Regional Roundup: Top 10 Stories This Week Around the Broadway World - 3/11; WILD PARTY in Long Island, TITANIC in Austin, PASSION in France and More!
By: BWW Special Coverage Mar. 11, 2016
This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature the top 10 stories in Long Island, Austin, Louisville, and more. Check out featured list, which includes WILD PARTY in Long Island, TITANIC in Austin, and PASSION in France, just to name a few.
East/Northeast
1. Rhode Island: Editor Veronica Bruscini reviews Trinity Rep's "compelling" TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. She says, "Here, creative casting choices play to Trinity's strengths. Adult performers take on the children's parts and key roles (Jem Finch, Mayella Ewell) are compellingly filled by African-American actors. Even more uniquely, each actor steps out of character as the story unfolds, halting the play's action as they relate their own past experiences with prejudice and diversity. Rather than interrupting the flow of the production, these deeply personal recollections punctuate the narrative and underscore the enduring resonance of Mockingbird's central themes." Read more here.
2. Long Island, NY: Editor Melissa Giordano reviews Andrew Lippa's WILD PARTY at SoLuna. She says, "Ms. Stone and Mr. Murano are wonderful in their respective roles. Ms. Stone's Queenie is strong yet her vulnerability is apparent as displayed in the number "Maybe I Like it This Way". Mr. Murano's Burrs is as unlikeable as he needs to be; blatantly flirting with other women in front of Queenie, literally twisting her arm, and even attempts to rape her. " Read more here.
3. Philadelphia, PA: Editor Kelli Curtin reviews an "exceptional" DRIVING MISS DAISY at Act II Playhouse. She says, "This production at Act II Playhouse has all the ingredients for an exceptional evening of theatre - a strong cast, an excellent director and an outstanding artistic team. Everything about this show works to create an incredible production of DRIVING MISS DAISY." Read more here.
South/Southeast
4. Austin, TX: Editor Frank Benge reviews TITANIC at McCallum Fine Arts Academy. He says, "Musical director Ammon Taylor guided the voices of the company in such a way that it presented a stunning wall of powerful vocal beauty and his orchestra sounded rich and complex. On a simple, yet amazingly versatile, set by director Joshua Denning, Denning staged the show with fluidity, invention and dramatic power featuring clever choreography. The lighting by Scott Vanderberg was immensely effective and the projection work was the finest I have ever seen in town. Technically, the show was a knock-out." Read more here.
5. Tampa, FL: Editor Peter Nason reviews Jobsite Theater's VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE. He says, "Brian Shea is always a treat onstage. Although he looks a bit young for the 57-year-old Vanya, he seems heavy-shouldered as middle age passes him by. His moment to truly shine comes near the end, in an extended monologue that lasts almost 15 minutes, aimed at Masha's himbo boyfriend who texted throughout a scene that was being presented." Read more here.
6. Louisville, KY: Editor Keith Waits held a ceremony and presented awards certificates to the 2015 BroadwayWorld Regional Awards winners. In his opening remarks, Waits said, "At heart, theatre is simply one group of people in a room trying to connect to another group of people in that same room. All around Louisville and the surrounding areas, this sacred exchange is taking place; in venues large and small, with extravagant production values or with the barest minimum of sets and costumes, executed by trained professionals or by amateurs driven by passion to devote long hours to it for little or no pay - it is ALL theatre. It is ALL theatre worth celebrating." Read about the event here.
West Coast
7. Seattle, WA: Editor Amelia Reynolds reviews Theater Schmeater's One-Woman Show TECHLANDIA. She says, "From beginning to end, Quigg made the audience feel tremendously comfortable to a point where a few members felt they could chime in at random moments-one of my biggest theater pet-peeves unless it's explicitly called for. Alas, she handled them each with grace." Read more here.
8. Los Angeles, CA: Editor Gil Kaan reviews the World Premiere of BLOOD at The Complex. He says, "Under Ackerman's expert direction, his large talented cast keep the action and emotions flowing fast and furious right up 'til the finalé. The combination of Nick Ackerman and Chris Cester's throbbing musical soundtrack with Hana S. Kim's effective video projections on set designer Dona Granata's three easily-rolling screens enhance and amp up the intensity and urgency of the quite serious situations presented. Locations smoothly change instantly from window-blinded apartment to sterile hospital rooms to various restaurants to rain-falling streets to moving train compartment and more." Read more here.
International
9. Paris, France: Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's PASSION will premiere in Paris at the Châtelet beginning March 16. The cast features opera star Natalie Dessay as Fosca with Erica Spyres as Clara and Ryan Silverman as Giorgio. Check out a first look at the photos here.
National Tour Highlight:
10. Charlotte Editor Perry Tannebaum reviews THE REALISH WIVES (OF CHARLOTTE). He says, "Bravo, Charlotte! After missing the boat on Bravo's cable TV franchise of Real Housewives reality TV shows - now spinning out Real Housewives of Orange County, Atlanta, New York City, Jersey, Beverly Hill and others - the Queen City has hopped aboard a theatrical REALISH franchise on a whirlwind tour. Detroit, San Diego, Seattle, Minneapolis, and Des Moines have already sampled the satiric backlash. When the six-member cast of THE REALISH HOUSEWIVES OF CHARLOTTE barreled into Booth Playhouse, it was sufficiently armed with the lowdown on the metro area to dish out plenty of gasps and belly laughs." Read more here.
STUDENT BLOGGERS! We'd like to feature a few of our student bloggers below!
College: Nashville Editor Jeffrey Ellis spotlights University of Memphis' Cody Rutledge. Cody says, "I think my favorite part of studying at school is actually competition. The fact that you are constantly surrounded by talented colleagues in design and musical theatre pushes you to be the best you can be. I mean you see that if you slack off a little, someone is going to replace you. Especially when you see people working harder than you. So the fact that the drive is always there and you are constantly in this environment surrounded by people who love theatre assures you whether you are in the right career or not. And I'm proud to say I am." Read more here.
High School: Joshua Denning and the Fine Arts Academy at McCallum High School are featured by editor Frank Benge in Austin. Denning's goals with the Mac Theatre Program include, "To create a rigorous curriculum and production season each academic year that prepares students for the new Platinum era of musical theatre and contemporary theatre in the digital age." Read more here.
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