Since its world premiere in 1999, Mamma Mia! has been a continuous fixture of the theatrical landscape, drawing crowds with its timeless 70s soundtrack. Co-directors Morgan Kaplan and Andrew Maynerich are on their second go-round of this iconic, disco fever show after having directed it previously at Sacred-Heart Griffin High School. “We wanted to take […]
Courtney Wick
Courtney Wick is active in the area theater scene. Most recently, she wrote and directed the murder-mystery comedy “Nightmare at the Hot Mess Hair Salon,” a follow-up to her previous production, “Nightmare at the Sweet Dreams Inn.”
Posted inArts & Culture
An immaculate conception
Jesus Christ Superstar is the 1971 Andrew Lloyd Webber Biblical rock-musical that narrates the last seven days of Jesus’s life in a flashy, pop-filled 90-minute package. There is no intermission, so audiences make it back home for their bedtime prayers, hallelujah! A talent-studded odyssey of love, power and protest, Springfield Theatre Centre’s gender-bending production, co-directed […]
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Nerds’ night out
The 25thAnnual Putnam County Spelling Bee or Putnam, as it’s lovingly referred to by theater connoisseurs on a time crunch, is a sweetly funny but sincere musical about a small-town spelling bee and the cast of fiercely competitive children (all played by adults) who are vying for first place. It is essentially a comedic A […]
Posted inArts Features
Put on a happy face
Bye Bye Birdie is a satirically corny, upbeat and schmaltzy musical waxing nostalgia about the 1950s. The show was a hit on Broadway when it debuted in 1961 and only grew in popularity with the release of the 1963 Ann-Margret film. It delivers a hefty songbook of toe-tapping tunes including “How Lovely to be a […]
Posted inCommunity & Lifestyle
Mapping merriment
From the west side to downtown and beyond, area businesses and organizations are preparing for this season with cheerful events, shopping and nostalgic traditions for the whole family. We’ve charted a complete winter route with a little something for everyone this yuletide season. WHITE OAKS MALL WINTREE WONDERLAND If it’s been a while since you […]
Posted inArts Features
Fences is raw and essential theater
August Wilson’s Fences is one of those plays that most people read at some point in their education, but only by seeing it performed can one fully grasp its poetic simplicity. Fences was awarded the Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award for its intricately woven story of the personal struggles of a 1950s Black family […]
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Somewhere that’s green for Halloween
Little Shop of Horrors is a 90-miniute, sci-fi musical-comedy skillfully co-directed by Ginny Racette and Joe-Michael Jackson that transports you to a graphic novel, B-movie version of Skid Row – the infamous 1960s stretch of the Bowery District in lower Manhattan. Inspired by Roger Corman’s gruesome cult film, Little Shop of Horrors, this musical adaptation […]
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Monster mashup at the Hoogland
Beetlejuice Jr. is a family-friendly, hour-long, gothic funhouse adaptation of the Tim Burton cult-classic film of the same name. Cleverly directed by Nicole and John Sivak, it’s an irreverent, zany show full of humor, heart and enormous sand worm puppets. The plot – as Beetlejuice declares in his meta opening number, “Being Dead” – is […]
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Take the kids to see Shrek: The Musical
Opening night for Shrek: The Musical at The Muni, directed by LaDonna Wilson, had the Muni parking lot filled for the first time this summer. More than 1,400 tickets were sold, and it’s not surprising as to why – in an otherwise adult-themed show lineup, Shrek: The Musical stands out as a wholesome but funny […]
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Hadestown: Teens tackle the underworld
Hadestown: Teen Edition is an impressive Active and Creative Teen Theatre production that brings to life a musical retelling of the mythic young lovers, Orpheus and Eurydice, who go to “hell and back” for King Hades and his wife, Persephone. The show parallels current world issues and humanity’s repeated historical struggles – weaving in grand […]
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Oklahoma!: An old-fashioned treat at The Muni
Oklahoma! debuted on Broadway more than 80 years ago, and its celebration of small-town life and enduring American spirit has made it a cornerstone in the community theater repertoire. The Muni’s co-directing team, Ann Opferman and Gil Opferman, have been involved with four productions of Oklahoma! during their lifetimes. “There are still 700-plus productions of […]
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Grease at The Legacy: It’s electrifying!
The current run of Grease at The Legacy Theatre glows with happy memories and non-stop grins. Director and producer Scott Richardson said, “I only saw Grease once, at the 1994 London production with Debbie Gibson, and it was a trip.” The show is brightly entertaining with resounding energy, especially in its iconic song-and-dance numbers choreographed […]
