Ronn Burton - Page 2

Lyric Theatre continues its 2017 Season with the Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning I AM MY OWN WIFE, a one-man show starring familiar Lyric performer Matthew Alvin Brown. Brown portrays over 30 characters, utilizing a myriad of accents and dialects, to tell the engrossing true story of of a 20th Century antique collector, who also happened to be a communist informant, secret gay nightclub owner, and self-proclaimed transvestite. This story is an important one - especially significant with transgender rights being so politicized at the moment; yet in Brown and Baron's capable hands, a veritably entertaining evening at the theatre … not to be missed.

BroadwayWorld sat down with Lance Marsh, Head of Performance at TheatreOCU and Conference Chair for the new Center for Excellence in Classical Theatre Training, to discuss their inaugural conference and the exciting future of the organization.

CityRep, Oklahoma's award-winning professional theatre, is proud to present six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald in a one-night only Broadway Concert event. This extraordinary evening marks Ms. McDonald's Oklahoma premiere. BroadwayWorld chatted with CityRep Founding Artistic Director Donald Jordan to find out just what it takes to bring a Broadway superstar to the heartland.

OKC Broadway presents the national tour of MOTOWN THE MUSICAL March 7th-12th, 2017 at the Civic Center Musical Hall. Staged by Schele Williams (associate director from the Broadway production, originally directed by Charles Randolph-Wright) MOTOWN delivers a buzzing, delightful evening of your favorite songs - and they've never been done better. The audience was up on their feet dancing by the end of the show, and throughout the evening could often be found waving their hands in the air and singing along (you can decide for yourself whether this is a good or bad thing.) If you're looking for a trip down memory lane, head down to the Civic Center and experience an effervescent evening of MOTOWN music.

Last weekend, CityRep opened MR. BURNS, A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY at the downtown Civic Center. A co-production with Oklahoma City University, featuring up-and-coming student artists and professional Equity actors on equal footing, the CityRep production of Anne Washburn's delightfully unconventional script is one of my favorite shows the company has produced in recent memory. CityRep has a hit on their hands. I hope the lack of familiarity with the title doesn't discourage audience attendance-this play is one of the most-produced in regional theaters around the country this season, and for good reason. The only drawback is that the play is only around for one more weekend. I applaud CityRep and OCU for introducing such thought-provoking art to the heartland, and hope you, dear reader, flock to the theater in droves to experience the magic.

Oklahoma City University's Bass School of Music presented the 2011 opera DARK SISTERS by Nico Muhly and Stephen Karam. Telling the story of "sister wives" in a modern-day polygamist sect, the subject matter certainly breaks new ground in an art form that many would (mistakenly) view as outdated. By presenting this kind of work in Oklahoma City, OCU proves their commitment to prepare students for work in today's artistic landscape, ensuring their readiness for the future beyond graduation.

CityRep presents the Oklahoma premiere of the Off-Broadway hit MR. BURNS, A POST ELECTRIC PLAY. Members of the cast (Bob Hess, Kris Schinske, and Paul T. Taylor) and creative team (Donald Jordan and Daniel Leeman Smith) sat down with BroadwayWorld to discuss the relevance and delightful absurdity of their upcoming show, opening this week and running through March 5th.

BigNose Productions presents their first work, Theresa Rebeck's biting comedy SEMINAR. Filled with scathing one-liners and backstabbing twists, SEMINAR examines gender politics, artistic merit, and modern urban sociology through a self-aware, comic lens. Ultimately, I am quite excited to see a new theatre company emerge with such a striking first impression.

The Pollard Theatre Company continues their 30th Anniversary season with August Wilson's FENCES. The Pollard production opens on the heels of the Oscar-nominated film adaptation starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis. Comparisons to the current movie are inevitable, but Pollard's production holds its own thanks to sound performances from the lead performers.

Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma opens their 2017 Season with Stephen Sondheim's ASSASSINS. Michael Baron's production pushes the right buttons without going too far over the edge. It is startling to find how recognizable we find these characters: to see the pain, loss, and instability that plagued the lives of these criminals, we begin to find more similarities than differences…they are our neighbors, our relatives, or-unnervingly-ourselves. With the current divisive political climate, Lyric's production seems more timely than ever.

Adapted and directed by artistic director Michael Baron, Lyric's A CHRISTMAS CAROL brings the beloved Christmas story to life with marvelous new designs to freshen up this holiday classic.

An annual holiday tradition, the Oklahoma City Philharmonic's CHRISTMAS SHOW is beloved by many in the Oklahoma City metro area. This year's guest artist, Kelli O'Hara, takes the show to new heights-her voice enveloping the audience like a warm blanket by the fireplace on Christmas Eve.

CityRep is bringing back their much-adored show, A Tuna Christmas, to delight Oklahoma City audiences yet again. The stars of the show, Donald Jordan and Jonathan Beck Reed, checked in with BroadwayWorld before one of their rehearsals to share their favorite memories of past productions, the challenges of portraying so many characters in one play, and the heart-warming message of this new Christmas classic.

Playing through December 4th, SHREK THE MUSICAL at Poteet Theatre is a treat through and through, drawing energy from a few specially commendable performances.