The Lion King - 2003 - Chicago Articles Page 12

The Hilberry Theatre is kicking off their 56th anniversary with the hilarious musical, Avenue Q, opening this Friday, September 21st in Detroit. The musical with book and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx is a three-time Tony Award winning show, including Best Musical, has been shocking and amusing audiences since it debuted in 2003. What makes Avenue Q different than any other show? It's a hilarious adult-only spoof done with puppets that will keep the audience laughing from the very first musical number until the last note is finishes. BroadwayWorld Detroit had a chance to speak with Matthew Smith, a member of the Hilberry Company, who plays Nicky in Avenue Q about the show, the puppetry, and why everyone should come out for fulfilling night of laughter.

One special evening at Don't Tell Mama NYC will celebrate the work of composer Cy Coleman, on September 25th 2018 at 7PM.

Pan Asian Repertory Theatre (Tisa Chang, Artistic Producing Director) will host a one-night only special event celebrating the upcoming season with the 2018 Arts & Action Gala Dinner on Thursday evening, October 18, 2018 at The Golden Unicorn Restaurant in Chinatown (18 East Broadway at Catherine Street).

Now in its tenth consecutive year, the multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre presents Vibrant 2018 - A Festival of Finborough Playwrights, its annual explosion of new writing, running between 7-25 October 2018.

Written by Nobel Prize Award-winner Luigi Pirandello, in a new version by Nicholas Wright, Naked begins performances Thursday, September 27 at 7pm at The Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge, MA. Opening night is set for Saturday, September 29 at 7pm. Directed by Eric Hill (BTG: At Home at the Zoo, The Homecoming, Poe), the production features: David Adkins (Homeland BTG: The Petrified Forest, At Home at the Zoo) as Alfredo Cantavalle; Haley Aguero (BTG: Tarzan, The Music Man) as Emma; James Barry (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson BTG: The Caretaker, The Who's Tommy) as Franco Laspiga; Jeffrey Doornbos (A Thousand Miles Behind) as Consul Grotti; Tara Franklin (Sleep No More BTG: At Home at the Zoo, The Homecoming) as Ersilia Drei; Barbara Sims (A Streetcar Named Desire BTG: Benefactors) as Signora Onoria; and Obie and Drama Desk Award-winner, Rocco Sisto (The King and I BTG: The Homecoming) as Ludovico Nota. This production is sponsored by Lead Sponsor, Bobbie Hallig; Furlano and Arace, PC; The Westifeld News Group; Massachusetts Cultural Council and The Shubert Foundation.

DISNEY'S THE LION KING JR. opens at Artisan Center Theater on Friday, August 10, 2018 and runs through Saturday, August 18, 2018. The 148 seat Second Stage facility is located at 444 East Pipeline Road in Hurst. Performances are at 7:00pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with additional 3:30pm matinees on Saturdays. Reserved seating tickets are $15.00. Tickets can be purchased online at ArtisanCT.com, or by calling the box office at 817-284-1200.

Six of Broadway's most sought-after stars will join Mark Cortale's "Broadway @ The Art House" and "Broadway @ Town Hall" concert series in Provincetown in August.

Was Dr. Martin Luther King correct in saying the moral arc of the universe bends toward justice? Even if we do learn from the past, are we still doomed to repeat some of it? Promethean Theatre Ensemble Artistic Director Brian Pastor says, "Friedrich Nietzsche once noted that 'when we are tired, we are attacked by ideas we conquered long ago.' As Promethean begins its 13th season, we are reminded of one of our founding tenets: that we tell stories of the past to illuminate our present. The themes that we explore this season challenge us to craft a better tomorrow by taking our cues from the boldest voices of yesteryear."

It all started with ANNIE and is still going strong, as Moorestown Theater Company welcomes back that 'perky redhead'.

Casting is now complete for the Hollywood Bowl's upcoming production of Annie. The new cast members are Roger Bart as Daniel 'Rooster' Hannigan, Kaylin Hedges as Annie, Ali Stroker as 'Star-to-Be,' Amir Talai as Bert Healy, Marlow Barkley as Kate, Amadi Chapata as Pepper, Noe Lynds as July, Rae Martinez as Tessie, Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja as Molly, and Olivia Zenetzis as Duffy.

The Broadway League, the national trade organization for the commercial theatre industry, announces the 2018 League Educator Apple Award recipients. Now in its sixteenth year, the awards acknowledge the efforts of local teachers and advocates who support programs relating to Broadway or Touring Broadway shows, promoting further development of theatre education.

According to Deadline, Netflix has ordered a second season of Llama Llama, its animated series from Genius Brands International. Jennifer Garner leads the voice cast of the preschooler toon, which premiered in January in 20 countries.

GFour Productions, winner of 44 Tony Awards and 54 Drama Desk Awards, proudly brings the international hit show Menopause The Musical® to Long Wharf Theatre (222 Sargent Drive) in New Haven, Conn., for a limited engagement Friday, June 15 through Sunday, July 1. Tickets are on sale now and available at the Long Wharf Theatre Box Office, www.longwharf.org, or by calling (203) 787-4282. Greater discounts for groups of 10+ available by calling (203) 772-8202.

According to Entertainment Weekly, James McAvoy has officially joined the cast of BBC One's His Dark Materials TV series.

The 72nd Annual Tony Awards are this Sunday June 10th at 8/9c hosted by Josh Groban and Sara Bareilles. It's the biggest award show of the Broadway season and it closes out a long awards season for Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals and plays. We can't help but wonder what chances this year's Best Musical and Best Play nominees have of taking home the ultimate prize...

GFour Productions, winner of 44 Tony Awards and 54 Drama Desk Awards, proudly brings the international hit show Menopause The Musical to Long Wharf Theatre (222 Sargent Drive) in New Haven, Conn., for a limited engagement Friday, June 15 through Sunday, July 1. Tickets are on sale now and available at the Long Wharf Theatre Box Office, www.longwharf.org, or by calling (203) 787-4282. Greater discounts for groups of 10+ available by calling (203) 772-8202.

The Acting Company (Ian Belknap, Artistic Director; Elisa Spencer-Kaplan, Executive Director) presents William Shakespeare's beloved comedy, Twelfth Night, directed by Tony nominee Maria Aitken (The 39 Steps) with a dynamic cast of The Acting Company alumni and ensemble members of Delaware's Resident Ensemble Players (REP). When her ship is wrecked, Viola washes ashore in the unfamiliar land of Illyria and embarks on a journey to find her lost brother. Brimming with music, love and longing, Shakespeare's enchanting play transports audiences to a world of comedic mayhem, mistaken identity and unrequited passion. This co-production with the Resident Ensemble Players comes to Polonsky Shakespeare Center (262 Ashland Pl, Brooklyn), May 10-27.

The 2018 Tony nominees are already winners... literally. For some, this marks their first nomination, but others have already won Tony Awards in seasons past. We took a look at which nominees have won at least a Tony or two (or nine) - amongst them, they've gathered a total of 88 awards!

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley presents the Tony Award-winning musical The Bridges of Madison County, based on the 1992 bestselling novel by Robert James Waller about love both lost and found. Set amidst the cornfields of Iowa in 1965, this passionate musical follows the unexpected affair of a devoted Italian-born housewife and a roving National Geographic photographer set over four sensual, heart-stirring days. Brilliantly adapted by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright Marsha Norman ('night Mother, The Secret Garden, The Color Purple) with music and lyrics by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown (Parade), it captured the 2014 Tony Award for Best Musical Score. The Bridges of Madison County, directed by TheatreWorks Artistic Director and founder Robert Kelley will be presented April 4 - 29, 2018 (opening night: April 7) at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View. For tickets ($40-$100) and more information the public may visit TheatreWorks.org or call (650) 463-1960.

On April 28th, 2018, Seth Bisen-Hersh will present an all-day, wall-to-wall concert of his songs at the renowned cabaret club, Don't Tell Mama, to celebrate the milestone of his 500th showcase. The four-part concert (1PM, 3:30PM, 6PM & 8:30PM) will consist of 100 of Seth Bisen-Hersh's songs, including 3 world premieres, featuring over 70 performers and cast reunions from every musical that Seth has produced in NYC.

The Acting Company (Ian Belknap, Artistic Director; Elisa Spencer-Kaplan, Executive Director) presents William Shakespeare's beloved comedy, Twelfth Night, directed by Tony nominee Maria Aitken (The 39 Steps) with a dynamic cast of The Acting Company alumni and ensemble members of Delaware's Resident Ensemble Players (REP). When her ship is wrecked, Viola washes ashore in the unfamiliar land of Illyria and embarks on a journey to find her lost brother. Brimming with music, love and longing, Shakespeare's enchanting play transports audiences to a world of comedic mayhem, mistaken identity and unrequited passion. This co-production with the Resident Ensemble Players comes to Polonsky Shakespeare Center (262 Ashland Pl, Brooklyn), May 10-27.

Award-winning and critically-acclaimed Astoria Performing Arts Center (APAC - Jesse Marchese, Executive Director; Dev Bondarin, Artistic Director) concludes its 17th mainstage season with a production of the legendary musical Follies by James Goldman (Book) and Stephen Sondheim (Music & Lyrics), directed by APAC artistic director, Dev Bondarin (New York Innovative Theatre Awards nominee for Best Director for APAC's 2017 production of Raisin) and choreographed by Sara Brians (Resident Choreographer, Matilda, Broadway). Follies runs from May 3 - 26, 2018 at the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 30-44 Crescent St. (at 30th Road), Astoria, NY 11102.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley presents the Tony Award-winning musical The Bridges of Madison County, based on the 1992 bestselling novel by Robert James Waller about love both lost and found. Set amidst the cornfields of Iowa in 1965, this passionate musical follows the unexpected affair of a devoted Italian-born housewife and a roving National Geographic photographer set over four sensual, heart-stirring days. Brilliantly adapted by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning playwright Marsha Norman ('night Mother, The Secret Garden, The Color Purple) with music and lyrics by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown (Parade), it captured the 2014 Tony Award for Best Musical Score. The Bridges of Madison County, directed by TheatreWorks Artistic Director and founder Robert Kelley will be presented April 4 - 29, 2018 (opening night: April 7) at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View. For tickets ($40-$100) and more information the public may visit TheatreWorks.org or call (650) 463-1960.

The McCallum Theatre announced today its new lineup as it begins its fourth decade of presenting world-class artists and entertainers for Coachella Valley audiences.  The new season includes McCallum debuts, iconic superstars, family-friendly entertainment, holiday sensations, with some mariachi, Bollywood, ballet, comedy and entertaining geography lessons all part of a very full and exciting season that also presents an outstanding roster of  Broadway favorites. 

Opera Saratoga's Artistic and General Director Lawrence Edelson announced the complete casting and programming for the company's 2018 Summer Festival, which will feature new productions of four operas at The Spa Little Theater in Spa State Park, along with a wide variety of free and ticketed concert events from May 26th through July 15th at venues throughout the region. Single tickets, as well as subscription packages, are on sale now at www.operasaratoga.org.