Summer Stages: BWW Atlanta's Summer Best Bet Six-Pack
By: Matthew Allen Jun. 14, 2013
Anyone familiar with the Atlanta theatre scene knows that there is as much talent here as in nearly anywhere else in the country, and this summer, Atlanta's 30+ professional theatre companies are putting that talent to use. While there are countless other great productions going on around the city this summer, BWW Atlanta has narrowed it down to six that will surely leave Hotlanta talking well into the winter months.
Atlanta Lyric Theatre June 7th-June 23rd Not only will Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" close out the Atlanta Lyric Theatre's 2012-2013 season, but the show marks the end of the Atlanta-area's "only local professional musical theater company's" time at the Marietta Square's historic Earl Strand Theatre. The Lyric will open its next season in the fall with Mel Brooks' "The Producers" at the Cobb Civic Center's Jennie T. Anderson Theatre. "Joseph" stars Marietta native Matthew Kacergis, coming off a stand-out performance as Younger Brother in the Lyric's recent production of "Ragtime," in the title role. The lovely Galen Crawley will guide the story as the Narrator and Broadway veteran and Suzi Award winner Glenn Rainey will play Potiphar. Directed and choreographed by Dustin Lewis, "Joseph" will also feature the show's traditional children's chorus.
Georgia Shakespeare June 19th-July 21st For summer 2013, Georgia Shakespeare is bringing back one of its most popular productions, Mary Zimmerman's "Metamorphoses," based on the classic narrative poem by Ovid. Directed by Artistic Director Richard Garner, the play's set features a 3,000-gallon on-stage pool and a cast of many of Atlanta's best actors. While most of the cast members in this year's production appeared in the show's 2006 run, which was nominated for, and won, more Suzis than any non-musical in history, many are playing different roles.
Diving into the pool this time will be Suzi winners Carolyn Cook, Neal Ghant, Chris Kayser, Joe Knezevich, Park Krausen, Tess Malis Kincaid, and Travis Smith. Also featured is Georgia Shakespeare darling Ann Marie Gideon and up-and-coming Atlanta star Barrett Doyle, who recently starred in Actor's Express' "Seminar." Rounding out the cast is Woodstock High School alum and Oglethorpe University junior Kristin Butler.
Georgia Shakespeare performs at the Conant Performing Arts Center at Oglethorpe University. Shows will by Tuesday-Saturday at 8:00pm, with two performances on Sunday at 2:00 and 7:00pm. Parental discretion is advised for this show, as it does contain partial nudity. To get tickets, call 404-504-1473 or visit the Georgia Shakespeare website."Miranda Sings LIVE!"Actor's Express June 21st-June 22nd Actor's Express welcomes back one of the internet's most popular personalities for a three-show engagement. A classically trained singer and actress, Colleen Ballinger has risen to fame in musical theatre circles as the musically, and socially, tone-deaf Miranda Sings. Ballinger's videos, which have recieved well over 40 million views on YouTube, started as a satire five-and-a-half years ago. Ballinger makes light of the conceited and self-unaware performers who post overly dramatic and musically deficient videos online. While at first she avoided letting fans behind the curtain, eventually Ballinger was discovered, and she took her character from the internet to theaters all around the world. Described as part stand-up and part cabaret, Miranda Sings so terribly, that only a truly talented performer could make the character believable, let alone endearing. Some of my favorite Miranda Sings performances are "Dance 10, Looks 3" from "A Chorus Line", her generously free voice lesson, and a duet between Miranda and Ballinger. This is a show that any musical theatre fan MUST see! Actor's Express is located at the King Plow Art Center. Miranda will be performing June 21 at 8:00pm and on June 22 at 8:00 and 11:00pm. To get your tickets call 404-607-SHOW(7469) or visit their website."ONCE UPON A MATTRESS"
Stage Door Players July 12th-August 4th Concluding Stage Door Players' 39th season will be the hilarious, under-appreciated musical, "Once Upon a Mattress." With music by Mary Rodgers (daughter of musical theatre legend Richard Rodgers and mother of Tony-winning composer Adam Guettel), the show has long been a staple of high school and community theatres. However, based on the "Princess and the Pea" fairy tale, its mix of side-splitting humor, fish-out-of-water romance, and good, old fashioned Broadway show-stoppers makes it one of my favorite shows. Successful Broadway runs of "Mattress" have focused on the star-power of leads Carol Burrnett and Sarah Jessica Parker. In the Stage Door production, Princess Winnifred is played by Renita James, who recently starred in Synchronicity Theatre's "Little Red Riding Hood" adaptation "Petite Rouge." In addition to James, the cast features some of my favorite young, unsung Atlanta talents. As, lady-in-not quite waiting, Lady Larken, Caliegh Allen is stepping to the forefront after shinning in ensemble roles at Stage Door, OnStage Atlanta, and the Aurora. Similarly, Trey Getz's comedic and dancing skills will be on display as the Jester. Having been a stand-out supporting player in OnStage's "Drowsy Chaperone" and Georgia Ensemble's "Hello Dolly!," Getz will surely entertain in this playful role. Coming off an illness-shortened run as Mother in the Lyric's "Ragtime," four-time Suzi nominee Christy Baggett will take on one of musical comedy's best monologues as Queen Aggravain. Showtimes are Thursday-Saturday at 8:00pm with a Sunday matinee at 2:30. Don't miss out on seeing this gem of an old-school musical. Get your tickets by calling 770-396-1726 or visiting the Stage Door Players website. "HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical"
Serenbe Playhouse July 25th-August 11th Perhaps no musical says peace, love, and rock & roll (or sex, drugs, and rock & roll) quite like "Hair." If you are looking for a more "Summer of Love" type of evening this summer, then there will be no better place in town than the one-of-a-kind Serenbe Playhouse. Set amongst the Chattahoochie Hills, all of the company's shows are performed outdoors in varying locations on their gorgeous grounds. For three weekends they will host the revolutionary show by James Rado and Gerome Ragni (book and lyrics) and Galt MacDermot (music). A number of "Hair" songs famously crossed over into the pop world, by the writers' design; including "Aquarius," "Let the Sunshine In," and "Good Morning Starshine" just to name a few. Serenbe founder and Executive/Artistic Director Brian Clowdus (who is directing the show) has assembled an incredibly attractive cast (both physically and in terms of talent). The leaders of the Tribe, Corey James Wright (Claude) and Maxim Gukhman (Berger), have been seen in some of Atlanta's biggest musicals over the past few years (the Alliance's "Into the Woods" and the Lyric's "Legally Blonde" and Actor's Express' "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" and the Lyric's "Rent" respectively). They will be flanked by fantastic Suzi nominees Kylie Brown and Kayce Grogan-Wallace, and the wonderful Liberty Cogen and Galen Crawley, amongst a host of others. Serenbe is an inspired location for this show about communal love and "Flower Power." For musical theatre fans of a certain age, or anyone with a little hippie in them, "Hair" is a must-see. Performances will run Thursday-Sunday at 8:30pm from July 25th-August 11th. And if you are unfamiliar with the show, parental discretion is highly advised, as there is a (generally tastefully lit) scene featuring full-frontal nudity. To get tickets call 770-463-1110 or visit Serenbe's website."LES MISERABLES"
Aurora Theatre July 25th-September 8th Even before its Academy Award winning film adaptation, "Les Miserables" was known as the world's most popular musical. This summer, many of Atlanta's best musical theatre artists will come together for an epic production at Lawrenceville's Aurora Theatre. Directed by the seemingly omnipresent Justin Anderson (recently represented on stage in the world-premiere of "The Fabulous Lipitones" at Theatrical Outfit), Aurora's "Les Miserables" will feature Suzi winner Bryant Smith as reformed fugitive Jean Valjean and Kevin Harry as his draconian pursuer Inspector Javert (the two recently squared off as Father and Coalhouse Walker Jr. in the Lyric's "Ragtime"). With music by Claude-Michel Schönberg and lyrics by Alain Boublil and Herbert Kretzmer, "Les Miserables" features some of the most beautiful songs ever written for the theatre ("I Dreamed a Dream," "One Day More," "On My Own," and "Bring Him Home" just to name a few). The Aurora cast will also feature Suzi winners Natasha Drena as Fantine and Leslie Bellair as Eponine, Suzi nominees Marcie Millard as Madame Thenardier, Kelly Schmidt as Cossette, and Michael Stiggers as Marius. Aurora Producing Artistic Director Anthony Rodriguez will play the hilarious, but treacherous, Thenardier. Between the classic story, based on the novel by Victor Hugo, the iconic sung-through score, and this all-star cast, this production is sure to be one of the most buzzed about shows to hit Atlanta since Aurora's "Clyde 'n' Bonnie: A Folktale" last spring. The Aurora, Gwinnett's only professional theatre, will present "Les Miserables" from July 25th-September 8th. The performance schedule varies by week, so call 678-226-6222 or visit their website to purchase tickets. Whether you see one of these shows, or one of the many other productions in Atlanta this summer, make sure to support the city's thriving theatre community, and keep up with all of the local theatre news at BroadwayWorld Atlanta.
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