Michael Bernard News

Surfside Youth Players of Cocoa Beach present DISNEY'S ARISTOCATS (Kids), December 18 and 19, 2015, directed by Eva Knowles.

The feature length animated film, THE ARISTOCATS (1970), was the last project Walt Disney approved before his death in 1966. My son and I watched it several years ago on DVD, when he was just a little tyke. And then, in 2010 we attended Stages St. Louis' wonderful production of the show. Five years later I was little hesitant to bring him to their latest presentation, just because he's that much older, but I think he actually enjoyed it more the second time around. He's now at an age where he can really appreciate the work that goes into bringing these shows to the stage. He loved the performances and music, and so did I. Stages has put together an excellent show that, obviously, has appeal for kids of all ages (and adults as well), and it's currently gracing the stage of The Westport Playhouse. I think the intimacy of the venue acts to enhance the experience, bringing the audience that much closer to the action.

STAGES St. Louis has announced its 29th season, a celebration of diversity, friendship, and community! The 2015 season launches with the Grammy award-winning sensation SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE, a rousing homage to classic rock 'n' roll, and the celebrated song catalog of Leiber and Stoller.

With over 100 U.S. cities and 30 international regions featured on our site, we have so many exciting theatre happenings around our Broadway World! Below, we've highlighted our top 10 stories from this week. Check out the roundup below!

While Nixon's blustering is made somewhat ridiculous by his impending political impotence, this type of disquieting abuse of power reminds the audience how natural political corruption becomes when those in power are left unchecked.

C-Span may be boring, but presenting the intricacies of the political engine via theatre has the perpetual potential for dramatic greatness.

STAGES St. Louis announces its exhilarating 29th season, a celebration of diversity, friendship, and community! The 2015 season launches with the Grammy award-winning sensation SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE, a rousing homage to classic rock 'n' roll, and the celebrated song catalog of Leiber and Stoller. We continue with the tap happy Broadway classic ANYTHING GOES, a chic and sophisticated voyage across the Atlantic featuring the witty and romantic songs of Cole Porter. One of Broadway's recent hits, THE FULL MONTY, caps off the season with its powerful message of family, friendship, and community. The fun begins May 29 and continues through October 4, 2015. In addition, the 2015 season Theatre for Young Audiences production will feature Disney's THE ARISTOCATS, beginning June 17.

Oprah Winfrey Network announced today the network's fall premiere schedule, which includes two new original series plus all-new episodes of returning favorites beginning this September.

HELP DESK is an all-new series hosted by award-winning journalist and filmmaker Gotham Chopra, Deepak Chopra's son

Fountain Hills Theater is proud to present its 2014-15 seasons for its three venues, Mainstage, Mainstage Too! and Youth Theater. For additional information call Patty Torrilhon at 480-837-9661 or email patty@fhtaz.org.

SCI-FEST, the 1st Annual Los Angeles Science Fiction One-Act Play Festival premieres at The ACME Theatre (135 N. La Brea Avenue) featuring two different, riveting evenings ('A' and 'B' rotating weekly) of new and classic sci fi works. Evening 'A' premieres tonight, May 6. Evening 'B' premieres Tuesday, May 13. Performances will run Tuesdays - Saturdays @ 8 PM; Sundays at 3 PM through June 1, 2014.

SCI-FEST, the 1st Annual Los Angeles Science Fiction One-Act Play Festival premieres at The ACME Theatre (135 N. La Brea Avenue) featuring two different, riveting evenings ('A' and 'B' rotating weekly) of new and classic sci fi works. Evening 'A' premieres Tuesday, May 6. Evening 'B' premieres Tuesday, May 13. Performances will run Tuesdays - Saturdays @ 8 PM; Sundays at 3 PM through June 1, 2014.

Kuwana Haulsey, bestselling novelist and author of the recent Everything I Needed to Know I Learned From My Six-Month-Old: Awakening to Unconditional Self-Love in Motherhood, was recently interviewed on Motherhood Later... Than Sooner on writing and her children.

eattle author Molly McCord is seeing her book topping the Amazon charts at #2 in the Memoirs: Adventurers and Explorers category next to Twelve Years A Slave by Solomon Northrup and the longstanding favorite from Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love. The Art of Trapeze is currently rising in popularity alongside Oprah's recent recommendations: Twelve Steps to Compassion by Karen Armstrong, The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer, and Deepak Chopra's latest, What Are You Hungry For?

David Mezzapelle will be featured as a special guest on Fran Tarkenton's Sirius XM radio show to explore the benefits Contagious Optimism (Viva Editions 2013) today, July 27. Fran Tarkenton, a famous professional football player, television and radio personality, and software executive, is himself a born optimist. The two entrepreneurs will discuss positive forward thinking, and how optimism can translate to success. Tarkenton founded the Small Biz Club, an organization with a commitment to helping small business owners get their companies off the ground, and the Hall-of-Famer feels that a positive attitude is vital to succeeding in business.

David Mezzapelle will be featured as a special guest on Fran Tarkenton's Sirius XM radio show to explore the benefits Contagious Optimism (Viva Editions 2013) this Saturday July 27. Fran Tarkenton, a famous professional football player, television and radio personality, and software executive, is himself a born optimist. The two entrepreneurs will discuss positive forward thinking, and how optimism can translate to success. Tarkenton founded the Small Biz Club, an organization with a commitment to helping small business owners get their companies off the ground, and the Hall-of-Famer feels that a positive attitude is vital to succeeding in business.

Any investor knows that a robust future grows from seeds planted today. The lesson isn't lost on Rubicon Theatre Company, whose YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL kicks off its fourth fete at Rubicon this Memorial Day Weekend.

Any investor knows that a robust future grows from seeds planted today. The lesson isn't lost on Rubicon Theatre Company, whose YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL kicks off its fourth fete at Rubicon this Memorial Day Weekend.

Any investor knows that a robust future grows from seeds planted today. The lesson isn't lost on Rubicon Theatre Company, whose YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL kicks off its fourth fete at Rubicon this Memorial Day Weekend.

Everybody wants to be a cat in Jefferson Performing Arts Society's Theatre Kids! production of the musical Disney's ARISTOCATS, KIDS! (Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman and Al Rinker and Floyd Huddleston . Music Adapted and Arranged and Additional Music and Lyrics by Bryan Louiselle .