Joan Crawford News

Staging a play by Henrik Ibsen or Anton Chekhov poses certain problems for theatre groups. On the one hand, there is a commitment to 'the classics' - and there is an opportunity for actors (especially young ones) to examine their talents and extend them in directions they have not gone before. The 'downside' is the reputation such plays have as 'talkfests,' for they are often deliberate and detailed in their construction of characters and relationships. I was reminded of this during both the performance and the intermission of Playhouse on the Square's production of Chekhov's THE SEAGULL (which, literally, follows on the 'heels' of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW). During Intermission, two couples stood next to my seat and discussed the play. With a hint of apology, one lady stated, 'The actors are very good, but I really prefer the musicals.' Yet, as I watched and listened to the play, I glanced at one audience member, leaning forward and rapt in concentration; and further down my row, another could audibly be heard gasping at the insensitivity of 'Madame Arkandina' toward her son.

The Group Rep presents the west coast premiere of Frawley Becker's searing drama 'Tiger by the Tail' directed by Jules Aaron, produced by Richard Alan Woody and Frawley Becker. The play runs today, March 6th through April 19th, Todays and Saturdays at 8PM, Sundays at 2PM, at the Lonny Chapman Theatre located at the edge of the NoHo Arts District in North Hollywood, CA.

The Group Rep presents the west coast premiere of Frawley Becker's searing drama 'Tiger by the Tail' directed by Jules Aaron, produced by Richard Alan Woody and Frawley Becker. The play runs March 6th through April 19th, Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM, Sundays at 2PM, at the Lonny Chapman Theatre located at the edge of the NoHo Arts District in North Hollywood, CA.

Tickets go on sale on tomorrow (Mon 16th Feb) for the Australian Premiere of James Kirkwood's hilarious and touching comedy Legends! The national tour of this hilarious production stars screen and stage royalty, Hayley Mills and Juliet Mills. The Australian Premiere opens in Brisbane at QPAC in May for a strictly limited season, followed by seasons in Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne.

Tickets go on sale on Monday for the Australian Premiere of James Kirkwood's hilarious and touching comedy Legends! The national tour of this hilarious production stars screen and stage royalty, Hayley Mills and Juliet Mills. The Australian Premiere opens in Brisbane at QPAC in May for a strictly limited season, followed by seasons in Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne.

Artistic director Charles Busch -- in his Lyrics & Lyricists debut -- serves up a cavalcade of stories and songs about the legendary women of Hollywood's movie musical Golden Age in 'Here's to the Girls!' this weekend, February 7, 8 and 9, 2015 at 92Y.

From a founder of the long running improvisational comedy group 'Shock of The Funny' to musical theatre, opera and performing in a Klezmer band, singer-songwriter, actress, playwright and opera aficionado Deborah Karpel, stages her autobiographical one woman show 'The Midwood Miracle' at the Bruno Walter Auditorium on February 12th and The Puffin Foundation on April 18th.

Artistic director Charles Busch -- in his Lyrics & Lyricists debut -- serves up a cavalcade of stories and songs about the legendary women of Hollywood's movie musical Golden Age in 'Here's to the Girls!' on February 7, 8 and 9, 2015 at 92Y.

Leading Australian theatre producer John Frost today announced the return to the Australian stage by stars of screen and stage, Hayley Mills and Juliet Mills. The sisters will star in a national tour of the Australian Premiere of James Kirkwood's hilarious and touching comedy Legends! which has broken box office records around the world wherever it has played.The Australian Premiere opens in Brisbane at QPAC in May for a strictly limited season, followed by seasons in Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne. Tickets are on sale from 9 February.

The Bearded Ladies Cabaret is teaming up with Bearded Extension Dito van Reigersberg on an all-musical, all-queer version of the cult classic film Mommie Dearest.

Two added performances of LYPSINKA! THE BOXED SET have just been added to the schedule: Sunday, December 21 at 7 PM and Sunday, December 28 at 3 PM.

Richard Winchester, producer and co-founder of Artfull Circle Theatre in San Francisco presents the New York return of the hilarious holiday musical comedy hit, the Drama Desk nominated Christmas with the Crawfords, playing at the Abrons Art Center. CWTC stars downtown legend Joey Arias as Joan Crawford and Project Runway's Chris March as her darling daughter Christina. Connie Champagne returns as Judy Garland - a role in which she has garnered international acclaim.

You know how those 'Saturday Night Live' skits are where it's a fantastic premise and really funny to start out but then they have no idea how to end it so it drones on and on. Well the current off-kilter holiday production out at ArtsWest is like that. Filled with gut busting laughs and wonderful musical numbers in Act One but then turns into something very different in Act Two and keeps going on and on and ends about four different times.

Tickets for the fourth annual edition of First Look, Museum of the Moving Image's showcase for inventive new international cinema, are now on sale at movingimage.us/firstlook.

Nothing says Christmas like watching Mommie Dearest descend the stairs in four inch heels, a robe, sheer pantyhose, and a smug grin of self-satisfaction.This holiday tradition is true, however, for the members of the Crawford family in StageQ's recent production of Christmas with the Crawfords written by Richard Winchester and Mark Sargent. Based loosely on the memoir made film 'Mommie Dearest' written by Joan Crawford's daughter Christina and combined with a menagerie of guest stars of a bygone era, this is a comedy just bursting with eccentricities.

As viewers shared their opinions of the broadcast through tweets and other social media, BWW has rounded up the reviews from TV critics. Check them out below to see if they believed in fairies!

This holiday season join ArtsWest and Judy Garland as they welcome you into their home for the Seattle Premiere of Judy's Scary Little Christmas.

Starring San Francisco's four top drag luminaries, Victoria Theatre presents THE GOLDEN GIRLS: THE CHRISTMAS EPISODES. The formula is reasonably straightforward. Take 4 talented drag performers, cast them in two classic Xmas episodes of the ground-breaking and uproarious TV show: THE GOLDEN GIRLS, and joviality will ensue.

Fearless Productions will present 'Legends and Bridge' by C. Stephen Foster in association with Black Box Theatre Publishing. This play is a comedy imagining former, silver screen legend Joan Crawford (matronly, washed up, and pickled on spiked Pepsi) who invites Judy Garland (recently fired from her CBS TV show) and Bette Davis (bitter at no longer being the 'Queen of Hollywood') up to her Manhattan apartment in 1964 to live with her as they work on a 'secret' film project.

This holiday season join ArtsWest and Judy Garland as they welcome you into their home for the Seattle Premiere of Judy's Scary Little Christmas.