Regional Roundup: Top 10 Stories This Week Around the Broadway World - 10/9; HEATHERS in St. Louis, FIRST DATE in CA, GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE Tour and More!

It's a great week around our Broadway World! In addition to featuring our Top 10 regional stories, we have now opened public nominations in over 40 regions so far for our annual BroadwayWorld Regional Awards, including: Austin, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boise, Boston, Buffalo, Central Pennsylvania, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Connecticut, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Long Island, Los Angeles, Madison, Maine, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, WI, Minneapolis, Nashville, New Jersey, New Orleans, Omaha, Palm Springs, Philadelphia, Philippines, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh, Rhode Island, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Seattle, South Africa, St. Louis, St. Petersburg, Toronto, Washington, DC, and Wichita. Be sure to nominate your favorites through October 31st! Look for more cities coming soon!

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in St. Louis, Costa Mesa, Chicago and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include HEATHERS in St. Louis, the regional premiere of FIRST DATE in Costa Mesa, and A GENTLEMEN'S GUIDE Tour in Chicago, just to name a few.

East/Northeast

1. Connecticut: Editor Joseph Harrison reviews TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE at Playhouse on Park. He says, "As Morrie, Gannon McHale was brilliant as he portrayed the teacher, friend, mentor and father figure with both humor and dignity. McHale also captured well the physical deterioration that one faces dealing with ALS. From small involuntary movements, to the effective use of counted breathing to illustrate Morrie's gradual decline, I forgot at moments I was not watching someone who was truly suffering. Having personally lost a friend to this horrific disease, it was sometime difficult for me to watch Morrie suffer and Mitch struggle with how to help, but it clearly illustrated how horribly debilitating the disease can be." Read more here.

2. Washington, DC: Editor Jennifer Perry reviews ANIMAL at Studio Theatre. She says, "Lizzimore certainly has a way with emotion-filled words, and a knack for writing a female character that's most definitely out of sorts. To be sure, Kate Eastwood Norris is infinitesimally believable and brilliant in the role of Rachel (the rest of the ensemble is excellent as well), which allows for a viewing experience that can be, at times, quite uncomfortable, but ultimately very engaging. Likewise, the structural form the play takes is most intriguing as well because it plays up the idea of what's real vs. what's imagined, and how not all parts - particularly for someone experiencing emotional turmoil - can be summed up into a fully explainable whole." Read more here.

Midwest

3. Minneapolis, MN: Editor Jill Schafer says that "Roger Guenveur Smith gives a masterful performances in his artfully constructed one-man show RODNEY KING." She goes on, "Roger doesn't tell Rodney's story in a linear fashion, but rather in an impressionistic sort of way. Standing barefoot on a bare stage in the middle of a square of light, speaking into a hand-held microphone with a long cord, and using a combination of poetry, spoken word, rhythm and rhyme, repeated phrases, singing, rapping, and an intensely felt physicality, he makes this a visceral experience for the audience." Read more here.

4. Columbus, OH: Editor Paul Batterson reviews Imagine's SWEENEY TODD. He says, "With foreboding bass and a wry smile, Robinson is the perfect antihero for this two-act musical. Robinson and Lehner, who adds a subtle comedic touch to her performance, have a sinister chemistry. In one of the gracefully understated features of the show, whenever Robinson dispatches a victim, the spirit of his wife Lucy (Candice Kight) appears besides him, gives him a knowing nod and then blows a sprinkling of red confetti to signify the victim has been killed." Read more here.

5. St. Louis, MO: Editor Chris Gibson reviews New Line Theatre's HEATHERS. He says, "Anna Skidis basically carries this show as Veronica Sawyer, since it's her point of view we're privy to, and she delivers superlative work throughout. Skidis has been building a portfolio of outstanding performances for the last couple of years, and this is one of her finest to date. We understand precisely why Veronica would want to be associated with the "Heathers" since it keeps them from ridiculing her mercilessly, at least until she forges a note from one of the jocks inviting her childhood friend, Martha Dunnstock, cruelly referred to as "Martha Dumptruck" by the in-crowd, to the prom." Read more here.

South

6. Austin, TX: Editor Lynn Beaver reviews Jarrott Production's FREUD'S LAST SESSION. She says, " St. Germain's flowing dialogue captures the idiosyncratic characters perfectly, often using direct quotes from both famous men. The real magic in this productions come from Jarrott and Jones who bring these characters, warts and all, to vibrant life. " Read more here.

West

7. Los Angeles, CA: Editor Don Grigware reviews APPROPRIATE at Mark Taper Forum. He says, "...APPROPRIATE, with taut direction from Eric Ting, moves along swiftly and sharply with brilliant dialogue, and exchanges - some painful, others terribly funny - and with outstanding performances from the entire cast. This is indeed an ensemble piece where everyone gets the chance to shine. Hardin, Bishins and Beitzel are equally dynamic in their portrayals. Mahler offers a refreshing look at innocence and sweetness, ensured that she can change Frank through the healing power of love. Tensions between Toni and Rachael escalate consistently throughout, culminating in a family catfight, which is at once sad and viciously hysterical when it occurs." Read more here.

8. Costa Mesa, CA: Editor Michael L. Quintos reviews FIRST DATE at La Miranda. He says, "Clocking in at a brisk, intermission-less 90-plus minutes (a wise choice considering there's really not much story happening here), this admirable regional production of FIRST DATE---directed with a winsome musical-comedy swiftness by Nick DeGruccio---is (thankfully) a surprising charmer... a small, indie-like sleeper hit that will make you smile. What could have quickly devolved into a grating series of familiar tropes about dating in the modern, post-Millennium, social media-obsessed age reveals itself instead as a convincingly fresh, witty dramatization of the ever-so-common boy-meets-girl scenario (though, yes, the show does allow for some dated clichés to pop up here and there). As the show tries its cutest to sell us the idea that these two specific people belong with each other, it also becomes even more alluring---and, yes, funny---the further forward it moves along." Read more here.

International

9. Vancouver, Canada: Editor Matt Hanson reviews LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST at Bard on the Beach. He says, "The outstanding costume designer,Rebekka Sørensen-Kjelstrup, arranged all of the sequins, feathers, furs of the flapper dresses and floating chiffon, the Sacque suits, bowlers and fedoras, and even handmade headdresses. Like nothing else, the fashion expressed the vainglorious era when privileged and deluded Americans felt like the entire nation was in its 20s." Read more here.

National Tour Highlight:

10. Chicago Editor Misha Davenport reviews the National Tour of A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER at the Bank of America Theatre. She says, "Darko Tresnjak's direction keeps things moving at a brisk pace. Linda Cho's costumes, Alexander Dodge's stage-within-a-stage set and Aaron Rhyne's animated projects are of a quality not too often seen in national tours. This is one not to miss." Read more here.

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This week, we'd like to welcome Peter Napolitano who will be covering cabaret performances and Felicia Tassone, our newest contributing editor in Denver.

Want to join our growing team? We have positions available in several U.S. regions and International countries! Contact christina@broadwayworld.com for more information!