Linda Hodges - Page 7

A technically reimagined 'Les Miserables' stormed the stage of San Francisco's Orpheum theatre for its 25th anniversary victory lap, electrifying a wildly enthusiastic audience and keeping them on the edge of their seats for the entire performance.

VOCA PEOPLE is performed by eight snow-white, ruby-lipped aliens with perfect harmony--there are no musical instruments, no sound effects, only vocals! And they're here in San Francisco June 6 thru June 17 at the Marine's Memorial Theatre.

'Black n Blue Boys/Broken Men is truth-telling at its very best...about the very worst.

Julian Sands' warmly rendered readings and reminiscences of a man he much adored make 'A Celebration of Harold Pinter' a must-see event for now and future Pinter and Sands fans alike.

Virago brings 'Butterfly' to the Rhythmix Cultural Works Theatre (the Alameda venue seats 15), losing nothing of the rich lushness of Puccini's giant work and actually adding to the beauty of the Opera in the intimacy of the setting. Playing now through April 15*, 'Madama Butterfly' is a wonderful and passionate offering.

The visceral and the tactile mix and swirl together with the heady intellectualness of the spoken word in this riveting play, making 'Red' a must-see performance at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

When the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus (SFGMC) decided on this season's theme, 'Sensational,' it was simply fitting that they contacted Stephen Schwartz to collaborate with them for a performance of some of the composer and lyricist's most sensational hits.

Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, the smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to Broadway San Jose. This classic musical love story is filled with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes and dazzling production numbers including 'Be Our Guest' and the beloved title song,'Beauty and the Beast,' sung on this tour by Julia Louise Hosack who plays Mrs. Potts.

Mamma Mia! won't win any prizes for in-depth, philosophical story-telling, but its delightful mix of frothy, bouncy, romantic fun and disco/pop chart hits by ABBA make it a not-to-be-missed theatrical event.

Skewered throughout with up-to-the-moment pop culture references and liberally laced with sight gags, jokes and everything but the kitchen sink, 'A Doctor In Spite of Himself' is a must-see dose of depravity that may require you to get stitches due to its propensity to provoke sidesplitting laughter!

Mamma Mia!is back in the place where it all began - San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre! Broadwayworld's Linda Hodges caught up with actress Alison Ewing, who plays thrice married (and thrice divorced), delicious 'cougar' Tanya in the show.

Virago Theatre Company's A TASTE OF HONEY, playing now through Feb. 25, pays homage to playwright Shelagh Delaney's unflinching honesty with this bold and compelling production that offers a starkly realistic look into the social issues of 1960's England.

Bailey Hanks is blonde. She's Beautiful. And she's here in the bay area reprising her role Elle Woods in the hit musical comedy Legally Blonde, the Musical! Hanks talked with BWW's Linda Hodges about what it was like to be in the MTV spotlight, how she handles the challenges in her life and what scrumptious thing she and Elle have in common - besides being blondes!

Heartfelt, honest and peppered with humor, the TheatreWorks premiere of The Pitmen Painters will leave you with a desire to pick up a paintbrush yourself.

Opening night for "Ghost Light" at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre saw luminaries from the world of politics converging for the production - a play that examines the struggle of a son coming to grips with the death of his father, San Francisco Mayor George Moscone, who was assassinated in 1978.

Frolicking felines took the stage last night in all their graceful glory, bringing the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic CATS to life once again - this time at Broadway San Jose. The fantastical, magical world of London's Jellicle cats, who are gathered together for their yearly Jellicle Ball, still has the power to transfix and delight even now, thirty years after it first opened on Broadway.

High school is never easy and, as Truman High's head cheerleader Campbell (the perfectly blonde Taylor Louderman) finds out, it's especially hard when last minute redistricting means you now have to attend inner-city Jackson High where there is no cheerleading! With a book by Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q) and music by Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights) and Tom Kitt (Next to Normal), Bring It On: The Musical is bubbly, choreographed and, except for the occasional "biotch" to remind us that it's high school, clean, G-rated fun.

All the way from across the pond, from Cornwall's Kneehigh Theatre to be exact, comes a dark fairy tale brilliantly told, stunningly performed and miraculously conjured up here on the stage of Berkeley Repertory's Roda Theatre. The US premiere of The Wild Bride, playing now through January 1st, is tragically, magically hellish and heavenly all at the same time… and it will disarm you.

Kate Rockwell is blissfully excited about coming to San Francisco as part of the musical comedy cast of 'Bring It On.' She plays Skylar, whom she describes as "the sexy, sassy cheerleader you love to hate." In her interview with BroadwayWorld's Linda Hodges Kate talks about her love of SF and her new show - as well as what it's like to be living her Broadway dreams.

In the 70's, Nigeria rose up and struck a new chord for justice with Afrobeat founder and political activist, Fela, as their controversial leader. The show, which opened last night at San Francisco's Curran Theatre, sways, plays and sings the political heart song of Nigeria through the life story of this musician turned activist, Fela Kuti. In its west coast premiere, the Tony-winning Broadway sensation packed a powerful opening night musical and political punch that was dynamic and experientially transformative. Everybody, please say "yeah yeah!"