Funny Girl, the seldom mounted 1964 classic Broadway musical about the life of Fanny Brice, is so associated with Barbra Streisand that most playhouses shy away from the piece. Not the talented artists at Drury Lane Oakbrook who, under the collective talents of Gary Griffin, William Ostetek and David New, have found a most talented actress to play Fanny Brice–Sara Shepard.
Read MoreLifeline Theatre has a strong reputation for mounting an effective assortment of kids theatre. My first encounter with their children’s fare was The Last of the Dragons adapted by David Bareford from Edith Nesbit’s fantasy story. This 55 minute cute little musical is charming with a worthy moral and it sure plays well with children 5 years and up.
Read MoreWhere Wilde’s play is original, Lauren Wilson’s Chemical Imbalance is a clever, highly comic spoof of Robert Louis Stevenson’s quite serious work on the dual nature of man – the good vs. the evil. And if the story of one split personality is insufficient, playwright Wilson adds identical 10-year-old, twins (played by bouncy, blonde Tiffany-Leigh Moskow) – demonic Penelope vs. angelic Calliope. They not only parallel the Jekyll/Hyde situation, but are integral to the story because a drop of their blood is needed to provide an essential ingredient for the evil venom and its potential antidote.
Read MoreFelder, a terrific actor, expert musician (and composer) and playwright, reverently presents favorites like “Swanee,” “Someone To Watch Over Me,” “I Got Rhythm,” “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” and others until our ears are ringing with Gershwin’s melodies.
Read MoreFrom the toe-tapping overture, you know you’re in for a comic operetta and Roger L. Bingaman’s 26 member orchestra delivers Arthur Sullivan’s score in a delightful turn. The Gilbert & Sullivan 1879 operetta The Pirates of Penzance still resonates with audiences in the 21st Century
Read MoreMy Fair Lady is a witty, stinging social commentary on Edwardian British morality wherein the upper-class speech Professor Higgins boasts he can turn an uneducated low-class flower girl into a princess at the embassy ball. With one of the smartest books with brilliant lyrics (by Alan Jay Lerner) on one of the finest, lush musical scores by Frederick Loewe, My Fair lady is one of the gems of the Broadway stage
Read MoreWhat a neat production! What songs and dances! What a talented cast.
The slight story – would-be-dancer/singer comes to the big city, is initially ignored, finally gets big chance and becomes a star – provides a core for a musical extravaganza.
I must state that that I detest rap and most rock music yet I enjoyed the 2008 Tony Award winning In The Heights more that I thought I would. The infectious, manic and deftly executed dances (by choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler) and the very likable characters gave me something to care about.
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