Next up for The Group Rep, John Murray and Allen Boretz’ zany comedy Room Service opening September 8, 2023, at their Lonny Chapman Theatre. Mareli Mitchel-Shields directs the large cast of Fox Carney, Joe Clabby, Joseph Eastburn, Tommy Jacobs, Jessica Kent, Sam Logan, Will Maizel, Matthew McLaughlin, Jackie Shearn, Bonnie Snyder, Axel Truitt, Sal Valletta, Grant Velarde, Timothy Willard and Chris Winfield. Chris graciously put down his hammer to answer a few of my queries.
Now on stage at Canton Village Theatre is Spotlight Players' production of the musical ANNIE. Directed by John Sartor, this version adds wonderful scenes that improve the storyline even better than before. During the awkward moments when the curtain was down and set changes were being made, Sartor had little boys walk about the stage, selling apples - it was a brilliant use of time. Sartor also added interesting scenes, such as FDR reading a fireside speech from one of the side satellites, opening the show with Annie's parents dropping her off at Hudson Street home for girls as an infant, an amazing subway set where pedestrians rose to the stage from the pit as if exiting the subway line, and a climax with jetted streamers and pyrotechnics.