Actually - 2017 - Williamstown, MA (Regional) Articles Page 1

Funkier and more humbly budgeted than Charlotte Ballet's extravaganzas at larger venues, FLIP at the McBride Bonnefoux provided a different kind of adventure, substituted promise for polish, and dug deeper into the company's soul.

Escape to Margaretaville, opening this Wednesday in Marshal, Michigan, July 9th-August 22nd, 2026, at Cornwell’s Dinner Theatre, Turkeyville USA, for a multi-week engagement. On a small island in the Caribbean, vacationers and the laid-back staff of the Margaritaville bar flirt, unwind, and sip drinks under the sun. When an ambitious tourist named Rachel arrives with her friend Tammy for a much-needed vacation, she finds an unexpected romance with Tully, the island bartender and musician. As paradise collides with real life, both are faced with deciding what they want beyond the sandy beaches of Margaritaville. This tropical romantic comedy has plenty to laugh at and a sweet love story – all underscored by Jimmy Buffett’s classic tunes, including “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Margaritaville,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” “Fins,” “Volcano,” and many more. With a book by Emmy Award winner Greg Garcia (My Name Is Earl, Raising Hope) and Emmy nominee Mike O’Malley (Survivor’s Remorse, Shameless), this hilarious, heartwarming musical is the party you’ve been waiting for! Broadway World Michigan was fortunate to interview Lauren Quigley, who plays Tammy, ahead of the show’s opening night!

For Aline Mayagoitia, taking on the role of Elphaba in the national tour of Wicked represents both the greatest challenge of her career and the culmination of years of growth as a performer. A veteran of the Twin Cities stage, Mayagoitia previously appeared in In the Heights at the Ordway in 2017 and returned with the national tour of SIX in 2022.

The show is directed by Olivier Award nominee Stafford Arima and features choreography from Rujuta Vaidya, music and lyrics by Sam Willmott, and a book by Rehana Lew Mirza and Mike Lew,

A week before their Tony performance, the candelabra that Amber Gray holds during the Rocky Horror set sat on a counter in Brooklyn for repair. You’ve seen the shimmering pink vial in the hands of Megan Hilty and plastered across Playbills and pole banners in the theater district, or maybe you’ve seen the light-up “Handbook For The Recently Deceased” on the Beetlejuice tour in Sarasota, Florida. Wherever they are now, those props were born in a small, unassuming workshop on the intersection of Meeker Ave. and Apollo Street. 

The stories about Francis Albert Sinatra are endless. Two decades before Beatlemania hit the States, thousands of girls queued around the block so they could see the short, skinny kid from Hoboken sing while they cried, screamed and fainted. He had a thick New Jersey accent and a thin skin, punching one critic in the back of the head and physically threatening other members of the press. His friendship with mob members and their goons supposedly helped him out of a recording contract and for decades the FBI kept a file on him running to thousands of pages. He was close friends with Marilyn Monroe and gifted her a dog; she named it “Maf”, short for Mafia Honey, just to wind him up. At the age of 48, he dated a teenage Mia Farrow and the two eventually married in 1966.

I'll say this now: this Summer's most beguiling, most enchanting theatrical surprise is perhaps the brand new, gorgeously opulent regional production of ANASTASIA - THE MUSICAL, now on stage at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts through June 20, 2026. A visual stunner punctuated by remarkable musicality and an impressive acting ensemble, this epically-staged, winningly triumphant local iteration is an impressive presentation, from its thrilling technical aspects and grandiose (yet still grounded) storytelling to its superb, talent-bursting cast led by a fierce star turn by Lena Ceja in the title role that audiences will remember for a long time.

Around the BroadwayWorld is our monthly snapshot of the biggest stories making waves across the global theatre community. In this May 2026 edition, we're bringing you a fresh batch of standout reviews from regional stages across the country - from Brigadoon at Pasadena Playhouse in Los Angeles to The Phantom of the Opera at Seattle's Paramount Theatre and Pippin at Signature Theatre in DC.

The new musical HOT JAMBALAYA is currently heating up the stage at Horizon Theatre in Atlanta through June 21st, bringing audiences a wildly entertaining mix of murder mystery, comedy, New Orleans flavor, and original music. Created by Atlanta theatre artists Matt Hobbs (Songwriter for WOMAN OF THE YEAR and BLACK NERD, and the viral sensation, PUPPY SONGS) and Travis Sharp (LAWRENCEBURG, SONG OF THE LIVING DEAD, MUSICALS SUCK: THE MUSICAL, and WICKET), the show has been years in the making and has already developed a passionate following after its original run at Dad’s Garage last year.

Based on Richard Linklater's 2003 film of the same name. School of Rock follows Dewey Finn, a down-on-his-luck wannabe rock star who poses as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school.

Second Stage Theater has announced five productions for its upcoming 48th Season, including the Broadway premieres of The Fantasticks and Gloria. Learn more about the full season here!

Much has been written about the proliferation of pop singer-songwriters writing new musicals for Broadway and off-Broadway. Less covered is the trend of pop singers performing on Broadway, which has made for a number of memorable appearances in current and recent seasons. 

Thru Hike: A New Musical will be presented at the Boston Center for the Arts, based on a true story of a couple who walked the 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail and confronted the cost of honesty.

This event is a beautiful example of community-building, joy, and resilience. It is a magical creation of queer-affirming space, where performers showcase what they feel most proud of, and attendees validate and celebrate in the most beautiful way!

St Martin-in-the-Fields will present a landmark anniversary season featuring the Monteverdi Choir, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, The Sixteen, Tallis Scholars, and soloists including Iestyn Davies and Danielle de Niese.

When I saw Portland Playhouse's 2025–2026 season announced, the show I was most irrationally excited about was THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL. I’m far from an expert on the SpongeBob SquarePants universe, but I've watched enough episodes to have completely fallen for the little yellow sponge in square pants and a tie whose greatest ambition in life is to be the best fry cook at the Krusty Krab.

Catch the drag sister duo back at Pangea on 6/26 with a pride show, followed by 9/12 and 10/31. We spoke with them about their upcoming residency and what they've been up to lately.

Friendship is nearly always a side element in musicals. From the comic sidekick of the leading character to the backup pals who provide background vocals, friends are part of the fabric of many shows—but rarely are they the main event. 

Since the start of television’s legendary Saturday Night Live in 1975, there has been cross-over between the show and Broadway. Actors who have started out on Broadway have ended up gracing our televisions on Saturday night as cast members in the sketch comedy program.

Bursting with contagious rhythm, irrepressible heart, and an abiding sense of community pride, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony Award-winning 2008 original Broadway musical IN THE HEIGHTS remains one of the most vibrant and emotionally resonant contemporary musicals to emerge from the early 21st century. For Musical Theatre West, this current 2026 production of the musical—which continues performances at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach through April 26, 2026—is an anticipated return of a musical that this company first staged back in the Fall of 2017. In essence, it's nice to come home to something comfortably familiar.

BroadwayWorld has just learned that music superstar and global icon P!NK will host the 79th Annual Tony Awards. The triple threat and lifelong theater fan will bring her unparalleled performance skills and magnetic stage presence to Radio City Music Hall

The biggest change from prior years is at The New York Times, where Helen Shaw became the first female chief theater critic at the paper of record earlier this year. Previously, The Times has had plenty of female second-string critics, but the top seat was always held by a man.

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS: The beautiful theater inside of CCBC Dundalk hosts an equally beautiful production. What a treat to view this classic, seeing and hearing people respond to its twists and turns as if seeing it for the first time- or perhaps actually seeing it for the first time- realizing that writing that’s worth watching even a century later is a rarity and a prize.

ThinkTank Theatre and Tampa Fringe bring H*tler’s Tasters to the Tampa Fringe Blackbox Theatre in Ybor. The dark comedy follows four teenage girls forced to taste Hitler’s meals, blending the terror of survival with the rituals of girlhood. The intimate staging places audiences inches from the table as the cast navigates humor, fear, loyalty, and the shifting power dynamics of growing up under war.

Short Attention Span Theatre will present an evening of six new short plays at the Gilded Saloon in Edinburgh on April 1, 2026. The event features a lineup of award-winning writers, including a Carnegie-nominated author and a newly published novelist. The plays, which cover genres from comedy to horror, offer a unique theatrical experience ahead of the main Fringe season. This showcase highlights the talents of established and emerging writers, providing a platform for innovative and diverse sto