I must say that the true winner of the night was the movement, blocking and choreography of this talented ensemble that was carefully thought out and fascinating to watch. I
Hedgerow Theatre will be the setting for a tale of intrigue, treachery and murder, complete with witches and ghosts, as it stages Macbeth from October 17 to November 17.
There is something very interesting about working in an outdoor venue…
This production was a curious one - while there were several excellent performances of the evening, the show was almost hindered due to poor technical decisions riddled throughout the show.
Tonight, September 22 at Amsterdam Bar and Hall in downtown Saint Paul, Nika Danilova, the woman behind Zola Jesus, brings her epic, iconoclastic sound-full of dark evocative beauty-to Saint Paul in a first-time collaboration with esteemed composer and former SPCO Artistic Partner Stephen Prutsman.
On September 22 at Amsterdam Bar and Hall in downtown Saint Paul, Nika Danilova, the woman behind Zola Jesus, brings her epic, iconoclastic sound-full of dark evocative beauty-to Saint Paul in a first-time collaboration with esteemed composer and former SPCO Artistic Partner Stephen Prutsman.
The stage musical of TARZAN may be Disney's biggest Broadway flop. The company reportedly sunk anywhere between $12 million to $15 million into the overinflated musical. The problem that may reviewers and audiences had with the show was that the often-repeated stunning visuals ceased to be astounding after about the first 10 minutes of the production. When I saw that the Pearland Theatre Guild was producing the musical, I initially thought that the community theater group must have been completely out of their minds to program such an ambitious and notoriously unsuccessful musical. With the allure of the macabre, I was drawn to the production thinking I'd see a train crash into a sinking ship. To my surprise, the Houston premiere production was rather buoyant and wholly entertaining.
Today we are talking a phenomenally talented performer known for his decades treading the boards in a number of featured and lead roles, most recently wowing crowds with his turn as one of the title characters in THE GERSHWINS' PORGY & BESS - the engaging and golden-voiced Norm Lewis. Discussing many of his most celebrated roles as well as some more obscure, Lewis paints a vivid picture of his career trajectory thus far and shares compelling and candid stories of working on productions as varied and diverse as the original Broadway versions of THE WHO'S TOMMY, SIDE SHOW, THE WILD PARTY, AMOUR, THE LITTLE MERMAID and SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM as well as his sensational work regionally in projects such as his recent essaying of Javert in LES MISERABLES at The Muny (to say nothing of the 25th Anniversary live at the 02) as well as turns in SWEENEY TODD and THE WIZARD & I: THE MUSIC OF STEPHEN SCHWARTZ among many others. Additionally, Lewis sheds some light on his recent onscreen work, clueing us in on how he became involved with hit nighttime soap SCANDAL and how he enjoyeds working with co-stars Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn on it - and if we will possibly see him in Season Three, perhaps. Plus, Lewis opens up about his upcoming solo gigs and performing plans - including first news on his starring part in the upcoming Public Theater musical version of THE TEMPEST - as well as touches upon a host of topics ranging from his appearances at spectacular special events - DREAMGIRLS: IN CONCERT, HAIR: IN CONCERT, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA in the Park - to his appearance in SEX & THE CITY 2 (opposite Liza Minnelli) to recording studio work, dream projects, future goals, favorite workshop/reading experiences and much, much more!
This classic, big Broadway musical did not disappoint with its big cast, big sets, and bigger voices!
Mary Testa, a two-time Tony Award nominee and celebrated veteran of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and film, is coming to Houston this summer for two performances only. In addition to her theatrical and film work, she has done numerous solo cabaret performances, but she has a real treat in store for Houston audiences. For the first time ever, she is doing a cabaret performance comprised of musical numbers she performed in various shows. Both of these evenings are sure to fun-filled treats that audiences simply won't want to miss. In anticipation of these thrilling performances, Mary Testa and I talked about her lauded career in theatre and her upcoming cabaret at Houston's Music Box Theater entitled ON BROADWAY… AND A LITTLE BIT OFF!
I must say that each character had wonderful developmental arch that featured the talents of each actors.
I have to compliment these two stunning actresses on one of the best pairings I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing onstage; elevating this show to an exceptional night of theater!
On September 22 at Amsterdam Bar and Hall in downtown Saint Paul, Nika Danilova, the woman behind Zola Jesus, brings her epic, iconoclastic sound-full of dark evocative beauty-to Saint Paul in a first-time collaboration with esteemed composer and former SPCO Artistic Partner Stephen Prutsman.
Today we are talking to an exceptionally accomplished actress known for her many leading and featured roles in a number of illustrious musical theatre properties - among them, part of the original Broadway casts of FALSETTOS, CITY OF ANGELS, PARADE, LESTAT, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, SCANDALOUS and many more - the gifted and genuine Carolee Carmello. Discussing many aspects of originating roles in those aforementioned shows as well as her replacement gigs in everything from KISS ME, KATE to SISTER ACT and MAMMA MIA!, Carmello sheds some light on her process in bringing such a striking series of characters to life onstage eight times a week, including creating roles Off-Broadway in ELEGIES, HELLO AGAIN and JOHN & JEN. Additionally, Carmello shares stories from the set of NBC's musical drama series SMASH as well as comments on other potential roles she would like to pursue someday. Most importantly, Carmello previews her highly anticipated performance at this Monday night's NIGHT OF A THOUSAND JUDYS and comments upon her affection for the iconic Ms. Garland. Plus, Carmello shares behind-the-scenes stories involving many of her notable collaborators and inspirations such as William Finn, Stephen Sondheim, Kathie Lee Gifford and she also expresses enthusiasm for her upcoming turn in the new musical TUCK EVERLASTING, set to premiere later this season. All of that, early Broadway and touring memories from CHESS, LES MISERABLES, CITY OF ANGELS, observations on the newly-released SCANDALOUS cast recording and much, much more in this career-spanning conversation.
The Antaeus production highlights the play's universal and timeless themes by staging the play as presentation theater with the actors speaking directly to the audience, rarely to the person onstage to whom they are speaking. It is performed in conservative modern dress on a minimalistic set, making the words ring truer than in any other production of the show I have ever seen.
There is always a certain electric buzz that seems to surround any production of a show with a recognizable title. Some people will research the origin of the show, and with John Guare's SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION, they'll find that Frigyes Karinthy, a Hungarian author, playwright, poet, journalist, and translator was the first proponent of the theory that everyone is connected to everyone else by six or fewer degrees of separation. He examined this in his 1929 short story, 'Chains' (Lancszemek). This very theory was popularized by the 1990 play and 1993 film adaption of SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION. People might remember that following the success of the play and the film, while watching FOOTLOOSE, students at Albright College created the game 'Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.' Those people will recall how everyone in the 90s was figuring out how every actor and actress was connected to Kevin Bacon through their work in film and commercials. Elements such as these build anticipation for productions of shows with mane recognition.
A show about how complicated raising a child now seems to be with the constant presence of technology, the media, new learning disabilities and disorders, and the fact that everyone is always on the move. Everything is much more complicated, and pure familial values are not always easy to find anymore.
Having grown up on Monty Python reruns and films, it doesn't take a lot to get me excited about seeing a production of Monty Python's SPAMALOT. The hilarious hit musical is making a gloriously triumphant return to Houston in its first locally produced performance at Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS). The First National Tour enjoyed a four week run in the summer of 2007 that was co-produced by Broadway Across America - Houston and TUTS, and because of popular demand TUTS decided to produce the show again.
Rain Pryor has had many television roles. Most notably, you might remember her on the ABC series 'Head of the Class.' She's now a mom and calls Baltimore home. Nevertheless, New York welcomes her with open arms. Her autobiographical one-woman show, Fried Chicken and Latkes is running now at the Actors Temple Theatre (339 W. 47th Street).
As I stare down the barrel of my own 10-year anniversary from graduating high school, I found more than one of the characters in Standing Room Only Production's presentation of local award-winning playwright Michael Weem's FEELING ALRIGHT! honestly relevant and applicable to me and my life. And I'm certain I was not alone. Whether you're just out of high school or 50 years out of high school, the individual pressures and dilemmas of self-discovery of at least one of the characters will ring with the distinct air of truth for you.
Videos
