Roy Berko - Page 39

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.'

Theater people are superstitious! The practices that relate to the fears have various origins. For example, 'the ghost of Thespis (the first known actor in ancient Greece) is said to wreak havoc upon theaters all over the world. The ghost light tradition-leaving a single lit bulb upstage center when the theater is empty-is meant to ward off these mischievous specters.'

Sam Shepard, the author of 'The Late Henry Moss,' which is now in production at none too fragile, once wrote, 'I believe in my mask-- The man I made up is me. I believe in my dance--And my destiny.'

Canada's Shaw Festival is a tribute to George Bernard Shaw and his writing contemporaries.

The history of American musical theater is laced with firsts and trend setters. Rogers and Hammerstein's 'Oklahoma' introduced the well-made book musical in which a story was told, with music, lyrics and dance all integrated and setting the pattern of the first act ending with a conflict that would be solved in the second act.

Lots of today's science news concerns controlled drug studies done by pharmaceutical companies, as well as government agencies, to insure the safety and identify side-effects of the compounds.

Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the music and lyrics for 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,' which is now in production at Blank Canvas, is noted as a brilliant lyricist. Interestingly, that is not the way he sees himself. He is well-trained as a musical composer, having, from a young age, been the prodigy of Oscar Hammerstein II. Yes, the composer of such mega hits as 'Oklahoma,' 'South Pacific' and 'Sound of Music.'

When Great Lakes Theater Festival announced in June, 2009, that it's Associate Artistic Director, Andrew May, was no longer going to be part of the company, many CLE theatre-goers were shocked.

Sometimes theater is high drama. At other times it's for learning about history or philosophy. 'Sassy Mamas,' now on stage at Karamu, is on stage for one purpose only...to create outlandish laughter.