Comedy in Music - 1953 - Broadway Articles Page 15

On Sunday, November 17 at 2 p.m., Nick Dowen will present an hour-long program on the life of opera great Ezio Pinza. Dowen, who has been collecting records since he was 13 years old, will share some of his thousands of recordings in a powerpoint presentation about the life of one of the most prolific singers in the history of music. A bass with a rich, smooth and sonorous voice, Pinza spent 22 seasons at New York's Metropolitan Opera, appearing in more than 750 performances of 50 operas. A popular recording star, Pinza went on to appear on Broadway, in Hollywood movies, and on television in his own series and daytime variety shows that were popular in the 1950s.

OK, so I've seen it several times. I mean there are the movies plus countless productions about town. It's done a lot as it's one of Shakespeare's more accessible plays with its quick wit and very clear heroes and villains (one hero is even called Hero). But that doesn't mean I don't still love it. I always tend to find something new and appealing in most productions of what has become my favorite of his canon. And the current production of 'Much Ado About Nothing' from Seattle Shakespeare Company is no exception as they have tapped into much of the comedy of the piece as well as infused it with some wonderful jazz renditions of the Shakespearean songs from the piece.

Seattle Shakespeare Company's Much Ado About Nothing takes on the flavor of the Riviera in 1953 in Artistic Director George Mount's season opening. Highlights in the production include original music by Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra's Michael Brockman, and a lagoon with water in the Center Theatre. Check out a first look below!

Casting is announced for OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR, a Theatre Royal Stratford East Production:

The Theatre Group at SBCC continues the 2013/2014 season with William Inge's classic play, BUS STOP, directed by R. Michael Gros, tonight, October 16-November 2, 2013 in the Garvin Theatre. Meet the cast in the photos below!

Seattle Shakespeare Company's Much Ado About Nothing takes on the flavor of the Riviera in 1953 in Artistic Director George Mount's season opening. Highlights in the production include original music by Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra's Michael Brockman, and a lagoon with water in the Center Theatre.

The Theatre Group at SBCC continues the 2013/2014 season with William Inge's classic play, BUS STOP, directed by R. Michael Gros, October 16-November 2, 2013 in the Garvin Theatre. Meet the cast in the photos below!

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre presents Natural Affection by William Inge, the first production of the company's 21st Season. Directed by TACT Co-Artistic Director Jenn Thompson, performances begin at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre (410 West 42nd Street - between 9th & 10th Avenues) tonight, September 17, 2013. Opening night is set for Thursday, September 26 at 7:30pm. Performances will continue through October 26, 2013.

Atlanta Lyric Theatre, the metro area's only professional musical theatre company, will present the Broadway classic GUYS AND DOLLS at The Jennie T. Anderson Theatre at Cobb Civic Center (548 S. Marietta Pkwy., Marietta) October 25 - November 10, 2013. Tickets and information are available at www.AtlantaLyricTheatre.com or 404-377-9948.

Howard Hawks, the quintessential Hollywood director known for his mastery of many genres, will be the subject of a complete retrospective at Museum of the Moving Image from today, September 7 through November 10, 2013. The Museum will present 39 features. All of the films will be shown in 35mm-many in stunning restorations-except for Red Line 7000, which will be shown in 16mm.

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre has announced the cast and creative team for Natural Affection by William Inge, the first production of the company's 21st Season. Directed by TACT Co-Artistic Director Jenn Thompson, performances begin at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre (410 West 42nd Street - between 9th & 10th Avenues) on Tuesday, September 17, 2013. Opening night is set for Thursday, September 26 at 7:30pm. Performances will continue through October 26, 2013.

Howard Hawks, the quintessential Hollywood director known for his mastery of many genres, will be the subject of a complete retrospective at Museum of the Moving Image from September 7 through November 10, 2013. The Museum will present 39 features. All of the films will be shown in 35mm-many in stunning restorations-except for Red Line 7000, which will be shown in 16mm.

Famed singer, actress and Broadway star Eydie Gormé has died at age 84. Spokesperson Howard Bragman said 'Legendary singer and performer Eydie Gorme passed away peacefully today at Sunrise Hospital following a brief illness. She was surrounded by her husband, son and other loved ones at the time of her death.' In his own statement, Steve Lawrence said: 'Eydie has been my partner on stage and in life for more than 55 years. I fell in love with her the moment I saw her and even more the first time I heard her sing. While my personal loss is unimaginable, the world has lost one of the greatest pop vocalists of all time.'

Film lovers will be getting extra treats from Sony Movie Channel (SMC) in August, as the high-definition network presents such award-winning classics as FROM HERE TO ETERNITY.

On July 13, 1953, Sir Alec Guiness walked onto a stage located in a large tent in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, and spoke the first lines of what has become the internationally-recognized celebration of theatre known as The Stratford Festival. Now housed in five theatres, offering plays and other entertainment from late April to November, it is the largest repertoire theatre in North America. The theatrical offerings are not only the writings of Shakespeare, but a variety of classical and contemporary works, including musicals.

Film lovers will be getting extra treats from Sony Movie Channel (SMC) in August, as the high-definition network presents such award-winning classics as FROM HERE TO ETERNITY

Virginia Repertory Theatre celebrates the 60th anniversary of the founding of Barksdale Theatre at Hanover Tavern with a production of Steel Magnolias featuring an all-star cast. The show opens tonight, July 12, 2013 at Hanover Tavern, 13181 Hanover Courthouse Road, and runs through August 25, coinciding with the official anniversary on August 1. Sixty years ago in 1953, six actors, two children, a dog and two pigs moved into a historic ruin called Hanover Tavern. The transplanted New Yorkers founded Central Virginia's first professional theatre and named the company in memory of a deceased college friend, Barbara Barksdale.

The JAPAN CUTS: The New York Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema returns for its seventh season, with 10 days of screenings and over 20 titles. JAPAN CUTS 2013 presents the roughest, sharpest, and smoothest of today's cutting-edge Japanese film scene, encompassing bigger-than-life blockbusters, high-concept art house titles, moving and provoking documentaries, delirious rom-coms, refined melodramas and a handful of UFOs-unidentified film objects. Featuring appearances by several special guest filmmakers, JAPAN CUTS 2013 kicks off July 11 with a blowout opening night party and runs through July 21, screening 25 titles, all of which are a mix of New York, U.S. and International premieres. The festival again dovetails with the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF), which co-presents 12 films of the JAPAN CUTS lineup today, July 11-14.

Dallas Theater Center presents the world premiere of Fly, a new musical based on J.M. Barrie's novel, Peter Pan. Three-time Tony Award-winning producer Jeffrey Seller (Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights) makes his directorial debut with this production.

Undercover Productions will present the WORLD PREMIERE of ETHEL SINGS: Espionage in High C, written by Joan Beber. ETHEL SINGS begins previews on June 27th, with tonight's June 28th opening at Walker Space. Directed by Jules Aaron, ETHEL SINGS has set design by Gary Guidinger, lighting design by John Eckert Original Music by Max Kinberg & costume design by Michele Young. Sarah Brown stages manages & Sherry Netherland assistant directs. Ethel Sings is produced by Linda Toliver & Gary Guidinger for Undercover Productions.

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre has announced its 2013/2014 Season, which will include two treasures from iconic American playwrights. The critically-acclaimed and Drama Desk nominated Off-Broadway company 'dedicated to presenting neglected or rarely produced plays of literary merit,' will present the family drama Natural Affection by William Inge and the comedy Beyond Therapy by Christopher Durang, Off-Broadway at The Beckett Theatre (410 West 42nd Street - between 9th & 10th Avenues) on Theatre Row. Neither play has been seen in NYC since their original productions.

Virginia Repertory Theatre celebrates the 60th anniversary of the founding of Barksdale Theatre at Hanover Tavern with a production of Steel Magnolias featuring an all-star cast. The show opens on Friday, July 12, 2013 at Hanover Tavern, 13181 Hanover Courthouse Road, and runs through August 25, coinciding with the official anniversary on August 1. Sixty years ago in 1953, six actors, two children, a dog and two pigs moved into a historic ruin called Hanover Tavern. The transplanted New Yorkers founded Central Virginia's first professional theatre and named the company in memory of a deceased college friend, Barbara Barksdale.

Undercover Productions will present the WORLD PREMIERE of ETHEL SINGS: Espionage in High C, written by Joan Beber. ETHEL SINGS begins previews on June 27th, with a June 28th opening at Walker Space. Directed by Jules Aaron, ETHEL SINGS has set design by Gary Guidinger, lighting design by John Eckert Original Music by Max Kinberg & costume design by Michele Young. Sarah Brown stages manages & Sherry Netherland assistant directs. Ethel Sings is produced by Linda Toliver & Gary Guidinger for Undercover Productions.

The JAPAN CUTS: The New York Festival of Contemporary Japanese Cinema returns for its seventh season, with 10 days of screenings and over 20 titles. JAPAN CUTS 2013 presents the roughest, sharpest, and smoothest of today's cutting-edge Japanese film scene, encompassing bigger-than-life blockbusters, high-concept art house titles, moving and provoking documentaries, delirious rom-coms, refined melodramas and a handful of UFOs-unidentified film objects. Featuring appearances by several special guest filmmakers, JAPAN CUTS 2013 kicks off July 11 with a blowout opening night party and runs through July 21, screening 25 titles, all of which are a mix of New York, U.S. and International premieres. The festival again dovetails with the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF), which co-presents 12 films of the JAPAN CUTS lineup July 11-14.

Dallas Theater Center announced the complete cast and creative team for the world premiere of Fly, a new musical based on J.M. Barrie's novel, Peter Pan. Three-time Tony Award-winning producer Jeffrey Seller (Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights) makes his directorial debut with this production.