Taking a Chance on Love - 2000 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 14

For the 25th anniversary season of SummerStage, City Parks Foundation has launched a major re-branding of the festival to include music, dance, film and theater performances in all five boroughs.

When someone mentions Little House on the Prairie, most people think instantly of the iconic television program, little Laura Ingalls twirling in the field or that unforgettable theme song. But what about the real people behind those memorable characters, and their tough life on the prairie with all its struggles and joys? That is what theatergoers who come to see Little House on the Prairie at the Fox Theatre will experience, as they live the stories of the Ingalls family on stage in this new musical based on the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. And joyfully leading this stage family will be Melissa Gilbert (Ma) and Steve Blanchard, who plays Charles "Pa" Ingalls in this refreshing new production which comes to the Fox June 15 - 20. I had the chance to talk with Steve about the role, his experience with the show and how he has made a deep and personal connection with this truly remarkable man of the land.

Transport Group (TG), the winner of a special 2007 Drama Desk Award and 2007 and 2010 OBIE Awards, will present the New York premiere of See Rock City & Other Destinations, music by Brad Alexander; book and lyrics by Adam Mathias; directed by Artistic Director Jack Cummings III (two-time Drama Desk Award nominee for Outstanding Director for TG's The Audience and The Boys in the Band), beginning Saturday, July 17, and opening Sunday, July 25, at 7pm at The Duke on 42nd Street, a New 42nd Street® project, 229 West 42nd Street.

The Gallery Players proudly announces its line up for The 13th Annual Black Box New Play Festival. The festival boasts the world premieres of 19 new plays, opening in Brooklyn Thursday, June 3rd with a new adaptation of CANDIDE, by TJ Edwards (The Pearl Theatre Company), directed by The Gallery Players' Executive Director Neal J. Freeman. The 13th Annual Black Box New Play Festival runs June 3 - 27th, 2010.

For the 25th anniversary season of SummerStage, City Parks Foundation has launched a major re-branding of the festival to include music, dance, film and theater performances in all five boroughs.

After almost a decade of traveling the country (to go along with countless international productions as well as a recently planted sit-down production in Las Vegas), the National Touring company of DISNEY'S THE LION KING returns to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for a strictly-limited three-week run through June 13, to dazzle a new generation of wide-eyed audiences, offering the chance for many to relive one of the most celebrated, most creatively-staged musicals to ever grace the Broadway stage. There is no denying the awe-inspiring wonder this show elicits out of its rapt audience; even after years of seeing the show's last visit to the O.C. (as well as the three-year sit-down production that christened the newly-refurbished Pantages Theatre in Hollywood back in 2000), the show surprisingly holds up well with age, especially when you consider what other shows have followed in its wake.

The Gallery Players proudly announces its line up for The 13th Annual Black Box New Play Festival. The festival boasts the world premieres of 19 new plays, opening in Brooklyn Thursday, June 3rd with a new adaptation of CANDIDE, by TJ Edwards (The Pearl Theatre Company), directed by The Gallery Players' Executive Director Neal J. Freeman. The 13th Annual Black Box New Play Festival runs June 3 - 27th, 2010.

Susan Stroman, director of YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, currently touring around the country, says she didn't think twice when Mel Brooks asked her to collaborate on YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN as a follow up to their hit, THE PRODUCERS. Stroman says, 'I just wanted to work with Mel again.'

Chicago Opera Theater's (COT) Opera for All, concluding its 10th year, is an educational outreach program that works with Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE) to bring opera to Chicagoelementary students at five Chicago Public Schools: Clinton Elementary, Hampton Elementary, McKinley Park, Reilly Elementary and Von Humboldt.

The Gallery Players proudly announces its line up for The 13th Annual Black Box New Play Festival. The festival boasts the world premieres of 19 new plays, opening in Brooklyn Thursday, June 3rd with a new adaptation of CANDIDE, by TJ Edwards (The Pearl Theatre Company), directed by The Gallery Players' Executive Director Neal J. Freeman. The 13th Annual Black Box New Play Festival runs June 3 - 27th, 2010.

Today, in honor of the DVD release of Rob Marshall's film version of the 1982 Tony-winning Best Musical NINE, Maury Yeston was gracious and generous enough to grant me a few hours in which I could ask him intimate questions about his life, career and the future of theatre itself. Not one to mince words, Yeston is a veritable font of knowledge and it became clear during the interview that he may be as gifted and talented in his educational and mentorship skills as he is as a two-time Tony-winning composer and lyricist. His stage musicals include two Tony-winning Best Musicals, NINE and TITANIC, as well as: IN THE BEGINNING, GRAND HOTEL, PHANTOM, and the forthcoming DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY, as well as a full-length ballet of TOM SAWYER premiering later this year. From the handwritten letter sent by Katharine Hepburn to Frederico Fellini after seeing the workshop of NINE thirty years ago to this very day when NINE hits DVD, we will take a look at this magnanimous maestro's starry career in this inaugural InDepth InterView. Enjoy!

NBC Sports broadcasts exclusive coverage of the 136th Kentucky Derby this Saturday starting at 4 p.m. ET.

Today, we present the final section of the Sondheim Palooza for this week with a discussion of Sondheim's work in the last two decades. The shows themselves stand as solid proof that this is a composer/lyricist still at the absolute height of his abilities and at the top of his game, as we can very clearly hear in the scores for ASSASSINS, PASSION, THE FROGS and ROAD SHOW...

Martin Crimp's internationally acclaimed production 'The City' opened in Toronto for its Canadian Premiere on Friday, March 19th, 2010. BWW was on hand to get interviews with all three cast members. They talk to us about what it is like being in this production, as well as the unique experience of being the first actors to present this work in Canada.

When asked to come up with the most vile, sinister and deliciously evil villains in popular literature and culture, one name would likely appear on many lists: Cruella de Vil. Notorious for kidnapping innocent Dalmation puppies to use their distinctive spots for her own evil purposes, Cruella conjures memories of divine extravagance coupled with pure greed. And nothing beats seeing a villain of her stature live and in the flesh (or rather, the flesh of her animal du jour). Audiences in Atlanta will soon get their chance to revel in the antics of Cruella and her canine cohorts when The 101 Dalmatians Musical, based on the 1956 classic story written by Dodie Smith, rolls into the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, October 28th.

When asked to come up with the most vile, sinister and deliciously evil villains in popular literature and culture, one name would likely appear on many lists: Cruella de Vil. Notorious for kidnapping innocent Dalmation puppies to use their distinctive spots for her own evil purposes, Cruella conjures memories of divine extravagance coupled with pure greed. And nothing beats seeing a villain of her stature live and in the flesh (or rather, the flesh of her animal du jour). Audiences in Atlanta will soon get their chance to revel in the antics of Cruella and her canine cohorts when The 101 Dalmatians Musical, based on the 1956 classic story written by Dodie Smith, rolls into the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, October 28th.

When asked to come up with the most vile, sinister and deliciously evil villains in popular literature and culture, one name would likely appear on many lists: Cruella de Vil. Notorious for kidnapping innocent Dalmation puppies to use their distinctive spots for her own evil purposes, Cruella conjures memories of divine extravagance coupled with pure greed. And nothing beats seeing a villain of her stature live and in the flesh (or rather, the flesh of her animal du jour). Audiences in Atlanta will soon get their chance to revel in the antics of Cruella and her canine cohorts when The 101 Dalmatians Musical, based on the 1956 classic story written by Dodie Smith, rolls into the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, October 28th.

When asked to come up with the most vile, sinister and deliciously evil villains in popular literature and culture, one name would likely appear on many lists: Cruella de Vil. Notorious for kidnapping innocent Dalmation puppies to use their distinctive spots for her own evil purposes, Cruella conjures memories of divine extravagance coupled with pure greed. And nothing beats seeing a villain of her stature live and in the flesh (or rather, the flesh of her animal du jour). Audiences in Atlanta will soon get their chance to revel in the antics of Cruella and her canine cohorts when The 101 Dalmatians Musical, based on the 1956 classic story written by Dodie Smith, rolls into the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, October 28th.

Carrie Fisher set box-office records at Berkeley Repertory Theatre with her hilarious solo show, Wishful Drinking. Then it became a New York Times bestseller and played to sold-out crowds on a six-city national tour. Now Fisher returns to Berkeley Rep's Roda Theatre, her last stop before the show bursts onto Broadway! This limited run - 15 performances only - begins July 9 and ends July 23.

With a three week extension that is already sold out and last night?s pick up of Drammy Awards for Original Music and Musical Actress in a Lead Role, Portland Center Stage is delighted announce a second extension for Crazy Enough, through July 26th, including 2 Late Night Performances at 10pm during Portland Center Stage?s new works festival, JAW, Friday July 24th and Saturday July 25th. The production will take a break June 29th through July 6th, picking back up with performances July 7th through the 26th, with Tuesday through Friday performances at 7:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday matinee performances at 2:00 pm and one Saturday 7:30 performance on July 18th. There will be no Thursday matinees for the added extension weeks. Tickets range from $25.50 to $48.50, with student and under 30 discounts available. See the show calendar at http://tickets.pcs.org/buytickets/calendar.asp for the complete performance schedule.

Frist Center Announces Their Calendar of Events: June 2009 Thursday, June 4 Gallery Talk: Museums in the 21st Century: Concepts, 7 p.m. Projects, Buildings

Carrie Fisher set box-office records at Berkeley Repertory Theatre with her hilarious solo show, Wishful Drinking. Then it became a New York Times bestseller and played to sold-out crowds on a six-city national tour. Now Fisher returns to Berkeley Rep's Roda Theatre, her last stop before the show bursts onto Broadway! This limited run - 15 performances only - begins July 9 and ends July 23.

Rubicon Theatre Company continues its 'Brave New World' Season with FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. The musical begins previews Thursday, March 19, open on Saturday, March 21 at 7pm and run through Sunday, April 26, 2009 at Rubicon Theatre, 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is the Tony Award? winning musical that captured the hearts of people all over the world with its universal appeal. The play tells the story of Tevye, a Jewish milkman coping with day-to-day 'shtetl' life, Jewish traditions and the women in his life in pre-Revolutionary Russia.

Rubicon Theatre Company continues its ?Brave New World? Season with Fiddler on the Roof. The musical begins previews Thursday, March 19, open on Saturday, March 21 at 7pm and run through Sunday, April 26, 2009 at Rubicon Theatre, 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura.

Michael Donald Edwards, Asolo Repertory Theatre's producing artistic director, announced today his selections for the 2009-2010 season of plays, his fourth season with the company. Asolo Rep's 51ST season kicks off in October with CONTACT, an exciting new musical produced by Asolo Rep in collaboration with the Sarasota Ballet. Other titles on the schedule are THE PERFUME SHOP, SEARCHING FOR EDEN: THE DIARIES OF ADAM AND EVE, THE LIFE OF GALILEO, HEARTS, MANAGING MAXINE, DANCING BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS: THE GINGER MUSICAL, and THE LAST FIVE YEARS.