Theatre
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Rocco Sisto in Rarely Produced Richard II
Launching a S&Co. Tetraology of Four History Plays
By: - Jul 13th, 2013Over the next four years Shakespeare & Company will present a tetralogy of four history plays. The cycle begins this season with Richard II directed by Timothy Douglas and starring Rocco Sisto. Next year Johnathan Epstein will directed Henry IV.
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When a Play Expands a Theater
The Weston Theatre's Bold Production of Next to Normal
By: - Jul 13th, 2013With more than two dozen scene changes and a huge challenging score, Next to Normal would be a challenging production in any theater, but the Weston takes it on and succeeds. We are all the fortunate beneficiaries of its courage.
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A Typical WTF Press Conference?
Actors are People Too
By: - Jul 13th, 2013The Williamstown Theatre Festival (WTF) season is in high gear. We attended the first WTF press conference to cover the next two productions of 'Pygmalion' by George Bernard Shaw and Johnny Baseball, the Boston Red Sox story, now a musical. It turned out to be a lively event!
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Kate Burton in Stoppard’s Riveting Hapgood
Quantum Mechanics of the Spy Game
By: - Jul 12th, 2013I think I saw a great production of Tom Stoppard's Hapgood, starring Kate Burton at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. But then there's the Uncertainty Principle. Whether one enjoys this show depends upon whether you view it from a Newtonian or Quantum Mechanics point of view. It may or may not be the best drama of the Berkshire season. In a Stoppardesque sense.
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Batter Up for Johnny Baseball at Williamstown
Controversial ART Musical Steals Second Base
By: - Jul 11th, 2013If shows are not instant hits in regional theaters they rarely get a second chance. It is especially difficult to develop musicals. Johnny Baseball, a musical about the Boston Red Sox and the Curse of the Bambino, opened at American Repertory Theatre in June, 2010. The idea started in 2003 and development, with six new songs and other changes continues. It opens on July 24 at Williamstown Theatre Festival. During a recent press conference we asked about love/ hate relationships which resulted in Globe critic Louise Kennedy losing her job in reaction to her Johnny Baseball review.
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Summer Shakespeare in San Diego
A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Old Globe
By: - Jul 10th, 2013It is fitting that “Midsummer…â€, creatively directed by Ian Talbot, be the selection to kick off the 2013 Old Globe’s summer festival season. It’s one of Shakespeare’s most enduring comedies filled with oddball characters and silly liaisons and situations.
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Robert Sean Leonard in WTF's Pygmalion
Talks About Life After Dr. Wilson on House
By: - Jul 10th, 2013Robert Sean Leonard appeared as Dr. Wilson the best friend of the curmudgeon Hugh Laurie's Dr. House from 2004 to 2012. They shot 175 episodes of the TV series House. That left Leonard the financial freedom to pick and choose roles in theatre. From July 17 to 27 he stars at Williamstown Theatre Festival as Professor Henry Higgins in Shaw's Pygmalion directed by Nicholas Martin. The production, with changes, originated at the Old Globe in San Diego.
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Amy Herzog's Belleville at Steppenwolf
Disturbing, Intriguing, Good Theater
By: - Jul 10th, 2013The Belleville section of Paris, in which Belleville by Amy Herzog is set, is known as one of the hotbeds of the Revolution of 1848, as an ethnic melting pot, and also one of the high points of Paris, literally. It competes with Montmartre for the best view of the fabled city. Now it witnesses a couple unravel.
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Foreign Affairs – at Berliner Festspiele
Comments and Thoughts
By: - Jul 09th, 2013The Berliner Festspiele 2013 continue: From June 27 to July 14 with an array of performances etc. under the title: 'Foreign Affairs.' Theatre, music, dance, video, multi- and interdisciplinary works to actively draw in the public have been scheduled. Foreign, as in new and cutting edge - and foreign, as in international companies and artists, are presented.
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Broadway in the Berkshires
Stars Shine in Benefit for Shakespeare & Company
By: - Jul 09th, 2013Broadway in the Berkshires, produced by Deborah Grausman and hosted by John Douglas Thompson, was presented as a benefit for the Education and Training programs of Shakespeare & Company. Singer and actor Grausman, appearing this summer in Master Class, was able to call in favors from her many and diverse Broadway, Off Broadway and S & Co. colleagues. Over 300 tickets were sold and upwards of 75 Shakespeare & Company artists and other special guests were also in attendance. The benefit raised $110, 000.
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Oklahoma at the Colonial in Pittsfield
Like Watching Corn Grow
By: - Jul 07th, 2013The iconic 1943 Oklahoma, with the magnificent music of Rodgers and Hammerstein would seem to be a shoe in hit for the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfeld. While the production has stunning moments, caveat emptor, the whole is less than the sum of its parts. After five decades the jingoism and heart on the sleeve Americana which wowed audiences during World War II is hardly convincing today.
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Weston's New Works
Weston Playhouse Supports the Development of Two New Plays
By: - Jul 06th, 2013As part of its New Works Programs, Vermont's Weston Playhouse is offering its audiences a dynamic new experience—the opportunity to witness and be part of a step in the development of two new plays.
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Kate Burton on Stoppard's Hapgood at WTF
Three Generations of Burton Family Theatre
By: - Jul 05th, 2013While a graduate student at Yale Kate Burton first performed at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in 1980 with Frank Langella and Christopher Reeve as leading men. In 1987 she returned with her husband , Michael Ritchie, who later took over as artistic director, with Jenny Gersten as his associate. From July 10 to 21 she stars at WTF in Tom Stoppard's Hapgood. She took time from rehearsals to discuss finding her own way in theatre as the daughter of Richard Burton. Next year Nicholas Martin will direct Kate and her son Morgan Ritchie in Chekhov's The Seagull for Boston's Huntington Theatre.
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American Hero by Bess Wohl at WTF
Taking a Bite Out of Corporate America
By: - Jul 03rd, 2013Bess Wohl returns to Williamstown Theatre Festival for her sixth season and second as a playwright. American Hero a send up of the fast food industry and corporate America is a side splitting hoot. While a hilarious play it also leaves us with food for thought. As Jack Nicholson would say "Give me a BLT but hold the lettuce, hold the bacon and hold the tomato." Or ham on wry.
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The Lion in Winter Roars in Stockbridge
Treat Williams and Jayne Atkinson Star for BTG
By: - Jul 01st, 2013While thoroughly entertaining, particularly in a lively production by Berkshire Theatre Group, James Goldman's The Lion in Winter is a loose pastiche and confection of grim medieval history. These are meaty roles that great actors like Treat Williams and Jayne Atkinson love to sink their chops into. During the actual Middle Ages, unlike this witty comedy, there wasn't much to laugh about.
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Treat Williams Discusses Lion in Winter
Wants to Do More Berkshire Theatre
By: - Jun 30th, 2013Since moving to Vermont film and television actor, Treat Williams, is getting more involved with theatre in the Berkshires. We spoke with him following opening night of The Lion in Williams, with Jayne Atkinson, for Berkshire Theatre Group in Stockbridge. With its star billing the play is sure to be a top draw for the 2013 season. He talked about working with South African playwright Athol Fugard.
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Educating Rita at Vermont's Weston Playhouse
Laughter Accompanying Learning
By: - Jun 29th, 2013Updated in 2003, Educating Rita continues to be relevant and delightfully entertaining. What a pleasure it is to see a world-class production of this play in the intimate Weston Playhouse, a gem of a theater in the small, bucolic town of Weston, Vermont.
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Animal Crackers a Crackup at Williamstown
Marx Brothers Zany Musical Comedy Soars
By: - Jun 28th, 2013In 2009 Henry Wishcamper adapted and directed the Marx Brothers musical Animal Crackers for the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. Now he has restaged it in a lively and thoroughly entertaining production which launches the 59th season of the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Through July 13 what's not to like? Enjoy.
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Yes, Prime Minister at LA’s Geffen Playhouse
Sexual Escapades and Bunga Bunga Parties
By: - Jun 24th, 2013The west coast premiere of “Yes, Prime Minister†at the Geffen Playhouse co-written by Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn and directed by Lynn (two honest to goodness Brits and the original creators of the highly successful BBC TV comedy series “Yes Minister†of the 1980’s), have no fear of “telling it like it is†when it comes to the darker and less ethical side of world politics. Transparency? Forget it!
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Vermont's Weston Playhouse Theatre Company
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
By: - Jun 23rd, 2013Vermont's Weston Theatre's season kicks off with a "Terribly" charming children's "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day." This winsome musical was adapted by Judith Viorst in 1998 from her award-winning book by the same name that was first published in 1972 with illustrations by Ray Cruz.
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Jayne Atkinson Headlines WAM Benefit
June 30 Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
By: - Jun 21st, 2013WAM Theatre, presents Claiming Her Place, a benefit to be held Sunday, June 30 at 7pm at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington. Co-produced and hosted by Tony nominee Jayne Atkinson, the evening will feature a celebrity panel discussing the challenges women face in the entertainment industry. The panel includes: Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under),Michel Gill (House of Cards), Marin Mazzie (Tony Nominee), Linus Roache (Law & Order) and Debra Jo Rupp (That '70s Show).
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Barrington Stage Outs Muckrakers
Ripped from the Headlines Play by Zayd Dohrn
By: - Jun 20th, 2013The new play Muckrakers by Zayd Dohrn is surely provocative and timely as breaking news. It explores the dichotomy of Big Brother spying on our privacy and extreme measures for government agencies to expose and prevent acts of terrorism. While advancing vital and relevant issues how does this translate into a compelling evening of theatre? For that, heads or tails. Your call.
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Caucasian Chalk Circle at Classic Stage Company
Brecht's Liars, Killers, Cheats, and Self-Servers
By: - Jun 19th, 2013Serving up a dish of rotten folk, with one or two good ones thrown in for good measure, is the Classic Stage Company's production of Brecht’s The Caucasian Chalk Circle nicely directed by CSC’s artistic director Brian Kulick.
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On the Town Boffo at Barrington
Directed by Tony Winner John Rando
By: - Jun 17th, 2013The first musical of Leonard Bernstein On the Town is rarely produced. This season however there are two. The first at Boston's Lyric Stage and now in the Berkshies at Barrington Stage. With tony winner John Rendo directing and choreography by Emmy winner Jushua Bergasse don't be surprised if a producer takes this revival to Broadway. Musical theatre just doesn't get better.
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Stoppard's Translation of Heroes by Sibleyras
Wordy Absurdity at Shakespeare & Company
By: - Jun 15th, 2013In a Tom Stoppard translation from the French of the Gérald Sibleyras 2003 play Le Vent Des Peupliers we have a wordy and challenging evening of theatre at Shakespeare & Company. Not much happens but director Kevin G. Coleman sets a brisk comic pace. The play will alternate with Master Class through the summer season.
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