Nominees for the 2014 LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards were announced on the evening of Monday, September 22 at Native Voices at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles. The nominations were revealed by past Ovation Award recipients Gigi Bermingham, Brighid Fleming, Parmer Fuller, Jennifer Haley, Brian Kite, Glynn Turman, and John Zalewski, along with LA STAGE Alliance Chief Executive Officer Terence McFarland.
I see them occasionally - white shirts (usually with pockets), black trousers, clean-shaven, and cradling folders and totes. They often are on a corner; at times, they are walking through the parking lots of apartment complexes. They are unfailingly polite; more often than not, they respect our 'Puh-lease'-don't-bother-me looks or our efforts to look as if more important business is calling us elsewhere. These sweet-natured people are usually more interested in our welfare than we ourselves are, and, well, that's nice.
How do you take a devout, sacred religion like Mormonism, pack in a bunch of old, Ohio conservatives, and somehow manage to have them laughing in stitches on topics like female circumcision, rape, AIDS, and homosexuality? That's the genius of South Park writers, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with AVENUE Q co-creator Robert Lopez, who accomplished just that. With 9 Tony Awards under its belt (holding in the maggots), THE BOOK OF MORMON is a truly brilliant creation of musical comedy, combining shamelessly offensive language with a generous heartfelt story, uplifting songs, terrific choreography, and quick wit. Continuous tornado sirens on opening press night didn't stop Ohioans from cramming in the Ohio Theatre to worship this truly amazing production.
It's difficult to argue with anyone who says that Providence Performing Arts Center has had a spectacular season. You'd be hard pressed to find such an impressive collection of musical productions brought together during a single season anywhere. Of course, this is just what organizations like PPAC do, they put together impressive seasons filled with stunning theatrical spectacles, from newer shows, like Once and Ghost: The Musical, to all-time Broadway favorites like Phantom of the Opera and Man of La Mancha. The season ends on another high note with one last smash hit Broadway musical, both critically acclaimed and a fan-favorite, The Book of Mormon.
Washington theatre celebrated its highest honors for achievement at the 30th Annual Helen Hayes Awards tonight, April 21, 2014 at the National Building Museum. Scroll down for the full list of winners!
This tour is quite well done, with strong vocals for the leads. Evans nails 'I Believe' and Ncube shows a lovely soprano in her national tour debut. O'Neill, making his professional debut, shows solid comic ability as the awkward Cunningham
So, after trashing Mormonism, and by implication most other faiths (since most have foundational myths about as likely-sounding as the LDS ones, and taboos that are no less but also no more sensible than those which restrain the Mormons), there are two natural places to end up. One would be in some kind of existential humanism, the other in some kind of existential despair. But the creators don't want to go either place. So they have to fudge it, with a huge spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down and a philosophically confused but dramatically permissible twist. There is some kind of reason for the whole cast and the audience to be exultant at the end.
Rehearsals begin tomorrow, February 11, 2014, for Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman's 'Harmony,' A New Musical, which opens March 12, 2014, at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre and plays through April 13. (Previews begin March 4.)
Sometimes a new, much talked about Broadway play is well deserving of the hype. Case in point: Venus in Fur. The play, by the brilliant David Ives, was the talk of New York back in 2011, largely in part to the Tony Award winning performance from Nina Arianda. Since becoming available to regional theaters, companies all over the nation have been scrambling to get the rights to produce this naughty little crowd-pleaser.
Full casting is set for Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman's "Harmony," a new musical, opening March 12, 2014, at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre and playing through April 13. (Previews begin March 4).
Now that New Year's Eve celebrations are behind us, my favorite time of the theatre year is upon us. In late winter and early spring, theaters all around Houston start unveiling their upcoming seasons, in hopes of keeping current season subscribers and gaining new ones. Kicking off this annual season of unveiling is Gexa Energy's Broadway at the Hobby Center 2014-2015 Season announcement.
Waiting for the lights to dim, I heard a few mumbles of "there's a lot of bad language in this show," "does it bother you?" and even "I've heard some people walk out!" If the standing ovation as bows had barely begun at the end of the show were any indication, not many, if any, walked out and everyone loved the show.
Votes are cast; polls are closed; and results have been tabulated! This was our biggest year yet! After a record number of voters in more than 50 regions worldwide, BroadwayWorld is very excited to announce the 2013 Boston winners! Thanks to all who voted, and huge congratulations to all the winners!
Voting is now underway for Boston! 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 Boston! 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.
Soul Theatre, due to unforeseen personal developments, has decided to cancel the run of Blasted Fool: Hamlet, Hope and the Madness in Our Blood, playing at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., Dec. 19 - Jan. 5, 2014.
Soul Theatre, is proud to announce the one-woman play, Blasted Fool: Hamlet, Hope and the Madness in Our Blood, playing at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., tonight, Dec. 19 - Jan. 5, 2014.
A musical production of 'Wind in the Willows' is now at Two Rivers Theater through December 29th. Audiences will revel in the opportunity to enjoy this holiday show.
