Larry Gelbart News

Buck Creek Players (BCP), the award-winning all-volunteer community theater on the southeast side of Indianapolis, is today announced the 39th season of quality theater, In the Spotlight, as they present six entertaining productions for 2012-2013.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, announces that the company's acclaimed World Premiere production of The Outgoing Tide, by Bruce Graham and directed by BJ Jones, will be presented in association with Galway Arts Festival in Galway, Ireland, July 17 - 21, 2012. Cast members John Mahoney, Rondi Reed and Thomas J. Cox, are set to reprise the roles they originated in the Northlight production.

TheatreZone opens Season 8 in December with A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum. Broadway's great farce is light, fast-paced, witty, irreverent and one of the funniest musicals ever written -- the perfect escape from life's troubles. With Book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, music and lyrics by the legendary Stephen Sondheim, Forum takes comedy back to its roots, combining situations from time-tested, 2000 year old comedies of Roman playwright Plautus with the infectious energy of classic vaudeville. The result is a non-stop laugh-fest in which a crafty slave (Pseudolus) struggles to win the hand of a beautiful but slow-witted courtesan (Philia) for his young master (Hero), in exchange for freedom.

Today in 1962, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum opened at the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon Theatre), where it ran for 964 performances. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. Inspired by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus, specifically Pseudolus, Miles Gloriosus and Mostellaria, the musical tells the bawdy story of a slave named Pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by helping his young master woo the girl next door. The musical's original 1963 Broadway run won several Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Book. A Funny Thing has enjoyed several Broadway and West End revivals and was made into a successful film starring the original lead of the musical, Zero Mostel.

TheatreZone opens Season 8 in December with A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum. Broadway's great farce is light, fast-paced, witty, irreverent and one of the funniest musicals ever written -- the perfect escape from life's troubles. With Book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, music and lyrics by the legendary Stephen Sondheim, Forum takes comedy back to its roots, combining situations from time-tested, 2000 year old comedies of Roman playwright Plautus with the infectious energy of classic vaudeville. The result is a non-stop laugh-fest in which a crafty slave (Pseudolus) struggles to win the hand of a beautiful but slow-witted courtesan (Philia) for his young master (Hero), in exchange for freedom.

With stage direction by Wade Willis and musical direction by Alan D. Lytle, City of Angels, a deliciously funny spoof of 1940s film noir and hard-boiled detective fiction, opens Friday, May 4 and continues through Sunday, June 10, 2012. Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 PM, Sundays at 7:00 PM (May 6, 13 and 20), and Sunday matinees at 2:00 PM (May 13, 27 and June 3 and 10). The show sponsor is The Richard & Janet Geary Foundation.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents Ten Chimneys by Jeffrey Hatcher, directed by Artistic Director BJ Jones. The production runsMarch 9 - April 15, 2012 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd. The press opening is on Friday, March 16, 2012.

Park Square Theatre offers its first Neil Simon play, Laughter on the 23rd Floor, a semi-autobiographical romp behind the scenes at the fictional 1950s "Max Prince Show," starting June 1st. The comedy writers work to outshine each other while Max worries about the network executives and the future of his television show.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents Ten Chimneys by Jeffrey Hatcher, directed by Artistic Director BJ Jones. The production runsMarch 9 - April 15, 2012 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd. The press opening is on Friday, March 16, 2012.

The Dramatists Guild of America presents its In the Room series, broadcasting archived audio, unheard by the public since their original recording. In the Room features some of the most influential and celebrated playwrights, composers and lyricists in American theatre, sharing their insight to craft, process and personal stories behind creating some of their most celebrated work. Featured this week is a vintage interview with theatre legend Stephen Sondheim as he chats about lyrics back in 1971.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents Ten Chimneys by Jeffrey Hatcher, directed by Artistic Director BJ Jones. The production runsMarch 9 - April 15, 2012 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd. The press opening is on Friday, March 16, 2012.

Jessica Stone's production of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum will receive a Friends of Roundabout reading.

Maurer Productions OnStage brings classic laughs to the stage with the Neil Simon comedy "Laughter on the 23rd Floor" at Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre. Dates and times for this hilarious salute to the comedy writers of television's golden age are: Fridays, Jan. 27 and Feb. 3 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, Jan. 28 and Feb. 4 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on Mercer's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on Jan. 27.

Maurer Productions OnStage brings classic laughs to the stage with the Neil Simon comedy "Laughter on the 23rd Floor" at Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre. Dates and times for this hilarious salute to the comedy writers of television's golden age are: Fridays, Jan. 27 and Feb. 3 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, Jan. 28 and Feb. 4 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on Mercer's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on Jan. 27.

Maurer Productions OnStage brings classic laughs to the stage with the Neil Simon comedy "Laughter on the 23rd Floor" at Mercer County Community College's Kelsey Theatre. Dates and times for this hilarious salute to the comedy writers of television's golden age are: Fridays, Jan. 27 and Feb. 3 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, Jan. 28 and Feb. 4 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. Kelsey Theatre is located on Mercer's West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. A reception with the cast and crew follows the opening night performance on Jan. 27.

Lakewood Theatre Company will be having open auditions on SATURDAY, JAN. 21 and SUNDAY, JAN. 22, 2012 for the musical, City of Angels.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents Season's Greetings by Alan Ayckbourn, directed by Artistic Director BJ Jones.

Goodspeed Musicals delves into the sultry and shadowy world of 1940s film noir with their clever production of CITY OF ANGELS. Promising lots of laughs and plenty of jazzy tunes, this witty musical comedy ran through November 27 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. Click below to check out highlights from the production!

During the final week of Goodspeed Musicals' slick and sexy hit City of Angels, the company participated in a nightly audience appeal. To everyone's delight, this year's fundraising garnered more than $6,500 for Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS.

On Monday, November 21, Goodspeed Musicals will hold their Annual Food Drive to benefit the East Haddam Food Bank. Goodspeed will be collecting donations in the hopes that they will have another record-breaking year for participation. The need is great this year as the number of households served by the East Haddam Food Bank has more than tripled in the past couple of years.