The Will and the Way - 1957 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 16

After the concert version of West Side Story and an extensive tour of the musical Bells Are Ringing, director Jean Lacornerie and musical director Gérard Lecointe have chosen to collaborate again, delivering to the French public a comparatively little known musical of the 50s, The Pajama Game, which, outside being the work of the dream team Jerome Robbins directing, George Abbott writing the book, and Bob Fosse choreographing on Broadway for the very first time, stands as perhaps the only musical dealing with unions and labor conflicts. The least we can say is that this choice couldn't be more on point given the political context of France today, with major strikes going on in sync with the show, which began its run at Théâtre de la Croix-Rousse in Lyon, followed by an extensive tour at the Théâtre de la Renaissance, also in the Lyon area, and now for a three-day run at the gorgeous Opéra de Rennes, where I caught a sold out performance on February 1st.

In response to the Boston Symphony Orchestra's cancellation of its four-city tour to East Asia (Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, and Shanghai), which was to have taken place February 6a?"16, the management of the orchestra has added to its performance schedule a series of free musical offerings that will culminate in a Boston Symphony Orchestra community concert, under the direction of Thomas Wilkins, BSO Youth and Family Conductor, on Sunday, February 16, at 3 p.m., at Symphony Hall in Boston.

Go inside the creation and 63-year evolution of the musical theatre masterpiece, West Side Story.

The theatre may look sleepy right now, but in just under 5 months, Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre will come alive, ready to present their blockbuster 2020 season. Kicking off the summer, on June 12, 2020, Rocky Mountain Rep opens Kinky Boots! Charlie Price has reluctantly inherited his father's shoe factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Trying to live up to his father's legacy and save his family business, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of Lola, a fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos. Lola turns out to be the one person who can help Charlie become the man that he is meant to be. As they work to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair find that they have more in common than they ever dreamed possible... and discover that, when you change your mind about someone, you can change your whole world. Winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Kinky Boots will have you dancing in the aisles and discovering why, sometimes, the best way to fit in... is to stand out!

The race to get to space is long over, but buried in time is the revelatory story of the world's first black astronauts. For many Americans, the 20th-century Space Race was a Cold War competition over rocketry and technological feats, but the world's two superpowers were also engaged in another high-stakes race – one whose impact is still being felt today. BLACK IN SPACE: BREAKING THE COLOR BARRIER examines the crucial moment when America's history of racial prejudice became a critical vulnerability in the effort to win hearts and minds around the globe. Confronting a Soviet foe determined to show that communism was the face of the future, the U.S. would need a new generation of astronauts. BLACK IN SPACE: BREAKING THE COLOR BARRIER premieres Monday, February 24 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel and will also be available to stream on Smithsonian Channel Plus beginning February 1.

For the past 126 years, Gibson has been synonymous with creating and shaping sound. The new Gibson era celebrates the iconic models of the Gibson Golden Era while leaning into the future with instruments that nurture new players across generations, genders, and genres of music. In 2019, Gibson emerged as the legitimate leader again by offering new, relevant and award-winning guitars.

Erik Lee Preminger, the son of legendary burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee (whose 1957 memoirs inspired the classic musical GYPSY) and film director Otto Preminger, will appear in-person at Naples's Theatrezone on Wednesday, January 15, 2020 to present his one-man show about his famous mother (featuring rare home movies, television shows, newsreel footage, a question-and-answer session, and more). He was kind enough to give me and BroadwayWorld readers some insight into his life and his show ahead of the January 15 performance; read below. 

The Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium, Philadelphia's critically acclaimed theater company known for intelligent and accessible interpretations of classic absurdist works, will present Ionesco's anti-play tackling communication gone awry as part of Philadelphia Theatre Week 2020.  The Bald Soprano will run for eight shows only, opening Thursday, February 6 @ 7:30 pm and running through Sunday, February 16 @ 2:30 pm, Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 pm, Sunday matinees at 2:30 pm.  Tickets for all performances @ BaldSoprano@bpt.me, 215.285.0472 or todaytix.com.

On January 23, The MacDowell Colony kicks off the year-long MacDowell NYC Salon Series a?oeSpark & Illuminationa?? with an evening of original musical theatre as James Lapine, Tom Kitt, and Michael Korie (pictured at MacDowell above) will be on hand to present excerpts of Flying Over Sunset and talk about their MacDowell-supported collaboration just weeks before the musical's Broadway premiere. Writer-director Lapine, composer Kitt, and lyricist Korie will present songs from their new play in an intimate setting in Chelsea and will share stories of their creative process. The evening launches a series of public salons scheduled for 2020, as some of the contemporary art world's most dynamic creators will perform, exhibit, and read from works created at The MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, NH, one of the nation's leading contemporary arts organizations and its first artist residency program.

Southwark Playhouse has announced its spring 2020 season shows, and an update on new venue in the Elephant and current premises on Newington Causeway.

Linda Shelton, Executive Director of The Joyce Theater Foundation, unveiled the full slate of programming for the organization's Spring/Summer 2020 season, featuring a diverse roster of companies from across the U.S. and around the world. From classical ballet and seminal contemporary dance to some of the most in-demand choreographers and dancers creating new work today, the New York City organization continues to pave the way for dance as one of the world's most renowned presenters of the art form. The Joyce Theater's Spring/Summer 2020 season will see dance artists and companies celebrate monumental milestones and boundary-breaking world premieres, creating a unique blend of revered tradition and future classics across genres that will both delight dance aficionados and engage new audiences all season long.

2019 has come and gone, which means it's time to get excited for the new shows coming in 2020! This year will bring anticipated revivals of Company, West Side Story, and The Music Man, fan favorite Six, brand new musicals Diana, Mrs. Doubtfire, and MJ, and many more.

Childhood is tied up with memories of favorite fairy tales and the dreams they inspired, which is part of what makes this musical so beloved. Everyone enjoys a chance to be pulled into a fantasy where magic is real and wishes are granted. This production has dashes of whimsy and romance that are sure to enchant children and adults alike into the fairy tale world of RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA.

Works & Process at the Guggenheim  has announced its spring 2020 season. Since 1984, the performing arts series has championed new works and offered audiences unprecedented access to leading creators. The intimate Frank Lloyd Wright­-designed Peter B. Lewis Theater is the venue for these seventy-minute programs that explorethe creative process through stimulating discussions and riveting performance highlights. One-of-a-kind productions created for the Guggenheim's rotunda offer a unique experience of the landmark museum. Additional information is available at worksandprocess.org.

And rose they did. When Julie Andrews graced the stage at Sarasota's Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, a welcoming roar and immediate standing ovation was gifted to her by adoring fans of all generations in appreciation of her life's work.

In March and April 2020, The Cleveland Orchestra and Music Director Franz Welser-Möst embark on their twentieth international tour together, with seven performances scheduled in three cities across Europe (Vienna, Paris, and Linz), and four concerts in the United Arab Emirates as the first U.S. orchestra to perform at the Abu Dhabi Festival.

Author Kathleen Varn has announced the release of her new historical women's fiction novel, Gardenia Duty. In 1957 jobs are scarce in rural Ashland, Alabama. Bobby Higgins is facing life decisions; his family's farm struggles and threat of the draft hangs over 18-year-old males as the Cold War rumbles in the distance. Bobby heads off to boot camp, vowing to provide for his family from his pay. Between shore and sea duty, Bobby leaves broken hearts in every port.

With a fine mix of veterans and rising stars among its suspects, Theatre Charlotte's AND THEN THERE WAS NONE keeps us one step behind a maniacal killer.

On the eve of her death, Anne Boleyn reflects on the journey that led her to become a queen, a mother, and, eventually, a woman condemned. A fascinating look at one of history's most famous marriages. Part of the 2nd Stages Series.

What do the 1950s have in common with 1912? Both were ages of innocence. When Meredith Willson wrote his story with Franklin Lacey about a con artist bamboozling an Iowa town in 1912, which formed the substance of his musical The Music Man (1957), the effect became like that of N. Richard Nash's The Rainmaker. People were jubilant, ecstatic and welcomed Professor Harold Hill, as they craved a good old-fashioned love story coated with ironic excitement. He was a charmer, and they saw way past his bad side. Now in a spectacular new production at 5-Star Theatricals, this company headed by Tony nominee Adam Pascal, keeps the show fantastically rousing and musically. almost perfect yet grounding the love story within the realm of  kitchen.sink believability. With splendid director Larry Raben, divine choreographer Peggy Hickey and fab musical director Brad Ellis at the helm, a marvlous 40 member cast takes the The Music Man and offers a much needed take on the way life should be, whether it's 1912, 1955 or 2019.

Inspired by William Shakespeare's famous play, Romeo & Juliet, West Side Story is set in the Upper West Side neighborhood of New York City in the mid-1950s. The story explores the rivalry between two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. The Jets, a white gang, and the Sharks, who are immigrants from Puerto Rico. Meanwhile, Tony, a former member of the Jets and best friend of the gang's leader, Riff, falls in love with Maria, the sister of Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks.

Today's top stories: The Lightning Thief officially opens tonight, and more!

For those too young to remember, from 1957 to 1962 The Everly Brothers sold more than 35 million records and had 35 Billboard top-100 singles, 26 in the top 40, and to this day, carry the record for most Billboard charting hits of any American Duo. Their success at that time was only rivaled by Elvis. The Zmeds are absolutely thrilled to be able to contribute to a cause that supports the recognition and preservation of the intimate origins of America's greatest Rock 'n Roll sibling duo, stating, 'We are not impersonators. Our aim is to honor the aesthetics of the Everly Brothers' iconic sound and their unique place in music history, all while having a little fun telling our own personal story.' And that they certainly did with great style, talent, and humor.

I've recently had the great pleasure of interviewing actress Addie Morales, who is currently in rehearsals for North Carolina Theatre's upcoming production of West Side Story, where she'll be starring in the coveted role of Maria. Addie has previously played the role numerous times regionally at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Barrington Stage Company, Casa Mañana, and New London Barn. Her other regional credits include Tick, Tick, Boom at Playhouse Square and The Buddy Holly Story at Casa Mañana.

The Philip K. Dick European Science Fiction Film Festival has unveiled the full lineup for its sixth annual event celebrating the life and career of novelist Philip K. Dick. With an emphasis on technological advancements and existence of alternative worlds and cultures, the festival will gather in Lille, France from October 25-26, 2019 and in Cologne, Germany from October 31-November 1, 2019.