Steve Wilson - Page 14

Watching the play August: Osage County it is easy to understand why it won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. You only need to watch a few minutes of the Barn Players production to know that you are in for something special. Before the evening is over you realize you are viewing the best dramatic production to appear in Kansas City in the last several seasons. August: Osage County, written by Tracy Letts, opened Friday May 30 at the Barn Players in Mission, Kan.

A chill went up and down my spine; did I step back in time when I entered through the door? Did I land in Las Vegas, at the Sands watching a show starring the Rat Pack? No, I landed at the hilarious and most entertaining show performed in Kansas City this theatrical season. Sandy Hackett's Rat Pack Show opened on Tuesday May 27 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Directed by Billy Karl the show marks the end of the 2013-2014 season for the Theater League of Kansas City.

With the summer months, just ahead most of the professional theater companies in Kansas City will be closing down their 2013-2014 season. Through the summer, local community theaters will be staging productions, but there is still time to see the end of this year's season.

The comedy about Hollywood stereotypes, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark comes to the Unicorn Theatre June 4, with opening night on June 7. Missy Koonce directs the Unicorn production written by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage. Nottage won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2009 for her play Ruined. At the time, she wrote Ruined she was working on a second project, which ended up being By the Way, Meet Vera Stark.

Sandy Hackett's Rat Pack Show, presented by the Theater League of Kansas City, comes to the Kauffman Center of the Performing Arts on May 27. The show marks the end of the 2013-2014 season for the Theater League.

The premiere of Flowers in the Wardrobe currently is playing at the Arts Asylum at 1000 E. 9th in Kansas City, Mo. Produced by Whim Productions and directed by Steven Eubank it is the first full-length production by the theatrical company. Eubank brings his flamboyant comedy style to the show, giving the audience an abundance of humor and wit. 'We're so excited to have Steven on board! His campy aesthetic is a perfect fit for the crazy story I've written,' Kevin King said.

The Heartland Men's Chorus brings Vegas Baby to the Folly Theater in Kansas City, to mark their summer concert. Expecting large crowds for the event, a third night's performance has been added to the star-studded affair. Vegas Baby appears at the Folly Theater Friday June 13 through Sunday June 15.

A Little Night Music, produced by Spinning Tree Theatre, is now playing at the Off Center Theatre in Crown Center. Michael Grayman directs an immensely talented cast for the play with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Hugh Wheeler. The musical opened on Broadway in 1973 based on a film by Ingmar Bergman. Andy Parkhurst designed the choreography, which early in Act I is impressive as the performers entangle themselves on stage. This production marks the largest cast utilized by Spinning Tree Theatre.

Whim Productions of Kansas City, Mo. describes their next production as, 'Dark, campy classic meets Narnia in Flowers in the Wardrobe.' Written by Producing Artistic Director and founder of Whim Productions, Kevin King, this show is the first full-length play by the theatrical company.

The KC Melting Pot production of White Sangria opened Friday night at the Just Off Broadway Theatre in Kansas City, Mo to a sparse audience. Harvey Williams the founder of the KC Melting Pot, which is in its inaugural season, directs the play written by Arika Larson. The 2011 Kansas City Fringe Festival, where it won best-selling show in its venue, introduced audiences to White Sangria. Foreign Bodies by Larson premieres at the Artist's Movement later this year in New York.

You get song, you get dance, and the only thing that is missing is seltzer in your pants. The Musical of Musicals: The Musical! is one of the funniest productions to appear on the Quality Hill Playhouse stage. The musical with lyrics by Joanne Bogart, music by Eric Rockwell and stage direction by Rick Truman is performed in five sidesplitting acts. Each paying homage to composers and lyricist teams, all dealing with the same melodrama plot centering on a woman who cannot pay her rent.

Water by the Spoonful a play by Quiara Alegria Hudes currently runs on the Jerome Stage at the Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City, Mo. The 2012 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama is the story of an Iraqi war veteran who returns home to discover his mother is running a chat room for recovering addicts. Mark Robbins directs a dynamic cast in this Unicorn production. Robbins has previously directed Good People and God of Carnage co-productions with Kansas City Actors Theatre.

If you have seen the current performance of Schoolhouse Rock Live! at The Coterie, or if you have not seen it and are 13 years old or older you should see it again. The best production of The Coterie season gets even better on Saturday nights at 9 p.m. when it is transformed to a teen-adult sing-along presentation.

Board The Mystery Train and ride the rails of comedy to the Funeral for Brother John. Wendy Thompson wrote and directed the latest offering of the dinner theater. The Mystery Train runs through June 7, utilizing three different venues for the dinner and show. The Golden Ox at 1600 Genessee Street, Californos at 4124 Pennsylvania in the Westport Entertainment District, and Finnigan's Hall at 503 East 18 Avenue in North Kansas City.

Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling is currently playing at the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre in Kansas City, Mo and is one of the best productions to appear on their stage. If you can see only one play this spring, this should be the top of your list. Directed by Marc Liby the play is the comedy-drama about the relationships of a group of Southern women and based on Harling's experience with his sister's death. The title comes from the reference to a magnolia tree early in the show and shows the women as beautiful as the magnolia and strong as steel.

The Coterie Theatre in Kansas City, Mo. announced, "A miraculous journey is about to begin . . . 2014-2015 Season of Live Theatre." The new season will bring six productions to the stage, each lasting between 50 minutes and an hour and 15 minutes.

The Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City, Mo. announced their 41st season for 2014-2015. The Unicorn utilizes two stages for productions, the Jerome stage, and the Levin Stage. Recently the name of The Mainstage as it had been known was changed to honor Producing Artistic Director, Cynthia Levin. The theatre also announced the Longevity Campaign, to raise funds to purchase their building, was successful and on April 17 they took custody of the theater building. The purchase of the building allows the Unicorn to cut production costs.

Whim Productions of Kansas City, Mo. describes their next production as, "Dark, campy classic meets Narnia in Flowers in the Wardrobe." Written by Producing Artistic Director and founder of Whim Productions, Kevin King, this show is the first full-length play by the theatrical company.

Follies at the Barn Players in Mission, Kan. is an amusing musical about the demise of the follies and the Weissman Theatre in New York in 1971. Stephen Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics and James Goldman wrote the book for this highly entertaining production. Follies opened on Broadway in 1971 at the Winter Garden Theatre. The 1971 production won all seven Drama Desk Award categories in which it received a nomination and won Best Musical by the New York Drama Critics' Circle.

The Musical of Musical (The Musical!) opens on April 25 at the Quality Hill Playhouse in Kansas City. Joanne Bogart and Eric Rockwell wrote the musical that opened off-Broadway in 2003 at the York Theatre and again in 2005 at the Dodger Stages. The musical played on London's West End utilizing the same cast from March 31, 2006 through April 22, 2006 at the Sound Theatre., Jon