Charles Shubow News

You may have heard of the long journey of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS from a 1060 Roger Corman horror film (with a young Jack Nicholson) to a 1982 Off-Broadway hit musical, a 1986 film with Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and Steve Martin, and a revival in 2003 this time on Broadway with Hunter Foster, Douglas Sills and Kerry Butler. And believe it or not, another revival coming to Off-Broadway previewing on September 17 and opening October 17 to the Westside Theatre Upstairs with Jonathan Groff, Tammy Blanchard, Christian Borle, and Kinglsey Leggs.

A potpourri of beautiful music from Gilbert & Sullivan to Broadway.

I really enjoyed the Eran Kolirin's 2007 Israeli-Egyptian film 'The Band's Visit' . The story involved the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra who get lost in Israel on their way to a concert performance at the Arab Cultural Center in a large city named Petal Tikvah and instead the bus they take arrives at the small town of Bet Hatikva. With the next bus not due until the next day, the musicians are invited to spend the night with the town natives (there is no hotel) and have dinner. The moving film tackles the subject of Egyptians and Israelis in 1996 who in 1967 had a hard-fought war on the Sinai Peninsula.

Credit Signature Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer for this season on a high.

Let me admit when I saw MATILDA on Broadway in 2013 (winner of 5 Tony Awards), I did not enjoy it. I just could not understand the character of the buffoon Miss Trunchbell, the Olympian hammer throwing athletic principal of Matilda's school. He was the villain of all villains.

BWW Review: DISASTER! at Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre at Essex Community College is a HOOT

When you leave the theater and you immediately purchase a copy of the play, that should indicate that you have really enjoyed it. This does not happen often but it happened to me as I left the Lansburgh Theatre (temporary home of the Round House during renovations) in DC. I loved A DOLL'S HOUSE, PART 2, I had to read it and enjoy it some more...and I did!

I had never seen a professional production of HELLO, DOLLY! until now. I recall the 1969 film with Walter Matthau and Barbra Streisand. I did see the play it is based on, THE MATCHMAKER by Thornton Wilder at the Williamstown Theatre Festival and really did not enjoy it.

Everyman Theatre is presenting two plays in repertory: QUEENS GIRL IN THE WORLD and QUEENS GIRL IN AFRICA. Olney Theatre's wonderful MARY STUART could be labeled QUEENS GIRLS IN ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND.

I must applaud Everyman Theatre's Artistic Director Vince Lancisi for having the brilliant idea of ending its season with two plays by Caleen Sinnette Jennings in repertory: QUEENS GIRL IN THE WORLD and QUEENS GIRL IN AFRICA. What a genius!

George C. Wolfe's SPUNK was first staged at New York's Public Theater in 1990. It is based on Zora Neale Hurston's 1937 novel 'Their Eyes Were Watching God'.

Luis Salgado is quickly becoming known as an acclaimed director and choreographer. He has just returned from Germany where he served as Associate DirectorChoreographer for Cirque du Solieil's PARAMOUR. Two years ago he directed and choreographed the Helen Hayes winning musical IN THE HEIGHTS at the GALA Hispanic Theatre. He is now returning to GALA with his own version of FAME, The Musical.

Do not miss this three hour thriller about diplomacy about the Middle East makes its regional premiere.

When I left the Studio Theatre at the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center at Howard Community College in Columbia where the Rep Stage is housed, I went up to Director Joseph W. Ritsch with a big smile on my face. He told me he wanted to end their season with a comedy that audiences would enjoy. Well, mission accomplished!

I do wish I could get to more community theater. It has been too long since my last review of shows that deserve moer attention. There are a plethera of local such productions in the Baltimore/Washington area which provide affordable and entertaining theater. I recently attend the Charm City Players and their wonderful production of MAMMA MIA!

The Who's Tommy is now playing at Kennedy Center!

From the beginning strumming of the electric guitars (Manny Moreira, Jim Roberts and Paul Henry) from the fabulous Kennedy Center Orchestra's 8-piece orchestra (Joe Mowart on Drums, Geoffrey Pilkington on Horn, and on Keyboards Michael Gacetta, Anthony Nalker, and Alex Tang) I was hooked. I had a perpetual smile on my face watching this spectacular production under the Direction of Josh Rhodes who also did the superb Choreography.

I recall seeing GRAND HOTEL in its pre-Broadway incarnation at the Colonial Theatre in Boston in 1989. I took my mother and a niece. I do not have much recollection of whether I enjoyed it or not. But I do remember the late Michael Jeter's performance from the Tony Awards in 1990. He was terrific. Tommy Tune directed

Feinstein is superb in concert at the Gordon Center for Performing Arts in Owings Mills, MD.

Noted cabaret performer to bring his music to the BaltimoreWashington area.