Joseph Harrison - Page 5

What a pleasure it is to discover a hidden (or not so hidden!) gem. Such was the case for me this weekend, when I visited, for the first, but certainly not last, time the Winter Park Playhouse in Winter Park (Orlando), FL. The theatre, which positions itself as Central Florida’s only professional musical theatre, is presenting its latest production, the Southeastern premiere of J.C. Johnson and Garry Holmes’ TRAV’LIN: A 1930’s HARLEM MUSICAL ROMANCE. What I discovered when entering this space was a vibrant, warm, inviting and thriving theatre company which, if evidenced by the current production, offers high-quality, entertaining and thrilling productions of musical theatre to Orlando theatergoers. The Winter Park Playhouse, referred to by Executive Director, Heather Alexander in her curtain speech for TRAV’LIN as the “Cheers of Musical Theatre” seems to live up to that reference – a place where everyone knows your name and which welcomes each patron with warm smiles and, most importantly, a good time.

What can be better than revisiting an old favorite? Whether you are reading a book again for the hundredth time, watching a favorite movie that always puts you in a good mood, or listening to music you’ve spent your whole life jamming to, the familiar can be quite comforting and uplifting. Such is the case for me when I get to take in a production of a favorite show – something that has long been a staple in my musical theatre lexicon - and that gives me the chance to check in with old friends and experience a new take on a piece. This is how I approached the latest production of Dan Goggin’s hit musical NUNSENSE at Theatre South Playhouse. The classic musical (the second longest running off-Broadway show in history) continues to surprise and delight, with a simple, yet hilarious premise that still has audiences rolling in the aisles almost 40 years after its premiere. And, by offering NUNSENSE as its official return to professional theatre, Theatre South Playhouse, in Dr. Phillips delivers a hilarious, perfectly conceived and executed, rollicking good time.

It’s hard to imagine a musical theatre world without the iconic, simple but lovely, musical THE FANTASTICKS. Opening at the Sullivan Street Playhouse in 1960 and playing a record breaking 42 years (making it the “world’s longest running musical”), Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt’s “little musical that could” has touched hearts and audiences for the last 62 years. It has evolved and changed over that time (more on that in a minute) but has never lost its core appeal – a beautiful, poetic, and highly theatrical tale of the power and depth of love – gained, lost and found again. Adding to the rich history of THE FANTASTICKS is the latest production of the musical at Orlando Shakes – one which delights, warms the heart and reminds us why it’s good to “Try to Remember” every so often.

Headlines are getting more concerning by the day and the world continues to stay on high alert due to the global pandemic – what can one do to escape? Well, I always say laughter is the best medicine, so taking in Osceola Arts’ latest production – Marc Camoletti and Robin Hawdon’s hilarious farce, DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER – was just what I needed to forget my woes and try and keep up with the fast paced marital treachery and hilarious mix ups happening on stage in Kissimmee.

In the almost 60 years since its Broadway premiere in 1963, Jerry Herman’s classic musical HELLO, DOLLY! has been performed countless times, in countless theatres by countless companies all with a common goal – share the exuberant tale of the indefatigable matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi and her quest to sow love in the hearts of the people of turn-of-the-century New York. And through its current production of this stalwart classic, The Henegar Center hits all the right notes, gets all the expected laughs, and delivers a fresh, fun and lively night of classic musical theatre for Melbourne audiences.

Many of us dreamed as a child of entering the magical lands of our favorite books, movies or other media. Nothing was more thrilling than imagining one could walk through a wardrobe or slide down a rabbit hole into a magical land that was seemingly just on the other side of reality. But unless some of you out there are keeping a huge secret (if so, email me!), journeys like those just don’t exist in real life. Or do they? In the latest immersive presentation by the Memoir Agency and Creative City Project - DRAGONS & FAIRIES - visitors to Harry P. Leu gardens on select evenings will be magically transported into a theatrical adventure with young fairy Freya and her dragon friend, Dauntless, as they journey through a fantasy world filled with bizarre creatures and beautiful settings.

Continuing with the celebration of the opening of Dr. Phillips Center’s Steinmetz Hall will be the professional world premiere of Duke Ellington’s BLACK, BROWN AND BEIGE, a piece that first played at Carnegie Hall in 1943 and was created to “provide a more accurate accounting of African American history written for the first time by a member of his race.” Critically panned simply because it was ahead of its time, Ellington never performed it in its entirety again. This version of the piece, which was commissioned by G. Schirmer, Inc. through Ellington’s son Mercer in 1987 is arranged and orchestrated by music scholar and former Ellington bandmate Randall Keith Horton. I caught up with Mr. Horton to learn more about this piece, why it is so important (and appropriate for the Steinmetz opening celebration) and what audiences can expect from this performance.

Life has a funny way of changing in an instant – pointing you in new directions or opening your eyes to something, or someone you never saw before. Sometimes these changes are welcomed, exciting, full of immediate opportunity, while others can be overwhelming, scary, and daunting. But regardless of what initiates the change – each of us has a choice to make – to embrace it or fight it. Whichever direction one goes, it is inevitable they will learn something along the way, whether they planned to or not. Such is the case for the characters at the heart of  Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein’s hit musical KINKY BOOTS, which is playing now at the Titusville Playhouse in Titusville, FL.

When a state-of-the-art venue like Dr. Phillips Center’s Steinmetz Hall opens and hosts its first live performances, it is truly a special event. The excitement of experiencing a new space, and the thrill of seeing (and hearing) artists in that space is something that doesn’t happen every day. That’s why RISE & SHINE, a one-night-only performance on Friday, January 14th may just be the artistic event of the year. I caught up with Cole NeSmith – Orlando’s own “experience curator, writer, musician, actor and speaker”, Executive Director of the Creative City Project and the co-founder of The Memoir Agency who serves as the creative director for RISE & SHINE.

Webster’s dictionary defines the word family as “a group of people who are related to each other”, which on its surface may seem simple and straightforward, but as many of us can attest, often that can be the farthest from the truth. What happens when relatives share a bloodline but practically nothing else? Do the benefits of being part of a particular family extend to all members? Throw race into the mixture and a southern town with a history of discrimination and you have the formula for Gloria Bond Clunie’s “serious comedy” SWEET WATER TASTE, which plays at Orlando Shakes through January 22nd.

We have all been there. The work party that you feel compelled to attend, whether you want to or not, where some years it is just a bit of egg nog and polite conversation, and others it is a night to remember (or forget, depending on how much you have to drink). Regardless of which type of shindig your company puts on each year, the one being staged at Renaissance Theatre Company under the extensive title THE OFFICE HOLIDAY PARTY MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA SHOW probably has them all beat. This immersive musical experience, the second offering for the new theatre company which was founded earlier this year, is a whole lot of festive fun, and it successfully carves out a niche in the typical holiday theatrical offerings – a grown up, alcohol fueled, interactive and immersive escape into the festivities of that often maligned, but underappreciated event – the annual office Christmas party.  

It is rare for audiences to have the chance to come back and revisit characters in a musical – and when producers do decide to go the sequel route, they often end up critically panned - take ANNIE WARBUCKS or LOVE NEVER DIES, for example. But when a show already doesn’t take itself too seriously, such as Betsy Kelso and David Nehls’ THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL, a follow-up can be just as much of a rollicking good time as the first. Make that sequel a Christmas show and that can be a recipe for a hilarious, entertaining, and yes, heartwarming night of theatre. That is just the case for Titusville Playhouse’s latest production on its Shuler Stage – THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK CHRISTMAS MUSICAL. So, pull up your lawn chair, grab some tinsel and keg nog, and see how the denizens of Armadillo Acres - Starke, Florida’s “most festive trailer park” - deal with the stresses and joys of the holiday season.

As Broadway reopens and theatrical tours resume, audiences all over the United States are getting the chance to experience the latest productions from the Great White Way. The thrill of once again sitting in an audience with fellow theatre lovers and hearing the first notes of an overture is palpable. And getting to enjoy a production that is both entertaining and thought-provoking makes the experience that much more meaningful. Such is the case for the national tour of THE PROM, which will take the stage at the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando December 7 – 12. Playing the role of the Broadway diva, Dee Dee Allen, will be Courtney Balan. I caught up with Courtney to find out more about THE PROM, her career and what it’s like performing this show to excited audiences all over the country.

The holidays, for many, are about family, food, and traditions. We listen to familiar songs, pull out decorations that have been in the family for generations, and partake in the annual viewing of familiar holiday classics. One of those classics, that holds a special place for many, and which has been gracing page, stage and screen for almost 200 years is Charles Dickens’ “Ghost Story of Christmas” A Christmas Carol. The tale of crotchety and greedy old Ebenezer Scrooge and his supernatural Christmas Eve adventure through his past, present and future is so familiar it can often feel stale and overdone. But when a fresh twist on the story, say, in musical form, comes around it is the perfect opportunity to enjoy a holiday favorite in a new and exciting way. That’s the case for A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE NEW MUSICAL currently being presented by The Henegar Center in Melbourne, FL.

Did you know there are new Broadway tours coming to the space coast? The Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts in Melbourne, Florida will kick off a new season of touring musicals with BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY on December 6th and 7th. Filling the famous shoes (and glasses) of the iconic Rock and Roll singer who left us too young will be Keaton Eckhoff. I caught up with Keaton to find out more about the show, his career and what it’s like singing (and playing) Buddy Holly’s groundbreaking music.

The holidays, for many of us, are for family, food, and good cheer. They are also a time where tradition plays a major role. From favorite dishes around the holiday table to annual visits to see Santa Claus at the mall, traditions help ground us and connect us to a time when things were simpler. And nothing screams holiday traditions like the annual viewing of Christmas classics like the Claymation staple, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. But this year, that tradition is being brought to technicolor life on stage at the Titusville Playhouse in a new and exciting production of RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, a stage musical based on the classic Christmas special.

Sometimes, when the stresses of life get too be too much, nothing soothes the soul more than escaping into a good story. This can be particularly true when that story is one that holds special meaning for you – one you read as a child, or that meant something to someone special. The story of Cinderella is one of those  – beloved by children (and adults alike) because it oozes hope, kindness, fantasy, and most importantly love. And in Orlando Repertory Theatre’s latest production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA – that magic and wonder comes to life on stage with a brilliance that is sure to thrill theatergoers of all ages.

Family can be very complicated. Just think about it – parents with unique personalities and perspectives bring children into the world who have their own quirks and problems and everyone lives together for an extended period under the same roof and are subject to common ups and downs. It can be a formula for something great or something disastrous. Through the theatre (and other media, for that matter) we get the voyeuristic pleasure in seeing how others navigate the treacherous waters of familial bonds. And sometimes it can be quite funny. Such is the case with the latest production from The Ensemble Company (in residence at Penguin Point Productions) – Nicky Silver’s “savage comedy about a dying breed” – THE LYONS.

Today’s pop culture landscape is filled with more superheroes than ever – from the web-slinging Spider Man to the Man of Steel himself, there’s no doubt that these bastions of justice have a firm foothold on the hearts and minds (and wallets) of people everywhere. But have you ever wondered what it would be like if those heroes and their villainous counterparts were to break into song and dance? That’s what happens throughout INCOGNITA’S INFAMOUS ADVENTURES, a brand-new web series that made its World Premiere on Saturday, October 30th at the Orlando Film Festival.

In today’s society, when someone is born with a birth defect, has an unusual look or is simply unlike most others, we use our understanding of science and a myriad of protections and laws to ensure those individuals receive equal treatment. They have the opportunity (and right) to live their life in the same way as those born without disability or disfigurement. But that has not always been the case. People born in eras past with even minor physical or mental deformities were labeled “freaks” and consigned to live in the shadows, or in many cases, in the spotlight of the circus side show. But underneath the bearded lady’s beard or the wolf boy’s “fur” was always a living, breathing human being, with real emotions, needs, and dreams. And many of their stories have been lost to history. But not so for the story of the Hilton sisters, as told in Bill Russell and Henry Krieger’s musical SIDE SHOW, currently playing at The Henegar Center in Melbourne, FL.