Review: THE PROM at Playhouse On The Square
What did our critic think of THE PROM at Playhouse On The Square? Trying to find a vehicle to infuse comic relief into a story about bigotry and homophobia is no small task, so the creators chose to bring in the least self-aware thespians to save the day for the most self-aware lesbian.
THE PROM Comes to Playhouse on the Square
Playhouse on the Square, in partnership with Circuit Playhouse, Inc. Super Sponsor Dr. Thomas Ratliff and Playhouse on the Square Season Sponsor Dorothy O. Kirsch, presents The Prom.
Playhouse on the Square Presents SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
Young Will Shakespeare has writer's block. The deadline for his new play is fast approaching, but he's in desperate need of inspiration - enter Viola. This beautiful young woman is Will's greatest admirer and will stop at nothing to appear in his next play. Set against a bustling background of mistaken identity, ruthless scheming, and backstage theatrics, Will's love for Viola quickly blossoms and inspires him to write his greatest masterpiece. Based on the beloved 1998 film of the same name, Shakespeare in Love is ultimate treat for both film and Shakespeare fans alike.
BWW Review: Playhouse's MEMPHIS THE MUSICAL Comes 'Home'
When Director and Co-Choreographer Jordan Nichols first saw and enjoyed MEMPHIS THE MUSICAL, he knew that he just had to stage a production in the city itself; as polished and entertaining as it was, it needed just a little something . . . 'an infusion of Memphis grit.' In Playhouse on the Square's powerful, pulsating production of the musical, he has achieved just that. Memphians are very proud and protective of their musical heritage, and though originators Joe DiPietro and David Bryan have not attempted to portray real persons and events, their knowledge of the early 'rock and roll' era and its personalities has resulted in a satisfying approximation. Having few musical gifts outside a kazoo, I could nonetheless play 'Six Degrees of Elvis Presley' with some confidence: My third cousin was Bill Black, bassist for Elvis Presley in those early days; and my first cousin's brother-in-law was cult rockabilly musician Charlie Feathers ('Tongue-tied Jill'). I remember enjoying disc jockey Dewey Phillips (on whom MEMPHIS protagonist 'Huey Calhoun' is based) and his outsized personality, and anyone with any knowledge of Sun Studios and the early careers of Jerry Lee Lewis (who shocked an older generation with his marriage to a younger cousin), Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley know that these artists came from humble ('cracker,' in the play) beginnings. These icons always acknowledged their debt to black gospel and blues musicians. All of that, together with racism and interracial relationships, surfaces in MEMPHIS.
Playhouse on the Square to Stage MEMPHIS, 5/6-29
?Inspired by actual events, Memphis centers around a white disc jokey, Huey, who wants to change the world, and black club singer, Felicia, who is ready for her big break. Their incredible story takes them to the ends of the airwaves and on a journey filled with laughter, emotion, and a whole lot of Memphis soul.
BWW Review: LOVE LETTERS Is GCT's Valentine to the Community
In his Sonnet 116, William Shakespeare wrote, 'Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments' -- and impediments there are aplenty in A.R. Gurney's oft-performed LOVE LETTERS, which Director Anthony Isbell and a sterling, rotating cast of three couples has staged at the intimate Germantown Community Theatre. It's a St. Valentine's gift to the community, to be sure; and as soon as you enter the atmospheric lobby, pay heed to the scattering of deep-red rose petals and the framed quotations of letters from famous lovers -- everyone from John Keats to (even) Oscar Wilde to Johnny Cash. You'll be doing yourself a disservice if you don't, as they establish a real mood for what takes place on stage.
Tennessee Shakespeare Company's Tuesday Literary Salons Return This Spring
As part of its Southern Exposure Series, which features new and classic literature by Southern writers with Southern inspiration, Tennessee Shakespeare Company this spring returns to its popular Tuesday Literary Salons with the works of two form-breaking southern writers read in fun, intimate settings.