Amy Clark News

Due to unprecedented ticket demand and widespread critical acclaim, American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) has announced the second and final extension of A Night with Janis Joplin at A.C.T.'s Geary Theater (415 Geary St.). Tickets are on sale now through Sunday, July 16, 2017. Receiving the highest rating by the San Francisco Chronicle, A Night with Janis Joplin is a 'transcendent' (San Francisco Chronicle) and 'intoxicating' (SFist.com) musical journey celebrating Janis and her biggest musical influences-icons like Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Odetta, Nina Simone, and Bessie Smith-who inspired one of rock and roll's greatest legends. Hailed as 'a psychedelic flashback to the glory days of Haight-Ashbury' (Bay Area News Group), A Night with Janis Joplin features such unforgettable songs as 'Me and Bobby McGee,' 'Piece of My Heart,' 'Mercedes Benz,' 'Cry Baby,' 'Summertime,' and more! Tickets for all performances are available at the A.C.T. Box Office at 415.749.2228 or online at www.act-sf.org. Ticket prices are subject to change without notice.

While not particularly illuminating on the life of the singer, A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN (now extended to July 9) delivers powerful vocal performances from Kacee Clanton and a strong supporting cast including Sharon Brown.

Take a silly yet beloved movie that breeds nostalgia in all who love it and turn it into a musical. It's the way of the world of musical theater anymore. Sure, we still get some original pieces but the safe money for producers is on the recognizable name. Sometimes it works and sometimes it crashes and burns. 'Legally Blonde' works, 'The Wedding Singer' kind of works, and 'Amelie' definitely did not. And now the latest to join the ranks of those movie translations to musical theater is trying things out at the 5th Avenue Theatre. I am, of course, referring to 'Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, The Musical'. A cute and quirky little romp that has potential but needs some serious help before it falls into the 'it works' category.

Experience the fireworks of love-first love, unrequited love and mature love-on stage this summer, as Goodman Theatre concludes its 2016/2017 Season with a major revival of Eugene O'Neill's Ah, Wilderness!

In response to strong advance ticket sales, American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) will extend the run of Broadway's critically acclaimed musical A Night with Janis Joplin at A.C.T.'s Geary Theater (415 Geary St.). Tickets are now on sale through Sunday, July 9, 2017. Fueled by such unforgettable songs as 'Me and Bobby McGee,' 'Piece of My Heart,' 'Mercedes Benz,' 'Cry Baby,' and 'Summertime,' A Night with Janis Joplin is a musical journey celebrating Janis and her biggest musical influences-icons like Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Odetta, Nina Simone, and Bessie Smith-who inspired one of rock and roll's greatest legends. Tickets are available at the A.C.T. Box Office at 415.749.2228 or online at www.act-sf.org. Ticket prices are subject to change without notice.

Joining Broadway star Cortney Wolfson and Disney star Stephanie Renee Wall onstage this summer in the world premiere production of Romy and Michele's High School Reunion at The 5th Avenue Theatre is a sensational cast that's the coolest thing since the invention of Post-its!

This summer, experience the agony and ecstasy of first love all over again in Goodman Theatre's major revival of Ah, Wilderness! - the sole comedic work of playwright Eugene O'Neill, the father of American drama. Steve Scott, the Goodman's longtime Producer, directs O'Neill's portrait of family life at the turn of the century - and the bliss, excitement and adventure of first love. 

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the legendary Summer of Love in San Francisco-coinciding with A.C.T.'s 50th anniversary-American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) will close out its 2016-17 season with Broadway's critically acclaimed musical A Night with Janis Joplin (June 7-July 2, 2017).

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle is proud to announce a new special award to be presented at its upcoming awards ceremony on March 20: The Gordon Davidson Award for distinguished contribution to the Los Angeles theatrical community. The award is sponsored by the Center Theatre Group, where Gordon Davidson served as the founding Artistic Director from 1967 to 2005, and will be presented this year to Pro99.

Last night, Ariel and her underwater friends swam into the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts for a weeklong stay, appropriately at the Walt Disney Theatre. The limited engagement, which originated at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre in November 2016, is a silly dose of fun and nostalgia for theatregoers of all ages. Though there are performances and elements that seem less than fitting for the grand Dr. Phillips stage, the show as a whole ends up being more than the sum of its parts.

The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle (LADCC) has announced its nominations and special awards for excellence in Los Angeles, Orange County and Ventura County theatre for the year 2016 (Dec. 1, 2015 - Nov. 30, 2016).

Down Where its Wetter

A spectacular new production of Disney's The Little Mermaid kicks off at The Broward Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 for a limited two week run. Featuring the critically acclaimed work of Director Glenn Casale, this beloved tale of a young mermaid's coming-of-age adventure is told like never before. Previously announced casting includes Diana Huey as Ariel and Matthew Kacergis as Prince Eric, with Broadway's Jennifer Allen as Ursula and Steven Blanchard as King Triton. Melvin Abston, Connor Russell and Jamie Torcellini join the cast as Sebastian, Flounder and Scuttle. 

Glimmering coral reefs and a colorful cast of underwater creatures are brought to life in breathtaking detail in 'Disney's The Little Mermaid,' which opened in Columbus Tuesday night. Presented by Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, 'The Little Mermaid' is a stage adaptation of the 1989 animated Disney movie that was, in turn, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's original fairy tale.

The original animated film of "Disney's The Little Mermaid" is arguably one of the best of the Disney canon. With songs written by the incredible Alan Menken and Howard Ashman it marked the rebirth of the Disney animated musicals. The original conversion of it into a Broadway musical was not so great. With bad staging and flow, achieving the illusion of swimming by putting the actors on Heelys (shoes with wheels in the heels) so they would glide across stage, and additional songs from Menken and Glenn Slater (owing to the passing of the great Howard Ashman) the show lost much of it's core cleverness and heart in favor of the cliche and gimmicky. Now there's a new version with a reworked book and score and much improved staging which is currently being offered at the 5th Avenue Theatre and while it still may not have that magical greatness of the original film it does manage a magic of its own largely due to some new stage magic and a stellar cast including an Ariel (Diana Huey) who is the most layered, honest, real and still adorable Disney Princess ever.

A spectacular new production of Disney's The Little Mermaid kicks off at The 5th Avenue Theatre this holiday season. Featuring the critically acclaimed work of Director Glenn Casale, this beloved tale of a young mermaid's coming-of-age adventure is told like never before. Previously announced casting includes Seattle's own Diana Huey as Ariel and Matthew Kacergis as Prince Eric, with Broadway's Jennifer Allen as Ursula andSteven Blanchard as King Triton. Melvin Abston, Connor Russell and Jamie Torcellini join the cast as Sebastian, Flounder and Scuttle. The 5th Avenue's production will go on to play engagements in cities including Orlando, Cincinnati,Atlanta and Louisville, among others.

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and RKO Stage present the world premiere of Carefree: Dancin' with Fred & Ginger, an all-new tribute to American cinema's most iconic pair, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Tony Award-winner Warren Carlyle directs and choreographs this original musical spectacular.

The feisty and captivating pair of Fred Astaire  and Ginger Rogers still lives on ­- generations after they first danced into the hearts of millions. This Tinseltown twosome continues to inspire legions of movie and dancing buffs due in part to the numerous films in which the virtuoso duo starred. However, fans can enjoy this iconic dancing pair's legacy live thanks to the world premiere of Carefree: Dancin' with Fred & Ginger - a musical tribute co-produced by New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and RKO Stage.

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and RKO Stage announce the cast for the world premiere of Carefree: Dancin' with Fred & Ginger, an all-new tribute to American cinema's most iconic pair, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Tony Award-winner Warren Carlyle directs and choreographs this original musical spectacular.

A spectacular new production of Disney's The Little Mermaid kicks off at The 5th Avenue Theatre this holiday season. Featuring the critically acclaimed work of Director Glenn Casale, this beloved tale of a young mermaid's coming-of-age adventure is told like never before. Previously announced casting includes Seattle's own Diana Huey as Ariel and Matthew Kacergis as Prince Eric, with Broadway's Jennifer Allen as Ursula andSteven Blanchard as King Triton. Melvin Abston, Connor Russell and Jamie Torcellini join the cast as Sebastian, Flounder and Scuttle. The 5th Avenue's production will go on to play engagements in cities including Orlando, Cincinnati,Atlanta and Louisville, among others.