This Tampa Bay professional theatre premiere is now playing through April 14. Crumbs from the Table of Joy stars Alicia Thomas (Ernestine), Rae Davis (Ermina), and Michael J. Kinsey (Godfrey) as the Crump family. This break out play of two-time Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage (Sweat, Ruined) is the coming of age story of a young African American girl whose family is finding their way through 1950's Brooklyn, as she teeters between filtering her life experiences through the fantasy of movies and learning the real poetry and pain of the world. Crumbs from the Table of Joy also stars freeFall favorites Trenell Mooring (freeFall's Our Town and The Little Prince) and Emilee Dupre (Broadway's Chaplin and freeFall's smash hit Cabaret.
Rehearsals are underway for freeFall's production of Lynn Nottage's Crumbs from the Table of Joy. This Tampa Bay professional theatre premiere opens March 23 and runs through April 14. Crumbs from the Table of Joy stars Alicia Thomas (Ernestine), Rae Davis (Ermina), and Michael J. Kinsey (Godfrey) as the Crump family. This break out play for two-time Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage (Sweat, Ruined) is the coming of age story of a young African American girl whose family is finding their way through 1950's Brooklyn, as she teeters between filtering her life experiences through the fantasy of movies and learning the real poetry and pain of the world. Crumbs from the Table of Joy also stars freeFall favorites Trenell Mooring (freeFall's Our Town and The Little Prince) and Emilee Dupre (Broadway's Chaplin and freeFall's smash hit Cabaret).
Rehearsals are already underway for freeFall's next production of Pulitzer Prize Winning playwright Lynn Nottage's Crumbs from the Table of Joy. This Tampa Bay professional theatre premiere opens March 23 and runs through April 14. Crumbs from the Table of Joy stars Alicia Thomas (Ernestine), Rae Davis (Ermina) and Michael Kinsey (Godfrey) as the Crumb family. This break out play by Lynn Nottage is the coming of age story of a young African American girl whose family is finding its way through 1950's Brooklyn, as she teeters between filtering her life experiences through the fantasy of movies and learning the real poetry and pain of the world. Crumbs from the Table of Joy also stars freeFall favorites Trenell Mooring (freeFall's Our Town & The Little Prince) and Emilee Dupre (Broadway's Chaplin, freeFall's smash hit Cabaret).
HEIST! is a new musical comedy about an enterprising team of thieves who attempt the biggest con Broadway has ever seen, will make its world premiere this summer, in a limited pre-Off Broadway engagement on Thursday, August 9th through Sunday, September 2nd at the Players Theatre, 115 McDougal Street (between West 3rd and Bleecker Streets). Directed by James Will McBride, the production features a book and lyrics by Alex Koceja, music by Michael Uselmann and choreography by Jenna Haimes.
HEIST!, the new musical comedy about an enterprising team of thieves who attempt the biggest con Broadway has ever seen, will make its world premiere this summer, in a limited sneak peek preview engagement beginning Thursday, August 9th and continuing through Sunday, September 2nd only
American Stage in the Park brings Mel Brooks' classic cult comedy to Demens Landing! Winner of a record twelve Tony Awards including 'Best Musical', The Producers sets the standard for modern, outrageous humor. The story centers around down-on-his-luck Broadway producer, Max Bialystock (Matthew McGee), and his mild-mannered accountant, Leo Bloom (James LaRosa), who come up with a scheme to produce the most notorious flop in history, bilking their backers out of millions of dollars. Only one thing goes awry: the show is a smash hit! The Producers skewers Broadway traditions and takes no prisoners as it proudly proclaims itself an 'equal opportunity offender!' Contains some mature content. Parental guidance is suggested.
American Stage in the Park brings Mel Brooks' classic cult comedy to Demens Landing! Winner of a record twelve Tony Awards including 'Best Musical', The Producers sets the standard for modern, outrageous humor. The story centers around down-on-his-luck Broadway producer, Max Bialystock (Matthew McGee), and his mild-mannered accountant, Leo Bloom (James LaRosa), who come up with a scheme to produce the most notorious flop in history, bilking their backers out of millions of dollars. Only one thing goes awry: the show is a smash hit! The Producers skewers Broadway traditions and takes no prisoners as it proudly proclaims itself an 'equal opportunity offender!' Contains some mature content. Parental guidance is suggested.
On Monday, July 24, 2017, The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation, the organization who for the past 13 years has been dedicated to celebrating Off-Off-Broadway, announced the 2017 nominees at its annual event, The IT Party.
'There was a musical version of Lorraine Hansberry's Raisin in the Sun?': this has been universal response of friends who knew I reviewing RAISIN. Even Dev Bondarin, the artistic director of APAC (Astoria Performing Arts Center) who directed the current production, only became aware of the show in college, during an historical survey of musical theater.
I will leave it to others to speculate why a musical nominated for nine Tony awards--including Best Original Score, Best Choreography, Best Book--and the winner of two statues (best musical and Best Leading Actress) has all but vanished from theatrical memory. But one hopes that Bondarin's production will restore Raisin to its rightful place in the musical theater canon, not because it takes up relevant social and political topics (which it does), but because it's a fine show with compelling music and lyrics by Judd Woldin and Robert Brittan and sharp, elegant by Hansberry's ex-husband and literary executor, Robert Nemiroff and Charlotte Zalztberg. (The cast album also won a Grammy in 1975.)
The award-winning Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC) will present a limited engagement of the critically acclaimed musical Raisin this Spring. Winner of the 1974 Tony Award for Best Musical and based on Lorraine Hansberry's groundbreaking play, this timeless musical will return to New York City after a 42-year hiatus, May 4 - 27, 2017, at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 30-44 Crescent St (at 30th Road), Astoria, NY 11102.
