Joseph Harrison - Page 10

Money is a funny thing. It has a certain pull to it that has been inspiring (and corrupting) people since the beginning of time. Those who understand the complex world of money and finance can be assets to their employers (and themselves), and in some rare cases, such as the harrowing tale behind Ayad Akhtar's THE INVISIBLE HAND, money can be a life-saver.

There are few things that can impact relationships, families and communities as significantly as politics. Often one of the topics many consider off-limits for casual gatherings, political discourse has a tendency to divide groups along ideological lines and can make for a tense discussion. And in today's world of political extremes, this reality is as evident as ever. It is along these lines that these realities come to life in vivid tableau in Athol Fugard's A LESSON FROM ALOES, the closing production of Hartford Stage's 2017-18 season.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to drop everything, walk out your door and do something completely new? That is what Diana, the central character in Neil Bartram and Brian Hill's new musical YOU ARE HERE does on the eve of the moon landing - she walks out of her comfortable suburban, Chicago life and learns how the unexpected can lead to a life changing experience. I had the chance to sit down with the duo behind the show, book writer Brian Hill and composer and lyricist, Neil Bartram who shared a little about their creative process, Diana's journey in the show, and how they work effectively together to bring a musical like YOU ARE HERE to life.

Every once in a while, a person is born who is destined to influence the world in ways yet to be seen. Sometimes these men and women are born into a position of power, such as a king or queen, and other times they do whatever it takes to become great and powerful business or political leaders on the backs of others. But once in a blue moon there comes a man who gains fortune and fame for simply being someone who people connect with, who speaks the truth, and who does his best to make the world a better place than he left it. One such man is the sage from Oologah ,Oklahoma, William Penn Adair Rogers. As time passes, fewer and fewer people are alive who had first-hand experience reading Will Rogers' column, listening to him on the radio, or seeing his films. It is for that reason, that we are lucky a show like THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES exists, and even luckier that Goodspeed Musicals chose it for the opening production of its 2018 season. Telling his life story over the course of a Ziegfeld follies extravaganza (another thing that many today have no memory of), this dazzling, colorful, and heartwarming musical takes audiences on a journey from rags to riches with America's "Cowboy Philosopher".

Imagine you suddenly find yourself out of a job and unable to find a new one. You have bills to pay and a family to support. Would you do whatever it takes to make ends meet? Even if that meant becoming a stripper in front of thousands of people you know? That is the dilemma facing the out of work men at the center of the Warner Theatre's current production of Terrence McNally and David Yazbek's musical, THE FULL MONTY.

Some musicals make you laugh, some musicals make you cry, and others make you want to get up and dance in the aisles. But on a rare occasion, a musical comes around that entertains while making the audience sit up, take notice, and think. This is the case with the Opera House Players' final production ever in the Broad Brook Opera House - Jason Robert Brown and Alfred Uhry's PARADE.

Passion, scandal, love (both requited and unrequited), and regret are emotions fraught with pain and joy. They are also timeless experiences - as relatable today as they were a hundred years ago. Such is the case with Edith Wharton's THE AGE OF INNOCENCE which has been adapted for the stage by Douglas McGrath and is the latest production from Hartford Stage (in association with the McCarter Theatre Center.) The play, based on Ms. Wharton's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, provides a lavish setting for the tale of one man torn between propriety and passion, and the fixed and proper world of New York society at the end of the 19th century.  

How one defines family can vary greatly from culture to culture and from generation to generation. What that word means to one person may mean something completely different to another. These are lessons learned by Maria and David, cousins from two very different worlds that form the heart of Jesse Eisenberg's THE REVISIONIST, now playing at West Hartford's Playhouse on Park.

Since ancient times, men have been dressing up as women to perform in a variety of settings. From ancient Japanese theater to Shakespeare's classics, a man in drag was something one just came to expect from the theatre. But in modern times, dressing in drag has taken on a much different meaning. For those who don a wig and strap on a fabulous pair of heels, drag is an escape from reality, a visceral and visual protest performed with a shiny, and often irreverent veneer. But, at its core, drag is about creating an outlet to overcome personal fears, anxieties, and shortcomings, in a larger than life way. These themes, and more, are on display in TheaterWorks newest production of Matthew Lopez' THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE.  

The traditional gift for a 15th anniversary is crystal, if you follow that sort of thing. So, it is fitting that the 15th anniversary show of the stop/time dance theater at Playhouse on Park in West Hartford is a brilliant and clear demonstration of the passion and skill of founder/director Darlene Zoller and her fabulous troupe of performers. And while this group is a labor of love for everyone involved, it is far from amateur, as demonstrated during the energetic and entertaining production playing on the Playhouse stage in West Hartford through March 25th.

"The story you are about to witness is one of romance, tragedy, primal murder and the urge for revenge." These words, spoken by the famous Belgian detective, Hercule Poirot open Agatha Christie's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, the latest production at Hartford Stage (in collaboration with the McCarter Theatre Center), and set the scene for what is soon to be a fast-paced and extremely entertaining evening of theatre. The play, newly adapted by Ken Ludwig (LEND ME A TENOR, CRAZY FOR YOU, MOON OVER BUFFALO) at the request of the Agatha Christie estate, takes the story from Christie's bestselling 1934 novel and breathes new life into the tale of an unlikely group of strangers on the lavish Orient Express and the murder that shines the spotlight on each of them.

The art of creation, whether it be a beautiful painting, a poem, or a piece of clothing can be a very personal experience. The artist expresses herself through each stroke of the pen or flick of the paintbrush and aims to capture the world as she sees it or as she would like it to be. But creation, like life, can be as messy as it is beautiful, as flawed as it is perfect, and as simple as it is magnificent. Such is the life of Esther Mills, the character at the center of Pulitzer Prize winner, Lynn Nottage's play, INTIMATE APPAREL, which is now playing at West Hartford's Playhouse on Park.

There is something magical and monumental happening on the stage of the Warner Theatre in Torrington, CT. Granted, theatre is inherently magical by nature, but in the Warner Stage Company's production of ONCE, something extra, something ethereal, and something heart-wrenchingly beautiful is taking place. I feel privileged to have been able to witness it.

There is a lot about the universe that we don't know. Could we be living in just one version of a life with infinite possibilities? And in that scenario what stays constant and what changes? What is the impact of a small change in tone or a choice of words to the outcomes of life? These are just some of the questions being brilliantly addressed in Theaterworks' production of Nick Payne's mind (and universe) bending play CONSTELLATIONS.

Many children dream of what it would be like to live in a unique and magical place. They dream of castles and princesses and, yes, even dragons. For most, living in a place like I have described only exists in those childhood dreams. But for one young girl, this fantasy was her life. That little girl was Sharon Washington, who grew up to become an award-winning stage and screen actress and who has created a play, FEEDING THE DRAGON, now playing at Hartford Stage, that conveys the story of her unique and colorful life.

It is rare these days to have the chance to see an all new, original musical comedy. But audiences in Hartford will have the chance to do just that when SOMETHING ROTTEN!, the Tony nominated Broadway musical plays the Bushnell Theatre in Hartford January 30 February 1. Playing Bea, eager and enthusiastic wife of Nick Bottom, will be Maggie Lakis, who sat down with me to talk about this hilarious and entertaining show.

'Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion', states salon owner and southern sage Truvy Jones in Robert Harling's STEEL MAGNOLIAS. No line describes better the audience's experience while viewing this hilarious and touching play. This is especially the case in this, the latest offering at Playhouse on Park in West Hartford. A cast of six stellar women bring these residents of Chinquapin Parish, Louisiana to vivid life and nimbly share the highs and lows of life in this colorful small town.

It is always a thrill when you discover a hidden gem in your own backyard. This was the experience I had last night attending my first show by the Connecticut Theatre Company in New Britain, Connecticut. It is appropriate that my first review for this company would be for RAGTIME, the Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty musical (with book by Terrence McNally) that includes a variety of themes including a focus on new experiences, changes in perspective, and listening to new music . I am thrilled to report that CTC's RAGTIME is a powerful and high-quality telling of the classic E.L. Doctorow tale. It hits all the right notes (literally and figuratively) and may be one of the best ensemble casts I have seen on a community theatre stage in Connecticut.

It's a story most of us have heard or witnessed before. Crotchety and greedy old Ebenezer Scrooge, complaining about the poor, turning down the invitation of his nephew to Christmas dinner, and begrudgingly giving Bob Cratchit the day off for Christmas. We fondly remember past portrayals of Scrooge face to face with the ghost of his ex-partner Jacob Marley, flying through the past and present with amiable spirits and having a change of heart after coming face to face with his own death. At Hartford Stage this season, the story comes to life once again in the form of A CHRISTMAS CAROL A GHOST STORY OF CHRISTMAS. The classic story by Charles Dickens and as adapted and originally directed by Michael Wilson is an annual tradition for Hartford Stage, and one that takes on new life in this, its 20th anniversary.