Say the name Valerie Harper to most people and the response you invariably get is “Rhoda.” After all, she did win four Emmy Awards playing the unlucky-in-love, self-deprecating sitcom character in the 1970s, first as sidekick on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and later on her own starring vehicle spinoff. While she remained appreciative of her success with the role of her … [Read more...]
Polo Club residents try their luck with ‘Boca Bound,’ new musical at The Wick
Bonnie Logan and Richard Peshkin readily concede that they are novices when it comes to writing musicals, but that is what has occupied much of their time for the past two years. If all goes well at their four-night premiere run beginning Sept. 19 at the Wick Theatre, their show – Boca Bound: A New Musical – may be bound for productions at regional theaters all across the … [Read more...]
Appreciation: A true monarch of the theater
Broadway director-producer Harold Prince had difficulty remembering how many Tony Awards he had won. In part, that was because he was much more interested in the work than in the inevitable accompanying accolades. And in part it was because he amassed 21 Tonys during his six-decade career, by far the most for a single individual. He died on Wednesday at the age of 91, in … [Read more...]
The New York season: Irish drama ‘Ferryman’ leads play pack
Editor’s note: Each season, Hap Erstein heads to New York to see the new plays and musicals in advance of the Tony Awards, which are scheduled for this Sunday. All things considered, it was a good Broadway season for new plays, which are generally thought of as unwelcome compared to musicals. An epic play of the Irish Troubles, The Ferryman, has had a healthy eight-month … [Read more...]
‘Hadestown’ tops current musical scene on Broadway
Editor’s note: Each April, Hap Erstein heads to New York to check out the current Broadway season in advance of the Tony Awards, which are broadcast June 9. Here’s his overview of the musicals: NEW YORK — Gauged by quantity, it was an above-average season on Broadway for new musicals. As far as quality, though, there was only one standout show (Hadestown), several … [Read more...]
Dramaworks sees profundity in dark comedy of ‘Blue Leaves’
Palm Beach Dramaworks is closing out its 18th season uncharacteristically with a comedy – John Guare’s 1971 dark farce, The House of Blue Leaves. But director J. Barry Lewis insists it is not a departure for the company. “I believe that drama is comedy and comedy is drama. I think that they are one and the same,” he says prior to a recent rehearsal. “Comedy is an … [Read more...]
Theater: The 2019 Summer Season
Summer used to be a time when local theaters went on vacation and area performers, directors and designers recharged their batteries. Nowadays, many South Florida theaters run year-round or at least have one hot weather show and/or showcases for its student training programs. So consider avoiding the summer superhero movies in favor of live theater, like the following … [Read more...]
‘Patsy Cline’ sparkles as Wick’s season-ender
Long before show business personalities had to worry about stalkers, fledgling country music star-to-be Patsy Cline forged a friendship with an emotionally needy Texas divorcee. The latter, a bubbly redhead named Louise Seger, became enamored of Cline’s twangy song stylings, heard on the radio and seen on television, never guessing where her musical obsession might lead. … [Read more...]
Tony nominations led by ‘Hadestown’; some snubs surprising
It was a busy year on Broadway this season, which means that many Tony Award categories were expanded, but also that several prominent shows and performances were snubbed when the nominations were announced this morning. Hadestown, a jazzy contemporary retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice legend, led the field with 14 nominations – nearly every category for which it was … [Read more...]
Soggy, sluggish ‘Harlowe’ disappoints at FAU Theatre Lab
“Yes, it really rains onstage!” That was the promotional tagline for the stage adaptation of Singin’ in the Rain and the most interesting thing about Jennifer Lane’s Harlowe, a listless little play about healing, currently receiving a watery world premiere production at Florida Atlantic University’s Theatre Lab. As the audience enters the intimate Lab space, a … [Read more...]