Cleveland Play House’s ‘A Christmas Story’ takes us all back to a simpler time
In the lobby of the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, Ohio where Philip Grecian’s “A Christmas Story” is currently on stage there is a free standing automatic selfie camera. You grab a large cardboard that has one of the quotes from the show, tap the screen, countdown five seconds and voila once you OK the image you can have it sent to your e-mail address or phone. Ingenious! They include placards with well worn quotes such as “You’ll shoot your eye out”, “It’s
Great Lakes Theater’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ is a true family gathering
This year marks the 37 th production of “A Christmas Carol” by Great Lakes Theatre in the Mimi Ohio Theatre. For myself I have probably seen the show somewhere in the neighborhood of fifteen times. Now people would ask me why I would want to see the same show year after year. To explain this I need to share a holiday tradition that my wife and I have celebrated for the past ten years. Every Christmas Eve after all the last minute gifts have been wrapped, the breads, scones a
Karamu’s ‘Motown Christmas’ is a rockin’ holiday extravaganza
Back in the 50s the various record companies use to send out their hottest stars on extended tours to promote their newest hits and sell records and sheet music. It was not unusual for these tours to play lessor cities bringing top notch talent to the lesser reached segments of the country. While those days are gone you can relive the feel of what it was like to witness a true rock and roll Christmas tour. Karamu’s Motown Christmas captures that Motown feel and excitement in
Clague Playhouse’s ‘The Wickhams” is a delightful change from the usual holiday fare
The “Christmas At Pemberley” trilogy by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon have the distinction of being the most widely produced plays in the country and with good reason. Taken from characters found in Jane Austen’s beloved characters from “Pride and Prejudice” they focus on the Christmas season at the Pemberley estate. This season, Clague Playhouse has embarked on the second of the series with “The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley” after having staged the first production
Chagrin Valley Little Theatre’s ‘Shrek – The Musical’ is big, green and entertaining
So...take every “Shrek” movie ever made (“Shrek”, “Shrek 2”, “Shrek the Third” and “Shrek Forever After” along with William Steig’s 1990 book) put them in a blender and set to mix then add a clever musical score. This will give you “Shrek – The Musical”, the family friendly hit show currently on stage at Chagrin Valley Little Theatre in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. With the holiday season upon us (like it or not), CVLT offers parents and grand parents an excellent solution to that ag
Weathervane Playhouse’s ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ delivers
The term “Technicolor” has been used as far back as 1916 and is used to promote movie films that are above and beyond the norm. The very complicated process was at first reserved only for those films that the studios felt were worthy of the effort. To the audience it meant that what you are about to witness was dazzling, bigger than life and totally entertaining. This is why the term was used in the quite long moniker of “Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat”. In 1965 the tea
Ensemble Theatre’s ‘Proof’ all adds up
What is your greatest desire in life? Is it money? Is it fame and recognition? Is it peace and mental stability? Is it love and sexual fulfillment? Is it simple creature comforts? Is it a loving family relationship? Is it discovering something new, novel and exciting? In David Auburn’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play “Proof” an examination of these basic desires are observed in great detail. “Proof” began in 1999 as a project at the George Street Playhouse in Bruns
Blank Canvas Theatre’s ‘Frankenstein – The Musical’ rings true
Photo By Steve Wagner You really have to hand it to Blank Canvas Theatre. Their production of “Frankenstein-The Musical” is one of their most ambitious projects yet. With a cast of fifteen, a nine piece orchestra, dazzling video projections, fantastic period costuming and operatic style music that features earnest ballads and soaring ensemble numbers performed by extremely skilled singers it is no wonder that the show has been a sellout. The only problem is its short run from
Great Lakes Theater’s ‘Dial M For Murder’ is the nearly perfect show
Great Lakes Theater is well known for presenting classic works that include a wide array of Shakespearean works as well as traditional contemporary plays. Currently on stage is the classic thriller “Dial M For Murder” of which no effort has been spared in order to get the show just right. The show is adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original script by Frederick Knott. The show features Jeff Herrman’s envy worthy stage set of a well appointed late 1940s London flat that inc
Seat of the Pants Theatre’s ‘The Children’ is a stark reminder of what lurks
Photo credit Julian Curet There are many examples of the stoic nature of the British. “Keep a Stiff Upper Lip”, “Keep Calm and Carry On” both come to mind but the most British phrase of all in times of strife is “Care for a Cuppa?”. It is a documented fact that in 1942 as war raged around the world, the British Government purchased the entire Chinese crop of tea. In effect, they had all the tea in China. As one British war veteran noted “with a Benghazi Burner you only needed
