Steven Ross News

'Songs for a New World' at Birmingham Festival Theatre is a very intimate performance with powerful vocals and surprises. The take away is to embrace the power of unity, hope and resilience. We all have struggles that seem to be too much to bear. This wonderful show shares the truth that you are not alone, and you are stronger than you think.

Cirque du Soleil and its current hit production, VOLTA, now playing under the Big Top at Soldier Field, takes inspiration from the City's 2019 Year of Chicago Theatre with a vibrant, larger-than-life animated projection as part of the popular public art program Art on theMART, the largest permanent digital art projection in the world.  Click here for a preview.

The regional premiere of Head Over Heels rocked The Ringwald from May 13 through June 10.

Reaching for the American dream while adjusting to living under prejudice is exposed by Alfred Uhry's 'The Last Night of Ballyhoo' at South City Theatre. This Tony award winning play is a touching, relatable, and revealing look at the cost of acceptance. The story peels back the layers to expose the complicated dynamics of a Jewish American family living in Atlanta in the 1930's.

With Pride Week approaching, Birmingham Festival Theatre is on time with offering an emotional and striking production of Robert Anderson's 1953 drama 'Tea and Sympathy.' Set at an all boys' school in the early 1950's, the show tackles the fear, insecurity and the eventual anger that people under persecution face. The teenage boys attending the school are written with an amped jocular rambunctiousness. The carnal behavior lurking behind the boy's clean crisp khaki's and sweater vests is a starter kit for toxic masculinity.

'The Mountaintop' breaks that tired old piggy bank of the homogenized perception of Martin Luther King, Jr. Katori Hall's wonderful writing reveals the extent of how complex and troubled he was; enlightening the audience to want to know more. The incredible performances by Robert Burgins, Jr. and Kenya Stewart are woven with intense emotion and commitment.

Earlier this season Frank Calo and All Out Arts in conjunction with The Wild Project presented an LGBT Film Event as part of the Fresh Fruit Festival: a reading of Johnny B. Dunn's new screenplay, FREE RANGE.

'Guys and Dolls' is based off of a string of short stories by writer Damon Runyon. His forte was tales of the seedy underbelly of the New York City crime scene of the 20's and 30's. The cast has a list of colorful characters that chew up scenes. Director Victoria Boyce brings to life the stylized and hilariously dated criminal underworld to life.

'Well' is set up as a one-woman show that just happens to have a cast of other people. Lisa (Holly Croney Dikeman) is filled with questions and observations around her sickly mother Ann (Carole Armistead). Lisa enters into her own internal production to find the answer to why some people get sick and some get better.

'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead' brings laughs along with some deep reflections into the pool of probability. The play takes off like a rocket with consistent fast paced, pithy dialogue. This production is a cerebral buddy comedy/tragedy with a delightfully theatrical flair.

'The Sunshine Boys' has laughs and smiles that harken back to the golden age of television. This production gives life to great characters and snappy deliveries. They capture the magic in Neil Simon's writing and invite you to 'ENTER!'

'The Diviners' is packed with layered personalities leading toward unexpected emotions. The warmth of the play is found in its endearing characters and well thought out storyline. This high caliber production is worthy of a visit before the rain washes it away this weekend.

Theatre Downtown is offering 'International Delights' as a tapestry of six plays that are set in various locations all over the world. These plays are written by Rich Mansfield & Daniel Martin. Each play has a different director and cast. There is a through line in each of the plays that embrace the power of love and its many complicated layers.

"Picasso at the Lapin Agile" is a play with a playful heart and much optimism. Birmingham Festival Theatre brought this Steve Martin comedy to life with a hilarious cast. If you have ever wondered what would happen if Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein met in a bar, this is for you.

The Dresser unveils the complexity of a co-dependent relationship between a pompous Shakespearian actor, aptly named Sir (Jack Cannon) and his dresser Norman (Judd McCluney). Norman's devotion to Sir is built upon many levels of admiration, even though Sir treats him like a second rate Sancho.

Birmingham playwright/director Daniel Martin has adapted a collection of a few choice cuts of Poe's library into a scary stage production that gets your heart beating fast with fright.

Becky's New Car is comedy where you ride shotgun with a middle aged woman's journey to find clarity in self worth, fidelity and second chances. With no map and no clue, she finds herself lost at the middle of a quirky comedy with no exit in sight.

Trevor is no longer the cute and cuddly chimp from his old days on variety shows of the likes of Sonny and Cher and Barbara Mandrel. He's now an adult chimpanzee wracked with cabin fever and dreams to get back to Hollywood.

There is no grey area in the meaning of the title 'Southern Baptist Sissies'. This emotional play addresses the turmoil faced when coming out in the shadow of religion. Dell Shores has written a string of thought provoking plays (The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife','Sordid Lives','Daddy's Dyin' ... Who's Got the Will') This offering is his GLAAD Award-winning play about four young gay men as they grow up struggling with homophobia, hatred and smothering religious condemnation. The boys grow up together in a southern Baptist church in Texas. They each come to terms with their adolescent homosexuality while seeking acceptance along with love.

???????Eugene O'Neill's celebrated Pulitzer Prize winning drama and hit of the 2016 season, is returning to the Wharf House at the Provincetown Marina for 2017. The Provincetown Dramatic Arts production of Anna Christie was selected as one of the Best Plays of 2016 and Sarah MacDonnell was honored as one of the best female performances in her role of Anna (by the Cape Cod Times). The play opens on July 13 and runs Thursday - Sunday until July 30. Margaret Van Sant, Artistic Director of the Provincetown Dramatic Arts, directs.