Like Other People - 1963 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 19

It is bound to happen every once in awhile that various theatres in the Twin Cities all decide to produce the same musical within the same season. The positive thing is that the other two productions of She Loves Me (one at Daleko and one at Lyric Arts) were absolutely fabulous and the most recent production by Artistry was too. I don't mind seeing this for a third time within the same year because it's so ridiculously charming.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the full company for Ruth and Augustus Goetz's melodrama, The Heiress, suggested by the Henry James novel, Washington Square. After growing up subjected to her father's disinterest and strong resentment, a young woman in the 1850s discovers what love is in her journey towards independence, growth and strength, without an impactful female role model in her life. Directed by Deputy Artistic Director Seema Sueko, The Heiress runs February 8 - March 10, 2019 in the Fichandler Stage.

'Bring it On' meets 'Dreamgirls' in the girl-group musical, 'Betty and the Belrays' by William Electric Black aka Ian Ellis James, which will be presented by Theater for the New City January 31 to February 17. The piece tells the story of three white female singers from Detroit who struggle to change a racially divided society by singing for a black record label. Book and lyrics are by William Electric Black. Music is by Black, Valerie Ghent (arranger/keyboards for Ashford & Simpson) and Gary Schreiner. Choreography is by Jeremy Lardieri. Director is Mr. Black.

Following the record-breaking box-office success of "Million Dollar Quartet," Bucks County Playhouse will present for the third time its signature production of "Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story" beginning Friday, February 8 through Sunday, March 3. The Playhouse's Executive Producer Robyn Goodman, Producing Director Alexander Fraser and Producers Stephen Kocis and Joshua Fiedler announced final casting for the production, that will once again be directed by Hunter Foster (BCP's "Million Dollar Quartet" and "42nd Street"), and choreographed by Lorin Latarro (Broadway's "Waitress"), both of whom are also Bucks County Playhouse Artistic Associates.

 For more than four decades, The Irish Rovers have charmed and entertained audiences around the world. Three award-winning TV series, dozens of recordings, and chart topping hits ("The Unicorn," "Wasn't That A Party," "Grandma Got Run-over by a Reindeer" and more). "Their songs have become anthems of revelry and joy among generation after generation of fans" (Belfast Telegraph). The Harris Center is proud to welcome the beloved band to Folsom.

Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue, will present its 44th annual Thunderbird American Dancers Dance Concert and Pow Wow from January 25 to February 3, 2019. There will be dances, stories and traditional music from Native Peoples of the Northeast, Southwest and Great Plains regions. The event has become a treasured New York tradition for celebrating our diversity by honoring the culture of our first Americans.

Pippa Evans talks about the long-running Showstopper! (back in the West End) and about her life in theatre.

2019 is looking to be a season of exciting, provocative performance art that features a variety of voices. Here are my top picks for the nine shows of 2019 that shouldn't be missed (in order by date).

Theatre for a New Audience presents About Alice, the world premiere of a new play by Calvin Trillin, inspired by his 2007 memoir of the same name. The production, directed by Leonard Foglia, plays January 8-February 3, 2019 at Polonsky Shakespeare Center (262 Ashland Place, Brooklyn). 

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces the full company for Ruth and Augustus Goetz's melodrama, The Heiress, suggested by the Henry James novel, Washington Square. After growing up subjected to her father's disinterest and strong resentment, a young woman in the 1850s discovers what love is in her journey towards independence, growth and strength, without an impactful female role model in her life. Directed by Deputy Artistic Director Seema Sueko, The Heiress runs February 8 - March 10, 2019 in the Fichandler Stage.

Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue, will present its 44th annual Thunderbird American Dancers Dance Concert and Pow Wow from January 25 to February 3, 2019. There will be dances, stories and traditional music from Native Peoples of the Northeast, Southwest and Great Plains regions. The event has become a treasured New York tradition for celebrating our diversity by honoring the culture of our first Americans.

'Bring it On' meets 'Dreamgirls' in the girl-group musical, 'Betty and the Belrays' by William Electric Black aka Ian Ellis James, which will be presented by Theater for the New City January 31 to February 17. The piece tells the story of three white female singers from Detroit who struggle to change a racially divided society by singing for a black record label. Book and lyrics are by William Electric Black. Music is by Black, Valerie Ghent (arranger/keyboards for Ashford & Simpson) and Gary Schreiner. Choreography is by Jeremy Lardieri. Director is Mr. Black.

Theater for the New City, 155 First Avenue, will present its 44th annual Thunderbird American Dancers Dance Concert and Pow Wow from January 25 to February 3, 2019. There will be dances, stories and traditional music from Native Peoples of the Northeast, Southwest and Great Plains regions. The event has become a treasured New York tradition for celebrating our diversity by honoring the culture of our first Americans.

Legend has it that when Frankie Valli, as lead singer, decided to enter into a business partnership with the keyboardist and songwriter Bob Gaudio, the musician asked Frankie "should we have somebody draw up a contract?" Frankie responds by offering his hand. "You want a contract? Here - a Jersey contract." Their handshake became a pact, cementing a relationship that has endured for close to 50 years.

Theatre for a New Audience presents About Alice, the world premiere of a new play by Calvin Trillin, inspired by his 2007 memoir of the same name. The production, directed by Leonard Foglia, plays January 8-February 3, 2019 at Polonsky Shakespeare Center (262 Ashland Place, Brooklyn). 

Experimental, amazing, with a touch of humour, and at the highest international level. These characteristics define Operadagen Rotterdam's new programme. The opera and music-theatre festival presents more than 100 performances in major theatres and unexpected locations around the city, from 17 through 26 May 2019.

Jersey Boys is a musical biography of The Four Seasons that showcases their most iconic hits and reveals the story behind the music that entertained audiences for a limited engagement in Grand Rapids this past weekend. It includes many of their well-known musical hits that will have you singing along including: "Big Girls Don't Cry," "Sherry," "December 1963 (Oh What A Night)," "Stay," "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," "Beggin," and many more.Far from a show filled with only the group's musical hits and other numbers, Jersey Boys gets to the heart of the relationships at the center of the group. It does have special focus on front man, Frankie Valli, the small kid with the big falsetto. In the show each member of the group takes a turn narrating events, illustrating how a rough and diverse group of guys from New Jersey, and their long friendships, became music history. 

Now onstage at the Roxy Regional Theatre in Clarksville through December 22, Miracle on 34th Street is among a small number of titles available to theater companies all over the United States looking for seasonal entertainment options for their loyal fans and season ticket holders. In fact, there's another production of the show opening at Murfreesboro's Center for the Arts this weekend and Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre in Nashville has announced the show as its holiday offering in 2019.

Director Linda Fortunato has cast Neil Friedman as Kris Kringle, Stella Rose Hoyt as Susan, Courtney Jones as Doris and Christopher Kale Jones as Fred for Theatre at the Center's Miracle On 34th Street: The Musical. Previews began November 15 with Opening Night on November 18 and a continued run through December 23. This production is sponsored in part by American Community Bank.

In the Auditorium Theatre's 129th year of existence, we honored the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the 13th annual Too Hot to Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah; asked "What's This?" on Halloween with a special screening and the Midwest premiere of Disney in Concert's The Nightmare Before Christmas; and sang along to timeless classics like "December 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" and "Grease" with Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. We reveled alongside the dancers from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; celebrated Ballet Nacional de Cuba's return to Chicago following a 15-year absence; highlighted top local dance companies, including Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Giordano Dance Chicago; and got transported to Mexico with the colorful music and dance of Ballet Folklorico de Mexico de Amalia Hernandez. We also hosted the 14th  year of our Hearts to Art summer camp, a performing arts camp for young people who have experienced the death of a parent; welcomed over 5,000 students to our Student Matinees; and brought thousands of people from across the city to the theatre through our ADMIT ONE program.

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, as well as, it's first move from its historical address, BOB BAKER'S NUTCRACKER will play at the Pasadena Playhouse's Carrie Hamilton Theatre from November 24 through December 30, 2018. Who better to learn about the Bob Baker Marionette Theater than from its current director, the late Bob Baker's right-hand man Alex Evans? I got the chance to pull some interesting facts of the Theater from Alex.

Featuring Tchaikovsky's timeless holiday score, Ballet West returns to the Kennedy Center with Willam Christensen's beloved choreography in The Nutcracker, December 5-9 for seven performances in the Opera House.

The 1936 Hungarian play PARFUMERIE by Miklos Laszlo has the humble distinction of living in the shadow of the more famous movies (and Broadway musical) that it inspired. In fact, Hollywood has cashed in on the play not once but three times - the first adaptation was the 1940 Ernst Lubitsch romantic comedy 'The Shop Around the Corner,' starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan, which was followed by the 1949 screen musical version 'In the Good Old Summertime,' starring Judy Garland, and much later by the 1998 Nora Ephron movie 'You've Got Mail,' with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. And of course, the Broadway musical 'She Loves Me' - adapted from the play by Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick and Joe Masteroff - opened in New York in 1963 and is now one of the most beloved (and revived) musicals during the Christmas season each year. All I can say is for those who enjoy this story of mistaken identity between pen-pal lovers should see one of those versions

She Loves Mebook by Joe Masteroffmusic by Jerry Bocklyrics by Sheldon Harnickbased on a play Parfumerie by Miklos Laszlodirected & choreographed by Cate CaplinActors Co-opDavid Schall Theatrethrough December 16 Classic plays and musicals usually hold up well if the book and music are strong and relevant. She Loves Me has its corny moments and is dated, but is so bent on love and the romantic side of life, we buy into its premise and come away entertained. Currently onstage at Actors Co-op through December 16, She Loves Me receives flawless direction from Cate Caplin and may boast a deliciously inviting ensemble of players.