Category Archives: Theater
Glengarry Glen Ross Returns to the Stage
Some of the best lines from playwright and screenwriter David Mamet come from Glengarry Glen Ross, a successful 1984 play that became a movie in 1992. Whether it’s “Coffee’s for closers only,” or “Only one thing counts in this world: get them to sign on the line which is dotted,” Mamet’s ear for crisp, cynical and street-smart edgy dialogue is so well known that it has earned its own categorization: “Mamet speak.”
It has been said that in Mamet’s scripts that he uses heavy italics and quotation marks in order to highlight particular words so that he can point out when characters are attempting to manipulate each other. Other distinctive qualities of a Mamet script include overlapping dialogue, characters interrupting each other and trailing off sentences.
Mamet once commented that he learned his use of language from his family, and admitted they used to all “speak the language viciously.” Perhaps Mamet’s most distinctive play is Glengarry Glen Ross, which tells the story of four desperate real estate agents who have two days to sell the most poor quality real estate to buyers. The men resort to all sorts of unethical and sometimes illegal acts, and as Mamet has stated before, some of the plot is based on what he saw in the Chicago real estate business in the 1960s.
The play started in London in 1983 and eventually opened on Broadway in 1984. It only ran for approximately a year, and starred character actors Joe Mantegna, Robert Prosky, J. T. Walsh and others. The play went on to win four Tony Awards. However, the 1992 film (with a new character role created just for Alec Baldwin) wasn’t the last the world would hear of these sneaky Chicago real estate agents.
The production was revived in 2005, eventually winning a Tony Award (Best Revival of a Play) and a Drama Desk Award Outstanding Revival of a Play. To this day, you can still buy Glengarry Glen Ross tickets in your local area. Find out why David Mamet is one of America’s most iconic playwrights, and why his characters are larger than the stage!
Come Experience the Magic of Mary Poppins Live and in Person
If you are looking for a “Jolly Holiday” at the theater then don’t miss out on Mary Poppins live on stage! No matter if you fell in love with the 1964 Disney movie or happen to prefer the P.L. Travers books, you’ll love this play, as it mixes the best elements of both worlds. This is a play that the whole family can enjoy, from the young to the young at heart.
The original children’s series of Mary Poppins were published in 1934, and eventually turned into a successful musical in 1964. The musical combines elements of both the film and the books, though it also deviates a tad from both, so as to provide a completely new experience for audiences.
The practically perfect Mary Poppins was performed by Ashley Brown in the original Broadway production, as well as the national tours. Gavin Lee was cast in the role of Bert for both as well. The 2011 tours currently have Nicolas Dromard as Bert and Steffanie Leigh as Mary Poppins, and both are receiving plenty of good reviews in their respective roles.
There are plenty of old favorite songs from the movie version, but some have been given a new spin or have been placed into a new scene from the book. There are also a few completely new songs to enjoy written by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. You won’t need a “Spoon Full Of Sugar” to get these new versions down–they are just as hummable and delightful as all your old favorites like “Chim Chim Cher-ee” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”. New songs to look for include “Cherry Tree Lane”, “Playing the Game”. The play was nominated for seven Tony Awards, and won for Best Actress in a Musical and Best Theatre Choreographer.
National tours of this play may be making way to your hometown soon, so be sure to keep an eye out for this production, the celebration of an unforgettable character and longstanding mythos. Come take a stroll with Bert down Cherry Tree Lane, and see what is going on live at Number 17. Everyone from grandpa to the grandkids is sure to have a Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious of a good time!
Wouldn’t it Be “Loverly” to See My Fair Lady Again?
“Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” to see My Fair Lady live and in person? This charming story first hit the stage way back in the year 1956, and was such a huge success it was made into a film starring the beloved Audrey Hepburn (though many still say the role was robbed from Julie Andrews). In 1956, the play won some impressive awards including Best Musical and Best Performance by a Lead Actor. The Broadway and London revivals since then have never been short of awards themselves. Critics always rave over this production for its beautiful numbers, so isn’t it time to see it all over again? “With a Little Bit of Luck”, perhaps, you’ll make it to the show!
The basic story is that of a flower girl named Eliza Doolittle, who is longing to be a genteel lady, and a haughty professor of speech who says he can make her just that. His name is Henry Higgins and he’s joined by a kindly linguist Colonel Pickering, who rises to the challenge. What ensues from there is pure fun for the eyes and the ears of the audience, as favorites such as “I Could Have Danced All Night” and “On the Street Where You Live” are belted out live. Will Higgins be able to transform this guttersnipe into a well-spoken lady? You will have to watch the play to find out of course!
You can catch the play currently on the Non-Equity 2011-2012 North American Tour being put on by Big League Productions. Aurora Florence will be playing Eliza Doolittle, with Gary Kimble currently in the role of Henry Higgins. Will it live up to the hype of all the plays that have come before it? The audiences will be the judge of that, but it looks to have great potential according to the latest critics.
You may quickly find that you too have “Grown Accustomed to Her Face” and you may just need to see the show again and again! Find out when the production will be in a city near you and see the musical “by which all other musicals are measured.”
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1990 and 2000 Legacy
Andrew Lloyd Webber earned much of his fame in the 1980s thanks to grand musical productions like The Phantom of the Opera and Cats. (While Evita earned much acclaim in the 1980s it was actually a 1970s production) While everyone knows Andrew Lloyd Webber from his biggest hits, you may wonder what the composter and theatre guru has been doing as of late.
He’s kept very busy, and particularly since the 1990s and 2000 decades. Andrew Lloyd Webber oversaw the production of Sunset Boulevard, a thirteen million dollar investment that never quite proved profitable. Though the show was popular and though the songs are often sung today with Webber’s greatest hits (“With One Look” and “As If We Never Said Goodbye”), the production closed early, even after winning seven Tony Awards and setting all sorts of advance purchase records.
In the late 1990s, Andrew Loyd Webber turned his attention to Whistle Down the Wind, a collaboration with rock star Jim Steinman that did not end well. The talented and perfectionist composter found greener pastures when the 2000 era came in. Some of his best work debuted this decade including The Woman in White and his own production of the legendary entity, The Sound of Music.
Since the mid to late 2000 decade, Andrew Lloyd Webber has been doing “charity work” for a few reality TV shows, but his greatest achievement has to be the 2009 Love Never Dies production. This official sequel to The Phantom of the Opera featured music by Webber and lyrics by Glenn Slater and Charles Hart. The storyline jumps ten years into the future and reunites Christine and the Phantom. Unfortunately, the production received generally poor reviews and thus the Broadway production was postponed, perhaps indefinitely.
His latest venture, The Wizard of Oz, in which he collaborates with Tim Rice (of The Lion King fame) should prove interesting, as the production will feature new songs and feature Phantom alumni Michael Crawford as the Wizard. Despite all of his new age success, it’s hard to escape the fact that Webber’s best work was in the 1980s during which he created at least two iconic masterpieces which revolutionized theatre–the one with the big kitties and the one with the white mask. You can still see the best work of Andrew Lloyd Webber when The Phantom of the Opera and Cats tours your city!
Come Hear the Rest of the Story of Annie Warbucks!
The first musical Annie debuted in 1977 and was a Tony Award magnet, winning Best Musical, Best Actress, Best Score and Best Choreography. Of course, everyone remembers the original musical “Annie”, if not from the movie starring Carol Burnett, then from your old elementary school production that you volunteered (were forced) to do. Indeed, Annie is an iconic American musical, one featuring many memorable songs and a touching storyline of an optimistic orphan named Annie who dreams of a sunshiny tomorrow.
Have you ever wondered though what happens to Annie after the first story ends? That’s the theme of Annie Warbucks, an official sequel to the original musical, and a production that has not quite made it to the mainstream consciousness. Don’t worry, there’s nothing too “dark” about this sequel, unlike the heart-breaking satire Wicked. Everything ends happily in the world of Annie, as she is simply a much too precocious child to lose!
There is much the same optimistic spirit in the sequel as in the original. The story follows the first musical almost immediately after the last scene. Child Welfare Commissioner Harriet Doyle demands that Daddy Warbucks must marry within 60 days or else will have to lose Annie. He frantically searches for an appropriate bride and finds one, but not before uncovering a shocking secret.
Annie Warbucks was actually the second attempt to create a sequel to the much-loved original story. However, the first attempt in 1989, “Annie 2: Miss Hannigan’s Revenge”, debuted to rather miserable reviews. The second attempt, in 1993, proved more successful as an Off-Broadway production. It proved to be a major success, though it had to close early due to technical and legal difficulties. Nevertheless, it continues to tour as a summer stock production and in community theatre.
Don’t miss your chance to revisit with your favorite timeless characters and hear some new catchy tunes, like “Annie Ain’t Just Annie Anymore”, “The Other Woman”, “But You Go On”, “It Would Have Been Wonderful” and “Leave It to the Girls.” Come see Annie Warbucks in person, just as you enjoyed the original 1977 musical up close and in “living color!”
Get your Annie tickets today!
Does Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark Live Up to the Hype
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is one of the most hyped Broadway productions in history! It’s all the more famous, or shall we say infamous, given the number of controversies that have taken place during its first year of production. (It was also the butt of many jokes at the Tony Awards) What is Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark and why is it the center of so much controversy?
This production of Spider-Man is actually very inventive, and a far cry from the blockbuster movies starring Tobey Maguire that you may remember. The production is a rock musical in the spirit of The Phantom of the Opera, though it is based on the comic by Stan Lee and Steve Ditki. The play does stick to familiar territory, namely Spider-Man’s romance with Mary Jane, his origin and his battles with nemesis Green Goblin. While this is all fairly predictable, the biggest surprise comes from the music itself. The music is divinely inspired, as it features music and lyrics by U2‘s Bono and The Edge.
The Edge wasn’t sure how to describe the show, though he managed to explain, “[It has] elements of rock and roll…elements of circus…elements of opera.” Bono meanwhile, called the production “pop-up, pop-art opera.” Of course, to many attendees (including Broadway critics) the music is in the background and the real achievement is in the visuals. Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is the most expensive production in the history of Broadway thanks to its stunts and action-packed visual effects. There are many stunts in the production including actors swinging from webs and simulating fight scenes in the air.
The controversy you have been hearing about comes from reports of actors being injured during rehearsals and previews, and the original director Julie Taymor leaving the production. Yes, this is an ambitious production to say the least and with great power comes great responsibility…or so we once heard. However, the production’s flamboyance and occasional fumbles are what make the production an object of fascination in mainstream American culture.
Patrick Healy of The New York Times states that the show is “a national object of pop culture fascination” due to its media coverage, its frequent mentions by late night comedians, and its broad audience of adults and children. The songs of the production have also seen mainstream coverage on Good Morning America, American Idol, and The Tony Awards. See what the hype is about get Spider-Man tickets near to you!
Wicked is Wickedly Funny
Wicked will probably always be one of my favorite musicals. I loved the cast, the music, the score, and the costumes. The play is loosely based on “The Wizard of Oz” but it is actually more of an unlikely prequel to the Frank Baum book. It focuses on the relationship between two very different young ladies. One is pretty, popular, and selfish. This leads to one of the most best known songs of the production, Glinda does an amazing job singing, “Popular.” The other girl, Elphaba, is smart, talented, mean to others, and a loner. It is a story that weaves the well-known themes of bigotry, improbable friendships, and the power to transform people.
Both Glinda and Elphaba are wonderful singers and the songs are absolutely memorable. The story begins with Glinda sitting prettily in a swing and asking, “It’s good to see me, isn’t it?” This brings the first of an evening of chuckles from the audience. She then rather seriously announces that the Wicked Witch of the East is dead. Thus begins a flashback chronicling the unlikely friendship between Glinda, who is supposed to be the good witch, and the green-skinned, Elphaba, who was basically the good girl until shattered idealism transformed her into the wicked witch.
Glinda and Elphaba star as an unlikely pair of boarding-school roommates who somehow form a strong bond as Glinda finally transforms into the really good witch she is meant to be. The most memorable songs for me include the well-known “Popular” and “Defying Gravity” but my favorite song came at the end when the girls join together to sing a moving version of “For Good.” Because they knew each other, they have been changed for good. Wicked The Musical is spell binding from opening act to the closing curtain.
The War Horse Is A Must See!
Before Steven Spielberg releases the movie version, fans are lining up to see the theatrical production of War Horse. Unlike the forthcoming movie version, the play does not use real horses but instead makes dramatic use of puppetry to tell the story of Albert, a young English farm boy, and his beloved horse, Joey. The story takes place in Europe during World War 1 and takes Joey on an odyssey while Albert sets out on a mission to find his horse.
The puppeteers masterfully depict Joey and three other life-size puppets as they gallop, scream, breathe, and interact with the human characters. An astute observer can learn to read volumes from the movement of Joey’s ears. This is all done so skillfully that the puppets do not overpower or detract from the production.
The production takes place on a nearly bare stage aided by only a few props. As the story takes place during the war, there is plenty of graphic imagery including walking corpses and barbed wire fences. The large tank crossing the stage will surely get your attention.
Theater goers should be warned that “War Horse” is an absolute tearjerker. Bring your handkerchief. It is a sentimental and heart-warming story told in a spectacular manner. Do not expect your typical “National Velvet” story.
Readers of the children’s novel, “War Horse,” may find it difficult to imagine this story delivered as a stage production. This cast and crew, however, make Michael Morpugo’s novel seem as if it were written for the theater. A sufficient scattering of ballads is incorporated to allow us to label this production a “musical,” but it is the touching story of a boy and his horse that makes this play so memorable.
You can enjoy War Horse in London, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boise and New York. Get your War Horse tickets for these locations today so you don’t miss this amazing event.
Menopause The Musical – Laugh Out Loud Funny!
Four women at a lingerie sale at Bloomingdale’s might not have much in common if it were not for “Menopause the Musical.” This unseemly group, made up of an aging actress, an old hippie, a naive housewife and an executive! This group bonds as they fight over a black lace bra and parody their way through heated discussions about memory loss, chocolate cravings, hot flashes, night sweats, aging, too little sex and much more!
This show well may be the only thing that is funny about menopause, but these ladies are “laugh out loud funny” and will have you cheering them on and even dancing in the aisles as they belt out parodies of some of the classic songs 60s, 70s and 80s.
As the women go from floor to floor, they explore various aspects of the change and end up forming a sisterhood. The professional woman talks about becoming forgetful. The soap star bemoans about the perception of beauty. The naive housewife worries about the few extra pounds she has packed on. When mood swings happen at the old hippie’s house, her husband frequently disappears.
Audience members may not know the songs, but all 26 of them will sound familiar. “Staying Alive” is redone as “Staying Awake” and “Chain, Chain, Chain” becomes “Change, Change, Change.” Most pre- and every post-menopausal woman can relate to “Don’t Say Nothing Bad About My Body.” When the fatigue hits (and it will), it’s easy to slip into “Puff, My God, I’m Dragging.” The highlight song has to be “Good Vibrations” which has absolutely nothing to do with what the Beach Boys originally intended.
This show is perfect for men and women. It gives men a glimpse into this foreign world and allows women to laugh — and sing — about life’ changes. Get your Menopause the Musical tickets today for a show near you!
