In the First Place - 1962 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 9

Maine State Music Theatre was saddened to receive news of the passing of one of its legendary stars – an actor whose career was inextricably interwoven with the history of Maine’s premier musical theatre. “Bernie” Wurger was a mainstay of MSMT summers from 1962 until 2000, playing 195 leading and supporting roles and winning an indelible place in the hearts of his public. His long and versatile career spanned opera, musical theatre, directing, and film not only in Maine but in New York and leading regional theatres across the country.

Two iconic Philadelphia institutions are teaming up to provide public access to an extraordinary historical collection. The University of Pennsylvania Libraries has acquired the archives of The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Academy of Music in an agreement that will facilitate research and access to more than a century of Philadelphia's rich musical history.

Pasadena Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman announced the latest news for the theater’s upcoming six-month-long celebration of the works and impact of Stephen Sondheim January 26 through June 11, 2023. 

Nearly from the second he takes the stage in Aaron Sorkin’s stage adaptation of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, Richard Thomas establishes himself as being comfortably at home both in the clothing and in the moral garb of Atticus Finch. What did our critic think of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD at Pantages Theatre?

On Friday, December 2 at 8:00 PM, Flushing Town Hall will pay tribute to one of the greatest NEA Jazz Masters with Songs for Barry Harris, featuring NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan, bassist Harvie S, and jazz guitarist Roni Ben-Hur. The trio will perform jazz standards and tunes Barry Harris played throughout his phenomenal career and share unique stories and memories about the outstanding jazz luminary for the anniversary of his passing. 

Even though I was very young, I still remember the tension in the air at school and at home during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. And just today, news of the current Cold War going on between Russia and the rest of the world regarding Ukraine, with even Elon Musk warning the world about possible nuclear war breaking out. So it seems very fortuitous that Peter Knell and Stephanie Fleischmann have created a heart-stopping experience set in a submarine during the crisis of 1962. Their new opera ARKHIPOV is based on the true story of the man who saved humanity from nuclear annihilation during a tipping point between Russia and the United States in the Cuban Missile Crisis. But what motivated them to create an opera about such a terrifying moment in world history? I decide to speak with them and find out.

Jermyn Street Theatre has announced a six-month programme of work for the first half of 2023.  Continuing from where the current Temptation Season left off and exploring the many sides of promise - vows made, kept and broken and the hope of great things to come - this vibrant body of work contains four world premieres and a major rediscovery. 

Craft Recordings celebrates the 60th anniversary of Vince Guaraldi’s Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus, with a variety of reissues. A deluxe, expanded edition of the 1962 album—featuring “Cast Your Fate to the Wind”—offers 16 bonus tracks, including 12 previously unreleased selections, with outtakes and alternate takes of tracks on the album.

The High Museum of Art in Atlanta announced that it will present the first major US museum exhibition dedicated to photographer Evelyn Hofer View in browser

Bucks County Playhouse's reimagined Evita, directed by Will Pomerantz, is one of the most creatively staged productions of the Andrew Lloyd Webber hit to come along in years. Evita, which chronicles the rise and fall of Eva Perón, shines a spotlight on the controversial icon whose life and death lit the world's stage. Read the full review here!

What did our critic, Linda Hodges, think of HARPER LEE'S TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD at Golden Gate Theatre, SF?

Troupe, in association with Park Theatre, today announce the full cast for the world première of Christopher Isherwood's A Single Man, in a new adaptation from Simon Reade with direction by Philip Wilson.

City Councilman Keith Powers, former Mayor Bill DeBlasio, former acting students of Wynn Handman and maybe a star or two will gather Monday, September 12 at 11:00 AM on the southeast corner of 7th Avenue and 56th Street for the naming of West 56th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues as Wynn Handman Way.

Guest reviewer Andrew Poretz (on loan from Sandi Durell's Theater Pizzazz) reviews The Andersons and their Mancini show.

The Cliburn has announced the new details of the eighth edition of the Cliburn International Amateur Piano Competition, for non-professional pianists age 35 and older. Originally scheduled for May 2020 and postponed due to the pandemic, the Amateur Competition will now take place October 12–18, 2022, in Fort Worth, Texas.

But beloved as it may be, why in the ever-loving hell has it taken so long for To Kill A Mockingbird to become a theatrical play that is actually worthy of its literary heritage? Sure, there’s been a 1990 (?!) version by Christopher Sergel that’s made it way through every high school auditorium, community theater playhouse and reginal theater over the intervening three decades that we are, quite frankly, sick to death of it. In fact, if we never see it again, we’ve seen it far too often: a warmed over, treacly and maudlin rehash that’s far too dependent on the title’s movie roots to really emerge from a darkened theater to become a consummate American play.

Liverpool singing sensation Beryl Marsden is set to celebrate an amazing 60 years in showbusiness with a very special farewell concert at the Epstein Theatre this month.

The Public Theater will begin previews for the Free Shakespeare in the Park production of Public Works’ AS YOU LIKE IT on Wednesday, August 10. Continuing the 60th Anniversary Season at The Delacorte Theater, Public Works’ AS YOU LIKE IT will run through Sunday, September 11, with an official press opening on Tuesday, August 30.

Amid a banquet of juicy roles doled out by Aaron Sorkin in his adaptation of Harper Lee's TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, Richard Thomas feasts the fullest, delivering the most powerful, staggering work I’ve seen from him in my 59+ years of watching his most memorable performances live on Broadway, live in Charlotte, and on TV.

Since Kurt Vonnegut (1922 – 2007), the author of 'Slaughterhouse-Five,' would have been 100 this year, the Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company is celebrating the occasion by offering three of his charming stories in 'Who Am I This Time? (& Other Conundrums of Love.)'  Adapted by Aaron Posner, these humorous tales filled with heart take place in the small town of North Crawford, Connecticut in 1962.

Versatile, the award-winning show, is an Official Selection of Solopalooza 2.022. Written and performed by Kevin Neighbors. Directed and developed by Jessica Lynn Johnson. Produced for Theatre West by Dina Morrone.

Seattle Center hosts the third annual Taking B(l)ack Pride, a day-long event focused on empowering Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) queer and trans community members through a festival-like setting on Saturday, June 25th at the Mural Amphitheatre.

Lake Tahoe Dance Collective (LTDC) presents the tenth annual Lake Tahoe Dance Festival, which will take place this summer from July 27-29, 2022 at venues in Tahoe City and Truckee, CA for in-person audiences. Tickets start at $25 and are available online at laketahoedancecollective.org. Portions of the event will also be available for free online viewing on the company’s website from Saturday, July 30 through Tuesday, August 2. 

The Public Theater announced the schedule today for The Public’s 2022-23 Season at the Public Theater. Learn all about the shows, schedule and how to get tickets.

Christie’s will auction Bob Dylan’s first new studio recording of “Blowin’ in the Wind” since 1962, from a special session with multi-Grammy winning producer T Bone Burnett, on the recently announced groundbreaking Ionic Original disc. The first recording to utilise his patented technology from Burnett’s company, NeoFidelity, Inc.