Maurice Chevalier

DIETRICH, written by Willard Manus, starring Cindy Marinangel, Chicago Second City Conservatory graduate, directed by Glenda Morgan Brown and produced by Sea Angel Productions., LLC is based on a true story. Set in May 1960, the play takes place when the actress returned to the Berlin stage for the first time since fleeing the Hitler regime in the 1930’s. Inside her dressing room at the Tatania-Palast Theater, Dietrich weighs whether to go through with the live performance despite threats on her life by Nazi sympathizers who resented her for having spent much of World War II entertaining American soldiers on the front lines. To them, Dietrich is a turncoat; a traitor who deserves to be shot and killed on stage.

Rodgers & Hart's Babes in Arms, with a fresh, witty and relevant script by acclaimed playwright, Tony Award nominee Douglas Carter Beane, is the quintessential 'Hey, kids, let's put on a show' musical.

BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the best film musicals since the sound era began; see if your favorites made the list!

From West Footscray to West End star, Coral Browne was larger-than-life.

Joshua Weilerstein will conduct the New York Philharmonic in a French program spotlighting Ravel. The program he will lead, in which he is replacing Charles Dutoit (who withdrew from the performances), remains unchanged: the Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, with Jean-Yves Thibaudet as soloist; Le Tombeau de Couperin; Valses nobles et sentimentales; Bol ro; and Ravel's orchestration of Debussy's Sarabande et Danse, Wednesday, January 17, 2018, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, January 18 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, January 19 at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday, January 20 at 8:00 p.m.

Charles Dutoit will conduct the New York Philharmonic in a French program spotlighting Ravel, featuring the Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, with Jean-Yves Thibaudet as soloist; Le Tombeau de Couperin; Valses nobles et sentimentales; Bol ro; and Ravel's orchestration of Debussy's Sarabande et Danse, Wednesday, January 17, 2018, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, January 18 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, January 19 at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday, January 20 at 8:00 p.m.

Nascent Productions presents Defendant Maurice Chevalier, a new play by Alexis Chevalier with music from the 1930's and 40's at American Theatre of Actors,in the John Cullum Theatre openingon February 8 and running through February 21. Alex Notkin directs. Kian Kavousi is production manager. Musical direction by Chang Liu with vocal supervision byChristina Dinella. Choreography by Elena Notkina and Inna Muratova. The cast features Ken Straus, Deanna Jelardi, Kian Kavousi, Matthew Serra, Micah Stinson, Ben Rademacher, Sam Schall, Alexandra Kainoa and Miah Kane.

The Janet and Mark L. Goldenson Broadway Musical Concert Series at Rubicon Theatre Company continues with three concerts celebrating the genius of two of the most prolific and most important writing teams in musical theatre history in a show entitled RODGERS & HART & HAMMERSTEIN.

The Janet and Mark L. Goldenson Broadway Musical Concert Series at Rubicon Theatre Company continues with three concerts celebrating the genius of two of the most prolific and most important writing teams in musical theatre history in a show entitled RODGERS & HART & HAMMERSTEIN.

Lyric Stage presents the premiere of the restored TOO MANY GIRLS April 26-May 5 in the Irving Arts Center's Carpenter Performance Hall. Performances are April 26, 27, May 2, 3 and 4 @ 8:00 PM and April 28 and May 5 @ 2:30 PM. Tickets are available online or by calling the box office @ 972-252-2787.

I will leave it to you, dear readers, if you decide to take in a performance of Jerry Mayer's Dietrich and Chevalier, to determine for yourselves if it's better off being a play peppered with just a few musical moments or a full-out concert with just a smattering of narrative.  As it stands now, the two-act piece with a plot that continually gets halted to present its collection of fifteen musical hits trudges along without much purpose.