Not So Long Ago 1920 - Articles Page 3

Once in a while, you come across a stage show that, on paper, may not have had the buzz that other high-profile shows may have had initially, but then you see it … and it just completely surprises you in the best possible way. That pretty much sums up my recent experience with the oh-so delightful NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT, Musical Theatre West's buoyant and sublime new regional production of the 10-time Tony Award-nominated 2012 musical comedy now on stage at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts in Long Beach, CA through April 22. An irresistibly silly and infectiously tuneful stage show that will have you smiling from start to finish, this roaring 20's throwback with modern sensibilities provides lots of zany antics, lots of witty one-liners, and lots of spectacular song-and-dance showstoppers that will have you wondering---where has this show been all my life?

Under the direction of conductor Anton Armstrong, the St. Olaf Choir kicks off an 11-city tour on January 31, 2018 at Seattle's Benaroya Hall. For more than a century the world-renowned St. Olaf Choir has set a gold standard for choral singing and for this tour the ensemble's 75 singers present an eclectic program of sacred and secular choral masterpieces that range from Baroque classics to American folk songs, world music, hymns, and spirituals.

Halloween may not be over just yet, but the USA's largest manufacturer of handmade candy canes is already having a busy holiday season! Hammond's Brands, the parent company of Hammond's Candies, Old Dominion Peanut Company, McCraw's Candies, and Mellow Fluffs, today announced a December 15 th deadline for wholesale orders of its popular line of stocking stuffer-worthy seasonal candies.

Remember way back when (okay, it was 5 weeks ago) when I said I would start pairing restaurants with can't miss shows for date night? The time has COME, friends. Let's do this. Here's this weekend's Vital 5 in Jacksonville (June 9-11th).

The American premiere of The Trial has opened at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. This is a very major event in opera. Franz Kafka's nightmare tale of Joseph K, trapped in an enigmatic trial for his life, has fascinated readers since it appeared in 1925. Composer Philip Glass read the novel as a youth and even then he yearned to write an opera based on it. But Glass kept that idea 'in his pocket' for sixty years. It was not until he received a commission from the Music Theatre Wales, the Royal Opera, Theatre Magdeburg and the Scottish Opera that Glass was able to fulfill that dream. The London premiere of The Trial opened in 2014.

From the Tony Award-winning creators of the Broadway musical RAGTIME, the dazzling new musical ANASTASIA transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920's, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing con man and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love and family.

Ocean State Theatre Company Artistic Director Amiee Turner introduced Friday night's production of INHERIT THE WIND by saying that she was somewhat surprised and saddened that a play about what's appropriate to teach in public schools, written in 1955 but based on events of the 1920's, is still so timely today.  Indeed, this script may be a Baby Boomer, but this production isn't showing its age at all, and is scarily relevant.  One of the biggest tells of an older play is often the length, and this script may have been edited down a bit, but the pacing is absolutely perfect.  Director Fred Sullivan Jr. fills the moments of brief set changes with appropriate moments of song, which may seem like an odd choice for a play of this nature, but it works perfectly.  Some of the songs are in the original script, but a few seem to have been added for this show. The songs also give the actors a chance to trot out their vocal chops including men singing in four part harmony, and violin and ukulele performances.

ANASTASIA choreographer Peggy Hickey talks all things dance on her journey with the romantic and adventure-filled new musical......

Courtney Lewis, former Assistant Conductor, will make his New York Philharmonic subscription debut leading Jonathan Biss as soloist in Timo Andres's Piano Concerto No. 3, The Blind Banister, and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2; the program also includes selections from Berlioz's Romeo and Juliet and Elgar's In the South (Alassio). 

If the word Fragile (pronounced Frah-GEE-lay) or the phrase "You'll shoot your eye out, kid" bring a smile to your face, then you are likely one of the many people who love A CHRISTMAS STORY, the classic 1983 movie that has become required viewing for many families each Christmas season. And, while you may know the story by heart, you have likely never seen it told the way you will if you check out A CHRISTMAS STORY the musical on stage at the Palace Theatre in Waterbury, CT for just two performances on November 18th and 19th. Told with the flair only a musical can bring, A CHRISTMAS STORY puts an unfamiliar twist on the familiar classic. I caught up with Susannah Jones who plays the role of Ralphie's mother, and discussed her experience with the show, life on tour, and even her childhood equivalent to Ralphie's Red Ryder BB Gun.

Art has needed it for a long time and of all things, it comes from the political realm. The tipping point has dropped with Donald Trumpeting a New Order unlike Joy Division. The new Don's deal will play out in the arts like a match to gunpowder.

The finest restaurants in the world welcome guests with a glass of Champagne, and California's Jordan Vineyard & Winery is embracing this tradition for all of its culinary events with the Jordan Cuvee by Champagne AR Lenoble. Debuting this month at Jordan's 'Sunken Treasure' Halloween fete, this special bottling of AR Lenoble non-vintage brut celebrates the shared business values and common winemaking philosophies of both families. The Jordan Cuvee by AR Lenoble will be served at Jordan's dinner parties, exclusive events and Jordan Estate Rewards private meals beginning this fall and will be available for purchase direct from the winery in spring 2017.

'Spring is here! Why doesn't my heart go dancing?' - or at least to the theater to be transported to a different world, another time and place where life is transformed and magic happens before your very eyes...

On Monday, I had the pleasure of speaking with actor Randy Harrison, who's currently on tour as the Master of Ceremonies in CABARET. Randy talked candidly about working in the entertainment industry as an out member of the LGBT community, crazy touring audience interactions, and why he's happy to bounce around the country in various regional theatre gigs. Check out our conversation below:

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

Vassar & New York Stage and Film have announced a few of the projects tapped for the upcoming 32nd Powerhouse Season, the annual summer season which stages full productions of new plays, workshop presentations of new plays and musicals, and readings of other works in progress, among other developmental programming.

A re-imagined version of the 1921 musical SHUFFLE ALONG one of the earliest stage hits starring, written and directed by African-Americans, opens tonight, April 28, at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway. Let's see what the critics had to say...

ESPN announced today the debut of 1927: The Diary of Myles Thomas, an ambitious, season-long, real-time historical fiction project, examining America at the peak of the Jazz Age and the Roaring 20's through the fictionalized diary of one player on the 1927 New York Yankees.

Shows are opening, shows are closing and the newly reimagined national tour of The Phantom of the Opera continues its run at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center this weekend. Theater in Tennessee continues its fast-paced run through 2016 with a number of new openings this week, thanks to Bongo After Hours Theatre, Nashville Rep, Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre, Circle Players and more - and Cumberland County Playhouse, Arts Center of Cannon County, Street Theatre Company, Lakewood Theatre Company and ACT 1 continue runs of their latest shows - to give you even more opportunities to celebrate the magic of live theater in the Volunteer State! And on Monday night, The Chicago Talking Machine Company premieres its first Nashville show at the Centennial Black Box Theatre.

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

Turkeys are on-sale at your local supermarket, so there's no better way to know Thanksgiving is just around the corner - yep, less than two weeks away! - which means that local theater companies will be unleashing their holiday season productions with enough productions of A Christmas Story (both the musical and the play), It's A Wonderful Life and Ebenezer Scrooge-led shows that you could shake a stick at!

Thus, we are happy to present the return of one our most popular features: The Nashville Theater Calendar, a comprehensive - maybe even exhaustive (lord knows we're exhausted from putting it together, gathering all the info from all over the interwebs!) - listing of theatrical openings for the 2015/16 season. We'll update the calendar every Monday, clearing out the shows that have closed and adding additional information on the shows still to come. Something's missing? That's an easy fix: just send us a message here, on Facebook, or by email at jeffreyellis37215@att.com.

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

Sometimes it seems there is so much theater happening that it's difficult to keep track of it all. From personal experience, despite all the datebooks, smart phones, tablets, desktop computers and laptops...it's hard to keep everything straight in this wacky business of the show.

Obie Award winning Metropolitan Playhouse revives Arthur Richman's never-published hit comedy from 1921: THE AWFUL TRUTH.   Directed by 2-time NYIT Award nominee Michael Hardart at the Playhouse: 220 E 4th Street, New York City