No Time for Comedy - 1939 - Broadway Articles Page 14

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) continues its 2009-10 season with famed British theater maker Alan Ayckbourn's hilarious rumination on love and marriage, Round and Round the Garden, directed by Tony Award winner John Rando (Urinetown, The Musical, The Wedding Singer on Broadway; Urinetown, Rich and Famous at A.C.T.).

It's 1939 and producer David O. Selznick (played by Derek Whittaker) finds himself under the gun: He only has seven days to fashion a shooting script for his epic film version of Margaret Mitchell's worldwide bestseller. Virtually every writer of note (including Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald) has submitted a treatment of the novel only to have Selznick - whose reputation as a controlling perfectionist remains intact in this play - reject every one of them

Rubicon Theatre Company continues its 2009-2010 Season with the Central Coast Premiere of a timely drama about a fascinating and enigmatic figure in American history. TRYING, which opens March 13 and runs through April 4th (with low-priced previews March 11 and 12), is a poignant, poetic and powerful story about a relationship between Francis Biddle, Attorney General under Roosevelt and Chief Judge at the Nuremburg trials; and Sarah, a tenacious 25-year-old woman from the Canadian plains, one of a string of secretaries Biddle's wife has hired to help him put his affairs in order at the end of his long an illustrious career. Biddle, 81, is in poor health, proud and cantankerous as he begins to confront his own mortality. Sarah, however, is also headstrong, and from her early life on the prairie has developed a strength and wisdom beyond her years. Despite the difference in ideologies and age, the two forge a friendship. The play is autobiographical in nature and is written by Joanna McClelland Glass, who worked for Biddle in the late 60s.

Rubicon Theatre Company continues its 2009-2010 Season with the Central Coast Premiere of a timely drama about a fascinating and enigmatic figure in American history. TRYING, which opens March 13 and runs through April 4th (with low-priced previews March 11 and 12), is a poignant, poetic and powerful story about a relationship between Francis Biddle, Attorney General under Roosevelt and Chief Judge at the Nuremburg trials; and Sarah, a tenacious 25-year-old woman from the Canadian plains, one of a string of secretaries Biddle's wife has hired to help him put his affairs in order at the end of his long an illustrious career. Biddle, 81, is in poor health, proud and cantankerous as he begins to confront his own mortality. Sarah, however, is also headstrong, and from her early life on the prairie has developed a strength and wisdom beyond her years. Despite the difference in ideologies and age, the two forge a friendship. The play is autobiographical in nature and is written by Joanna McClelland Glass, who worked for Biddle in the late 60s.

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre (Scott Alan Evans, Cynthia Harris and Simon Jones, C0-Artistic Directors), the critically-acclaimed company dedicated to presenting neglected or rarely produced plays of literary merit, will offer a 'sneak peek' of the 60th Anniversary production of The Cocktail Party, T. S. Eliot's profound exploration of self deception and redemption, at a special event titled 'A T.S. Eliot Cocktail: An Evening of Scenes and Poetry' to be held on Tuesday, March 2nd at 7PM at Barnes & Noble (2289 Broadway @ 82nd Street).

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre (Scott Alan Evans, Cynthia Harris and Simon Jones, C0-Artistic Directors), the critically-acclaimed company dedicated to presenting neglected or rarely produced plays of literary merit, will offer a 'sneak peek' of the 60th Anniversary production of The Cocktail Party, T. S. Eliot's profound exploration of self deception and redemption, at a special event titled 'A T.S. Eliot Cocktail: An Evening of Scenes and Poetry' to be held on Tuesday, March 2nd at 7PM at Barnes & Noble (2289 Broadway @ 82nd Street).

TACT/The Actors Company Theatre (Scott Alan Evans, Cynthia Harris and Simon Jones, Co-Artistic Directors), the critically-acclaimed company "dedicated to presenting neglected or rarely produced plays of literary merit," will conclude its 2009/10 season with The Cocktail Party, by T. S. Eliot.

Beowulf Alley Theatre's Old Time Radio Theatre presents an exciting series of live presentations of old radio shows from the golden age at the theatre, 11 South 6th Avenue (Downtown between Broadway and Congress) in the first and third week of each month. Performances are at 7 p.m. (this is a change from the originally announced 6:30 p.m. performance time).

Boiler Room Theatre presents their annual Double Header Holiday with two great holiday shows playing in repertory. Two completely different holiday entertainment experiences! Season Passes include choice of one of the holiday productions. The Last Night of Ballyhoo, a comedy by by Alfred Uhry, will run November 27 through December 20, 2009. A Hard-Boiled Christmas, by Jamey Green and Lewis Kempfer, will run November 29 through December 23, 2009.

Boiler Room Theatre presents their annual Double Header Holiday with two great holiday shows playing in repertory. Two completely different holiday entertainment experiences! Season Passes include choice of one of the holiday productions. The Last Night of Ballyhoo, a comedy by by Alfred Uhry, will run November 27 through December 20, 2009. A Hard-Boiled Christmas, by Jamey Green and Lewis Kempfer, will run November 29 through December 23, 2009.

Boiler Room Theatre presents their annual Double Header Holiday with two great holiday shows playing in repertory. Two completely different holiday entertainment experiences! Season Passes include choice of one of the holiday productions. The Last Night of Ballyhoo, a comedy by by Alfred Uhry, will run November 27 through December 20, 2009. A Hard-Boiled Christmas, by Jamey Green and Lewis Kempfer, will run November 29 through December 23, 2009.

Tickets for the Detroit premiers of four all-new, hot Broadway shows, presented by Broadway in Detroit, will go on sale Sunday, November 22: The Wizard of Oz, the spectacular new national tour, Jan. 29-Feb. 14, 2010 at the Fisher Theatre; Steppenwolf's August: Osage County, Feb. 19-21, 2010 at the Fisher Theatre; Mel Brooks' new musical Young Frankenstein, Feb. 23-Mar. 14, 2010 at the Detroit Opera House; and, winner of eight Tony Awards® including Best Musical, Spring Awakening, Apr. 20-May 9, 2010 at the Fisher Theatre.

In case this is your first time reading one of my reviews of a Broadway revival of a classic musical, allow me introduce you to my personal prejudice. I completely abhor the now very common practice of revising the book and messing with the score of any musical theatre piece after the authors are deceased. If a composer, bookwriter or lyricist is around to approve of changes, that's swell, but all too often their estates will allow anything from the sparse, but significant, tweaks to South Pacific to the wholesale revisions of The Pajama Game and The Music Man. Even more deplorable is the practice of letting these changes go uncredited, as was done in the three examples just cited, giving audiences no clue that what they are watching is not wholly the musical the original authors wrote.

Set in French Guiana, a region where on Christmas Eve the temperature has graciously dropped to 104 degrees, three amiable convicts are employed as roofers above the Ducotel's general store. The roof winds up being the least of the family's troubles.

Boiler Room Theatre presents their annual Double Header Holiday with two great holiday shows playing in repertory. Two completely different holiday entertainment experiences! Season Passes include choice of one of the holiday productions. The Last Night of Ballyhoo, a comedy by by Alfred Uhry, will run November 27 through December 20, 2009. A Hard-Boiled Christmas, by Jamey Green and Lewis Kempfer, will run November 29 through December 23, 2009.

James Macdonald returns to the Almeida to direct the world premiere of Christopher Hampton's new version of Ödön von Horváth's Judgment Day. Judgment Day will run at the Almeida from 3 September - 17 October 2009, with press night on 10 September. Set designs are by Miriam Buether with costume design is by Moritz Junge, lighting by Neil Austin, sound by Chris Shutt and music by Matthew Herbert.

Come out & PLAY! October 12th through the 18th when Theatre Puget Sound hosts Live Theatre Week 2009. This 5th Annual Live Theatre Week boasts record participation from Puget Sound area arts organizations with over a dozen new theatres joining in this year with special events and/or Free Night of Theatre offers.

Queens Theatre in the Park (QTP) announces its 2009/2010 season of dance, theatre, classical music, film, and family programming - more than 40 events, including the world premiere of Against the Rising Sea, featuring Tony Award-winning actress Elizabeth Franz; the development of a new musical, Opa! The Musical; and the return of international superstar Eva Ayllón.

Come out & PLAY! October 12th through the 18th when Theatre Puget Sound hosts Live Theatre Week 2009. This 5th Annual Live Theatre Week boasts record participation from Puget Sound area arts organizations with over a dozen new theatres joining in this year with special events and/or Free Night of Theatre offers.

The NYC400 is the first-ever list of New York City's ultimate movers and shakers since the City's founding?from politics, the arts, business, sports, science, and entertainment.

Everything you've heard about Wicked is true; it's an awe-inspiring stage spectacle filled with special effects, gorgeous sets and lighting, exquisite costumes, an amazingly gifted cast, a glorious musical score and an immensely entertaining, yet slightly irreverent (and maybe even a little subversive) script. It also has plot points so broad that you could drive a freight train through them, but if you're willing to suspend disbelief and allow yourself to become totally immersed in the phenomenon, you can't help but walk away tremendously satisfied, humming those wonderful tunes and having a sort of 'which came first: the chicken or the egg' debate with your companions.

James Macdonald returns to the Almeida to direct the world premiere of Christopher Hampton's new version of Ödön von Horváth's Judgment Day. Judgment Day will run at the Almeida from 3 September - 17 October 2009, with press night on 10 September. Set designs are by Miriam Buether with costume design is by Moritz Junge, lighting by Neil Austin, sound by Chris Shutt and music by Matthew Herbert.

CAPA's 2009 Summer Movie Series, the longest-running classic film series in America, celebrates its 39th anniversary with a lineup of classics, cult favorites, and most beloved films. The 2009 series will run July 17 - August 30, at the historic Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.), and is made possible through the generous support of National City, now a part of PNC.

CAPA's 2009 Summer Movie Series, the longest-running classic film series in America, celebrates its 39th anniversary with a lineup of classics, cult favorites, and most beloved films. The 2009 series will run July 17 - August 30, at the historic Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.), and is made possible through the generous support of National City, now a part of PNC.

CAPA's 2009 Summer Movie Series, the longest-running classic film series in America, celebrates its 39th anniversary with a lineup of classics, cult favorites, and most beloved films. The 2009 series will run July 17 - August 30, at the historic Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.), and is made possible through the generous support of National City, now a part of PNC.