Monica Lynn Passley News

Robert Louis Stevenson's novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has long enthralled readers. The exploration of man's internal struggle to suppress his base animal instincts in favor of society's expected propriety in addition to the examination of good and evil simply fascinates audiences. Similarly, JEKYLL & HYDE, a musical adaptation of the novel by Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse, has been appealing to audiences since its 1990 Houston World Premiere. Currently, Fort Bend Theatre is producing the musical with dazzling pizzazz despite their shoestring budget and the limitations of community theatre.

This past weekend, I had the distinct pleasure of discovering the Greater Houston Area's best kept secret. Ever since The Masquerade Theatre announced they were permanently closing on April 27, 2012, I have been going through Masquerade withdrawals. Other theatre groups, namely Michael J. Ross' Music Box Musicals among others, have sprung up in their absence and offer musical productions of the quality and caliber to fill the void that was left. As good as these productions are, they just aren't the same. Of course, Sunday's closing performance of Jason Robert Brown's SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD at The Masquerade Theatre's Artistic Director Phillip Duggins' Zack's Mac Shack, a new restaurant and cabaret performance space, in Galveston, Texas wasn't the same either, but it was pretty close.

Theatre Southwest is currently presenting THE OLDEST PROFESSION by Paula Vogel, who is known for her decidedly strong, controversial works like HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE that examines incest and THE BALTIMORE WALTZ that is about AIDS. In THE OLDEST PROFESSION, she gives audiences a chance to see a softer side of her writing, using prostitution as a way to explore the community of sisterhood while weaving in dated but humorous political zingers (i.e. "This is America where any girl can start in the alley and wind up a madam!") disparaging the economic boom and decline that began with President Reagan's 80s. In the end, this show is really about the passing of businesses, clients, and our close friends and how we deal with that loss as a community.

After attending Noah Haidle's MR. MARMALADE, I can't recall the last time I saw something so delightfully irreverent and hilarious, and I honestly loved every moment of it. Leaving Country Playhouse, my sides truly ached from laughing so much.