Count this reviewer among those who, contrary to conventional musical theatre wisdom, never thought there was anything horribly wrong with Michael Stewart's original book for MACK & MABEL, the big, splashy 1974 musical about silent movie director Mack Sennett and the star he discovered, Mabel Normand.
Performances are underway for the New York City Center Encores! first show of the 2020 season- Mack & Mabel, running for seven performances February 19-23. Led by Broadway's Douglas Sills and Alexandra Socha in the title roles, the production will also star Major Attaway (Fatty Arbuckle), Michael Berresse (William Desmond Taylor), Lilli Cooper (Lottie Ames), Ben Fankhauser (Frank Wyman), Jordan Gelber (Mr. Kessel), Evan Kasprzak (Freddy), Raymond J. Lee (Andy), Kevin Ligon (Eddie), Janet Noh (Ella), and Allen Lewis Rickman (Mr. Bauman).
Performances are underway for the New York City Center Encores! first show of the 2020 season- Mack & Mabel, running for seven performances February 19-23. Led by Broadway's Douglas Sills and Alexandra Socha in the title roles, the production will also star Major Attaway (Fatty Arbuckle), Michael Berresse (William Desmond Taylor), Lilli Cooper (Lottie Ames), Ben Fankhauser (Frank Wyman), Jordan Gelber (Mr. Kessel), Evan Kasprzak (Freddy), Raymond J. Lee (Andy), Kevin Ligon (Eddie), Janet Noh (Ella), and Allen Lewis Rickman (Mr. Bauman).
Performances begin tonight for the New York City Center Encores! first show of the 2020 season- Mack & Mabel, running for seven performances February 19-23. Led by Broadway's Douglas Sills and Alexandra Socha in the title roles, the production will also star Major Attaway (Fatty Arbuckle), Michael Berresse (William Desmond Taylor), Lilli Cooper (Lottie Ames), Ben Fankhauser (Frank Wyman), Jordan Gelber (Mr. Kessel), Evan Kasprzak (Freddy), Raymond J. Lee (Andy), Kevin Ligon (Eddie), Janet Noh (Ella), and Allen Lewis Rickman (Mr. Bauman).
Rehearsals are officially underway for the New York City Center Encores! first show of the 2020 season- Mack & Mabel, running for seven performances February 19-23. Led by Broadway's Douglas Sills and Alexandra Socha in the title roles, the production will also star Major Attaway (Fatty Arbuckle), Michael Berresse (William Desmond Taylor), Lilli Cooper (Lottie Ames), Ben Fankhauser (Frank Wyman), Jordan Gelber (Mr. Kessel), Evan Kasprzak (Freddy), Raymond J. Lee (Andy), Kevin Ligon (Eddie), Janet Noh (Ella), and Allen Lewis Rickman (Mr. Bauman).
Kicking off the New York City Center Encores! season is Mack & Mabel, running for seven performances February 19-23. Led by Broadway's Douglas Sills and Alexandra Socha in the title roles, the production will also star Major Attaway (Fatty Arbuckle), Michael Berresse (William Desmond Taylor), Lilli Cooper (Lottie Ames), Ben Fankhauser (Frank Wyman), Jordan Gelber (Mr. Kessel), Evan Kasprzak (Freddy), Raymond J. Lee (Andy), Kevin Ligon (Eddie), Janet Noh (Ella), and Allen Lewis Rickman (Mr. Bauman).
Check out Broadway's Douglas Sills and Alexandra Socha, along with Rob Berman on the piano, preview 'I Won't Send Roses' from the Encores! production of Mack & Mabel.
There is no question that R. Eric Thomas has serious things to say about the state of race in our country. In a Single Carrot press release, he is quoted, for instance, as saying that the play was written now to address a?oethe scourge of white supremacy,a?? and that the play is a?oeabout priorities for the future and a way out.a?? He calls his thoughts a?oecomplicated.a?? And complicated is fine, so long as the audience is given as concrete and coherent a map of the way through that complication as Thomas can fashion. But that work has not been done.
New York City Center today announced complete casting for the Encores! production of Mack & Mabel. Joining previously announced cast members Douglas Sills as Mack Sennett and Alexandra Socha as Mabel Normand are Major Attaway (Fatty Arbuckle), Michael Berresse (William Desmond Taylor), Lilli Cooper (Lottie Ames), Ben Fankhauser (Frank Wyman), Jordan Gelber (Mr. Kessel), Evan Kasprzak (Freddy), Raymond J. Lee (Andy), Kevin Ligon (Eddie), Janet Noh (Ella), and Allen Lewis Rickman (Mr. Bauman).
A musical comedy noir, with book by Maureen Chadwick, co-creator of the original TV series, and music & lyrics by Kath Gotts (also co-creators of 'Bad Girls - The Musical'), 'Footballers' Wives - The Musical' is based around the first TV series, and follows the fall and rise of super-bitch Tanya Turner - captain's wife and old school femme fatale - as she struggles to keep her marriage afloat to footballer and lothario, Jason Turner, amidst groupies, meddling club chairmen, deception, betrayal and murder.
BroadwayWorld sat down with Cynthia Onrubia, currently directing JEROME ROBBINS' BROADWAY at TUTS to talk about recreating this iconic production for a new generation of dancers.
New York City Center today announced programming for the 2019 - 2020 season, which will include Mack and Mabel (Feb 19-23), Kurt Weill's Love Life (March 18-22) directed by Victoria Clark, and a 'new version' of Thoroughly Modern Millie (May 6-10), featuring edits by the playwright Lauren Yee and led by 2018 Tony nominee Ashley Park.
In January I had the absolute pleasure of seeing The King and I at the Morrison Center in Boise Idaho. I got to see Akina Kitazawa perform in the role of Eliza (to those who haven't seen the show she is in the second half of the show in the musical number ' The Small House of Uncle Thomas'). I got to talk to her about things from The King and I to dream roles within theatre. Her performance was absolutely one of the best parts of the show, filled with so much passion and beauty. The entire audience couldn't keep their eyes off of what was happening the entire number. Shes now in a performance with 'Theatre Under the Stars' performing 'Jerome Robbins' Broadway' which Akina will talk about throughout the interview. You can read that down below! :)
That crazy cacophony of choreographic chaos that careens across the City Center stage shortly after the commencement of Act II is the main reason for Encores! to bring back the smash hit 1947 musical comedy High Button Shoes.
The regional premiere of Chaplin has announced its principal casting. Zane Hadish will step into the shoes of Charlie Chaplin. Hadish steps into the role after his recent work on (9 to 5 and Sunday in the Park with George with RTC.) Loralee Songer will play Hannah Chaplin (Parade with RTC), Greg Smith as Mack Sennet (Pippin with RTC) and Mia Fryvecind Gimenez makes her Revival debut as Hedda Harper.
Having recently completed 700+ performances at the Lyceum, Britain's Mischief Theatre's The Play That Goes Wrong, the 2015 Olivier Award winner for Best New Comedy, follows a trail blazed less than ten years ago by AVENUE Q, to become the sixth production to follow a hit Broadway run with a move to Off-Broadway's new World Stages.
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) features prolific composer/conductor Matthias Pintscher leading his own work, Transir for Flute & Orchestra, with noted flutist Henrik Heide, on Saturday, March 2, 8 pm, at the Alex Theatre, and Sunday, March 3, 2019, 7 pm, at Royce Hall.
Prolific composer/conductor Matthias Pintscher curates Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra's (LACO) SESSION, an innovative performance experience, in collaboration with Four Larks, on Thursday February 28, 8 pm, at Mack Sennett Studios in Silverlake. Designed to explore classical music's cutting-edge sounds and challenge traditional concert-going expectations, the evening features two works by Pintscher, Study II for Treatise on the Veil, a string trio inspired by painter Cy Twombly's art works, and Uriel, for cello and piano, the third part of his 'Profiles of Light' cycle. Also on the program are three-time Grammy Award-winning soprano Michelle DeYoung and LACO artists performing Ravel's Three Poemes de Stephane Mallarme; Berg's Four pieces for clarinet and piano; Grisey's surreal Stele for two percussionists and Xenakis's Rebonds A, a tour-de-force for solo percussion. SESSION includes a 'hang' with the artists, and premium tickets include parking and one drink as well. Mack Sennett Studios, where artists like Martin Scorsese, David Lynch, Lady Gaga, John Legend, Donna Summer and Jay-Z have performed, is a historic facility that serves as a soundstage, event space and a hub for a variety of cultural producers.