Beck Center does national search for their Billy

The multi-award winning Billy Elliot The Musical tells the historically tale of a community in strife caused by a miners’ strike in County Durham, in North Eastern England, balanced against the fictional tale of a lad named Billy. 

The strike, took place in 1984-85 as part of the Margaret Thatcher-led government’s attempt to bust the coal union.  Billy is a tween who finds a love for dancing and is thrust into a competition to get into the Royal Ballet School of London.

The strikers are rough, blunt speaking, action-oriented men.  Billy does not fit into their mold of what a boy should be.  The community expects him to be a boxer, not a ballet dancer.

When artistic director Scott Spence, choreographer Martin Céspedes, and musical director Larry Goodpaster, decided to stage Billy Elliot The Musical as Beck Center’s highlight summer musical, they knew they were undertaking a major series of high hurdles.

The casting required two boys, Billy and his friend Michael, to be not only acceptable dancers, but proficient ones, youth who can do ballet, tap and modern dance.  Billy must also be an exceptional actor and singer.  The casting must also include an older Billy who has grown into a star ballet dancer and a cast who can produce the difficult North Eastern English speech sound.  And, the score for the musical, which is by Elton John, requires a large-sized pit orchestra.

Since no local boys could reach the performance levels needed for the roles of Billy and Michael, a national search was undertaken.  From the many recommendations by agents and submission of video tapes and interviews, Houston native, 12 year-old Seth Judice (Billy), and 13 year-old Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada’s Maurice Kimball (Michael) were selected.

An interview with Seth and his mother (Robin) revealed that the youngster started dance lessons at the ripe-old age of 17-months.  His mother, who teaches dance, and his aunt, who is also a dance instructor and runs a performance studio, were his first teachers. 

Seth stated, “I really liked dancing.  I don’t like sports, don’t like to get dirty.  Dancing was the cleanest thing I could do!” 

He not only wanted to do it, but showed early high levels of proficiency, winning Houston’s Petite Mr. Star Quest, a performance competition.  He followed that by winning the Junior level competition.  (To view his performances go to You Tube and search for:  Fabulous Feet - Seth Judice - Petite Mr. StarQuest, Select Top Score Petite Solo - Houston, TX 2012 and Wanna Be Like You - Seth Judice - Junior Mr. StarQuest - Houston, TX 2014).

Because of his performance and lesson schedules, being the subject of bullying, and having Irlen Syndrome, a perceptual disorder which centers on the brain’s ability to process visual information (some may think of it as dyslexia), Seth is home schooled by his mother.  He reads with special glasses, but generally he learns his lines by oral drill with his mother reading him his lines.  Fortunately, his high functioning intelligence allows him to quickly grasp both the lines and dance routines.

Does this dynamic young man miss not being a “regular” kid due to his time-consuming regime of ballet, tap, contemporary dance, acrobatics and tumbling lessons and not being in the social environment of a traditional school?  “No,” states Seth, “doing theatre makes me realize how much I don’t want to be a regular kid.”  He does have cyber friends and has social contacts with dance and theater acquaintances.  Fortunately, the parents of the only child agree with his assessment.

He recognizes the financial commitment his parents have made for him, as well as the time his mother and father spend to support his dreams.  (His mother accompanied him to Cleveland, transports him and is present at all rehearsals.)

Seth was in a Memphis production of Billy Elliot, playing the part of Michael.  He was also in the national tour of A Christmas Story, The Musical, portraying Grover Dill, bully Skut Farkas’s side-kick. 

Eddie Rabon, a bi-coastal agent with Take 3 Talent’s Theatrical Department signed Seth as his client based on a showcase in which the youngster appeared.

Seth, who is not yet a member of Equity, said he is “having a lot of fun” working at Beck.  He was especially enamored with going onto the set for the first time.  The downsides?  “Not many, other than I’m on stage almost the entire time so it’s difficult to be able to drink water and stay hydrated.”

He strongly identifies with the “Billy” of the play, as “we both really want what we do and do what we want.  My philosophy is, if we want to do it, we will do it!”

In Cleveland, where he is living in a house provided by Beck for the duration of the Billy Elliot run, which he shares with his mother, he “goes to rehearsals, works out, does ballet, plays video games, and sleeps.”  He indicated that after the show opens, he’ll have time to explore the city.  He is especially looking forward to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with his father, when his dad comes to town to see the show.  He also has been with Maurice a lot, and has gone to the movies with him.

Though he’s not into sports, he did get caught up in the Cavalier’s championship excitement, “thanks to members of the cast.”

And how does his mother, Robin, view her son’s quest for stardom?  As a dance instructor who performed professionally and was a Houston Texan cheerleader, she understands Seth’s drive, and is happy that she and her husband can support him. 

What advice would she give the parents of other kids who see “entertainment stars in their  eyes?” She sensitively stated, “Let them pursue their dreams.  Let them do it.  Do what you can to help them grow, as people and performers.  Give them the necessary tools.” 

You can see Seth, Maurice and the rest of the Billy Elliot The Musical cast from July 7 through August 14 at Beck Center.  For tickets call 216-521-2540 or go on line to http://www.beckcenter.org

2016 Blossom Music Festival is a potpourri of treats!

What do the “1812 Overture,” “An American In Paris,” Pinchas Zukerman, and viewing of film Raiders Of The Lost Ark and playing it’s score all have in common?  They are all part of the 2016 Blossom Music Festival.

Yes, there is something for everyone, no matter your musical tastes, in the July 4-September 4, 2016 season at the beautiful Blossom Music Center.  Sit in the pavilion or lounge on the lawn, but take advantage of northern Ohio music under the stars.

In an interview with Ilya Gidalevich, the Cleveland Orchestra’s assistant artistic administrator, who was hired in January to aid Franz Welser-Möst in the conception and execution of programs at Severance Hall and Blossom Music Center, he revealed that the organization followed the “same programming philosophy of earlier seasons centering on the knowledge that audiences at Blossom were of different age groups and backgrounds than at Severance.”  Therefore, “effort was made to bring in new names as well as those with whom the orchestra has a relationship that would appeal to the Blossom audience demographics.”

The selection of programs are a collaborative process where the history and reputations of the guest artists, the orchestra’s background, the conductors, various selections, and the musicians are considered.    The objective is to “find what will cast the best possible light and make for success.”

Gidalevich, indicated that, “all of the artists are at the top of their field.”  He added, “if you think Broadway, you think Michael Feinstein,” who had a strong performance last year at Blossom.  This year, he will be appearing with the orchestra, itself.  (“Michael Feinstein’s Broadway,” Sunday, July 31 @ 7 p.m.)





 

Celebrated and award winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma “brings together musicians from all over the world with the thread of the Silk Road.”  (“Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma ,” Saturday, August 13 @ 8 p.m.)

Randy Jackson, best known as the front man for the band, Zebra, will sing selections from the Led Zeppelin repertoire accompanied by the Blossom Festival Orchestra.  (“The Music of Led Zeppelin: A Rock Symphony,” Saturday,
August 20 @ 8 p.m.)

Other highlights of the 2016 Blossom Season include: 
•”1812 Overture,” Saturday July 2 @ 8 p.m. and Sunday July 3, 8 p.m., with fireworks.
•”Beethoven’s Heroic Symphony,” Saturday, July 9 @ 8 p.m., conducted by Welser-Möst, with fireworks.
•”Thibaudet Plays Grieg,” Saturday, July 23, 8 p.m., Jean-Yves Thibaudet plays piano, Jahja Ling, conducts.
•”Magic of the Movies,” Sunday, July 24, 7 p.m., Blossom Festival Chorus, Capathia Jenkins, vocalist, Michael Krajewski, conductor.
•Pinchas Zukerman plays Mozart,” Saturday, July 30 @ 7 p.m.

•Zukerman, violin, and The Cleveland Orchestra, with the Kent/Blossom Chamber Orchestra performing a side-by-side performance of the Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 (“Pathétique”), Hans Graf, conductor.
•Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Plays Bach (Brandenburg Concertos #3, 5, 6 & 2), Saturday, August 27, 8 p.m., (Blossom Music Festival debut).

For a complete schedule, times and dates, go to clevelandorchestra.com.

Tickets:  Individual pavilion and lawn tickets, starting at $24, are now on sale by telephone (216-231-1111), in person at the Severance Hall ticket office or online at clevelandorchestra.com.

“Under 18’s Free” offers free tickets to those 17 and under.  Over 90,000 youth have attended Blossom concerts under the support of the Maltz family Foundation.

See you under the stars at Blossom!  Come early, bring a picnic, enjoy the beauty of the grounds.   

The Cleveland Ballet is back with new leadership and attitude

The words, “Cleveland Ballet” to many locals means Dennis Nahat, Ian Horvath, Karan Gabey, Raymond Rodriguez, impressive sets and costumes, a union with the Silicone Valley’s San Jose.  And, poof, in 2000...they were gone to the west coast, leaving a hole in the local arts offerings.

Many consider it a tale of deception, much like the Cleveland Browns exit to Baltimore.

Like the Browns, the Cleveland Ballet is coming back.  Hopefully, they will be more successful in their return than their football brethren.

Under the artistic leadership of Puerto Rico-born Gladisa Guadalupe, a former member of the Nahat-led company, she hopes to develop a core group of dancers with high levels of talent.  To accomplish this she has held auditions in Cleveland, New York, and other major cities.  Her goal?  “I want Cleveland Ballet to again join the list of jewels that make Cleveland a special place artistically.”

The ballet board’s CEO and Chair is Michael Krasnyansky, a global business developer.  He believes that “We are on the cusp of history once again with the creation of the New Cleveland Ballet—a resident professional ballet company.”

Working out of a dance space located in a strip of companies in Bedford Heights, the organization is looking at ballet in ways that make the classical dances and stories contemporary.  They also want to commission world premiere ballets that Cleveland will have a chance to share with the world.

Currently, the company consists of ten professional contracted dancers, with the hope of increasing the corps to 14 members.

CB produced an evening of dance in October.  Their second outing will be on May 13 and 14 when they produce COPPÉLIA at the newly refurbished Ohio Theatre in PlayhouseSquare.

With choreography by Ramón Oiler, the storytelling will depend more on dancing and lighting by Trad A. Burns than on massive sets and lush costumes.  For this production recorded music will be used, but the future holds live music.

COPPÉLIA, which has been modernized by the choreographer, concerns Dr. Coppélius who has made a life-size dancing doll (Coppélia), so life-like that a village boy, Franz, becomes so infatuated with it that he pushes aside Swanhilda, his love.  To retaliate and get Franz back, Swanhilda dresses like the doll, fooling both men into believing that it has come to life.  Dr. Coppélius seeks to keep the living doll hidden from the world while Frantz tries to run away with his “new found” love.

The ballet company has a commitment to the Cleveland area.  Lauren Stenroos (from Bath) will dance the role of Swanhilda, while Elena Cvetkovich (Youngstown) will perform as Coppélia.  Other area dancers are:  Therese Holland a Parma native and Padua grad, Madeline Taylor from Akron and graduated from Laurel, and Kathryn Wokar who graduated from Bay High School.

Some of the male company members, including Nicholas Monero, a Spaniard who will dance Franz, are from the Joffrey Ballet Concert Group in New York City, which has a collaboration with the Cleveland company.

Cynthia Graham, a former member of the original Cleveland Ballet, serves as Ballet Mistress.

The Cleveland Ballet’s 2016-2017 draft schedule includes residences at Playhouse Square, Cleveland Music of Art, the Ohio Theatre, and the Cleveland Public Library, with additional venues for NUTCRACKER performances.  The full schedule is forthcoming.

Tickets for the Friday, May 13  (7 p.m.) and Saturday, May 14 (1 p.m.) performances of COPPÉLIA, which will be performed at Ohio Theatre at PlayhouseSquare, may be obtained by calling 216-241-6000 or going on line to http://www.playhousesquare.org

Devised SeXcurity probes for sense-of-self and identity at CPT

Roy Berko

Member: Cleveland Critics Circle and American Theatre Critics Association



Native Clevelander Darren Katz and Israeli born, Yuval Boim, have many things in common.  The duo are gay, Jewish, have an intense interest in probing into the psyche of self-identity, security of identification, and victimhood.  As revealed in a face-to-face interview, they both seem to thrive on probing psychological barriers and delving into the layers of personal development as an artist.



That delving is at the very core of their SeXcurity.  The devised theater-piece is the kind of work that Raymond Bobgan, the Artistic Director of Cleveland Public Theatre, champions.



SeXcurity is billed as a darkly funny performance about the deep need to define ourselves and the challenges of finding a safe corner of the world – and our minds – in which to do so. It concerns an Israeli-American Jewish gay screenwriter whom, when confronted with a crisis, has to discover who he really is.


The character sees himself as a victim.  He has a boyfriend who is German.  His life and sexual actions connect with trauma, and have life and death ties.  He struggles to let go of his perceived victimhood and history, which, in reality, have nothing to do with his contemporary self.



Though Katz and Boim contend that the play is not autobiographical, per se, but thematically has bits of each of them. As they stated, “it is based in autobiography and then extrapolated."



Katz was brought up in Shaker Heights and graduated from University School in 1992.  He was a student of the late Michael LiBassi in the Heights Youth Theatre, worked with Victoria Bussert at Cain Park, and was influenced by Carol Pribble, his drama teacher at US.  He went on to earn a BA in Urban Studies and Architecture from Columbia University.  He now lives in New York with his husband and their child.



Like architecture, his philosophy of theatre directing centers on “working with the playwright to find the best form to tell their story in a three-dimensional way.”  He believes that “form follows function and that theater is a physical art.”  He contends that “theater should not be derivative, but should stress the invention of story.”



His NY credits include being the Resident Director of The Lion King, which entails rehearsing the understudies and crafting the performances of new cast members who are entering into the production.  He has directed such shows as the 2nd national tour of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. (For more professional information on Darren go to: http://www.darrenkatzdirector.com/)



He returns to Cleveland regularly as his family still resides here.  He nostalgically related that when he was young he used to take the rapid downtown to his father’s law office.  He remembers well the beauty of the marbled walls which used to be in the lower levels of the Terminal Tower.



Yuval Boim is a “Sabra.” He was born in Holon, a city on the coastal strip just south of Tel Aviv to a first generation Sabra father and a Romanian mother.  His family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa when he was young, back to Israel when he was three, and moved to Houston, Texas when he was thirteen.



He is a graduate of the conservatory at the Boston University College of Fine Arts.  Following college he moved to New York to pursue a career in theater.  He also spent two years in London studying Lecoq at the London International School of Performing Arts, which “emphasizes methods of physical theater, movement and mime.”  The performance language of the school emphasizes the physical playing of the actor, which is Yuval's first approach to playwriting.



Boim’s conception and performance in SeXcurity harks back to his Lecoq training.



Boim has appeared in numerous television shows and movies including “That Awkward Moment” with Zac Efron and Miles Teller. (For more information on Boim, go to: http://yuvalboim.com/)



Natalie Gershtein, an independent New York based producer, is the producer of SeXcurity.  In her role as producer, her aim is to “support artists and connect the show to the right audience.”  She has become passionate about the work of Katz and Boim and hopes that through this workshop, they can pair the show with the right future audiences and venues. 



As they go forward Katz, Boim and Gershtein hope that they can cultivate mindfulness around the subject of identity, bringing this theme from the unconscious to the conscious.



SeXcurity (a workshop production),which is part of the OUT OF THE BOX series, will be performed March 24-26 at 7 PM.  For tickets call 216-631-2727 or go to www.cptonline.org

It’s snowing in Cleveland, but look forward to spring and summer @ the Shaw Festival

The Canadian winds are whipping across Lake Erie!  Yes, the snow is on the ground, the weather is miserable, but soon the cold winds will subside and many Clevelanders will start their trek to the land of the maple leaf and cross one of the many bridges in their treks north to Canada for wonderful theater.
 


Many Clevelanders take the four-hour drive up to The Shaw, as it is called by locals, to participate in theater, tour the “most beautiful little city in Canada,” shop, eat at the wonderful restaurants, and take advantage of the very good exchange rate (as of January 21 $.70 U.S.=$1 Canadian).  Because of the good rate, charge everything as many of the stores give you dollar for dollar, while banks offer you the going rate.  If you pay cash, using the rate just quoted, you are losing 30-cents on every dollar you spend.


It’s a good idea to make theatre and lodging reservations early, especially for weekends.

Our home away from home is the beautiful and well-placed Wellington House (http://www.wellington.house@sympatico.ca), directly across the street from The Festival Theatre, within easy walking distance of all the theatres and the home of Karen’s individually prepared delicious breakfasts.  

 
For information on other B&Bs go to www.niagaraonthelake.com/showbedandbreakfasts

There are some wonderful restaurants.  My in-town favorites are The Grill on King Street (905-468-7222, 233 King Street) and Ginger (905-468-3871, 390 Mary Street).  Reservations are encouraged, even during the week.

The Shaw Festival is a tribute to George Bernard Shaw and his writing contemporaries and offers dramas, comedies and musicals.

This year’s Shaw theme is “Curiouser and Curiouser.”  The offerings include:

ALICE IN WONDERLAND based on the book by Lewis Carroll, adapted for the stage by Peter Hinton.  It is a musical tale of Alice’s adventures which attempts to make sense of the world of grown-up nonsense.  (April 27-October 16)—Festival Theatre

A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE by Oscar Wilde—Marriage, affairs, divorce, and, of course, the wickedly attractive and scandalously unmarried Lord Illingworth are all thoroughly discussed. (May 29-October 15)—Festival Theatre

SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET, A MUSICAL THRILLER by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler—A darkly comic and brilliantly unsettling staging of one of Stephen Sondheim’s most celebrated musicals.  (July 17-October 16)—Festival Theatre

UNCLE VANYA by Anton Chekhov—A new version by American playwright Annie Baker gives a fresh look to a deeply human story of the collapse of the Russian aristocracy. (May 1-September 11)—Court House Theatre

MASTER  HAROLD AND THE BOYS  by Athol Fugard—Initially banned in South Africa the play speaks of inequality and injustice.  (June 30-September 10)—Court House Theatre

THE ADVENTURES OF THE BLACK GIRL IN HER SEARCH FOR GOD--adapted for stage by Lisa Codrington from a short story by G. B. Shaw—When a  young black girl is abandoned by her missionary for asking too many questions, she takes the phrase “Seek and ye shall find” a little too literally.  (June 10-September 11)—Lunchtime one-act in the Court House Theatre

OUR TOWN by Thornton Wilder—Considered one of the five most important plays in the American lexicon, this Pulitzer Prize play examines life from birth to death.  (April 9-October 15)—Royal George Theatre

MRS. WARREN’S PROFESSION by G. B. Shaw—As a daughter is about to strike out on her own, her mother thinks it is about time for her to find out about her mother’s profession.  (April 21-October 16)—Royal George Theatre

ENGAGED by W. S. Gilbert—A comic look at love, marriage and money from one-half of the team of Gilbert and Sullivan.  (June 15-October 16)—Royal George Theatre

THE DANCE OF DEATH by August Strindberg (in a new version by Conor McPherson)—A bleakly comic look at the travails of marriage.  (July 13-September 10)—Studio Theatre

For theater information, a brochure or tickets, call 800-511-7429 or go on-line to http://www.shawfest.com. Ask about packages that include lodging, meals and tickets. Also be aware that the festival offers day-of-the-show rush tickets and senior matinee prices.



Go to the Shaw Festival! Meet the nice Canadian people.

Don’t forget your passport as it’s the only form of identification that will be accepted for re-entry into the US.

Broadway legend John Kander to attended Musical Theater Project’s PERFECTLY MARVELOUS @ Allen Theatre

Liza Minnelli once said, “The greatest thing about [John] Kander and [Fred] Ebb is you sing their songs and you feel good.”  She was referring to the multi-award winning Broadway writing team who gave the world such songs as, “How Lucky Can You Get?,” “Maybe This Time,” “All That Jazz,” “Cabaret,” and “But The World Goes Round.”

These, and other compositions, came from such Broadway shows as CABARET, THE RINK, THE ACT, WOMEN OF THE YEAR, AND THE WORLD GOES ROUND, KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, FOSSE, CURTAINS, and THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS.  The duo also contributed to such movies as FUNNY LADY and NEW YORK, NEW YORK.

Kander and Ebb met in 1964.  Though it had a short-run, their first collaboration, FLORA THE RED MENACE, created a bond between the writers and Liza Minelli.  At age 19, she not only made her first Broadway appearance in the show, but was the youngest person, to that date, to win a Tony Award.

In 1966 the duo transformed the play I AM A CAMERA into CABARET, which went on to win seven Tony Awards.   The musical, about the decadence in Germany that helped lead to the rise of Hitler, was later turned into a movie, which again reunited Liza Minelli with Kander and Ebb.  She won a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Sally Bowles.

The Broadway show and film CABARET also starred Tony and Academy Award winning Cleveland-born Joel Grey, who will appear on October 24 & 25 at the Allen Theatre in JOEL GREY UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, as part of Cleveland Play House’s Centennial Celebration Weekend. 

Shows like THE HAPPY TIME, ZORBA, 70 GIRLS 70, and CHICAGO followed, and led to Kander and Ebb being anointed Broadway royalty.

Besides their three Tony Awards, the duo were recognized for their contributions to theater and music with the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors.

Ebb died in 2004, but Kander continues to create.  Last season THE VISIT, a work that the duo started in 1998, starred Chita Rivera on Broadway.

The 88-year old Kander will be the subject of The Musical Theater Project’s PERFECTLY MARVELOUS:  THE SONGS OF JOHN KANDER, which will be performed at the Allen Theatre on October 31 @ 8 PM and November 1 @ 2 PM.  

The TMTP concert will feature Tony Award winner Karen Ziemba, who attended the University of Akron, danced with the Ohio Ballet, and performed on the Great White Way in three Kander and Ebb’s shows.

Others in the TMTP multimedia concert will be Bill Rudman, The Musical Theater Project’s Artistic Director, musical director Nancy Maier, and performers Derrick Cobey, Katherine DeBoer and Matthew Wright.

For tickets to PERFECTLY MARVELOUS;  THE SONGS OF JOHN KANDER call 216-241-6000 or go online http://www.playhousesquare.org

On October 29, two days before Kander attends the PlayhouseSquare concert, he will be at Oberlin College, his alma mater, for a production of his 2011 musical, THE LANDING, which he wrote with Greg Pierce (nephew of David Hyde Pierce).  The script will be staged at the Apollo Theatre, 19 E. College Street.  Admission is free, but tickets are required.  To obtain tickets, call the Oberlin Central Ticket Service Box Office at 440-775-8169. 
JOHN KANDER: HIDDEN TREASURES, 1959-2015, a 2-CD deluxe collection with a 70-page booklet, including written notes by Jesse, Green, theater critic of “New York” magazine, and dozens of production shots and behind-the scenes photos of Kander’s musicals, will be released shortly.  Produced by Ken Bloom and Bill Rudman, the 49-tracks will include recordings from Kander’s student compositions at Oberlin, songs cut from CABARET, CHICAGO, and tunes released for the first time from Kander’s archives, as well as new recordings by Anita Gillete and Karen Ziemba.  It can be pre-ordered at http://www.MusicalTheaterProject.org

A preview: DANCECleveland and Cain Park Co-Sponsor David Parsons Dance to Celebrate National Day of Dance

New York City based David Parsons Dance will kick off DANCECleveland’s 60th Anniversary Season with dancing for the whole family.  The summer performance, co–sponsored by DANCECleveland and Cain Park will
take place at Cain Park’s Evans Amphitheater on July 25 at 8 p.m.

Events on schedule for The National Day of Dance include picnic options,
wine tastings, free ballroom and line dance classes, and the chance to see local dance students perform before the show.

Advanced dancers over 16 years of age can participate in a free dance master class in the morning with David Parsons himself at 11 a.m. on the Evans Amphitheater stage. RSVP is required by emailing sarah@dancecleveland.org. Limited space is available.

Performance tickets range from $20- $25 and are now on sale at www.dancecleveland.org, or call 216-371-3000. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the Cain Park Ticket Office, or by visiting www.cainpark.com. Discounts for groups of five or more are also available by calling DANCECleveland at 216-991-9000. For more information on the David Parsons Dance, visit: http://www.parsonsdance.org

A preview: EXACT CHANGE @ PlayhouseSquare/Helen--original play by local critic, writer and actor, explores his/her transgender journey

Before transitioning in 1990, Christine Howey was Richard Howey, a celebrated stage actor in Cleveland, known for playing such heavy-hitting male roles as Lucifer, Goebbels, “Terrible Jim Fitch,” Richard Nixon, and God. 

Exact Change explores Howey’s gender transition from many angles in a one-woman tour-de-force spiked with political rants, historical reflections and an incisive wit that packs a punch. Described as “rewarding and life-changing theatre” (Fran Heller, Cleveland Jewish News), 

Exact Change combines spoken word poetry, monologue and dialogue in a deeply personal show that is as amusing as it is poignant. Exact Change is written and performed by Howey, with direction by Scott Plate.



The content is best described by its creator and subject:
“I feel a strong need to communicate the challenging issues and deep satisfaction that comes from finding one’s true gender. I know the idea of a gender change is a very foreign one for most people…so I wanted to make the feelings and aspirations of a transgender person accessible and as understandable as possible.“
– Christine Howey



The show has received endorsing reviews in its development including:

"One of the most compelling and fascinating one-person shows I've ever seen!  The writing and performance are enthralling, the ending is startling!  This is a must see!"


--Roy Berko, broadwayworld.com, artsamerica.com, coolcleveland.com, www.royberko.info

 “The writing is funny, fierce, bawdy, and smart. Howey commands the stage, hurling lightning strikes of emotion and insight.”
 – Dee Perry, Senior Host/Producer, 90.3 WCPN/Ideastream/NE Ohio Public Radio

 About the Playwright:

A native of Northeast Ohio, Howey is a graduate of Brecksville High School and Kent State University. She taught English in the Cleveland Public School system, followed by a 35 year career in advertising. In 1999, she began work on a solo show dealing with her transgender journey, which was performed in New York and Cleveland.

Exact Change takes the stage for two weeks only, Thursday, June 11 – Saturday, June 13 and Thursday June 25 – Saturday, June 27, 2015, in Playhouse Square’s intimate Helen Rosenfeld Lewis Bialosky Lab Theatre. 

Performance times are Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 5:00pm and 8:30pm. General admission tickets are $29.50 and available at playhousesquare.org, 216-241-6000 or the Playhouse Square Ticket Office. Discounts are available for groups of 10+ by calling 216-640-8600.

For additional information, visit www.ExactChangeThePlay.com

Sheri Gross to perform in Musical Theater Project’s “Behind the Musical: Hello, Dolly!”

Combine the talents of Bill Rudman, Artistic Director of The Musical Theater Project (TMTP), music director Nancy Maier, singers Ann Gilbert, Jared Leal, Jessica Cope Miller, Shane Patrick O’Neill, and the talents of Sheri Gross, with composer-lyricist Jerry Herman’s marvelous score.  The results?  “Behind the Musical:  Hello, Dolly!”  The production, co-sponsored by Chagrin Arts, will be staged on April 26 at 3 at Chagrin Falls High School Performing Arts Center.

As Rudman says, “We’ll be telling a darn good story,” which may surprise many because, in the words of Herman, “doing that musical [“Hello Dolly”]was the most difficult time in my career.”

Former New York actress Sheri Gross is the Artistic Director of Playmakers Youth Theatre, the award winning inclusive theater program sponsored by the Jewish Community Center.   The Rochester, New York native became involved in Playmakers in a serendipitous manner.  She came to the area when a fellow actor asked her to come with him while he did an acting gig at JCC.

She became friends with Elaine Rembrandt, then-JCC cultural arts director, who asked her to stay and help with the organization’s day camp.  Gross agreed, and the rest is history.  Now, almost twenty years later, married, with three children, she is “here to stay.”

Though noted locally as a director, she says, “My strength as a director is developing characters.  Staging was never my strength.”

She looks forward to her stint performing Dolly. “I haven’t done a lot of performing lately. Coming back to perform and also educate at the same time, is great!”

Gross, who has never performed as Dolly before, became involved in the project when Rudman called and offered her the role. 

Is she concerned that the audience will expect a Carol Channing characterization as Dolly?  In a recent interview she said, “hopefully audiences would understand that I am not Channing.”  In addition, she notes that this is not a fully blocked show, “it is a concert version and a testimony to some of the creative team.  There is talking about the show and its conceiver.”  “This is an opportunity to not only “see” the play, but to learn about it.”  “That somewhat takes the focus off Dolly.”

As for her favorite song in the score, “I really like ‘Before the Parade Passes By.’  It’s a great song for a belter.”  She also likes “Love is Only Love,” a ballad that was added to the movie version.

After so many years of being a director, is the switch to being a performer going to be a challenge for Gross?    She stated, “Bill uses multi-media, little staging, he stresses a lot of character development.  That lets me work on my own vocal and facial expression.”

If one of her students was playing the role of Dolly Levi, what advice would Gross give her?  “I think that the character has a lot of layers.  She’s not only comedic but filled with vulnerability.  She would have to dig for the emotions to play.  The character isn’t just a funny belter, there is a lot more to her.”

The Musical Theater Project is partnering with The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage which will offer a free screening of “Words & Music by Jerry Herman,” a PBS documentary on Sunday, March 29 at The Maltz.  (Call 216-595-0575 or visit MaltzMuseum.org for details.  The Mandel Jewish Community Center will present a free screening of the 1969 “Hello Dolly,” featuring Barbara Streisand on Sunday April 19 @ 2 pm in the Stonehill Auditorium.  Call 216-831-0700 X 1348 or email ideas@maddeljcc.org, for tickets.

To see Sheri Gross in “Behind the Musical:  Hello, Dolly!” on Sunday April 26 @ 3 call 216-245-8687 or go online to musicaltheaterproject.org.

KSU + Musical Theatre Project = "Babes in Arms"

There’s a new couple in town.  The musical Theatre Project and Kent State’s Musical Theatre program are joining forces to do a staged reading/sing-through of the musical “Babes in Arms.”

People familiar with “Babes in Arms” usually think of it as the “hey let’s us kids, put on a play.”  The 1939 wholesome movie starred Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney.  What might surprises many is that a 1937 theatre version preceded the film. 

To add to the surprise, the original play had political overtones which delved into the concept of Nietzscheism, had a Communist character, and showcased two African-American youths who were victims of racism.   The play was redone in 1959 and was, as the publicity heralded, a “sanitized, depoliticized rewrite.” The script was again adapted in 1999 by John Guare. 

The score includes such classics as “The Lady Is a Tramp,” “Johnny One Note,” “I Wish I Were in Love Again,” and “My Funny Valentine.” 

An interview with Terri Kent, chair of the musical theatre program at Kent State shared some interesting information about the “Babes in Arms” production and the KSU program.

Kent State got involved in this project when Terri was contacted by Bill Rudman, Artistic Director of the musical Theatre Project.  The duo discussed several shows and honed in on “Babes In Arms” because many of the roles are populated by characters the ages of the University’s student body.  Besides the age parallel, Kent liked the idea that the show was set in the mid-thirties and “allows students to gain an understanding of the society of that time.”

Though Kent and Rudman had never worked together, she knew his work and “admires him as a musical theatre historian.”

The twelve students selected for the production tried out in three days of auditions which the KSU musical theatre program holds for all their main stage shows.  In addition to the students, four adults were cast to play the “mature” members of the story.  These are MaryAnn Black, Ron Thomas, Rudman and Kent.  The cast will be supported by musical director, Nancy Maier.

Kent has 85 musical theatre students.  This addition to the regular on-campus productions, and Porthouse Theatre’s summer program, the MTP involvement gives the future “professional theatre stars” a chance for more roles.  KSU grads have gone on to star on and off-Broadway, in cruise ship productions, work at such entertainment venues as Disneyworld, and have become school and college drama teachers and professors.

One of the emerging aspects of the KSU theatre offerings is the Returning Professional Program, in which college graduates, who have been involved in theatre productions, return to campus to finish their advanced degree. Ken Howard, Broadway  (“1776,” “Promises, Promises,” and “See Saw”), film (“The Country Girl,” “Strange Interlude, and “J. Edgar” and television  (“The White Shadow” and “The Thornbirds”), who went on to be president of the Screen Actors Guild, was the first participant in the degree program.  Graduates include Cleveland area performers Tracy Patterson, Greg Violand, and Mark Moritz.  Paul Floriano is now a student.

Kent is looking forward to staging the first student production of the new musical, “My Heart Is The Drum,” in February, 2015.    The show, which has an all Black cast, takes place in Ghana, and centers on Efua Kuti who flees her village when she is forced to marry, but wants to get an education.  It is filled with driving rhythms and rich vocal harmonies.  http://www.myheartisthedrum.com.     

“Babes In Arms” will be presented on September 18 @ Beck Center for the Arts, 8 PM and September 21 @ Stump Theatre, Kent State University, 2 PM.  For tickets call (Beck) 216-521-2540 X10 or visit http://www.beckcenter.org or KSU 330-672-2787, http://www.kent/edu/artscollege/

The Musical Theater Project presents "Deconstructing Kurt Weill"

The wording on the gravestone of Kurt Weill comes from the song “A Bird of Passage” from his musical, “Lost in the Stars.”  It reads:  “This is the life of men on earth:  Out of darkness we come at birth.  Into a lamplit room, and then—Go forward into dark again.”

Weill’s life epitomizes that Maxwell Anderson poem.  Born into a secure Jewish-  German family in 1900, he grew to be one of the country’s more prominent and popular composers.  He, along with his equally well-know wife, singer Lotte Lenya, were forced into exile by the Nazis in 1933 because, not only were they Jewish, but held and espoused populist views. 

He emerged from the dark when he arrived in America, and assumed his place in American composing nobility by producing many well known works.

He felt so strongly about his expulsion from Deutschland, that he and wife, Lottie Lenya, decided not to speak German again, except in letters and conversations with his parents who had escaped to Palestine (now Israel).  They also Americanized the pronunciation of their name, using the “W,” rather than the Germanic “V” sound at the start of their last name.

His “American” compositions were a departure from his former work.  He wrote with an immediacy theme.  As he said, “I am writing for the masses.  Music they can sing, and music that deals with their problems.  That is the only significant form of composition nowadays.”

His massive music portfolio included stage and film works, cantatas, chamber music, piano music, orchestral works, and Lieder cycles/songs/chansons.  He is probably best known by the general public for “Mack the Knife,” from his “The Threepenny Opera,” which became a jazz standard via the Louis Armstrong and Bobby Darin recording. 

The Musical Theater Project will present “Deconstructing Kurt Weill: The American Songs,” featuring narration by TMTP Executive Director Heather Meeker , input from Cleveland composer-arranger, Ty Alan Emerson, as sung by Fabio Polanco and Christine Fader, with music by guitarist Jake Fader and the instrumental trio “No Exit.”  

The concert centers on the theme, “How might Weill’s music sound if it were arranged and performed by contemporary artists?”   Emerson’s concept in arranging the music centered on his belief that “Weill became jaded by the Old World and wonderfully excited about becoming an American artist.  Where ever you turn in the songs, that colors his musical and dramatic choices.” 

“This composer embraced whatever sound he heard swirling around him—and in New York in the 1930s and 40s, those sounds included jazz, swing, the blues and pure Broadway ballads.”

Emerson also notes, in regard to Weill’s work, “I found that whether you’re a musical theater fan, opera or jazz musician, glam-rocker or indie-punk all-star, you can make Weill your own.”

Audiences will get their chance to experience Emerson’s interpretations of Weill on May 2 and 3 at 7 PM in the James Levine Theatre of Cleveland Public Theatre.  For tickets call 216-631-2727 or visit cptonline.org.

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE to perform at State Theatre during national tour

Since its premiere in 2005, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, has been a television sensation.  Created by Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, the show, which is an eleven-time Primetime Emmy Award winner, has sparked the nation’s interest in dance and produced some top-ranked performers.  Many have gone on to professional careers, including a number presently appearing in Broadway’s NEWSIES.

A panel, in a process similar to AMERICAN IDOL, selects 20 dancers to appear in a competition.   Judges do the initial selections, and then whittle the number down to a final 10.  The jurists, plus votes by viewers, then select a male and a female winner.

The performers, who come from a variety of  dance styles, including classical, contemporary, ballroom, hip-hop, street, jazz, tap and musical theatre are forced to perform all the genres on their march toward stardom.

The 10th season winners were a duo of 19-year olds, Amy Yakima of Northville, Michigan and Du-Shaunt “Fik-Shun” Stegall of Las Vegas, Nevada, who each danced off with $125,000 and a magazine cover photo.  Jasmine Harper and Aaron Turner were the runners-up.

The quartet will appear with the other top 10 finalists at the State Theatre in Cleveland on October 15 at 8:00 p.m..
 
The tour started in East Lansing, Michigan on October 1.   The morning of that show I interviewed 25-year old Turner, whose specialty is tap.  Ironically, he was not selected to be in the top 10, but due to an injury to a finalist, he was given a reprieve.

Turner, who is a dance instructor at the Bunker Dance Center and performer in Las Vegas, was encouraged to try out for SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE by his father, a Vegas performer, others in the family and his students.  He is a University of Nevada-Las Vegas graduate in Business/Music Management. 

He started to dance at age 8, and like all young male dancers put up with teasing because the activity is considered a girl’s world.   Undeterred, he kept up his lessons and performances.

The most difficult challenge for Turner was having to dance outside of his tap-dance-centered comfort zone.  Tapping is not one of the genres in which the SYTYCD perform, so tappers never get a chance to spotlight their strongest moves. In addition, he was learning the dance routines in only seven hours, which put additional pressure on him. 

During the evolution of the show the judges often commented on how Turner was capable of going beyond what tappers usually do.

Turner admitted to be surprised by his success.  “Maybe,” he admitted, “it was an advantage that he wasn’t originally picked, as I was perceived as an underdog.”

According to Turner, the dancers form a family.  “You get close to the people you live and work with daily, and it is hard when your friends are eliminated.”

How are the dancers matched into the couples which form the basis for much of the competition?  The requirements center on the partners not having the same dance style or training and their height.  “We have choice in the selections.”

Turner’s future?  He wants to “reach out and look for opportunities.”  His goals are to act, dance, sing and be involved in the arts.  He anticipates record deals where the songs he writes and sings will be performed.

His advice to aspiring dancers is, “don’t give up, and be you, don’t put on a face or an act.”

To get tickets to see Turner and the rest of the 2013 SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE top ten, go to: 216-241-6000 or http://www.playhousesquare.org

Shaw Festival--2012 preview

THE SHAW FESTIVAL announces its 2012 season

It may appear to be too early to think about it, but The Shaw Festival, which is located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, has announced its 2012 season.

Many Clevelanders take the four-hour drive up to The Shaw, as it is called by the locals, to participate in theatre, tour the “most beautiful little city in Canada,” shop, and eat at the many wonderful restaurants.

The upcoming season includes:
•Ragtime, Terrence McNally-Lynn Ahrens-Stephen Flaherty’s musical about the U.S. melting pot as it relates to immigrants, racism, and Euro Americans in the early 20th century. It is based on E. L. Doctorow’s ground-breaking novel.
•Present Laughter, Noel Coward’s farcical play which the author describes as "a series of semi-autobiographical pyrotechnics."
•His Girl Friday, John Guare’s “screwball comedy of politics and corruption,” which is an adaptation of the film, The Front Page.
•Hedda Gabler, Ibsen’s theatre of realism epic in which the lead character takes on society in her fight for women’s rights.
•The Millionaires. A seldom done Shaw comedy about the richest woman in the world, and the complications she discovers in her search for love.
•Trouble in Tahiti, Leonard Bernstein's jazzy opera of love and longing in U. S. America’s 1950s suburbia.
•A Man and Some Women, a world premiere by little known, but noted British playwright Githa Sowerby.
•Come Back, Little Sheba, William Inge’s story of a wife clinging to the past and a husband clinging to a bottle.
•French Without Tears, Terrance Rattigan’s longest running London show which is billed as “a sexy comedic romp set in the south of France
•Misalliance, a play about marriage, which author G. B. Shaw describes as a long debate in which “the curtain will be lowered twice. The audience is requested to excuse these interruptions, which are made solely for its convenience."
•Helen's Necklace (Le Collier d'Hélène), Carole Fréchette's poetic exploration which has been described as, “A play that is a metaphor of loss and suffering at different levels.
•The Shaw's Reading Series, which explores provocative contemporary plays from all over the world. Dates and details to be confirmed.

It’s a good idea to make both theatre and lodging reservations early, especially with the B&Bs on weekends. Our home away from home is the beautiful and well-placed Wellington House (www.wellington.house@sympatico.ca), directly across the street from The Festival Theatre. For information on other B&Bs go to www.niagaraonthelake.com/showbedandbreakfasts.

The Niagara area is dotted with wineries, many of which, besides offering wine tastings and sales, have fine dining facilities.

There are some wonderful restaurants including the Dining Room located at the Niagara Culinary Institute (www.niagaracollege.ca/dining. And my in-town favorite, The Grill on King Street (905-468-7222, 233 King St.)

For theatre information, a brochure or tickets, call 800-511-7429 or go on-line to www.shawfest.com. Ask about packages that include lodging, meals and tickets. Also be aware that the festival offers day-of-the-show rush tickets and senior matinee prices.

Go to the Shaw Festival! Find out what lovely hosts Canadians are, and see some great theatre!

Fall dance calendar 2011

Dance, dance, dance—Fall in Cleveland

Fall is near and the Cleveland dance scene is about to bust loose! Here are some local early autumn offerings:

VERB BALLETS
American Lore
September 23, 2011 8:00 p.m.
Breen Center for the Performing Arts
Tickets: 216-397-3757 or verballets.org

 Based on the theme, “America is a land rich with stories, a place for rebels and pioneers,” the program includes: Billy the Kid, choreographer Ginger Thatcher premiere of a new take on this outlaw; a revival of Martha Graham's Appalachian Spring; and a revival of Terence Greene's The Gathering.

Dance Showcase
Palace Theatre
September 9, 2011 7:30 p.m.
Free: No tickets required.
The annual PHSquare celebration of dance features a selection of Northeast Ohio’s finest professional companies: The Dancing Wheels Company, Dance/Theater Collective, Inlet Dance Theatre, MorrisonDance, Ohio Dance Theatre, Shri Kalaa Mandir, Travesty Dance Group, Verb Ballets and Sara Whale.

GROUNDWORKS DANCETHEATRE
September 16 and 17 8:00 p.m.
Ice House, 129 North Summit Street, Akron
Tickets: 216-691-3180 or groundworksdance.org
Two world premieres: a commissioned work by former company member Amy Miller and a new work by Artistic Director David Shimotakahara.
DANCING WHEELS
September 9
Dance Show Case (see details above)

September 16, 17 & 18
Ingenuity Festival; Detroit-Superior Bridge
For details go to: http://ingenuitycleveland.com/

DANCE CLEVELAND
Presented by: DANCE Cleveland, EJ Thomas Hall & University of Akron Dance Program
MOMIX
Saturday, October 1st 8:00 PM

EJ Thomas Hall, Akron
Tickets: http://www.dancecleveland.org/performances
Known internationally for presenting works of exceptional inventiveness and physical beauty, MOMIX is a company of dancer-illusionists under the direction of Moses Pendleton. MOMIX will present the evening-length work Botanica, a spectacular piece that follows the rhythms of the seasons, the evolution of the world and the passing of a day. Fabrics, colors, costumes, projections and props create a landscape populated by the creations of Pendleton's original, whimsical, mythical imagination.

Presented by: DANCE Cleveland and PlayhouseSquare
ASZURE BARTON AND ARTISTS
Saturday, October 29 8:00 PM
Ohio Theatre
Tickets: http://www.playhousesquare.org or 216-241-6000
Baryshnikov protégé Aszure Barton has a distinguished reputation for producing striking choreography for stage and film. Her company will present Barton's Busk which explores aspects of what it means to perform.

FAT CAMP (a preview)

A chance to see a Broadway show develop before your eyes!

Have you ever wondered how a potential Broadway show goes from script to stage? Have you been curious about what goes on during the rehearsals of a professional play? Have you ever wanted your voice to be heard about what you like and dislike about a musical? Well, if the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” you are about to get your chance. And, you don’t have to go to New York. The process is going to take place right here, in Cleveland.

PAGE TO STAGE is a new PlayhouseSquare project whose purpose is to invite theatre writers to develop Broadway-aimed productions, while allowing local audiences to provide response and feedback as the creators hone the work.

From July 13-24, the Hanna Theatre will be the center of historical theatrical activity, as FAT CAMP, a musical about a group of plus-sized teens at a sleep-away camp, is developed. The process started in 2009 when the script was showcased as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival and was awarded “The Best of the Fest.” It also received a 2010 workshop. Now, it’s ready for the Cleveland intervention. It’s a work-in-progress and, hopefully, by the end of the PAGE TO STAGE experiment, it will be closer to stage ready.

FAT CAMP features a book by Randy Blair and Timothy Michael Drucker and music by Matthew roi Berger, with lyrics by Blair. The show will be directed by Casey Hushion (whose credits include Assistant Direction THE DROWSY CHAPERONE and IN THE HEIGHTS on Broadway). The cast are professional actors who have been selected in New York tryouts. The show will be staged with minimal costumes and sets.

The producer of the show is Dodgers, a prolific staging company. Some of their Broadway hits were JERSEY BOYS, THE SECRET GARDEN, INTO THE WOODS, URINETOWN, TITANIC, FOOTLOOSE, 1776, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, THE KING AND I, THE WHO'S TOMMY, GUYS AND DOLLS, BIG RIVER and PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES.

Tony-winning Dodger co-founder, Michael David, recently said, "We are most excited to be back in Cleveland at PlayhouseSquare, participating in their inaugural PAGE TO STAGE.” He went on to say, "The Dodgers have had a long history developing shows at PlayhouseSquare and we are most appreciative for the opportunity to nurture this young, new production; to get it up on stage and to experiment, to refine, to try to find our feet with the support of the Playhouse staff, and the audiences of Cleveland."

Gina Vernaci, Vice President of Theatricals at PlayhouseSquare, states, “Audience feedback is not only encouraged it is crucial to the success of both PAGE TO STAGE and FAT CAMP.

How do you get involved? From July 13 through the 24th, audiences will be able to sit in on a series of performances, creative conversations with cast members and the production team, listen to curtain speeches, chat one-on-one with the cast, and fill out comments cards that will be used to hone the show. Tickets for each show will begin as low as $10. Half-price bar drinks will be sold and there will be special performances for teens on July 13 and 20th (use code TEEN). For a complete rundown of what’s going on, go to www.playhousesquare.org/pageto stage. For tickets call 216-241-6000.

2011-2012 KeyBank Broadway Series

2011-2012 KeyBank Broadway Series Announced!

Supplemented by visual segments of Broadway productions, Gina Vernaci, the Vice President of Theatricals, announced to a full-house in the Idea Center, the 2011-2012 KeyBank Broadway Series at PlayhouseSquare.

Gernaci stated, “This is a season that is certain to keep PlayhouseSquare at the forefront of engaging entertainment.” She went on to indicate that the season will offer “some of the most iconic American music, high octane choreography and dramatic storytelling.”

The seven-show series includes:

October 11-23, 2011
MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is based on the famed recording session that brought together rock 'n' roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time. Musical numbers include: “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Fever,” “That's All Right,” “Sixteen Tons,” and “Great Balls of Fire.” PlayhouseSquare will launch the show's national tour with promotional and educational cooperation from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

November 8-20, 2011
LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, which won three 2010 Tony Awards including the award for Best Musical Revival, is a tuneful and touching tale of one family's struggle to stay together... stay fabulous... and above all else, stay true to themselves! Think “I Am What I Am” and you have the emotional center of the show.

January 17-29, 2012
HAIR, the show that changed Broadway forever, is back with a new Tony-winning production. Featuring “Aquarius,” “Let the Sun Shine In,” and "Good Morning, Starshine,” this anthem to political and social change is as relevant today as when it opened in 1968. And, yes, it will be staged with the infamous nude scene!

February 28 - March 11, 2012
MEMPHIS, the story of the love between a white radio DJ and a black singer that bursts with explosive dancing, irresistible songs, is a tale of fame and forbidden love. Winner of four 2010 Tony Awards including Best Musical, it gained opening night Broadway reviews which stated that the show was, “The very essence of what a Broadway musical should be.”

April 10-22, 2012
THE ADDAMS FAMILY brings the weird comic characters Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Lurch, Grandmama, Wednesday and Pugsley to life in a production that is definitely not the same old song and dance musical. (Are you humming the television show's iconic theme song?)

May 8-20, 2012
COME FLY AWAY brings together the legendary music of Frank Sinatra and the creative vision of Tony Award-winning choreographer Twyla Tharp. Fifteen dancers tell the story of four couples falling in and out of love, as an on-stage big band plays, and recordings of Old Blue Eyes himself sings, “Fly Me to the Moon,” “My Way,” “New York, New York” and “Makin' Whoopee.”

May 30 - July 22, 2012
SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM gives a close-up and personal look at Tony Award-winning composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim by fusing interview footage and live musical numbers. Included are songs from West Side Story, Gypsy, Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George, Sweeney Todd, Company, A Little Night Music, and Follies. The show, which will be directed by Victoria Bussert, is being produced by the Great Lakes Theater Festival as part of their 50th anniversary season and will be presented in the Hanna Theatre.

Subscriptions to the KeyBank Broadway Series at PlayhouseSquare are now available by calling 216-830-7221 or online at www.playhousesquare.org. The seven-show packages range from $70 to $505 per seat with a limited number of Smart Seats Time Warner Cable subscription packages available at $70.

Shaw Festival--2011

It's the time of year to start thinking…..THE SHAW FESTIVAL

The brochure has arrived. The season is set. It's time to start thinking about spending some time this spring, summer or fall at the SHAW FESTIVAL.

The Shaw Festival is conducted in four theatres in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, an easy four-hour trip from Cleveland. Once you arrive, you will be entranced by the “most beautiful city in Canada.” Lovely flowers, classical home architecture and unusual shops make for an inviting experience.

This season's theatre offerings are: MY FAIR LADY (“The difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves but how she is treated”)…Lerner and Loewe's enchanting “I could have danced all night” musical; THE ADMIRABLE CRICHTON (“There must always, my lady be one to command and others to obey”)…J. M. Barrie's delightful subversive comic fantasy; DRAMA AT INISH-A COMEDY (“We were all more or less happy and comfortable, good tempered and jolly-until these plays began to put ideas into our heads”)-Lennox Robinson's Irish comedy gem; ON THE ROCKS (“So much for the carrot, here comes the stick”)…G. B. Shaw's provocative tale about whether the prime minister has lost his sanity; MARIA SEVERA (“I am flesh and blood, I am heart and mind, and I am song”) Jay Turvey and Paul Sportelli's romantic musical; CANDIDA (“We all go about longing for love; it is the first need of our natures, the loudest cry of our hearts.”)…GB Shaw's charming comedy about the classic love triangle; CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (“What is the victory of the cat on a hot tine roof? Just staying on it, I guess, as long as she can”)…Tennessee Williams' sultry Pulitzer Prize winning play about respect, sex and maybe, somewhere, love; THE PRESIDENT (“It must be very wonderful, sir, to have almost all mankind at your disposal.”)…a return engagement of Ferenc Molnar's fast-paced comedy which was a 2008 Festival smash hit; TOPDOG/UNDERDOG (“You pick that card that's the loser, you pick that card you pick a winner, follow that card, and you gotta chase that card”)…Suzan-Lori Parks harsh and humane tale of Lincoln and Booth, two brothers who fight for survival after being abandoned by their parents; WHEN THE RAIN STOPS FALLING (“The past is a mystery, and yet, perhaps it will be easier to explain than the fish.”)…Australian Andrew Bovell's tale of a father who gets an unexpected phone call from his long lost son just as a fish falls from the sky.

Besides the plays themselves, the Festival includes a play reading series, pre-cast chats, Tuesday Q&A, Saturday conversations, Sunday coffee concerts and backstage tours. Also check out the Shaw Workshops for Adults and the Teen Workshops. On July 23 and 24, join a debate and discussion of provocative ideas with Tony Kushner (ANGELS IN AMERICA), Michael Billington, the theatre critic of The Guardian, and Suzan-Lori Parks (TOPDOG/UNDERDOG).

The area itself is filled with activities ranging from a golf course within the city limits; an art park (www.artpark.net), The Good Earth Cooking School (www.goodearthcooking.com), an international chamber music festival (www.niagramusicfest.com), learning vacations at Niagara College (www.niagaralearning vacations.com), bike paths, Mystery on the Lake (www.motl.ca), and a Niagara river jet boat trip.

The Niagara area is dotted with wineries, many of which, besides offering wine tastings and sales, have fine dining facilities.

There are some wonderful restaurants including Queenston Heights Restaurant (www.queenstonheights.com). It is located in a park just over the US-Canadian border and has a breathtaking view of the Niagara River gorge. (Make a reservation and ask for a window table.) A real find is the restaurant at the Niagara Culinary Institute (www.niagaracollege.ca/dining), at which student chefs hone their skills. And my new favorite, is The Grill on King Street (905-468-7222, 233 King St.)

The area has many excellent hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. Our home away from home is the beautiful and well-placed Wellington House (www.wellington.house@sympatico.ca), directly across the street from The Festival Theatre. For information on other B&Bs go to www.niagaraonthelake.com/showbedandbreakfasts.

For theatre information, a brochure or tickets, call 800-511-7429 or go on-line to www.shawfest.com. Ask about packages that include lodging, meals and tickets. Also be aware that the festival offers day-of-the-show rush tickets and senior matinee prices.

Helpful hint: A passport is a border crossing requirement!

Go to the Shaw Festival! Find out what lovely hosts Canadians are, and see some great theatre!

Stratford Festival of Canada 2011 season

It's that time…plan for the Stratford Shakespeare Festival of Canada

Want to get away this spring, summer or fall? How about a drive to Canada for great theatre, good food, and nice scenery? Where? The Stratford Festival of Canada which takes place in Stratford, Ontario.

This season's productions are: THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR (A would-be seducer, a jealous husband and two resourceful housewives in a ballet of wits and wiles…Shakespeare), CAMELOT (A gorgeous musical score gilds a legendary tale of idealism, passion and betrayal…Lerner and Loewe), TWELFTH NIGHT (a riot of mischief-making and misplaced desire, considered the greatest romantic comedy of all time, starring Brian Dennehy…Shakespeare), THE MISANTHROPE (social critic meets social butterfly in a comedy of manners which is widely hailed as Moliere's masterpiece, starring Brian Bedford), THE GRAPES OF WRATH (Tony Award-winning drama based on the book by John Steinbeck, tells a story of endurance and hope), JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (The rock opera that reinvented musical theatre for the modern age…Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber), THE HOMECOMING (The family is the ultimate combat zone in this darkly witty drama by Harold Pinter which stars Brian Dennehy), RICHARD III (a serial killer who wears a crown, with Ms. Seana McKenna as Richard!…Shakespeare), TITUS ANDRONICUS (considered the most shocking of Shakespeare's plays, Roman general Titus brings home his captive Queen Tamora, which results in a cycle of grotesque revenge…Shakespeare), SHAKESPEARE'S WILL (a portrait of Anne Hathaway, one of history's most famous women…Vern Thiessen), THE LITTLE YEARS (an inspiring look at an uncommon woman who is denied her role in life because of her sex…John Mighton), HOSANINA (a raw, tragic and outrageously fun Canadian classic, which examines the political and the personal…Michel Tremblay, in translation).

Besides their regularly scheduled plays, the Festival offers stage-side chats, the Celebrated Writers Series, Night Music, Table Talks, pre-show lectures, lobby talks, public lectures, the teaching Shakespeare School and The Teachers' Conference.

What's the lodging like? Hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts abound to fit any wallet. I like a b & b. You get to meet new people and there is a nice friendly feel of being a guest. I'm trying a new one this year. I'll let you know if it passes the test in my mid-summer review about the Festival.

Hungry? For moderate cost and high quality, try The Annex Cafe (38 Albert Street). For a relaxed and fairly inexpensive breakfast treat try Demetre's Family Eatery (1100 Ontario Street). Cleveland theatrical legends Dorothy and Reuben Silver, who are Stratford regulars, recommend The Waterlot Restaurant and Inn (17 Huron Street behind the Royal Bank) in New Hamburg, which is about 20 minutes away “and well worth the trip.”(www.waterlot.com) Also on their favorites list is The Keystone Alley Cafe (34 Brunswick Street) in Stratford (www.keystonealley.com) which has an outdoor patio.

Packages can be arranged by www.theatrevacations.com. Stratford Escapes (theatrevacations.com), is an efficient way to make reservations. For individual tickets call 800-567-1600 or go on-line to www.stratfordfestival.ca.

Helpful hints: The ride from Cleveland is about six hours through Buffalo. Go on-line to the festival to get directions. The routings offered by both the AAA and Yahoo maps are confusing and miles longer. And, to satisfy border requirements carry your passport. Nothing else will do).

Go to Stratford, Canada! Find out what lovely hosts Canadians are, and see some great theatre!

Winter 2011 Dance and Calendar

DANCE PREVIEWS: LES BALLETS TROCKADERO, GROUNDWORKS, INLET, VERB BALLETS, OHIO DANCE, DANCING WHEELS

LES BALLETS TROCKADERO DE MONTE CARLO

Presented by DANCECLEVELAND AND TRI-C, this all male company is an international dance phenomenon. They perform a full range of ballet and modern styles by combining dance skills and comedy. And, yes, men can, indeed, dance en pointe without falling flat on their faces. Note: No children under 2 are admitted. For tickets to the concert, which will be presented on January 29 at 8 p.m. in the Ohio Theatre, call 216-214-6000 or go to www.playhousesquare.org


GROUNDWORKS

David Shimotakahara's company performs on February 4 and 5 at the Breen Center, 2008 West 30th Street, across from St. Ignatius High School at 8 PM. The program includes two world premieres, one choreographed by Shimotakahara,
the other by David Parker. Also on the program is BoomBoom, a tribute to American Blues legends. Tickets: 216-961-2560

INLET DANCE

Inlet Dance presents a family friendly concert as part of the Chagrin Arts' Performance Series at Chagrin Falls Performing Arts Center, 400 E. Washington Street, at 3 pm on Sunday, February 27. For information go to: http://inletdance.org

VERB BALLETS
On Friday, February 11, at 8 pm at the Breen Center, 2008 West 30th Street, Cleveland, Verb Ballets, Cleveland's National Repertory Dance Company, presents its Valentine of Dance which includes the world premiere of Breath from Artist-in-Residence Terence Greene; Noumenon Mobilus by choreographer Alwin Nikolais; Ambiguous; Drives by Tommie-Waheed Evans, and Shapiro and Smith's To Have and To Hold. For tickets go to verballets.org or call 216-397-3757.

OHIO DANCE THEATRE

Denise Gula's Oberlin-based company will premiere's guest choreographer Marie Zvosec's Jane and Cassandra are Sisters at 7:30 on Friday, February 25 at The Breen Center, 1911 West 30th Street. The ballet is based on the story by Jane Austen. Also on the program is From Petipa to Broadway choreographed by Gula, which is a sampling of classical variations, Broadway, Swing and audience favorite, Tabula Rasa. Tickets are available at 440-774-6077. Additional information is available at www.ohiodancetheatre.org.

DANCING WHEELS

On March 5, 2011 The Dancing Wheels Studios invites the community to join them for their second annual Night at the Races fundraising event! Location: Dancing Wheels' Studios, doors open at 6:30; first Race begins at 7:15. Admission: $15/person or $125/table of 10, which includes pizza and non-alcoholic refreshments (B.Y.O.B. and your own snack food!). Tickets can be purchased by calling 216-432-0306. Last year's event sold out. All proceeds from the event help to support Dancing Wheels' educational and outreach programming.

The Dark Secret of Harvest Home

Murder mystery in a haunted house where a Bette Davis TV series was filmed!

Want the perfect Halloween adventure? How about seeing a new murder mystery in a real “haunted house?” How about in the haunted house that was the actual setting for the Bette Davis min-series, THE DARK SECRET OF HARVEST HOME. Yes, the show was filmed in 1978 at what is now The Estate on Coffee Creek (http://coffeecreekestate.com) in Austinburg.

Not only do you get to be a participant in THE DARK SECRET OF HARVEST HOME, a script by Gilgamesh Taggert, but you get a stellar meal prepared by Chef Nick Kustela which consists of Maine Lobster Bisque, Classic Caesar Salad, Choice of Roasted Sirloin Filet or King Salmon and warm Carmel Apple Bread Pudding.

The cast of the Floriano Productions' show includes Tagerett, Susan Wagner, Trinidad Snider, Brooke Lynn and Paul Floriano and, of course, YOU! The play, a follow-up to the television series, centers on a boy, who was the product of a cult's actions, returning to Austinburg. A murder, and a hunt for the killer takes place. YOU get to question the potential murders in an attempt to reveal the culprit. Sounds like fun, fun, fun.