Theatre
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Jenny Gersten Discusses Williamstown Theatre Festival
Mid-Semester Report Card of Her Second Season
By: - Jul 14th, 2012This week the Williamstown Theatre Festival opens its second of three plays on the Main Stage. With the second of four now running on the Nikos Stage, artistic director Jenny Gersetn is at the mid point of a seven play season. We asked about her second season as artistic director of WTF? How does she plan a program and manage some 300 individuals on the Williams College campus? She surprised us by saying that it takes "muscles."
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Last of the Red Hot Lovers Sizzles at WTF
Jessica Stone Directs Neil Simon Comedy
By: - Jul 13th, 2012In a brilliant romp, a Williamstown Theatre Festival favorite son, Brooks Ashmanskas, has returned in the first ever WTF production of a Neil Simon comedy, Last of the Red Hot Lovers, from the peak of the sexual revolution in 1969. This is also the 8th season for Jessica Stone at WTF and her second time as a director. She made her directorial debut in 2010 with a smash hit of the Steven Sondheim musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum with the twist of an all male cast.
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Cast for A Month in the Country at WTF
Turgenev Play Runs August 1 to 19
By: - Jul 11th, 2012The cast has been announced for the final main stage production of the Williamstown Theatre Festival season. A Month in the Country by Ivan Turgenev will be directed by Richard Nelson who also worked on a new translation of the Russian drama. It opens on August 1 and continues through August 19.
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Olympia Dukakis in The Tempest at S&Co
July 19 - August 19 in the Tina Packer Playhouse
By: - Jul 09th, 2012Artistic director Tony Simotes will direct his former teacher, Olympia Dukakis in The Tempest at Shakespeare & Company. The Tempest runs from July 19th through August 19th in S&Co.’s newly renamed Tina Packer Playhouse. There is a 40% discount for Berkshire residents and many other affordable options.
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Boffo A Chorus Line at Berkshire Theatre Group
Through July 21 a Heart Wrenching Barn Burner
By: - Jul 08th, 2012With the deft direction of Eric Hill, and the fabulous choreography of Gerry McIntyre, Berkshire Theatre Group is staging a terrific production of Michael Bennett's ground breaking, 1975 musical , A Chorus Line. This is the thrilling Berkshire summer sensation we've all been waiting for. Don't miss this one.
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Randy Harrison at the Colonial August 20
QWAN (Quality Without a Name) presents SWAN!!! and NOTES!!!
By: - Jul 06th, 2012QWAN (Quality Without a Name) presents SWAN!!! and NOTES!!! at Berkshire Theatre Group’s The Colonial Theatre on August 20 at 7:30pm featuring Christian Coulson, Jack Ferver, Jenn Harris, Randy Harrison, Phillip Taratula and Matthew Wilkas
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7th Monarch by Jim Henry in NY Run
Theatre Row’s Acorn Theatre Through September 9
By: - Jul 06th, 2012Despite 7th Monarch’s familiar storyline, seen all too often on the stage, TV, and at the movies, and a couple quirky disclosures stretched to the outer limits of believability by Chicago based playwright Jim Henry, my eyes and ears, as well as those of my date du jour, were riveted to the stage as we watched, what is something of a who done it and was it done at all, unfold bit by bit.
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Celebrating La MaMa’s 50th Anniversary Season
The Etiquette of Death A Community Project
By: - Jul 06th, 2012What better way to celebrate La MaMa’s 50th Anniversary season than to round up a gaggle of actors and writers, assemble a musical play about death, get Ridiculous Theatre legend Everett Quinton and choreographer Julie Atlas Muz, former Miss Coney Island and Miss Exotic World, to co-direct it, hire a 7 piece orchestra led by Jeremy X. Halpern, and return them to the Ellen Stewart Theatre at La MaMa where not a few of them have been treading the boards for decades.
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Blythe Danner Returns to Williamstown in The Blue Deep
World Premiere by Lucy Boyle
By: - Jul 04th, 2012The Blue Deep, a world premiere by Lucy Boyle, is selling out on the intimate Nikos Stage of the Williamstown Theatre Festival mostly through the mega watt star power of a legendary alumna Blythe Danner. In a return after a long absence she is as stunning and sensational as ever. But is she enough to carry a new work that needs drastic revisions before a when and if next production.
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Debra Jo Rupp's Dr. Ruth at Barrington Stage
Mark St. Germain's Hit Returns Through October 7
By: - Jul 01st, 2012The world premiere of Dr. Ruth All the Way sold out its initial run at Barrington Stage Company. With some sharpening by playwright Mark St. Germain the one woman show starring Debra Jo Rupp returns to Pittsfield through October 7. Catch it while you can.
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WTF’s Gangsta The Importance of Being Earnest
David Hyde Pierce’s Direction is Wilde
By: - Jun 29th, 2012For the opening of the Williamstown Theatre Festival, artistic director Jenny Gersten has rolled out the heavy artillery. In only his second venture at directing Emmy and Tony winning actor David Hyde Pierce is offering a Guys and Dolls spin on the classic Oscar Wilde comedy The Importance of Being Earnest. The Emmy and Tony winning Tyne Daly is a spot on Lady Bracknell who, amazingly, is upstaged by the fabulous Marylouise Burke as the hilarious Miss Prim.
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Shakespeare & Company 35th Season
Special Events in Celebration
By: - Jun 28th, 2012As part of the celebrations for its 35th Season, Shakespeare & Company is pleased to introduce a series of presentations and events tailored to its summer performance season. Engaging discussions, riveting talks, and insightful Q&A’s will all be featured in the Company’s packed calendar of special events. For more information on all of Shakespeare & Company’s special 35th Season offerings, including Founders’ Talks, Author! Author!, Tuesday Talks, Wednesday Q&A’s, Behind the Scenes Tours, and other special events.
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A Tyne Daly Speed Date
Going Wilde at Williamstown Theatre Festival
By: - Jun 26th, 2012During a remarkably rich and enduring career Tyne Daly has been known for playing strong women from a cop in TV's seminal Cagney and Lacey to a Tony Award winning Mama Rose in the great musical Gypsy. Revealing her discipline and versatility she is appearing in the witty Oscar Wilde comedy The Importance of Being Earnest at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.
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American Theatre Critics Association Meets in Chicago
Exploring the Arts and Architecture of the Second City
By: - Jun 25th, 2012During ten days in Chicago we saw seven plays with five of them as delegates to the annual conference of the American Theatre Critics Association. We arrived early for Iceman Cometh at Goodman and The March at Steppenwolf. As well as time to visit the Art Institute of Chicago, Millenium Park, and take a river architectural tour.
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Paul Zindel Returns to Broadway
The Longview Theater Revives the Reardon Family
By: - Jun 24th, 2012Playwright Zindel grew up in Staten Island. His father left home early. Zindel wrote often and movingly about the consequences of his departure. And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little is a lively take on what happened.
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Dennis Krausnick Masterful as King Lear
Stunning Production by Shakespeare & Company
By: - Jun 24th, 2012Some 35 years ago Dennis Krausnick was a founding member of Shakespeare & Company in Lenox. His involvement with King Lear began fifteen years ago when he directed a production starring Olympia Dukakis who returns this summer with The Tempest. He has been performing Lear on the road and returns home with an astonishing performance in a triumphant production.
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Don't Miss Parasite Drag by Mark Roberts
Shakespeare & Company Ends September 2
By: - Jun 23rd, 2012Parasite Drag by Mark Roberts is the mustsee play of the Berkshire Season. It runs in through September 2. Be warned however this is an X rated play with strong language and explicit sex. It is not family entertainment. For those with strong stomachs this is an unforgettable evening of great theatre.
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Twelfth Night Enchants in Boulder
Colorado Shakespeare Festival Dissects Apollo and Dionysius
By: - Jun 22nd, 2012Twelfth Night is perfect summer fare, even though it refers to the last day of Epiphany. Religion disappears into the Colorado clouds.
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Fiddler Falls Off the Roof at Barrington Stage
Brad Oscar Stumbles as Tevye
By: - Jun 22nd, 2012There are many reasons to see this wonderfully staged and choreographed production of the iconic musical Fiddler on the Roof that launches the season of Barrington Stage Company. Unfortunately, the miscast and stumbling Brad Oscar in the leading role of Tevye is not one of them.
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Casts Announced for WTF Productions
Last of the Red Hot Lovers and Far From Heaven
By: - Jun 21st, 2012Williamstown Theatre Festival Artistic Director Jenny Gersten announced today the full cast and creative teams for Last of the Red Hot Lovers, which will be presented on the Nikos Stage from July 11 through July 22 (opening July 12), and the Preview Production of Far From Heaven, which will play the Main Stage from July 19 through July 29 (opening July 21). Both shows begin rehearsals today in preparation for their runs at the Festival.
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Stars of Williamstown Theatre Festival Meet and Greet
Blythe Danner, Tyne Daly, David Hyde Pierce, Bob Balaban
By: - Jun 20th, 2012On Thursday, June 28 the Williamstown Theatre Festival launches its season with the opening night of two shows. Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" directed by David Hyde Pierce with Tyne Daly is on the Main Stage. The more intimate Nikos Stage will feature the world premiere of The Deep Blue directed by Bob Balaban with Becky Ann Baker and a return to Williamstown after a long absence of a perennial favorite, Blythe Danner. Yesterday WTF artistic director Jenny Gersten hosted a meet an greet with the directors and their stars.
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Tigers Be Still at Chicago’s Wit
Three Ring Circus for Fringe Companies
By: - Jun 20th, 2012With three stages Chicago's Theatre Wit collaborates with some forty of the Second City's 200 plus theatre companies. We attended the final weekend of the hit comedy Tigers be Still which Kim Rosenstock wrote and developed in New York at Roundabout before it moved to Wit. What a hoot.
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Buntport Theater Roasts Beef
Censorship Knocked Out in Denver
By: - Jun 19th, 2012Buntport, a company just a decade old, has produced original drama of the highest order in its brief history. They also conduct marginal discussions on subjects of no interest on the Third Tuesday of each month.
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Car Talk Joy Rides At Central Square Theatre
Entertaining And Clever Musical Based On NPR Show
By: - Jun 19th, 2012Car Talk is a new automotive musical comedy inspired by the legendary National Public Radio show. The antihero is an overweight, always-late nebbish Rusty Fenders. His life and elderly KIA are both headed for the junkyard. Attempting to salvage happiness, he crashes into his ruthless boss Beaulah Gasket, is clueless about his unrequited office romance with lovely Sheila and has an unaffordable midlife crises over a sexy fantasy car Miata C. LaChassis. Tuned up by parodies of show stopping classic songs and garage gaffaws, Rusty seeks the Wizard of Cahs to drive home. A Summer car trip must-see.
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Marvin Gaye Rocks Chicago
Jackie Taylor’s Black Ensemble Theater
By: - Jun 19th, 2012The remarkable Jackie Taylor built the new $19 million Black Ensemble Theatre. She also writes, produces and directs musicals about the immortals of soul. Currently a boffo hit "The Marvin Gaye Story: Don’t Talk About My Father Because God Is My Friend" is the coolest show of a sizzling Chicago summer. Let's get it on.
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