Kelli Curtin - Page 2

Bucks County Playhouse opens their 2015 season with a new musical about baseball, NATIONAL PASTIME. This musical is a show that takes audiences back to the 1930s. It is a musical about baseball, but it also a show about the 1930s culture and radio in small town America. Under the direction of Hunter Foster, NATIONAL PASTIME is a lighthearted production that takes the audience back to 1933 and pays homage to days gone by.

The 2015 season at Bucks County Playhouse is opening with the musical comedy NATIONAL PASTIME. This show is about the American dream, baseball and a show with a lot of heart. I had a chance to speak with Hunter Foster who is directing this musical and who will also direct BCP's next production, COMPANY. I spoke with Foster about NATIONAL PASTIME and what audiences can expect, as well as his returning to Bucks County Playhouse for a third year in row.

Act II Playhouse's production of UNNECESSARY FARCE by Paul Smith Slade is boisterous, funny, chaotic and a wonderfully done farce. According to a press release from Act II Playhouse, this show has 'Two Cops. Three Crooks. Eight Doors. One Killer in a Kilt.' Without giving too much away, this show is about an undercover cop and a rookie cop who are prepared to take down a corrupt mayor, but just like in any good farce, everything that can go wrong does go wrong. UNNECESSARY FARCE at Act II Playhouse is a delightfully amusing show that will have audiences laughing throughout the show.

The latest show to grace the stage at the Walnut Street Theatre is No?l Coward's PRIVATE LIVES. Many have called this show Coward's finest and funniest romantic comedy. This comedy is about a divorced couple, Amanda and Elyot, who have remarried and are on their honeymoon with their new spouses in France. What is a surprise to them is that while they are on their honeymoon, they discover that they are staying in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. PRIVATE LIVES at the Walnut Street Theatre is full of sparkle and passion, and has a cast that will delight audience with their antics and liveliness.

Mark Twain is not only one of the most beloved and widely read American authors, but he is also a gifted raconteur and distinctive humorist. MARK TWAIN UNPLUGGED, the latest show at Act II Playhouse, wonderfully captures all these characteristics of Twain and brings him to life in this show. This production, which is like spending an evening with Twain in the form of a stop on his small town speaking circuit, beautifully captures the essence of Twain with a dialogue that is witty, passionate and clever.

It is that time of year when the bustle of the holiday season is upon us and we all have a list of "things to do" before the holidays arrive. It is a time of year when we can all use a bit of holiday cheer, and relax, sit back and have a good laugh. That is exactly what Act II Playhouse does with their show MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT, and they do this well. MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT is a show that makes audiences laugh as the cast of talented actors provide a lighthearted look at the holidays that everyone will enjoy.

American Music Theatre opens the holiday season with the 2014 CHRISTMAS SHOW: JOY TO THE WORLD. This show definitely will brighten the spirits of everyone during the holiday season. What I love about this show every year is that they have something for everyone. The show has traditional holiday carols such as "O Holy Night," classic songs such as "Carol of the Bells," and contemporary songs such as "Believe." There are moments in this show that will bring out the kid in all of us, remind us of the spirit of the holidays and emphasize the importance of family. Every year American Music Theatre produces a holiday show, and this year's production will instill the audience with a sense of holiday spirit and joy.

The classic Tennessee Williams play THE GLASS MENAGERIE is a show that paints a picture from personal truth and the emotional watercolors of memory. It is a beautifully written play with affecting dialog and themes. This show draws the audience into the story as soon as Tom, the narrator, steps on the stage to explain what the audience is about to see is a "memory play," where each scene is a crucial memory in Tom's life. Tom discloses, "I give you truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion." The production of THE GLASS MENAGERIE at Act II Playhouse, under the direction of James J. Christy, is seamless and it captures the essence of Williams's work with graceful precision.

For the second year in a row, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW is at Bucks County Playhouse. This show is time warping its way through Bucks County Playhouse just in time for Halloween. It is a cult classic and has everything you loved about the movie in a live stage version. Bucks County Playhouse certainly hits the mark in their current production of this legendary rock musical.

Tony Braithwaite is one of Philadelphia's most talented comedians, and has been seen in many productions in the Philadelphia area including shows at Act II Playhouse, Montgomery Theatre, 1812 Productions and the Arden Theatre. The 2014/15 season at Act II Playhouse marks Braithwaite's third season as Artistic Director. I had a chance to talk with Braithwaite about being the Artistic Director at Act II Playhouse, as well as how comedy became his passion.

Delaware Theatre Company (DTC) opened its 2014/15 season last weekend with A.R. Gurney's LOVE LETTERS. This play uses the epistolary form, where two actors read letters onstage. Two well-known actors normally perform the play, and this has contributed to its popularity. Currently at DTC the two actors in this production are Michael Learned, known for her role as Olivia Walton on The Waltons, and Daniel Davis, most recognized for his role as Niles in The Nanny. Learned and Davis are perfect for this play, as they bring the story of the friendship between these two vivid characters to life.

Bucks County Playhouse is launching their first Oscar Hammerstein Festival this year. This festival was inspired by the mentorship Hammerstein offered Stephen Sondheim as a young man. One of the people teaching a workshop at the Hammerstein Festival is Michael Korie. Korie is a lyricist and librettist, who is known for writing the lyrics for the musical GREY GARDENS. I had a chance to speak with Korie about the Hammerstein festival as well as the importance of working with emerging artists.

Act II Playhouse opened its sixteenth season last weekend with ROUNDING THIRD. This play, beautifully written by Richard Dresser, tells the story of two Little League coaches, who have very different attitudes towards the game. One coach, Michael, is the assistant coach who has little knowledge about baseball and how the game is played. The other coach, Don, has been coaching Little League for years and was part of a team in his childhood. This production of ROUNDING THIRD is brilliantly performed, moving and intelligently funny, making this show a season opener for the 2014/15 season at Act II Playhouse that knocks it out of the ball park.

AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' at Bucks County Playhouse is full of energy and wonderful music that will have audiences tapping their feet along with these tunes. The cast is so full of spirit, that the audience will have to contain themselves to keep from getting up to dance in the middle of the show. This production of AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' at Bucks County Playhouse is one that you do not want to miss this summer.

This summer there is a unique and exciting event happening in Cape May, New Jersey. The event, AN EVENING AT THE CAPE MAY SUMMER CLUB, features a few of Philadelphia's favorite actors, as well as performers from the Great White Way. During this concert, audiences heard American Songbook favorites with tight harmonies, from the very talented Jeff Coon, Fran Prisco and JP Dunphy. In addition to these three performers, a few other guests entertained audiences with their voices, wit and talent. AN EVENING AT THE CAPE MAY SUMMER CLUB is definitely an enjoyable evening filled with a variety of talented individuals.

Last week AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' opened at Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania. The current production is directed by Hunter Foster. I had a chance to speak to Max Kumangai who is in this production at Bucks County Playhouse. He talked to me about what audiences can expect from this show as well as his favorite part of the show.

AIN'T MISBEHAVIN', the musical revue that celebrates the music of Fats Waller, is the next show that will open at Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania. Hunter Foster is directing this production, and he is no stranger to directing shows at Bucks County Playhouse (BCP). In the 2013 season at BCP, Foster directed THE SUMMER OF '42 and THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW. In addition, Foster, is known for roles such as Bobby Strong in URINETOWN, Benny Perkins in HANDS ON A HARDBODY, as well as many others took the time to speak with me about directing AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' and the importance of live theatre.

The Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice rock opera, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, is the latest production at Alpha/Omega Players in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania. This show is loosely based on the last week of Jesus's life. Alpha/Omega does a decent job taking on this large production, as they creatively use the small space they have to fit a very large cast. Alpha/Omega's production of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR is a satisfactory show with some intense moments.

There is something special about recalling a first trip to Broadway - being in the heart of New York City, the bustling crowds, the lights, the anticipation . . . this is what a trip to see a show on Broadway is all about. I was not only fortunate enough to have a chance to see the current cast of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, but I also had a chance to introduce a good friend to her first Broadway show. Even in introducing a friend to the magic of Broadway, the experience was hypnotic and enchanted, and reminded me exactly what it was like to see my first Broadway show. What a better way to introduce someone to theatre than a production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA in New York City. This production is full of life and passion, and encompasses memorable performances that audiences will not soon forget.

There is no other theatre that is more perfect for a production of VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE than Bucks County Playhouse. This show takes place in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, which is also where the playwright Christopher Durang lives. So not only does this show entertain audiences, but it is easy for the audience to visualize the setting that Durang envisioned because they are sitting in the midst of Bucks County. VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE is a smart play, as well as has a cast that is charming.