Mark Wilson News

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Back by popular demand, the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza presents It's Magic! at the Fred Kavli Theatre, tonight, November 30, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.

Voting is now underway for St. Louis! 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.

It's Magic! has been delighting generations of families and magic enthusiasts for more than 50 years. This dazzling live stage show is unique in that it features top professional magicians from all over the world, with each act carefully selected to represent the variety of the arts of magic. The audience will see internationally recognized and award-winning magicians direct from Las Vegas and Hollywood's Magic Castle perform sleight of hand, full stage illusions and comedy. The Los AngelesTimes calls It's Magic! 'A must for magic buffs of all ages.' The all- new 2013 lineup includes Christopher Hart, Jay Johnson, Milt Larsen, Adam Trent and Rick Thomas.

The Center for Contemporary Opera (CCO), founded in 1982 and recognized as a leading proponent of new opera, will present the World Premiere of 'Oration' by Danish composer Ms. Line Tjórnhój, and three operas-in-progress at its July 20-27 season at NYC's Cell Theater, 338 West 23rd Street. Conductor/Music Director of CCO is Sara Jobin.

THE WHIPPING MAN is a fascinating and intriguing look at religion and the aftereffects of emancipation that's set in the days following the end of the Civil War. It examines a subject unfamiliar to most, and that's the fact that there were slaves on plantations that were raised in the Jewish faith. This interesting twist gives this engaging and powerful story an educational depth that both informs and entertains. Playwright Mathew Lopez's work gets its St. Louis premiere with an excellent production by the Black Rep.

Hollywood's legendary El Capitan Theatre is thrilled to present Disney's fantastical adventure "Oz The Great and Powerful" in spectacular Disney Digital 3D and Dolby Atmos, it was announced today by Lylle Breier, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Special Events for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. "Oz The Great and Powerful" will have a special advance screening for the public, with prizes, on Thursday, March 7 at 8:30 pm (doors open at 8 pm); the El Capitan engagement of "Oz The Great and Powerful" is through April 30. The film, directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum's beloved wizard character. El Capitan guests will also get to see an exclusive display of costumes from the movie.

Hollywood's legendary El Capitan Theatre will present Disney's fantastical adventure 'Oz The Great and Powerful' in spectacular Disney Digital 3D and Dolby Atmos, it was announced today by Lylle Breier, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Special Events for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. 'Oz The Great and Powerful' will have a special advance screening for the public, with prizes, on Thursday, March 7 at 8:30 pm (doors open at 8 pm); the El Capitan engagement of 'Oz The Great and Powerful' is through April 30. The film, directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum's beloved wizard character. El Capitan guests will also get to see an exclusive display of costumes from the movie.

Hollywood's legendary El Capitan Theatre will present Disney's fantastical adventure "Oz The Great and Powerful" in spectacular Disney Digital 3D and Dolby Atmos, it was announced today by Lylle Breier, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Special Events for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

CONNECTED, by Lia Romeo, is a fascinating look at the cyber world we live in today and how it directly affects our younger generation. They're growing up in a world where anything that can be captured on video can go viral, for better or worse. Romeo's work plays out in four vignettes, all of which touch on themes of loneliness and deception. Alternately amusing and heart-breaking, CONNECTED features a young and talented cast playing multiple roles.

Playwright Richard Greenberg's The Violet Hour is an engaging and intriguing mix that combines a play about a publishing house in 1919 with a Twilight Zone twist. It's this twist that makes it rise above the ordinary into something else entirely. A strong ensemble and sharp direction make this a fascinating work that's well worth your time and attention.

The dictionary defines insidious as "proceeding in a gradual way, but with harmful effects". Playwright Ibn Shabazz's work INSIDIOUS certainly follows that line of thinking, with the eponymous title character worming his way into the lives of a engaged couple Kara and Dawud. The play makes allusions to AIDS and to the way homosexuality is looked at in the African American community. But at its heart, it's a pot boiler, a pulpy work that takes a number of twists and turns before resolving itself. The Black Rep's current production is graced with solid performances and direction, and it continues through June 24, 2012.

BUG is a play that gets under your skin, burrowing into your psyche and feasting on your anxieties. It may make you restless to watch it, and you may find yourself absentmindedly scratching at imaginary itches. It's a small tale filled with big ideas, and a must-see for conspiracy theory enthusiasts and fans of grindhouse films from the 1970's. Muddy Waters Theatre presents a strong and brave cast for their current production that combines with solid direction to make for an unusually compelling experience.

Playwright Conor McPherson's THE SEAFARER plays like a Irish, whiskey-soaked poke at The Seventh Seal, with cards replacing the chess pieces. It's a wry (or should it be rye?), funny little piece, that's as dingy looking and feeling as it is raw in McPherson's approach to its dialog. The West End Players have crafted an entertaining production where redemption hinges on the vision of a myopic friend. I saw the last performance, but the next play up is an original work by Stephen Peirick, Wake Up, Cameron Dobbs, which will play February 24 - March 4, 2012.

Magic and movies are popular art forms based on make-believe. Magicians were once the world's most popular entertainers-but once cinema supplanted them, magicians quickly embraced the moving image, using it to create astonishing new illusions.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) opens its 2011-2012 Studio Theatre series with the remarkable and clever Circle Mirror Transformation by emerging Chicago playwright Annie Baker. This inventive production will be performed in the Emerson Studio Theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road (on the campus of Webster University), Webster Groves, October 26-November 13, 2011.

As we approach the 10th anniversary of 911, Blue Rose Stage Collective and River City Theatre are presenting playwright Anne Nelson's THE GUYS, which looks back at that fateful day in a most unique and diverting manner. If there's one thing this tragic day has taught us, it's to be aware and ever-vigilant, but also to remember, not just the event itself, but the brave people who gave their lives trying to rescue those poor souls trapped in the twin towers as the planes guided by terrorists struck them. It's a powerful and surprisingly, at times, light-hearted look at a particular time in our history that must never be forgotten, and this production is outstanding.

always consider it a rewarding experience when you go to see a play and you actually learn something along the way. In the case of playwright Andrew Moodie's work, THE REAL MCCOY, we're treated to a biographical account of forgotten black inventor Elijah McCoy (1844-1929). It's an intriguing and engrossing story, and when you begin to realize the obstacles this highly intelligent individual faced, it's even more compelling. The Black Rep has constructed an artful production based on the playwright's original staging, and it's a brilliant presentation deserving of your attendance.

Playwright Sarah Ruhl has crafted a brilliantly funny and touching work with IN THE NEXT ROOM OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY, a piece that's as moving, in the end, as it is hilarious and erotic. While it concerns itself with the invention of the device mentioned in the title, it's also an amusing look at all things Victorian, and acts as a send-up of the kind of societal comedies that authors like Oscar Wilde made so famous. The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis has mounted an exceptional production of this arousing play that features a marvelous cast and savvy direction.

A celebration of the Nativity Story told through the songs of the Beatles Original script and concept by Mark Wilson, Adaptation by Jason Paige and Martha Demson Songs by The Beatles, Musical Arrangements by Jason Paige and Company