma premiere. BroadwayWorld chatted with CityRep Founding Artistic Director Donald Jordan to find out just what it takes to bring a Broadway superstar to the heartland.

OKC Broadway presents the national tour of MOTOWN THE MUSICAL March 7th-12th, 2017 at the Civic Center Musical Hall. Staged by Schele Williams (associate director from the Broadway production, originally directed by Charles Randolph-Wright) MOTOWN delivers a buzzing, delightful evening of your favorite songs - and they've never been done better. The audience was up on their feet dancing by the end of the show, and throughout the evening could often be found waving their hands in the air and singing along (you can decide for yourself whether this is a good or bad thing.) If you're looking for a trip down memory lane, head down to the Civic Center and experience an effervescent evening of MOTOWN music.

Last weekend, CityRep opened MR. BURNS, A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY at the downtown Civic Center. A co-production with Oklahoma City University, featuring up-and-coming student artists and professional Equity actors on equal footing, the CityRep production of Anne Washburn's delightfully unconventional script is one of my favorite shows the company has produced in recent memory. CityRep has a hit on their hands. I hope the lack of familiarity with the title doesn't discourage audience attendance-this play is one of the most-produced in regional theaters around the country this season, and for good reason. The only drawback is that the play is only around for one more weekend. I applaud CityRep and OCU for introducing such thought-provoking art to the heartland, and hope you, dear reader, flock to the theater in droves to experience the magic.

Oklahoma City University's Bass School of Music presented the 2011 opera DARK SISTERS by Nico Muhly and Stephen Karam. Telling the story of "sister wives" in a modern-day polygamist sect, the subject matter certainly breaks new ground in an art form that many would (mistakenly) view as outdated. By presenting this kind of work in Oklahoma City, OCU proves their commitment to prepare students for work in today's artistic landscape, ensuring their readiness for the future beyond graduation.

CityRep presents the Oklahoma premiere of the Off-Broadway hit MR. BURNS, A POST ELECTRIC PLAY. Members of the cast (Bob Hess, Kris Schinske, and Paul T. Taylor) and creative team (Donald Jordan and Daniel Leeman Smith) sat down with BroadwayWorld to discuss the relevance and delightful absurdity of their upcoming show, opening this week and running through March 5th.

BigNose Productions presents their first work, Theresa Rebeck's biting comedy SEMINAR. Filled with scathing one-liners and backstabbing twists, SEMINAR examines gender politics, artistic merit, and modern urban sociology through a self-aware, comic lens. Ultimately, I am quite excited to see a new theatre company emerge with such a striking first impression.

The Pollard Theatre Company continues their 30th Anniversary season with August Wilson's FENCES. The Pollard production opens on the heels of the Oscar-nominated film adaptation starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis. Comparisons to the current movie are inevitable, but Pollard's production holds its own thanks to sound performances from the lead performers.

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma opens their 2017 Season with Stephen Sondheim's ASSASSINS. Michael Baron's production pushes the right buttons without going too far over the edge. It is startling to find how recognizable we find these characters: to see the pain, loss, and instability that plagued the lives of these criminals, we begin to find more similarities than differences…they are our neighbors, our relatives, or-unnervingly-ourselves. With the current divisive political climate, Lyric's production seems more timely than ever.