Plenty News

The globally acclaimed ABODE team continues to step things up across the board and have plenty of bold plans for 2020. Chief amongst them is the always sold out annual festival ABODE in the Park, which this year takes place on August Bank Holiday weekend at the Olympic Park in East London, and the first headliners announced are Marco Carola and Solardo, with tickets on sale now at www.abodeinthepark.com. Aside from that, there are also mouth-watering parties to look forward to at London's iconic Tobacco Dock, special Ibiza weekenders, ABODE on the Rock in Malta, and fast growing new events in the United States and Mexico this spring. 

Going into a show titled Emojiland, you're probably not expecting allegories about immigration, politics, mental illness, and the ups and downs of the human condition. Surprise! Keith Harrison and Laura Schein have created a musical that's remarkably straightforward and thoughtful underneath its gimmicky, colorful exterior. The score is alternately silly and insightful, making it a genuinely delightful listening experience.

Having taken a whole host of British comedians to Barbados for The Cobbler's Cove Comedy Festival in January and enjoyed great success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where she received 4-star reviews and was shortlisted to the final three for the Funny Women Awards in the Best Show Of 2019 category, Melinda Hughes will be back on stage at Crazy Coqs at Live At Zedels in Piccadilly in March and May this year.

Hot on the heels of the release of their latest album, 20/20 Vision, political punk icons Anti-Flag are set to return to the road in North America beginning March 11 in Ottawa, ON. The tour runs through May 30 in Seattle and includes the band's ANTIfest on March 28 in their hometown of Pittsburgh, PA. ANTIfest is the band's very own festival they have hosted in various locations — mainly in Europe and UK — since 2012. 

Backed by the DC area's own incredible pianist Howard Breitbart on piano, Perry Cavari on drums, and Dylan Shamat on bass, Norm impressed from beginning to end, making the trip to the Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater well worth the trip.

Interestingly adapted by Robert Icke, from Arthur Schnitzler's 1912 play, Professor Bernhardi.

Providence theatre-goers have the opportunity to spend considerable time in 18th century France this spring--both at Trinity Rep's A Tale of Two Cities, and now at Brown/Trinity's MFA production of MARIE ANTOINETTE.  Seeing both productions back-to-back makes for an interesting juxtaposition as Tale of Two Cities takes us into the lives of the over-taxed working class, and MARIE ANTOINETTE takes us into the opulent palace that those taxes built.  While Marie Antoinette is not exactly an empathetic figure, it's easy to see why movies and plays are produced about her life. Excess -- in fashion, wealth, and consumption of all kinds -- makes for a visually spectacular extravaganza, and this production leans into that in the most delightful way.

MAC Award-winning duo Ray DeForest and Doris Dear are nominees again this year and Stephen Mosher just had to talk with them about their life together, how they came into being, and what it is that makes the perfect American housewife.

Playwright Christina R Chan has been developing a new work, The Fortune Teller, which will have a premiere staged reading through one of TC Squared Theatre Company's Playwright Salons on March 1. This follows after her 2017 finalist entry for the Eugene O'Neill Play Conference, which also started as a reading in TC Squared's salon. I got to chat with Chan as well as TC Squared artistic director Rosalind Thomas-Clark about how The Fortune Teller has grown and developed through the Playwrights' Lab.

16th Street Theater will present the limited run of Steven Strafford's METHTACULAR! directed by Adam Fitzgerald performing March 19 - April 4, 2020 at North Berwyn Park District's 16th Street Theater, 6420 16th Street in Berwyn. Press opening is Thursday, March 19 at 7:30 PM.

J. Mark McVey's reference point was Broadway (mostly) with some bombast, with a band and guests, while Alexis Cole showed that less can be more with relaxed, classy jazz stylings.

Trustus Theatre will continue their 35th Anniversary Season and their 'In the Round' series with the production of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.

Today, the Austin, TX-based country rock band Reckless Kelly released “North American Jackpot,” the first single and title track from their upcoming album American Jackpot (out May 22 alongside their album American Girls). The song will be available everywhere tomorrow but you can hear it now on Taste of Country.

Hot off the Captain's table! There's just over a month until Sasha Regan's award-winning All-Male company docks at Wilton's Music Hall for another nautical adventure! The much-loved crew of All-Male H.M.S. PINAFORE downs anchor at Wilton's from 15th April - 9th May before setting sail to Bath, Winchester, Cambridge and Exeter.

The Museum of Pop Culture today announced the October opening of Heroes and Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume in partnership with the Walt Disney Archives. Through more than 70 original items including ball gowns, sorcerers' capes, military uniforms, tiaras, and of course glass slippers, the exhibition immerses visitors into the world of Disney and shows how our understanding of its iconic characters is shaped through the artistry and creativity of its costumes. Watch for more information on their website.

On Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 8 pm and Sunday, March 22, 2020 at 4 pm, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) welcomes virtuoso violinist Stefan Jackiw to the Richardson Auditorium stage on the campus of Princeton University. Mr. Jackiw performs Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor on a program with the US premiere of Princeton-based composer Julian Grant's work a?'a??a??a?? (Five Generations - One House) and a performance of Ludwig Van Beethoven's Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36 in honor of the composer's 250th birthday. Edward T. Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov conducts.

Just last week, the Eastern Caribbean got a great big dose of Broadway when Seth's Big Fat Broadway Cruise took over the Celebrity Equinox. Broadway favorite Seth Rudetsky was joined by Beth Leavel, Christine Pedi an Lillias White for an exotic cruise from Fort Lauderdale to San Juan, Nassau and more! Now Seth looks back on favorite moments from this latest Caribbean adventure!

Grand Rapids Pops has announced the shows coming to its stage in its 2020-21 season.

WE'RE GONNA DIE officially opened tonight at Second Stage Theater Read the reviews!