Roy Berko - Page 38

On April 15, 2009, 'Next to Normal' opened on Broadway. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize, the Tony for Best Musical and to become part of a small group of musicals including 'Rent,' 'Spring Awakening,' 'Dear Evan Hansen,' 'Come From Away,' 'The Band's Visit' and 'Hamilton' which would change the nature of the American musical from pure entertainment to 'message musicals,' which tell tales of significant social relevance including examining such topics as mental and physical illness, rape, political intrigue, historical conflicts and suicide.

In September of 2015, when Tony F. Sias was appointed as President and CEO of Karamu, the country's oldest African-American theatre, the organization was at its lowest point. In financial trouble, having slipped in the quality of its arts programs and seemingly rudderless, the future looked bleak.

The 1950s was a period of racial stress in much of the south. Lynchings, school segregation, separate lunch counters and drinking fountains, blacks to the back of the bus, laws against black and white mixing. Even separate black and white radio stations was the custom, as were black and white musical styles. Patty Page, Perry Como and 'nice music' was the white style. Rock and Roll was for blacks.

Miles J. Sternfeld is in a big rush for theatrical success. The 23-year old, who graduated from Orange in 2013, is not the regular theatre nerd. He's not interested in being the next big star. Instead, he has set his sights on being a successful producer and director.

The mission of Playwrights Local is to support dramatists of Northeast Ohio by presenting locally written works, with the vision of increasing original theater and raising the profile of area playwrights.

Backstage.com's recent listing of the top Musical Theater Programs in the U.S. included such schools as Carnegie Mellon University, Conservatory of Music at University of Cincinnati, University of Michigan, Penn State University and Syracuse University.

Mark Stewart, better known as 'Stew,' is noted for being a member of the band, The Negro Problem. He is also the author of the book and lyrics for 'Passing Strange,' a semi-autobiographical musical, co-written with Heidi Rodewald in collaboration with Annie Dorsen. The script is presently rocking Karamu.

Jukebox musicals contain a story, wrapped around a series of pre-written songs. Think 'Mama Mia,' 'Jersey Boys,' 'Buddy-The Buddy Holly Story,' 'On Your Feet,' and the present Broadway hit, 'Escape to Margaritaville.'

Disney, whether it's their theme parks, cruises or Broadway-style shows, has a special approach that excites kids as well as adults. Disney's 'Aladdin,' which is now on stage at the Key Bank State Theatre, is no exception.

The story of Jonathan Larson's death before the first scheduled preview of the off-Broadway performance of his 'Rent' has become theater history.

Tony Kushner, the award winning author of 'Angels In America Parts One and Two,' says of his work, 'The question I am trying to ask is how broad is a community's embrace? How wide does it reach?'

Many know Cantor Kathy Wolfe Sebo as a superlative cantor. Few know, however, that she didn't start out to make the religious life her career.

Several times a year I go to review some of what's on stage on Broadway. This year, I expanded the experience by accompanying the Baldwin Wallace University Musical Theatre program's fifteen seniors.

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, author of 'Appropriate,' which is now getting a compelling staging at Dobama, Cleveland's 'off-Broadway theatre,' is noted for writing plays that shimmer in spectacle, theatricality, and melodramatic substance. The African American centers his themes on race in America, white privilege, the ills of capitalism, and the use and abuse of minorities to build the 'American dream.'

How would you do if asked to spell: 'syzygy,' 'capybara,' 'cystitis,' 'pandemonium,' and 'qaymaqam?' How about 'crepuscule?'

Stephen Karam is one of the new breed of contemporary American playwrights. His 'The Humans,' the Tony Award-winning Best Play of 2016, and a Pulitzer Prize finalist, is now on stage at the Connor Palace.

George Bernard Shaw's views on religion may be summarized by his statement, 'People believe anything that amuses them, gratifies them, or promises some sort of profit.'