There Was a Little Girl - 1960 - Broadway Articles Page 11

Ted Sod: What can you tell us about Sophie Treadwell's life and career as a playwright? like Mary Chase, she began as a journalist-correct?

Today, Mary Bridges Davies speaks exclusively to BroadwayWorld about her love of the blues, her Broadway debut and why playing the role of Janis Joplin may have been her destiny.

The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced today the full schedule and complete lineup for the upcoming film series, Jean-Luc Godard - The Spirit of the Forms.

Two years into its second half-century, La MaMa, under the artistic direction of Mia Yoo, continues the omnivorous work of its founder, the late Ellen Stewart. The institution's fall 2013 season is a mixture of established artists and forms La MaMa has long supported (Lee Breuer, Dario D'Ambrosi, puppetry) and celebrated artists and programs new to La MaMa (Irina Brook, Chiori Miyagawa and Alice Reagan, Pascal Rambert, Maureen Fleming, Dan Fishback and Max Steele, and many others). Show-by-show descriptions are below.

Berkeley Playhouse closes its fifth season with the Tony Award-winning musical THE WIZ. Kimberly Dooley(Lucky Duck, Seussical, The Musical, Once On This Island) directs and choreographs this soulful re-imagining of L. Frank Baum's family classicThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz, featuring a cast of 46. THE WIZ plays today, July 13 through August 25 (Press opening: July 13) at the Julia Morgan Theater in Berkeley.

In August, Bookworks hosts events with local and nationally-touring authors that will excite readers' mysterious and romantic sides and appeal to lovers-of books, pets, and music.

New Players Theater brought Shakespeare to life at the Mill Run Amphitheater with its summer series premiere of "The Taming of the Shrew" last night in a lovely outdoor space referred to as "the Island".

New Hampshire and summerstock are pretty much interchangeable. Across the Granite State, theatergoers will find incredible options for live entertainment. One night they could be in an old barn, where the floors creek and an occasional bat will make its presence known. Then the next night, you're in a brand new, modern facility with air conditioning, comfy seats and a bar.

Berkeley Playhouse closes its fifth season with the Tony Award-winning musical THE WIZ. Kimberly Dooley(Lucky Duck, Seussical, The Musical, Once On This Island) directs and choreographs this soulful re-imagining of L. Frank Baum's family classicThe Wonderful Wizard of Oz, featuring a cast of 46. THE WIZ plays July 13 through August 25 (Press opening: July 13) at the Julia Morgan Theater in Berkeley. For tickets ($17-60) and more information, the public may visit berkeleyplayhouse.org or call 510-845-8542x351.

There's something about playwright Jeffrey Hatcher's writing style that I can connect with. Maybe it's the fact that he peppers his dialog with so many references to 1960's era television fare that I can't help but be drawn back to my own childhood. Sure, I spent a lot of time outdoors, but there were certain prime hours of the day when the re-runs on the local independent channels were not to be missed (not by me,anyway). Now, I never wanted to or had the desire to ever attend a manners class, but as we can see by the way most humans behave these days, maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing if everyone did. Max & Louie Productions has put together a wonderful staging of Hatcher's MRS. MANNERLY, which takes a humorous look at a that point in our past when etiquette somehow became antiquated, and it's a superbly performed and directed presentation that shouldn't be missed.

There's something about playwright Jeffrey Hatcher's writing style that I can connect with. Maybe it's the fact that he peppers his dialog with so many references to 1960's era television fare that I can't help but be drawn back to my own childhood. Sure, I spent a lot of time outdoors, but there were certain prime hours of the day when the re-runs on the local independent channels were not to be missed (not by me,anyway). Now, I never wanted to or had the desire to ever attend a manners class, but as we can see by the way most humans behave these days, maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing if everyone did. Max & Louie Productions has put together a wonderful staging of Hatcher's MRS. MANNERLY, which takes a humorous look at a that point in our past when etiquette somehow became antiquated, and it's a superbly performed and directed presentation that shouldn't be missed.

Berkeley Playhouse continues its fifth season with the Tony Award-winning GUYS AND DOLLS. Jon Tracy (Berkeley Playhouse, Aurora Theatre Company, Shotgun Players, San Francisco Playhouse, Magic Theatre) helms this musical from the Golden Age of Broadway, featuring a cast of 22, and choreography by Chris Black (Berkeley Playhouse, Aurora Theatre Company). GUYS AND DOLLS plays tonight, March 21 through April 28 (Press opening: March 23) at the Julia Morgan Theatre in Berkeley.

Berkeley Playhouse continues its fifth season with the Tony Award-winning GUYS AND DOLLS. Jon Tracy (Berkeley Playhouse, Aurora Theatre Company, Shotgun Players, San Francisco Playhouse, Magic Theatre) helms this musical from the Golden Age of Broadway, featuring a cast of 22, and choreography by Chris Black (Berkeley Playhouse, Aurora Theatre Company). GUYS AND DOLLS plays March 21 through April 28 (Press opening: March 23) at the Julia Morgan Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($17-60) and more information, the public may visit berkeleyplayhouse.org or call 510-845-8542x351.

Another exciting NYC Ballet performance with standout appearances by Ashley Bouder, Georgina Pazcoguin, Tiler Peck and Brittany Pollack.

Theater of the Stars announced its 2013-2014 season today that includes Theater of the Stars' production of Disney's THE LITTLE MERMAID, BUDDY: The Buddy Holly Story, the family favorite musical CATS, the classic Broadway musical ANYTHING GOES and DREAMGIRLS starring Jennifer Holliday. The return of the popular STOMP as a season special, will round out the exciting season.

Broadway's Cort Theatre (138 West 48th Street), just celebrated its 100th Anniversary yesterday, December 20th. The theatre, which opened on December 20, 1912 with a Peg O'My Heart starring Laurette Taylor, is currently home to the Broadway Premiere of Grace, which will end its limited engagement on January 6, 2013. It will next be home to the World Premiere production of Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's, a new play written by Richard Greenberg, which starts performances on Monday, March 4 and opens on Wednesday, March 20. The Cort Theatre is owned and operated by The Shubert Organization. Check out photos from the celebration below!

Broadway's Cort Theatre (138 West 48th Street), will celebrate its 100th Anniversary tomorrow (Thursday, December 20th). The theatre, which opened on December 20, 1912 with a Peg O'My Heart starring Laurette Taylor, is currently home to the Broadway Premiere of Grace, which will end its limited engagement on January 6, 2013. It will next be home to the World Premiere production of Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's, a new play written by Richard Greenberg, which starts performances on Monday, March 4 and opens on Wednesday, March 20. The Cort Theatre is owned and operated by The Shubert Organization.

Deadline reports that Jane Fonda will star in an upcoming comedy currently in development at the ABC Network to be titled NOW WHAT?. The project was written on spec by Pushing Daisies' Abby Gewanter. Scott Ellis is set to direct and executive produce with Mike Tollin.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra President Stanley E. Romanstein, Ph.D., Music Director Robert Spano, and Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles have announced the 2012-13 season of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra - the Orchestra's 68th season and Mr. Spano's and Mr. Runnicles's 12th season as artistic partners.

Sometimes once is just not enough, so, today, we have a super-special encore conversation with a recent InDepth InterView participant who shares even more candid tales from her impossibly colorful, genre-spanning career on Broadway and in Hollywood - star of properties as diverse as the Broadway musicals MR. PRESIDENT, KELLY and THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG, to movies like MOONSTRUCK and SHALL WE DANCE to her numerous TV appearances on everything from MATCH GAME to QUINCY to 30 ROCK - chameleon-like comedienne and actress Anita Gillette. Discussing some of the more ribald and hilarious stories from her idiosyncratic showbiz career - such as the riotous backstage goings-on out of town at the tryout of one of Broadway biggest bombs, KELLY - as well as spine-tingling "you had to be there"-type memories of the Golden Age - like Irving Berlin stopping by the Winter Garden every Wednesday just to see her Act One showstopper in ALL AMERICAN - Gillette paints a vivid picture of an era gone by, and, also, looks ahead to exciting future endeavors - especially the upcoming Ed Burns-directed feature film, THE FITZGERALD FAMILY CHRISTMAS, opening wide later this year. Of course, Gillette returns to the NYC stage the next two Mondays - September 24 and October 1 - with her new Birdland show, AFTER ALL, so in this all-encompassing conversation we also discuss the themes, style, songs and stories we can anticipate from that intimate solo piece, as well, and she generously shares her recollections of working with some of the men who penned many of the sensational songs she will be performing and figure in to some of the tales she will tell - Charles Strouse, Marvin Hamlisch, Jule Styne, Neil Simon, Woody Allen, Mel Brooks and the aforementioned Irving Berlin included. All of that and much, much more!

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra President Stanley E. Romanstein, Ph.D., Music Director Robert Spano, and Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles have announced the 2012-13 season of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra - the Orchestra's 68th season and Mr. Spano's and Mr. Runnicles's 12th season as artistic partners.

So many cabaret shows, so little time . . . to write reviews that is. During his almost two years as a cabaret reviewer, BroadwayWorld.com critic Stephen Hanks managed to do a pretty good job of writing critiques during a show's run or soon after the run ended. But this summer he just couldn't keep up. Finally, here are observations on 10 performances over the past two months.

Today we are talking to a celebrated comedienne and actress known for her decades-spanning career on screens and stages large and small - from making her Broadway debut in the original Jerome Robbins production of GYPSY on Broadway in 1960 to her many musical roles throughout the 60s to her countless game show and variety show appearances following that all the way to creating an unforgettable character in MOONSTRUCK in the 1980s, as well as her subsequent oft-Neil Simon stage work; now, playing Tina Fey's sweet and daffy mom on NBC's 30 ROCK and, most recently, appearing in Nora & Celia Ephron's LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE and the Playwright's Horizons premiere production of THE BIG MEAL in the new millennium - the one of a kind Anita Gillette. Analyzing her nearly sixty-year career and sharing candid stories of her brushes with some of Broadway and Hollywood's brightest talents - Jule Styne to Ethel Merman to Irving Berlin to Burt Lancaster and beyond - Gillette paints a vivid portrait of the tail end of the Golden Age of Broadway and the heady game show days of TV in the 1960s and 70s to her lauded stage work with Neil Simon and many of the great comedy and musical writers in the years since. Additionally, Gillette and I discuss her current essaying of the role of Mae Peterson in the new Regal Music Theatre production of Charles Strouse and Lee Adams's BYE BYE BIRDIE in Massachusetts as she looks towards opening night tomorrow and relates her joy in participating in a production that has some behind-the-scenes help by her loving granddaughter (while another attends their summer camp). Plus, Gillette's observations on sharing a soundstage with Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, Elaine Stritch and Buck Henry for a recent 30 ROCK shoot, reflections on her fondest and most celebrated comedy roles, hilarious memories of appearing in some short-running flops (JIMMY, SKYSKRAPER) as well as in some big hits (GYPSY), her upcoming series of master classes titled "Life In The Business", her return to Birdland with her concert show, AFTER ALL, her role in an upcoming Ed Burns film and maybe even a role in a new Alexander Payne film - all of that, all about attending the Diamond Jubilee celebration in the United Kingdom and much, much more!

John Davidson, the celebrated television, theater and film actor who starred as Matt in the 1964 Hallmark Hall of Fame version of THE FANTASTICKS and recently performed for a limited engagement in the Off-Broadway production as Henry, The Old Actor, will return to the cast on July 30 in that same role.

Probably the golden age of musical theatre in the US was from 1950 to 1960. Great scripts like King and I, My Fair Lady, and West Side Story were staged. Also produced were such flops as Salad Days, Zuleika, Ankles Away, The Vamp, ShaNgri-La, Shinbone Alley, and Free As Air. Most shows were of the neither great nor flop variety. These included the likes of Call Me Madam, Guys and Dolls, Paint Your Wagon, Can-Can, Wonderful Town, Fanny, and The Pajama Game. Also included in the list was DAMN YANKEES, now on stage at Porthouse Theatre.