KILLER JOE opened this past weekend at TheatreWorks, under the direction of James Kevin Cochran. Written by Tracy Letts in 1993, this production from New Moon Theatre is raucous fun, and expertly presented. If you're looking for an evening of raw yet captivating entertainment, go check out Killer Joe before it closes on May 28.
On August 12th, Playhouse on the Square's 48th season opens with the smash-hit musical Mamma Mia!
Just last weekend I saw one of Theatre Memphis' most outstanding musical productions, Stephen Sondheim's INTO THE WOODS. It had everything an audience would want: Wondrous sets and costumes, brilliant singers, imaginative staging. Then, this weekend, I wandered into the quiet intimacy of Emerald Theatre's 1 IN 10, a series of monologues by members of the LGBT community; and though the latter seemed on the surface to have nothing in common with the powerhouse production I saw last week (its set is, frankly, . . . naught), I found that, indeed, there was a shared thought and purpose. After all, the characters in the second act of the Sondheim musical have to assess themselves and their relationships to others; and they have to be comfortable with their lot and come to know themselves. You know what? That's exactly what happens during the course of the 1 IN 10 monologues.
At one point in Diana Grisanti's sharply written RIVER CITY, in its final weekend at Voices of the South, an older character challenges the 'education' that a fourteen year-old black youth has received at St. Thomas, the Catholic-run orphanage in Louisville: The young man may know history from a white perspective, but does he know anything important about his own black heritage -- and does he know what's happening in 1968, as the black community plans a demonstration to protest the rehiring of a police officer guilty of harassment? (Yes, sadly, the times . . . they aren't always 'a-changin' -- sorry, Mr. Dylan.) I remember an instance when, as a white youngster in a rural town outside Memphis, I first heard the name 'Martin Luther King.' Our school bus had already run, and I was waiting for the bus of my best friend (who happened to be black) to drop him off so that he could rid himself of his books, change clothes, and come out to play. When he descended from the bus, I walked with him down the lane where he lived with his grandparents. I asked him what he had done in school that day, and he replied that he learned who the father of 'his' country was. 'George Washington,' I interrupted. 'No,' he insisted. 'The father of 'his' country was Martin Luther King.' In just a few years, some great strides would be made; however, I am nearing seventy now -- and the ugliness of racism is still omnipresent. Not only does police harassment still dominate the news, but, with the OSCARS being broadcast Sunday evening, there is a planned boycott by a number of black actors and actresses over the lack of racial diversity among the major nominees.
Voting has now opened for the 2014 BroadwayWorld South Carolina Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 4th.
Voting has now opened for the 2014 BroadwayWorld South Carolina Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 4th.
Voting has now opened for the 2014 BroadwayWorld South Carolina Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 25th.
Voting is now underway for Ft. Myers/Naples! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.
Voting is now underway for Ft. Myers/Naples! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.
Voting is now underway for Ft. Myers/Naples! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.
Voting is now underway for Ft. Myers/Naples! We have a record number of votes in already, but if you haven't voted yet, click here to vote! If you have voted already, tell your friends.
Broadway Palm is currently presenting Andrew Lloyd Webber's fantastical musical CATS playing through November 23, 2013. During the run of the show, Broadway Palm is selling 'paws' for $1 each and all proceeds go directly to the Animal Refuge Center (ARC). Theatre patrons are encouraged to decorate the paws and they will be on display throughout the theatre.
Director/choreographer Amy McCleary puts on a lavish production of one of the world's most popular musicals
9 to 5: The Musical, based on the popular 1980 film, tells the story of Consolidated Industries employees Doralee (Zoe Kassay), Violet (Erin Romero), and Judy (Amanda Kuchinski) as they struggle to be respected in a male dominated work place. Sexism and harassment abound until the three girls plot revenge on their boss, Mr. Hart (Galloway Stevens). Throw in some mayhem, an exciting score penned by Dolly Parton herself, and you're left with the above premise spread over two full acts clocking in at around 2 and a half hours with intermission.
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