If Love Were All - 1999 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 17

Eclipse Theatre Company announces 2019 season will feature the comedic works of playwright Christopher Durang

Berkeley Repertory Theatre today announced the full cast and creative team for Paradise Square: An American Musical. The world premiere is helmed by acclaimed director Moises Kaufman, with choreography by the legendary Bill T. Jones and a book by Marcus Gardley, Craig Lucas, and Larry Kirwan. Music by Jason Howland and Larry Kirwan, with lyrics by Nathan Tysen, and based on the songs of Stephen Foster. Paradise Square is produced by special arrangement with Garth H. Drabinsky in association with Peter LeDonne and Teatro Proscenium Limited Partnership.

Hartford Opera Theater will offer New in November 9, a collection of short operas and opera excerpts. This opera festival will play Sunday, November 18 (7pm) at The Cathedral House at Christ Church Cathedral, 45 Church Street, Hartford, CT. Tickets are available now at https:// www.hartfordoperatheater.com as well as at the door; $10 students and seniors and $20 general admission.

Angela Lansbury has enjoyed a career without precedent. Her professional career spans more than half-a-century, during which she has flourished, first as a star of motion pictures, then as a four-time Tony Award-winning Broadway musical star, and most recently as the star of 'Murder, She Wrote,' the longest running detective drama series in the history of television.

In the course of Chris Isaak's career, he has released nine extraordinary albums, twelve singles, been nominated for two Grammy awards, acted in several motion pictures and starred in his own critically acclaimed TV series. His legendary shows with his longtime band Silvertone have entertained tens of thousands of people for over two decades. Even his hair has its own fan club. And yet, this highly praised herald platinum-selling artist has never released a greatest hits album.

This year, a living legend of musical theatre turns 90: Lyricist-bookwriter Tom Jones (who also, under a stage name) appeared in the original company of his most famous and wildly successful record-breaking musical, The Fantasticks. His collaborator, composer Harvey Schmidt, just recently passed away. The production's record-breaking run closed, on January 13, 2002, after 17,162 performances. Their shows also include 110 in the Shade, I Do! I Do!, Philemon, Celebration and many more. And celebration is what it's about when Broadway veterans Carole Demas, who originated the role of Sandy in Grease, and Sarah Rice, who originated the role of Johanna in Sweeney Todd, return to celebrate Jones & Schmidt. Demas and Rice have based the show on their 50 years of work and personal relationships with Tom and Harvey. With very special guest Broadway's Hal Robinson who is also a Fantasticks alumni.

On October 13, 2018, the Canadian Opera Company presented the highly anticipated world premiere of Hadrian by composer Rufus Wainwright and librettist Daniel MacIvor. The opera recounts the epic love story of Roman Emperor Hadrian and his young lover, Antinous. Erased by history, their story is reclaimed for the 21st century by its creators in a star-studded production from renowned Canadian director Peter Hinton. Hadrian runs for seven performances through October 27, 2018.

Jukebox musicals have been quite a trend lately. Owing its origin to Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story, which successfully ran on West End from 1989 to 2003, the genre's popularity has been boosted by many others that followed suit, such as Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, featuring the music and life of Carole King. Just recently, Manila had seen the staging of a tribute to one of the country's more enduring musical groups, The Apo Hiking Society, with the successful Eto na! Musikal nAPO! This mid-October, yet another jukebox musical, built around the iconic songs of major karaoke staples provider, Air Supply, beckons.

The Newark Downtown District is the vibrant setting for a free community concert celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Newark Downtown District (NDD) on Tuesday, Oct. 16. Presented in partnership with the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), this special event features live music by The Commodores and Eric Benet, soul and R&B hits with DJ Felix Hernandez, and appearances by radio personalities Shaila Scott (WBLS 107.5 FM) and DJ Wallah (HOT 97) as co-hosts.'What better way to celebrate 20 years in Downtown Newark than to jam out with the entire community?" said Anthony McMillan, Chief Executive Officer of the Newark Downtown District. "We can't wait to enjoy a night to commemorate what's been done and to cheer what's to come!"

Grammy winning singer/songwriter, John Berry, has been included on the new release of “Country Faith Christmas Vol. 2” by popular faith-based, multi-faceted brand, Country Faith. The CD features the top Country Music artists including Carrie Underwood, Chris Young, Kelsea Ballerini, Charlie Daniels, Hank Williams Jr, Darius Rucker and more.

There's just something about Kristin Chenoweth. It's almost undefinable, perhaps even undescribable, yet as with any writer's efforts to put into words how remarkable the woman behind the image is, I'll give it my best shot, attempting to encapsulate the wonder that is Kristin Chenoweth in 2,000 words or less (but if I go over, don't judge too harshly - I'm simply stating the facts that prove the folly of my initial hypothesis).

There's just something about Kristin Chenoweth. It's almost undefinable, perhaps even undescribable, yet as with any writer's efforts to put into words how remarkable the woman behind the image is, I'll give it my best shot, attempting to encapsulate the wonder that is Kristin Chenoweth in 2,000 words or less (but if I go over, don't judge too harshly - I'm simply stating the facts that prove the folly of my initial hypothesis).

The Newark Downtown District is the vibrant setting for a free community concert celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Newark Downtown District (NDD) on Tuesday, Oct. 16. Presented in partnership with the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), this special event features live music by The Commodores and Eric Benet, soul and R&B hits with DJ Felix Hernandez, and appearances by radio personalities Shaila Scott (WBLS 107.5 FM) and DJ Wallah (HOT 97) as co-hosts.

There's just something about Kristin Chenoweth. It's almost undefinable, perhaps even undescribable, yet as with any writer's efforts to put into words how remarkable the woman behind the image is, I'll give it my best shot, attempting to encapsulate the wonder that is Kristin Chenoweth in 2,000 words or less (but if I go over, don't judge too harshly - I'm simply stating the facts that prove the folly of my initial hypothesis).

Matthew Morrison couldn't be more 'Glee'-ful about launching Bay Area Cabaret's 15th Anniversary Season on Sept. 30 at the world-famous Venetian Room at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. 'I love places that have so much history,' says the Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe nominee. Among the celebrated singers who've sung there: Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Marlene Dietrich, Peggy Lee and Tina Turner. And in 1961, Tony Bennett first performed 'I Left My Heart in San Francisco' there, which is especially apt since the Fairmont sits high upon Nob Hill, 'where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars.'

Opera Philadelphia – “one of the most creative and ambitious companies in this country” (New York Times) – is set to take the opera world by storm once again, as it looks forward to O18, the second installment of its pioneering Festival O, with the “spirit ... not to follow taste but to lead it” (Philadelphia Inquirer). Festival 018comprises five operatic happenings – two world premieres, two new productions, and a three-part cabaret event – at multiple venues across the city from September 20-30, and features two superstar opera divas: coloratura soprano Brenda Rae and mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, co-stars of Opera Philadelphia's acclaimed spring 2017 production of Rossini's Tancredi. Rae headlines a new production of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor from celebrated director and designer Laurent Pelly that anchors both the O18 festival and the company's year-round Opera at the Academy series. Blythe (aka Blythely Oratonio) takes the stage at Philadelphia's Theatre of Living Arts (TLA) for a three-night, three-part cabaret takeover titled Queens of the Night, along with self-described “drag queen king” Dito van Reigersberg (aka Martha Graham Cracker). It all leads up to a reprise performance of Dito & Aeneas: Two Queens, One Night, Opera Philadelphia's 2017 cabaret-play spectacular, which was hailed as “smart and bubbly in all the right places” (Philadelphia Inquirer). The two divas even perform together on the TLA stage, when Rae makes a special guest appearance opposite Blythe, comedically echoing the tragic lovers of Tancredi. 

Opera Philadelphia is set to take the opera world by storm once again, as it looks forward to O18, the second installment of its pioneering Festival O.

Fall activities for the Centennial, which begins this month and extends through all of 2019, include a wide range of performances, film screenings, discussions, education initiatives, and new works by other artists in conversation with Cunningham's work.

Prepare for an illuminating journey when The Psychedelic Film and Music Festival holds its inaugural event featuring a lineup of science fiction, horror, fantasy, surrealist and virtual reality films, music and stage performances and panel discussions set to explore the altered states of consciousness and truth behind the vibrant and enduring psychedelic culture. The week-long gathering will feature musical performances by Simon Boswell with The AND, Psychic Ills, Heaven, Michael Tapper, Roosevelt Island and Nosh alongside appearances by researchers Dr. Dennis McKenna, Robert Barnhart and other special guests notable for breakthroughs in the psychedelic community. Premiering at venues in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens, the festival will run October 1-7, 2018.

New Line Theatre's artistic director Scott Miller has published another collection of essays, LITERALLY ANYTHING GOES: 14 ODDBALL MUSICALS AND WHAT MAKES THEM TICK. Miller's fifth book of deep-dive musical theatre exploration is a surprising and entertaining journey into more than a dozen quirky but fascinating musicals, some famous, some less so.

After 144 performances of seven different productions presented over 55 days, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival concluded the 27th season with its rotating repertory of Shakespeare in Love and King Richard II; and its "Extreme Shakespeare," production of All's Well That Ends Well.

Grammy winning singer / songwriter, John Berry, celebrated his new single, “Beautifully Broken,” the title track for the exhilarating new feature film of the same name at the red carpet VIP Premiere Monday evening. The single has been #1 on the Christian Music Weekly Chart for 5 weeks and in the top ten since charting 23 weeks ago. “Beautifully Broken” is currently at #34 on the MusicRow Country Charts and continues to rise, breaking a 22 year stretch for charting a single on radio. The song was also added to Spotify's New Traditions: Country Heroes Playlist.

This year, a living legend of musical theatre turns 90: Lyricist-bookwriter Tom Jones (who also, under a stage name) appeared in the original company of his most famous and wildly successful record-breaking musical, The Fantasticks. His collaborator, composer Harvey Schmidt, just recently passed away. The production's record-breaking run closed, on January 13, 2002, after 17,162 performances. Their shows also include 110 in the Shade, I Do! I Do!, Philemon, Celebration and many more. And celebration is what it's about when Broadway veterans Carole Demas, who originated the role of Sandy in Grease, and Sarah Rice, who originated the role of Johanna in Sweeney Todd, return to celebrate Jones & Schmidt. Demas and Rice have based the show on their 50 years of work and personal relationships with Tom and Harvey. With very special guest Broadway's Hal Robinson who is also a Fantasticks alumni.

A mannequin manufacturer by day, James Chiao will be fulfilling his dream with the world premiere of his musical TENOR BY NIGHT September 22, 2018 at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood (with preview performances at the Rose Center Theater in Westminster, August 17 through 26). James took two subjects he's most familiar with (mannequins and singing) and mashed them together.

Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company (MJTC) opens its 24th season with What I Thought I Knew by Alice Eve Cohen. Jennie Ward returns to MJTC to direct (Collected Stories).