The White Theatre At The J Presents Lerner And Loewe Classic CAMELOT
By: A.A. Cristi Oct. 24, 2018
The legend of King Arthur, Guinevere, and The Knights of the Roundtable will come to life Nov. 3-18 in the musical CAMELOT, the opening production of The Lewis and Shirley White Theatre's 2018-19 season at The Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City.
This Tony-award-winning musical, with its lush score by Lerner and Loewe, is a classic tale based upon T. H. White's Once and Future King. CAMELOT is a story filled with swords and sorcery, romance and intrigue as King Arthur works to create a kingdom of honor, duty and justice for all. Arthur's noble efforts are challenged by those closest to him when his queen, Guinevere, falls in love with the young knight, Lancelot, and the fate of the kingdom hangs in the balance.
Music lovers will particularly enjoy CAMELOT, featuring such well-known classics as "If Ever I Would Leave You," "The Lusty Month of May," and the title song, "Camelot".
The White Theatre production features a highly talented group of local performers who come from across the metro area. Rachael Redler directs in her debut at The White Theatre, with musical direction by well-known pianist and director, Marsha Canaday.
While CAMELOT debuted on Broadway nearly 60 years ago, according to Redler, the messages woven into this rich story remain relevant today. "CAMELOT shows the bumpy road that must be traveled to bring about change," Redler said. "It's important to recognize what is good in this world and fight for it, no matter how hard or how many setbacks you encounter."
In The White Theatre's continued effort to provide an audience-friendly environment for all, assisted listening devices will be available for all CAMELOT performances. Open Captioning will be available at the Nov. 10 & 11 performances. Beginning with this production, theatre patrons will be able to purchase beer and wine and signature cocktails prior to the show, as well as at intermission.
According to Director of Arts and Culture, Keith Wiedenkeller, CAMELOT represents an emphasis this season on well-known titles that can resonate with a wide range of audience members. "Camelot is a show that, when done well, reminds us of values that we all hold dear, and affirms our belief in the basic goodness of people, the need to always strive for what's right, and the ultimate redemptive power of love." He adds "it's also just plain fun to watch and listen to."
CAMELOT is rated PG, for simulated combat and adult relationship themes. Tickets for CAMELOT range in pricing from $14 to $30, depending on seating selection. Tickets may be purchased online at TheWhiteTheatre.org, by calling the box office at (913) 327-8054 or in person at 5801 W. 115th St., Overland Park. The White Theatre box office is open Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In addition to CAMELOT, this 14th season at The White Theatre, produced by The J's Arts + Culture Department, includes a variety of genres grouped as the Theatre Series, Concert Series and Special Engagements. The J's Artist-in-Residence, the Kinnor Philharmonic, returns for two performances during the season. The White Theatre's new ticketing program offers four different package options: Full Season, Theatre Series, Concert Series, and a Flex Five, "mix and match" option. Season tickets are still available.
In addition to CAMELOT, The Theatre Series* includes three locally-produced shows with some of Kansas City's best talent:
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Feb. 2-17, 2019-CABARET (Rated R): Kander and Ebb's award-winning musical -- as reimagined in the 1998 Broadway revival -- takes us back to pre-WWII Berlin, where "Life is Beautiful" ... but only inside the decadent Kit Kat Club, and often not even there. Rated R.
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March 16-24, 2019-INHERIT THE WIND (Rated PG): Raising issues as relevant today as they were when it was written, this riveting drama uses the Scopes Monkey Trial to explore the complex - and sometimes adversarial -- relationship between faith and science.
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July 6-28, 2019-PETER PAN-THE MUSICAL (Rated G): This high-flying Tony Award-winning musical leads the whole family on a grand adventure to Neverland: a place where dreams are born, where Lost Boys fight pirates, where anything is possible, if you just believe!
*Evening performances are at 7:30 p.m. and matinees are set for 2 p.m.
The White Theatre's Concert Series includes:
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Dec. 5-An Evening with Amit Peled: An Israeli-American, Grammy-nominated, cellist, conductor, and educator, Peled continues his quest to make classical music more accessible to all audiences.
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Jan. 1, 2019-Kinnor Philharmonic Winter Concert: Make this your New Year's tradition with The White Theatre's artists-in-residence for a New Year's Day symphonic concert complete with champagne reception afterwards.
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March 31, 2019-Heartland Men's Chorus: The unique electricity of The Heartland Men's Chorus comes to the White Theatre Stage as they perform one of their signature "musical documentaries" to enlighten, inspire, heal, and empower as only they can.
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June 2, 2019- Kinnor Philharmonic Summer Concert: This summer concert will reflect the long traditions of symphonic repertoire and the historical connection of their educational artistry.
The White Theatre's Special Engagements include:
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March 3, 2019: Open Stage at The J (Dance & Choreography showcase), March 3, 2019 showcase their original works
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April 6 & 7, 2019: Fire in the Heart showcases how the arts can help us process, heal, and transcend the most traumatic events of our lives.
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TBD: Mama Doni is an award-winning band offering their unique and special brand of "funky music with a Jewish twist" to kids nationwide.
Assisted Listening devices will be available for all White Theatre performances and many shows include The J's signature Open Captioning services. See individual show pages on the web site for details.
Full descriptions and performance times for each event are available at TheWhiteTheatre.org. Auditions for various musicals and plays produced by The White Theatre productions will be held throughout the year.
Tickets may be purchased online at TheWhiteTheatre.org, by calling the box office at (913) 327-8054 or in person at 5801 W. 115th St., Overland Park. The White Theatre box office is open Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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