Steve Wilson - Page 15

Egads! Theatre Company heats things up at the Off Center Theatre with Lysistrata Jones. Tony Award nominee Douglas Carter Beane wrote the musical comedy with a contemporary pop score by Lewis Flinn. Steven Eubank directs the Kansas City production, which runs from June 14 through July 12.

A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim marks the largest cast to appear for the Spinning Tree Theatre in Kansas City. The production on the Off Center Theatre stage in Crown Center will feature 13 actors and 7 musicians. The Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night inspired the Sondheim musical.

Rock of Ages the theme for Musical Monday, presented by Musical Theater Heritage, played on the stage at the Off Center Theatre on April 14. Kristin Hanggi the Tony Award nominated Broadway director is in Kansas City for the production. Hangii came on stage to talk about the songs and the production of the Broadway musical. She holds a Masterclass for Musical Theater Heritage on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Musical Monday, usually a one-night show, runs for a second night on Tuesday April 15.

The Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City, Mo. presents Water by the Spoonful, April 23 through May 18. The play written by Quiara Alergria Hudes and directed by Mark Robbins will run on the Jerome Stage at 3828 Main. Water by the Spoonful won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and playwright Hudes won the 2008 Tony Award for Best Musical for In the Heights.

Whoever says that learning is not fun, has not seen Schoolhouse Rock Live at the Coterie Theatre in Kansas City? Schoolhouse Rock Live opened Friday night April 11 to a sold-out house. The show is without a doubt the best production of an already fantastic season, but they are not done yet with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang coming in June.

The Harper Lee classic, dramatized by Christopher Sergel, To Kill A Mockingbird opened Saturday April 5 at the White Theatre in Overland Park, Kan. Darren Sextro directs the White Theatre production that runs through April 13. Mary Badham, the actor who starred as Scout in the 1962 film starring Gregory Peck, was on hand opening weekend and conducted a talk back on Saturday night.

With the smooth style and graceful stride of a thoroughbred, Warhorse pranced onto the stage of the Music Hall in Kansas City on Tuesday April 1. From the Broadway Across America series Warhorse is based on a book by Michael Morpurgo, adapted by Nick Stafford, and in association with Handspring Puppet Company.

The Heartland Men's Chorus and the Gateway Men's Chorus from St. Louis, Mo. united on Friday night March 29 at the Folly Theater in Kansas City, Mo. The combined chorus presented I Am Harvey Milk, with words and music by Andrew Lippa. The production brought together three guest conductors, Dustin Stephen Cates, Al Fischer the Artistic Director for the Gateway Men's Chorus, and Dr. Tim Seelig the Artistic Director of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus.

Musical Theater Heritage has proven again that you do not need elaborate costumes, props, or scenery to produce a hit. This is especially true when they assembled a cast of some of the most talented performers to take the stage in Kansas City for their revival of Bernstein's Broadway.

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike puts the dysfunctional in family as it opened on Friday March 21 at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre. Written by Christopher Durang the play directed by Eric Rosen, Artistic Director for the KC Rep, is a co-production with Baltimore's Center Stage. One audience member stated, "It is so natural that you no longer feel like you're watching a play, but rather become a member of the family."

The 59th season of The Barn Players in Mission, Kan. premiered with the award winning rock musical, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. Written by Alex Timbers, with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman the production directed and choreographed by Guy Gardner runs through March 16.

Spinning Tree Theatre in Kansas City announced their selections for the 2014-2015 season. The new season sees Spinning Tree grow from three shows per season to a fourth show. Two plays and two musicals highlight the season, with three of the productions being Kansas City premieres. The new season marks the first time the theatrical company has produced a local playwright.

The Park University International Center for Music makes their debut at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts on Friday April 4 with the Van Cliburn Tribute Concert in Helzberg Hall. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the ICM, founded by Stanislav Ioudenitch who was a gold medalist in the 2001 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.

Known for producing high-quality shows for their Mainstage and the Jerome Stage, the Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City, MO. raised the bar on opening night Saturday March 8 of Other Desert Cities by Robin Baitz. The Broadway play received a 2012 Tony Award Nomination for Best Play and if the Tony's were given in Kansas City there would need to be two for best actor, three for best actress, one for best direction, and one for best production of a drama.

With minimal sets and props but loaded with outstanding talent, Jekyll & Hyde The Musical is playing at the Just Off Broadway Theatre in Kansas City, MO. Based on the Robert Louis Stevenson novel A Strange Case of Jekyll and Hyde, is produced by She&Her Productions, with Tiffany Schweigert directing the multi-talented cast.

Musical Theater Heritage announced this week that Tony Award nominated director Kristin Hanggi will participate in the April Musical Monday series. Another special feature of the series is the addition of a second night's performance. The production will run on Monday April 14 and Tuesday April 15, with both shows beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The 2012 Tony Award Nominee for Best Play and Pulitzer Prize for Drama finalist, Other Desert Cities, comes to the Unicorn Theatre in Kansas City tonight, March 5 through 30. Saturday March 8 is opening night of the play directed by Sidonie Garrett. She has previously directed numerous plays at the Unicorn Theatre, The Coterie, and American Heartland Theatre among others.

You have not heard the gospel, until you have heard it as told by Egads! Theatre Company's current production of Godspell. Godspell, from the book by John Michael Tebelak and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, opened Saturday night March 1 at the Off Center Theatre.

Zeus is alive and playing rock-n-roll guitar in Geek Mythology: I Was a Teenage Immortal, now playing at the Coterie Theatre in Kansas City. Tailored for an audience of fifth to ninth graders, yet very entertaining for adults, the world premiere musical by playwright Jeff Carey opened on Friday night February 28. Directed by Tosin Morohunfola the music is by Jessica Jackson, from a book by Carey who also wrote the lyrics.

Step through the lobby doors and enter the tropical resort that is the stage for The Night of the Iguana. Based on his short story the Tennessee Williams 1961 play opens this weekend at the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre in Kansas City. Karen Paisley directs this classic tale of desperation, fear, and loneliness with a cast of some of the most talented actors in Kansas City. Paisley designed the impressive set that with a bamboo jungle and a two-story resort takes the audience from the cold Kansas City region to the hot, humid climate of Mexico.