The Climax 1909

During the first half of the 20th Century, there was no artist as important to the development of American musical theatre from strictly light entertainment to a legitimate dramatic art form that addressed controversial issues and exposed the country's uglier norms than bookwriter and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II.

We Wear the MaskTrayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Freddie Gray, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, Eric Garner - just to name of few from recent, ongoing history. In the social discourse and overt protest surrounding the growing list of Black lives lost to police violence, the connection between these events and the epidemic of public lynching in the Jim Crow south is often cited and just as often derided.

Dan LeFranc's world premiere play BRUISE EASY, his second collaboration with American Theater Company, begins by introducing us to the story of two estranged siblings (played by Kelly O'Sullivan and Matt Farabee)-reunited for the first time in several years on the driveway of their mother's house in southern California. But the play doesn't start with a conversation between the two central characters. Instead, six teenagers-known as the "Neighborhood Kids" and portrayed by members of ATC's Youth Ensemble- walk onstage wearing creepy plastic masks, and in unison, introduce the narrative using dialogue peppered with "like's" and "whatever's." In this way, LeFranc sets the scene for BRUISE EASY as a modern Greek tragedy-with a twist in its Greek chorus.

Honus and Me is a charming and quaint crowd-pleaser concerning one pre-teen's struggle with adolescence, family and acceptance issues. Running this weekend at the Old Opera House in Charles Town, WV, the modern comedy portrays a young boy, Joey Stoeshack ( brilliantly played by Zachary Little) an avid baseball card collector, who struggles to succeed on his little league baseball team and deal with family drama surrounding his recently divorced parents

On Thursday, April 19, 1945, the original Broadway production of 'CAROUSEL' opened at the Majestic Theatre on West 44th Street, New York.