For anyone who’s seen Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, a lot of the familiar story beats remain here. However, this local production by Encore Performing Arts takes a unique approach to their mounting of this stage musical.
“The sun'll come out, tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there'll be sun…” If you are now belting out this tune in your living room, then you are not alone. The song, from the classic musical ANNIE, is one that has captured hearts ever since it was first heard when this uplifting show premiered at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, CT (shout out to my friends at the Goodspeed – my favorite theatre from my days in Connecticut). Today, almost 50 years later, this musical still has the power to thrill, to excite, and yes, even to heal. And on stage at Theatre South Playhouse in Dr. Phillips, ANNIE feels fresh, fun, and fantastic – and demonstrates why this timeless tale of one little girl’s power to change the world with a little thing called hope is more relevant, today, than ever.
Encore! Performing Arts’ production of HELLO, DOLLY! leans heavily into the relentless optimism and good time that’s made the musical a classic. They’ve crafted together a show which takes advantage of every aspect of its production, from the costumes to the orchestrations to the simple power of a Look from the lead.
In times of turmoil, oppression, and uncertainty, how do people cope? How do they find joy, hope, and freedom when all seems hopeless? In the early 1930’s many of the citizens of Berlin found ways to escape the realities of life and the rise of the Nazi party by visiting one of the many cabarets in the city where they could leave their troubles at the door and partake in the debauchery of the latest avant garde entertainment. Today, however, in 2024, a visit to the Kit Kat Klub of CABARET, the latest offering from Titusville Playhouse, provides such an escape but with an important cautionary tale about the dangers of extremism and the real consequences of not taking them seriously.
Cabaret runs April 19 through May 12 at the Titusville Playhouse. Check out all new photos here!
Get a first look at The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical at Orlando Family Stage. Learn how to purchase tickets.
One of the things that I love the most about musical theatre as an artform is that the genre contains multitudes. From a thrilling, bombastic and electrifying show that takes your breath away to a quieter, more introspective and emotionally devastating production, and everything in between, they are all musicals. And sometimes, a production just feels comfortable – like a favorite chair, seated by a fire on a cold winter evening – making you feel safe and putting a satisfied smile on your face. That is the case with the recent hit Broadway musical - BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL which is now playing at Titusville Playhouse in Titusville, FL through February 18th. This crowd-pleasing show transports its audience to the world of 1960s songwriting and brings them along for the rise of a music legend. And in Titusville Playhouse's highly capable hands, this vibrant production captures perfectly the spirit of Carole King's storied journey, from her early days as a Brooklyn teenager to her meteoric ascent as a solo artist and does so with polish and pizzazz.
Get a first look at Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at The Titusville Playhouse.
It's the final week left to vote for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Orlando Awards! Voting ends on 12/31 at midnight. Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!
There's just two weeks left to vote and we have the latest standings as of Monday, December 18th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Orlando Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!
It's the final 3 weeks and we have the latest standings as of Monday, December 11th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Orlando Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!
It's December, and the first standings of the month have been announced as of Tuesday, December 5th for the 2023 BroadwayWorld Orlando Awards! Don't miss out on making sure that your favorite theatres, stars, and shows get the recognition they deserve!
Musicals that are adapted from previous works, including books and film, can be hit or miss. But sometimes, there is something magical about exploring a new way of telling a familiar story that elevates elements you missed while also bringing to life on stage favorite moments. This is the case with MATILDA THE MUSICAL – a show based on the beloved Roald Dahl novel and adapted for the stage by Dennis Kelly (Book) and Tim Minchin (Music and Lyrics). And in its latest production of MATILDA THE MUSICAL (a second mounting, after producing a sold out run of the show back in 2019), Theatre South Playhouse delivers an energetic, exciting, thoroughly entertaining and captivating evening (or afternoon) of theatre that is sure to please audiences of all ages.
An ecumenical speaker series where leaders in the church and the academy share “the talk of their lives” in 20 minutes or less, TheoEd aims to spark conversations that change the way people think about God, religion, and the power of faith to change lives. Learn more about the upcoming series here!
Encore Performing Arts has a long and varied history of selecting projects for their appeal to the audience, both within the immediacy of the moment, as well as in the endurance it will hold in the memory for years to come.
URINETOWN: THE MUSICAL may not be the most appealing title for a show, but it has proven over the last 20+ years since its journey to Broadway (scoring ten Tony nominations and three awards) that it can be a real crowd pleaser, despite the unfortunate title (and unique subject matter). With music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann and book and lyrics by Greg Kotis, URINETOWN is that rare breed of musical – a tuneful and entertaining satirical comedy with a deeper commentary on the state of the world. And for Theatre South Playhouse in Dr. Phillips this production is a long time coming – as they were poised to open a production of the show in March 2020. So, just like the characters in URINETOWN, you might say the theatre company has been “holding it” for three years (sorry, I couldn’t resist). And the wait seems totally worth it for this production delivers a funny, entertaining and rollicking good time from beginning to the very last “flush.”
Waiting In The Wings: The Musical was an multi-award winning film that played in festivals throughout the world, including in Africa, Canada, Australia, and Germany. The film included many film icons, including Shirley Jones, Lee Meriwether, Sally Struthers, and Christopher Atkins.
“I haven’t laughed so much in my life,” the audience member me behind remarked as curtains drew to a close. A fellow patron to my right turned around and declared, “Neither have I!” The two instantly bonded over how much they loved SORDID LIVES, a self-proclaimed “black comedy about white trash” - the latest production from Encore! Performing Arts.
The winners have been announced for the 2022 BroadwayWorld Orlando Awards, honoring the best in regional productions, touring shows, and more which had their first performance between October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022.
What do you get when you build a musical around the catalog of hit music from an immensely popular artist with over 60 albums and 67 singles over the last 53 years? You get Jimmy Buffett’s ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE – a colorful, tune-filled romp which is light on plot but heavy on fun all set in the Caribbean sand and now playing through February 12th at the Titusville Playhouse in Titusville, FL.
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