For Goodness Sake

BWW catches up with Elliot Minogue-Stone to chat about bringing Groovicle to the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Sauk Shorts is an annual presentation of short plays. This year's production includes ten short plays including five by local playwrights. Performances of Sauk Shorts are March 23-25 at 8 p.m. A 3 p.m. matinee will be performed on March 26.

Now having its California premiere at OC's Chance Theater in Anaheim through February 26, RIDE THE CYCLONE is a must-see, wonderfully odd, yet endearingly touching musical comedy that feels like a thoughtfully bonkers hybrid of The Breakfast Club and It's A Wonderful Life, with room for a dollop of Tim Burton-esque quirkiness.

Opera Theatre Saint Louis opens its 47th season with a splendid 'Carmen'. Read our BWW critic's review.

On Thursday evening, the Clearwater City Council selected Ruth Eckerd Hall to operate the amphitheater in downtown Clearwater. The council vote was based on three exclusive criteria that could be considered:  Demonstrated experience of company and personnel; Project methodology, approach and schedule; and References. The vote was 3 to 2, with two council members choosing the partnership of Global Spectrum d/b/a OVG360 and Vinik Sports Group.  

The world premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella will officially open tonight, 18 August. Read the reviews for the hotly anticipated new musical!

What better way to come back to live theater than with a play about…live theater! The 36th season kicks off in the Outdoor Theater on July 7th with the hilarious comedy NOISES OFF, by Michael Frayn, July 7 through August 21, Wednesday through Saturday at 7 PM.

Check out our tips for a bone-chilling Broadway Halloween party. 

Jewish Womena??s Theatre based at The Braid in Santa Monica has been voted one of the a?oeBest Live Theatres on the Westsidea?? three years in a row by readers of The Argonaut. The group presents American Jewish stories, art, and other programming that highlights Jewish contributions to contemporary life. For Goodnessa?? Sake ends the 13th season of JWTa??s' salon series, now being presented online rather than in homes around the city as in previous seasons. The play was created by The NEXT @ The Braid Emerging Artists Fellowship program, a career-training strategy that annually selects a new cohort of aspiring theater professionals to explore how to create meaningful shows from young-adult perspectives, under the guidance and mentorship of JWTa??s experienced staff.

The challenging task of choosing between right and wrong can lead not only to sleepless nights, it can also lead to great theater, as the NEXT generation of Jewish theater professionals discovered when creating For Goodness' Sake, their original, brand-new show for Jewish Women's Theatre (JWT).

In these crazy, safe-distancing times; I reached out earlier this week to various heads of Los Angeles theatres to see how they and their theatre families are holding up. The replies were amazing in their quickness, numbers and uniform positivity.

Jewish Women's Theatre (JWT) is proud to announce that this year's new class of NEXT @ The Braid, a unique fellowship training program for emerging arts leaders, will produce For Goodness' Sake an original show to premier in Los Angeles exploring the good we seek, the good we never expected, and the good gone bad!

While Lend Me a Tenor's tenor is typically farcical -- breakneck pace, mistaken identities, misunderstandings, overactive hormones, sexual wordplay, frenetic and improbable physicality, and a panoply of slamming doors -- what sets it apart from others of its ilk is the musical conceit that drives the nutty plot.

Eastbound Theatre, a division of the Milford Arts Council will present the second show of its 26th season, the fun and fast-paced comedy, Four Weddings and an Elvis by Nancy Frick, directed by Tanya Feduik-Smith.

Following his five-star, Olivier Award-nominated, hit one-man show, My Family: Not The Sitcom, David Baddiel returns to the stage with a brand new one-man show, Trolls: Not The Dolls and he's heading to Swindon's Wyvern Theatre next April. And, with tickets starting to sell-out fast, now's the time to book your tickets.

The 19/20 theatrical season has seen several milestones for many of its area theatres but the biggest by far is the 70th anniversary of the company that helped pioneer the regional theatre movement in this country Arena Stage.

The Muny's current production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella is definitely not Walt Disney's Cinderella. It is nothing like Perrault's or the Grimm Brothers' Cinderella. It's not even pure Rodgers & Hammerstein, but rather a 2013 adaptation based on Rodgers & Hammerstein with a new book by Douglas Carter Beane. This musical holds the essence of your beloved fairytale but is infused (I must warn you upfront) with complicating new characters, a clumsy reordering of the original songs, and a conspicuous political subplot. Essentially, this adaptation, which tries to be everything simultaneously - old fashioned and new-fangled, traditional and progressive - is mostly just...

It all began with the iconic Motorcycle Song.

Tootsie, which opens tonight at the Marquis Theatre, tells the story of a talented but difficult actor who struggles to find work until one show-stopping act of desperation lands him the role of a lifetime - as the star of a new Broadway musical. 

Washington Ensemble Theatre has announced its 2019/2020 Season, a magical lineup of plays that revels in the beauty of ritual and rite, histories and futures, and the sacred and mystic. Centered around the theme "The Divine," WET will celebrate the magnificent and transcendent forces of nature that change the way we live. The season includes the quasi-fable Is God Is by Alesha Harris, the razor-sharp preteen energy-filled play Dance Nation by Clare Barron, Raja Feather Kelly's UGLY (Black Queer Zoo), which is the second installment of its GUSH Series, and an examination of the cosmic duality of good and evil in a new collaboration with the beloved Cherdonna Shinatra, The Strange Case of Dr. Cher and Mr. Donna. WET will continue to produce as a resident company at 12th Avenue Arts in Capitol Hill. Subscriptions start at $60 and are on sale now at www.washingtonensemble.org.  

BroadwayWorld has a first look at Goodspeed's production of OLIVER! Check out all new photos from the production below!

Charles Dickens' beloved orphan makes his Goodspeed debut in the hope-filled musical set in the dark shadows of Victorian London. Bounced from workhouse to forced labor, Oliver Twist escapes to the streets where he meets Fagin, the Artful Dodger and a band of child pickpockets. Will he find love, home and happiness before it's too late? Consider yourself part of the family with the colorful international smash that gave the world 'Where Is Love?,' 'Food! Glorious Food!' and 'As Long As He Needs Me.' Oliver! is made possible in part by Liberty Bank, the Lucille Lortel Foundation, Masonicare at Chester Village and The Shops at Mohegan Sun.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at Goodspeed's production of OLIVER! Check out video highlights from the production below!

Charles Dickens' beloved orphan makes his Goodspeed debut in the hope-filled musical set in the dark shadows of Victorian London. Bounced from workhouse to forced labor, Oliver Twist escapes to the streets where he meets Fagin, the Artful Dodger and a band of child pickpockets. Will he find love, home and happiness before it's too late?

The Kennedy Center wraps up its production of Chess tonight at 8pm. Chess is an epic rock opera about love and political intrigue set against the backdrop of the Cold War as two superpowers attempt to manipulate an international chess championship for political ends.

Tonight's the night! Meteor Shower officially opens tonight, Wednesday, November 29 at the Booth Theatre.

Multi-platinum alternative rock heavyweight, Incubus, announced today rescheduled show dates at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino after postponing their limited engagement in October 2017 following the 1 October tragedy.

Before there was HAMILTON, there was Lin-Manuel Miranda's other Tony Award winning show, IN THE HEIGHTS. Though different in story, this is was no less an impactful work as it showcases a Latin community at the top of Manhattan as they struggle to achieve the American dream and redefine what they consider home.

BWW speaks to Sandra Hale about her 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe show Self Helpless.

Today, December 9th at 7pm, at The Triad, Richard Skipper Celebrates with an Old-Fashioned Variety/Talk Show with Musical Direction by Bryon Sommers, with Rex Benincasa on percussion & Jeff Carney on bass & a great lineup of featured guests including One Mystery Guest every month. Previous Mystery Guests have included Hilary Kole, Melba Moore and Stacy Sullivan. 

Everyone deserves to see a great production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC in their lifetime. For those who attended the Jack O'Brien production last night at The McCallum, who have never seen one before, they are still waiting. It is a gorgeous, lavish production. The sets and costumes are beyond incredible. The voices are incredible as well. And, if you were just looking at photo stills form the production, or perhaps listening to the cast recording, you might think you had reached Rodgers and Hammerstein Nirvana. However, this production lacked the two things essential to this beautiful story - honesty and any real sense of emotion. It was as cold as the Alps!! (I though long and hard about writing a negative review over Thanksgiving break - because, in particular, I didn't want to do any damage to The McCallum box office! However, I was assured the musical is sold out for the balance of the run - so no damage done - just calling it like I see it!)

Friday, December 9th at 7pm, at The Triad, Richard Skipper Celebrates with an Old-Fashioned Variety/Talk Show with Musical Direction by Bryon Sommers, with Rex Benincasa on percussion & Jeff Carney on bass & a great lineup of featured guests including One Mystery Guest every month. Previous Mystery Guests have included Hilary Kole, Melba Moore and Stacy Sullivan. 

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ How we see others and ourselves is the determining factor in how we show up in our world each day. And, since the compass of life does not point in one direction all of the time, this can become complicated. Kristin Andress' new book, Be Good For Goodness Sake, is an allegory offering a portrait of individuals living in a collective and often confusing world. It explores our assumptions and our realities as we see others, and in them see pieces of ourselves. The book is available on Amazon.

Kroon, an artist, woodworker, gardener, avid reader, poet, devoted writer and author, has completed his new book 'Sittin' in My Garden (Waitin' for the Jellybeans to Grow)': a vibrant, expressive compilation of both poem and prose. This work depicts the fun and beauty of words and the imagination.

This weeks episode of GAME OF THRONES entitled 'The Door,' revealed a lot of information and answers to some of the biggest questions of the series, as well answered some questions that don't necessarily need answering. In a show riddled with plot holes, some of which were highlighted this episode, their ability to carry out reveals and give us answers isn't always up to task. If your biggest concern watching GAME OF THRONES was finding out the origin of Hodor's name, then this was the episode for you! If the importance of finding out the origin of the White Walkers, the biggest threat that endangers the lives of all of our characters, is highest on the scale for you, you'll get answer, but the attention and care given to revealing said answer may disappoint you. It's all apparent just looking at the recaps and reactions. The most used phrase from an episode in which we learn where the White Walkers came from, another direwolf dies, a mythic race goes extinct, and the Starks make a battle plan, is 'Hold the door!' That says quite a lot.

Hello Broadway world!

Well… it's all come down to this. Though nothing can really compare to last week's shocking ending, this week's outing comes pretty close, offering surprise after surprise while simultaneously closing loose ends and opening new doors. There's also a slew of familiar faces that return throughout the various scenes — some may actually be a little too familiar. All this while Liza's still trying to keep her secret… um… secret. it's all very well done, well acted and, as always, well-written! Intrigued and ready to find out more?! Well… you know what to do. First, you watch Sutton Foster pal around with Seth Meyers, of course. Then, you read on: 

Today the Tony Award winner speaks exclusively with BWW about starring in this high-energy comedic romp and reveals, 'I didn't quite know what I was getting myself into!'

It doesn't matter if you've been bad or good, for goodness sake, because Pinky Swear Productions is gifting the entire DC area with a naughty treat this holiday season.

It's a little uncanny how easily Shakespeare's tragedy lends itself to reinvention by a troupe of clowns and still communicates the full measure of the poet's intent, yet that is exactly what happens in FOUR CLOWNS PRESENTS HAMLET, a guest production at The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles. To director Turner Munch's credit, not only does he understand the funny – of which there is plenty in this production – he also knows how to play it off against its polar opposite to create palable dramatic tension. And he does it with surprising finesse.

Any parent with a kid who has big dreams of being on Broadway knows how difficult the business can be. Take it from BroadwayWorld's resident stage mom Juliet Wall (a mother of a professional child actor in NYC), who has much to share about the challenges of getting your child into the industry. Below, check out the latest edition of Confessions of a Stage Mom- The Reality of Holding Room Etiquette.

Hey, YOUNGER buffs! Welcome to the second-to-last recap of the season!! And this week's pretty huge. The subject of the episode is — undoubtedly — honesty. In a minor subplot, Kelsey deals with the aftermath of her rendezvous with Bjonberg, and contemplates letting Thad in on what's been happening; while Liza's ruse comes to a head in her professional and personal life. Like, in a big way. And I mean big. Like game-changing big. All right — enough teasing. Intrigued? Why then, read on…. 

Of the multitude of recent film-to-stage adaptations that have risen from the video dust bin to breathe new life in a different guise, the stage version of DIRTY DANCING---whose first national tour is now gyrating inside Costa Mesa's Segerstrom Center for the Arts through February 15---is by far one of the oddest, most peculiar ones of the bunch. Though it's not difficult to believe that this ad-hoc concoction has actually been a hit both in Australia and in the UK (they have the original 1987 film's nostalgia-hungry fans to thank for that, no doubt), it's a bit alarming to think that such an awkward head-scratcher has continued life in its current, somewhat off-putting format: as a show paved with good intentions---but executed poorly. Cool projections, though!

Pittsburgh CLO will welcome the newest members of the cast of Murder For Two to the CLO Cabaret, November 26 - January 18. Point Park University alums Brandon Lambert and John Wascavage will debut as 'Marcus' and 'The Suspects' this Wednesday evening, and continue their run through January 18. Tickets start at $34.75 and are available at CLOCabaret.com, by calling 412-456-6666 or visiting the Box Office at Theater Square.

Back by popular demand! Kenny Davin Fine, the world's only 'Physician-Musician on a Mission,' returns with his Health 'n' Music Tour to The Lakewood Theatre (1825 Abrams Rd, Dallas) tonight, November 22.

Back by popular demand! Kenny Davin Fine, the world's only “Physician-Musician on a Mission,” returns with his Health 'n' Music Tour to The Lakewood Theatre (1825 Abrams Rd, Dallas) on Saturday, November 22. The evening will stimulate both sides of your brain with the latest scientific information, creativity and entertainment. This special event will begin at 6:00 pm with a Gluten Free Dinner followed at 7:00 pm by an awe-inspiring Health Lecture by Dr. Fine: The Gluten Truth 2014 & The FinerHealth Revolution. During his talk, Dr. Fine, an expert academic gastroenterologist, will unveil his new health plan that includes “6 Tenets of the FinerHealth.” Dr. Fine, a pioneer in gluten intolerance research, launched the popular gluten sensitivity and gluten-free diet habits.

I have always loved opera companies that have the ability to evolve and recreate productions for modern audiences. Typically, Austin Opera always rises to meet this challenge, but regrettably, in this production they miss the mark. Despite some standout performances, A MASKED BALL falls short because of some missed opportunities and questionable choices made by the director.

Thursday night. Time for a new PARENTHOOD recap: First, Max rushes to Kristina (who's back — yay!) because Adam's still away on business (WHAT?! 6 EPISODES LEFT, PEOPLE!) desperate to know how to ask a girl (read: Dylan) out on a date. When he does go to do it though, he finds Dylan kissing another guy. Max first asks to expel Aaron Brownstein, the guy who was making out with Dylan, which escalates to handing out flyers and then a full-on brawl in the middle of the hallway. Out of anger, Max decides to end his friendship with Dylan and keep his distance. Then, he backtracks… but goes too far… and Dylan, as such, reacts. Simply, in just a few words, amazing acting all around from Max Burkholder, and it's nice that Max Braverman is so deeply involved in his relationship with Dylan that he actually wants to do something about it. It's great, too, that Kristina shows a softer, compelling side toward him; she understands why he did what he did. And that final scene between them was perfect!

Man, oh, man, where to begin! Tonight was the final episode of Season 8, and the second part of the 2-part DOCTOR WHO Finale! “Death in Heaven” was definitely an exciting episode, so let's jump right in! As always, beware of spoilers!