Under the Gaslight 1867

Metropolitan Playhouse (220 E. 4th Street) welcomes back Victorian impresario Augustin Daly with A Marriage Contract now on stage through Sunday, March 18. This riotous 1892 comedy of a marriage caught between the big city and a small town, makes a triumphant return to the New York stage for the first time since its premiere.

Obie Award winning Metropolitan Playhouse revives A Marriage Contract, Augustin Daly's uproarious and poignant commentary on marriage, family, and the contrast between county and city life. Staged by Artistic Director Alex Roe at Metropolitan Playhouse, 220 E. 4th Street, New York City. This production marks, to our knowledge, the first time the play is being presented since 1892 premiere. It is worth noting that the script only exists in manuscript form and was never published.

Obie Award winning Metropolitan Playhouse revives A Marriage Contract, Augustin Daly's 1892 uproarious and poignant commentary on marriage, family, and the contrast between county and city life. Staged by Artistic Director Alex Roe at Metropolitan Playhouse, 200 E. 4th Street, New York City, this marks, to our knowledge, the first time the play (originally titled A Test Case or Grass Versus Granite) is being presented since its premiere. In fact, it worth noting that the script only exists in manuscript form and was never published.

LEAH, THE FORSAKEN is a tale of forbidden love, treachery, and redemption from 1862. Leah, a Jewish refugee fleeing persecution in Hungary, is forbidden by law to pass the night in an Austrian town. But there she wins the love of Rudolf, a Christian citizen. When a particularly zealous persecutor convinces Rudolf she has betrayed him, he quickly renounces her. Leah retreats to her exile, but only after bestowing her and her people's curse on him and his progeny. Can there be any light in such a darkened time, and what could possibly light it?

LEAH, THE FORSAKEN is a tale of forbidden love, treachery, and redemption from 1862. Leah, a Jewish refugee fleeing persecution in Hungary, is forbidden by law to pass the night in an Austrian town. But there she wins the love of Rudolf, a Christian citizen. But when a particularly zealous persecutor convinces Rudolf she will betray him for gold, he quickly renounces her. Bestowing her curse on him and his progeny, Leah retreats to her exile. Five years later, now bound for a better life in America, she finds Rudolf has prospered with his new family, but also become a devoted champion of justice for Austrian Jews. Reconciled to a degree, the couple find grace in forgiveness and contrition, though equality is an elusive treasure.

For nearly 60 years, the University of Minnesota has been presenting a summer melodrama on a docked showboat on the Mississippi River, currently across from downtown St. Paul. The Minnesota Centennial Showboat was christened in 1958, as those who know their Minnesota history could guess. The first show was UNDER THE GASLIGHT, which returns this summer for their last season at the Showboat. While this is only the second U of M show I've seen at the Showboat, I'm sad that it was my last. The creative team includes some of the top talent in town, and the cast is chock-full of talented young people that are the future of theater in this town. The melodrama is a fun, entertaining, and little-seen genre that encourages the audience to 'vocalize appropriately.' The Showboat is a unique and charming venue, and I hope that someone puts it to good use. Whether you've seen dozens of Showboat melodramas, or none, it would behoove you to board the Showboat one last time for this uniquely pleasing theatrical experience.