Playhouse on the Square is proud to announce our 25th anniversary production of the beloved classic Peter Pan! Wendy, Michael, and John Darling are in for the adventure of their lives when Peter Pan comes swooping into their nursery one seemingly average night. Featuring songs such as "I Gotta Crow" and "I'm Flying," this timeless tale of fun, adventure, and of course, never growing up is the perfect holiday treat for audiences of all ages.
On August 12th, Playhouse on the Square's 48th season opens with the smash-hit musical Mamma Mia!
The actors in this Circuit Playhouse production, directed by Bob Hetherington, are uniformly excellent, if overly energized.
Best described as a grownup's prequel to Peter Pan, Peter and the Starcatcher begins when young starcatcher-in-training, Molly, meets an orphan boy longing for a home of his own. Together, the duo embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. Join them as they discover how the captain got that famous hook, how a young boy named Peter became the boy who wouldn't grow up, and how one courageous young woman can change the fate of the world. A dozen talented actors play over 100 different characters in this Tony Award-winning play with music that is sure to have you leaving the theatre grinning from ear-to-ear.
When Director and Co-Choreographer Jordan Nichols first saw and enjoyed MEMPHIS THE MUSICAL, he knew that he just had to stage a production in the city itself; as polished and entertaining as it was, it needed just a little something . . . 'an infusion of Memphis grit.' In Playhouse on the Square's powerful, pulsating production of the musical, he has achieved just that. Memphians are very proud and protective of their musical heritage, and though originators Joe DiPietro and David Bryan have not attempted to portray real persons and events, their knowledge of the early 'rock and roll' era and its personalities has resulted in a satisfying approximation. Having few musical gifts outside a kazoo, I could nonetheless play 'Six Degrees of Elvis Presley' with some confidence: My third cousin was Bill Black, bassist for Elvis Presley in those early days; and my first cousin's brother-in-law was cult rockabilly musician Charlie Feathers ('Tongue-tied Jill'). I remember enjoying disc jockey Dewey Phillips (on whom MEMPHIS protagonist 'Huey Calhoun' is based) and his outsized personality, and anyone with any knowledge of Sun Studios and the early careers of Jerry Lee Lewis (who shocked an older generation with his marriage to a younger cousin), Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley know that these artists came from humble ('cracker,' in the play) beginnings. These icons always acknowledged their debt to black gospel and blues musicians. All of that, together with racism and interracial relationships, surfaces in MEMPHIS.
?Inspired by actual events, Memphis centers around a white disc jokey, Huey, who wants to change the world, and black club singer, Felicia, who is ready for her big break. Their incredible story takes them to the ends of the airwaves and on a journey filled with laughter, emotion, and a whole lot of Memphis soul.
If you decide to attend Circuit Playhouse's production of PAGEANT in the next few weeks, and if you find yourself blushing at some of the eyebrow-raising humor, there's no need for alarm: Pink cheeks will blend right in, as the stage, many of the dresses and gowns, and much of the make-up are redolent with that color. However, the musical tends more toward the 'purple' at times, with innuendo, knowing looks, and pregnant pauses. Nonetheless, Robert Longbottom's lightweight little satire (with Book and Lyrics by Bill Russell and Frank Kelly and Music by Albert Evans) is a relatively harmless (and highly enjoyable) outing.
Pageant is back at The Circuit Playhouse by popular demand! This laugh-a-minute musical experience is like no beauty pageant you've ever seen before, as six beautiful woMEN vie for the title of Miss Glamouresse. Watch these handsome contestants compete in swimsuit, talent, gown, and spokesmodel categories. Judges are selected from the audience, so no two performances are the same!
?Playhouse on the Square, now in its 47th Season, is accepting scripts for the 4th Annual "NewWorks@TheWorks" Competition.
During the Holiday Season, theatregoers looking to dodge 'fairy dust' and seek for something beyond the shadow of the Ghost of Christmas Future might as well have a Christmas stocking with a hole in it. Occasionally, the 'grownups' might find something like the dark and challenging THE SEAFARER, which played to meager audiences a few years back at Circuit; despite an exceptional cast (Tony Isbell, Jim Palmer, et al) and a fine production, this beautiful little play failed to bring in the audiences (it was one of my favorite theatrical experiences). The result is that PETER PAN, A TUNA CHRISTMAS, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, and all their Yuletide ilk pretty much dominate the stages -- and why not? They are delightful experiences, eliciting all the joy and sentimentality one craves as the 25th approaches. However, for those who gag on eggnog, Playhouse on the Square has squeezed out a few performances of I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE, the 'slice of life' musical with Book and Lyrics by Joe DiPietro and Music by Jimmy Roberts. Ironically, it's Playhouse's 'gift' to those who prefer to leave their Christmas spirit at home.
Whether it's fruitcake or eggnog, people love their traditions during the Holiday Season -- and you'd better not disappoint. Memphians are accustomed to cranky 'Ebeneezer Scrooge' hoarding his coins at Theatre Memphis, and in midtown, we're resigned to A TUNA CHRISTMAS at Circuit and PETER PAN at Playhouse on the Square. Just last year, I had seen two -- yes, TWO -- productions of the latter: The version done live on NBC (with an off-center, almost 'sleep walking' Christopher Walken as 'Captain Hook') and the marvelous version directed and choreographed by Jordan Nichols and Travis Bradley at Playhouse. The Playhouse featured players were the unique Morgan Howard (as 'Peter') and the versatile David Foster (as a 'Jack Sparrow'-like 'Hook'); they were alternating the roles with Carly Crawford and Bill Andrews. I am happy to report that I finally was able to see Ms. Crawford and Mr. Andrews assay those roles, and they were equally inspired casting choices (but more about that later).
Memphis' favorite Lost Boy is returning to the Playhouse on the Square stage! Join the Darling children as they adventure to Neverland and meet the terrible pirate Captain Hook, the beautiful Tiger Lily, and the clever fairy Tinkerbell. A trip to Neverland with Peter and his friends will make you feel like a kid again this holiday season. PETER PAN runs November 20th, 2015 - January 10th, 2016.
There are the warhorse musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin; there are the lavish productions befitting Phantoms in opera houses and French revolutionaries and revisionist fairy tales (and you know the ones I mean); there are the Disney powerhouses; and . . . there are musicals of a quaint, mind-nudging nature that don't quite fit into any category. Certainly THE FANTASTICKS comes to mind, and -- at least in the previous productions I have seen -- Stephen Schwartz's PIPPIN. Somewhere in my video collection is a filmed version of the musical with William Katt, and just a few years ago PIPPIN was the first musical staged at the shiny, new Playhouse on the Square (with Alvaro Francisco stepping in for a sidelined Jordan Nichols). I sometimes think that small-scale musicals are better suited to venues less grand than the Orpheum; I needn't have worried, however, as PIPPIN has acquired the kind of theatrical, Cirque du Soleil-style atmosphere that perfectly suits the show's opening number, 'Magic to Do.'
Memphis' favorite Lost Boy is returning to the Playhouse on the Square stage! Join the Darling children as they adventure to Neverland and meet the terrible pirate Captain Hook, the beautiful Tiger Lily, and the clever fairy Tinkerbell. A trip to Neverland with Peter and his friends will make you feel like a kid again this holiday season. PETER PAN runs November 20th, 2015 - January 10th, 2016.
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change is on stage this holiday season at Playhouse on the Square! Told through a series of vignettes, this fast paced musical celebrates the ups and downs behind contemporary relationships.
Memphis' favorite Lost Boy is returning to the Playhouse on the Square stage! Join the Darling children as they adventure to Neverland and meet the terrible pirate Captain Hook, the beautiful Tiger Lily, and the clever fairy Tinkerbell. A trip to Neverland with Peter and his friends will make you feel like a kid again this holiday season.
A delightful adaptation of four of Barbara Park's best-selling books brought to life in a genuinely comical musical. We follow the sassy little diva, Junie B. Jones, and her adventures in first grade. As Junie B. starts first grade, a lot of things have changed for her: her friend Lucille doesn't want to be her best pal anymore, and on the bus, Junie B. makes friends with Herb, the new kid at school. Also, Junie B. has trouble reading the blackboard, and her teacher, Mr. Scary, thinks she may need glasses. Throw in a friendly cafeteria lady, a kickball tournament, and a "Top-Secret Personal Beeswax Journal," and first grade has never been more exciting.
Take a trip to Barbra's basement.
The first Circuit Playhouse show of the 2015 - 2016 season is the hit comedy Buyer and Cellar. This one-man show explores the world of Alex More, a struggling L.A. actor who accepts a job working in Barbra Streisand's basement. Hilarity ensues when, one day, Barbara herself comes downstairs to play. This outrageous, smart, and award winning comedy examines the cult of celebrity in such a way that The New Yorker raves that it is "so delightful that you wish it were true."
The first Circuit Playhouse show of the 2015 - 2016 season is the hit comedy Buyer and Cellar. This one-man show explores the world of Alex More, a struggling L.A. actor who accepts a job working in Barbra Streisand's basement. Hilarity ensues when, one day, Barbara herself comes downstairs to play. This outrageous, smart, and award-winning comedy examines the cult of celebrity in such a way that The New Yorker raves that it is 'so delightful that you wish it were true.'
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