For our fourth interview with the cast of the play The Princess of Rome, Ohio, let’s hear from Adam Bryan, who plays the outsider paying a visit to Rome.
Q:Tell us the story behind The Princess of Rome, Ohio.
Adam: Well from my character's (England) perspective it is a show about finding love, but the show on a whole is about how everyone needs love. Love however, has some really screwed up ways of showing itself. In short, it's a show about love found, love lost, and found again all on the front porch.
Q: Tell us about the character you play.
Adam: I play England the character Alma meets online. I show up towards the end to sweep Alma off her feet and prove to everyone that she isn't making me up.
Q: Why did you want to be part of this show?
Adam: I got brought in very late in the process because of an loss of the previous actor to another show. However, it was a show that I wanted to be a part of in the beginning, but knew I wouldn't have the time during the first part of the rehearsal process to be fair to the other actors. So amazingly I still got to be part of the show anyway and it was in perfect timing for me to have to time to give it. I really wanted to be part of the show form the start because I liked the script a lot.I think Jon Joy wrote real and believable characters from the first page and then puts them in some really funny situations.The characters are just fun to play, and I hope watchIt's really amazing though when an author can take some really very serious and heavy issues and make the audience laugh through the pain.
Q: What's the biggest challenge to this show?
Adam: Keeping in character when some truly ridiculous things are going on around you.
Q: Why would you recommend this show to our reader?
Adam: It's really funny to start with but it's not a show that is just about the laugh, there is also a very real tragedy going on underneath all the laughs.
Q: Tell us the dates, times, and place of the show.
Adam: The show plays on June 30 and July 5, 6, 7 at the Alban Arts center. Friday and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. Call 304-721-8896 for tickets and visit www.albanartscenter.com for more information.
I was lucky enough to catch the first performance of The Princess of Rome, Ohio, Friday night (along with my lovely wife), and we had a great time - it's a funny, clever and all too real snapshot of certain residents of our area. (A full review is in the works.) For our third interview with the cast of the play, let’s hear from the title character, played by Zoe Scarborough (she's terrific in this part, by the way).
She plays the youngest (and perhaps the smartest) character in the comedy. Here are her comments:
Q: Tell us about the character you play.
Zoe: My character is Hattie - a 14-year-old girl who dreams of moving onto someplace bigger, leaving her broken home and family behind. She's used to taking care of herself for the majority of her life, and has the most common sense out of all of the adults in the play.
Q: Why did you want to be part of this show?
Zoe: I wanted to be a part of this show because of the great challenges that playing this character may hold.
Q: What's the biggest challenge to this show?
Zoe: The biggest challenge to this show would have to be showing my vulnerability through it, and the fact that Hattie is literally the exact opposite of who I am in real life.
Thanks, Zoe! The show plays on June 29, 30 and July 5, 6, 7 at the Alban Arts Center. Friday and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday Matinees at 2 p.m. Call 304-721-8896 for tickets and visit www.albanartscenter.com for more information.
Here's the second in our interviews with the cast and crew of the play The Princess of Rome, Ohio, which opens tonight at the Alban Arts and Conference Center in St. Albans. The play was written by Huntington's own Jonathan Joy.
This time around, let's hear from the director, Tara Pauley:
Q: Why did you want to direct The Princess of Rome, Ohio?
Tara: I actually graduated from Marshall's theater program with Jon Joy. A few years ago I also had the privilege of performing a monologue he submitted to WV Words and Music. I've always known Jon to have a very natural flow in his acting style and was not surprised to find his writing to follow in the same style. I had seen this play as a work in progress at the Clay Center a few years back. Even then you could set these wonderful full characters. This is a show that, although it had humor, it takes you thru the very real ups and downs of the lives of these people. They are people and don't fall into the trap of turning into caricatures. It's a show that offers actors a chance to really grow. As a director I love watching the process of actors finding the meat of the character and filling it in and when needed guiding them on that journey.
Q: Tell us about the story.
Tara: The short synopsis is the story is about various dysfunctional relationships and a girl who tries (often without the best planning) to try to get attention she had been lacking for so long and to get everyone to actually attempt to communicate with each other.
Q: What's the biggest challenge to this show?
Tara: The biggest challenges I faced - having to recast two actors after rehearsal had already began. That and I have a good many actors that are new to the stage or that I hadn't worked with before. So sometimes I needed to stop and remind myself certain basics needed to be taught and sometimes I had to experiment until I found how to find the best way to help an actor to find parts of a character. To help the actor find the style that connected best for them.
Q: Why would you recommend this show to our reader?
Tara: It needs to be noted that their is language and adult content in the show. Of course that is part of what makes these characters so real. I would suggest that people come se the show because it's about realisticly developed people. It's a great example of how to tell a story by fully developing it and not relying on special effects or wowing people with sets and costumes. And it's a story that anyone should be able to recognize from some part of their life (personally, family, neighbors).
Q: When and where will the show be presented?
Tara: Performances are June 28, 29 at 8 p.m., June 30 at 2 p.m., July 5,6 at 8 p.m. and July 7 at 2 p.m. at The Alban Arts and Conference Center in St Albans. They have both a website and Facebook page.
You have several great shows to choose from this weekend - here's the list (with thanks for the corrections by Ryan Hardiman):
- The Princess of Rome, Ohio - The Alban Arts Theatre presents the play by Huntington playwright Jonathan Joy. It tells the story of three loves. Alma’s husband Chester hitches up the house and leaves. Lulu is shocked when her dead husband shows up alive and well. Hattie is 14 but has lived a lot of life for a teen. An awkward relationship is brewing with the new boy next door Jimmy. The comedy will be presented at the Alban Arts Center at 65 Olde Main in St. Albans, W.Va. on June 28, 29 and July 5 and 6 at 8 p.m. and June 30 and July 7 at 2 p.m.
- The Sound of Music - Jenny Wiley Theatre presents the beloved musical June 28, 29 and 30 at 8:15 p.m.
- Location!Location!Location! The Gallery Play - The Charleston Stage Company presents two 2012 winning site-specific ten-minute plays Saturday, June 22 at 11 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the Good News Mountaineer Garage, 1724 Bigley Avenue in Charleston. Admission is free!
- Sing Down the Moon: Appalachia Wonder Tales - The Kanawha Players present the play June 28-29 at 7 p.m. and June 30 at 2 p.m. at the KP Theater, 309 Beauregard Street in Charleston.
- Captain Louie, Jr. - 5th Avenue Theatre Company's Camp 5th Avenue (Kids Drama Camp) presents the musical June 28-29 at 7 p.m. at the JCS Auditorium at Huntington City Hall, 800 5th Avenue.
- Holly Grove - Contemporary Youth Arts Company (CYAC) presents an original musical by Dan Kehde and Mark Scarpelli June 28 and 29 at 8 p.m. at the WVSU Capitol Canter Theatre, 123 Summers Street in Charleston.
So get out there and support your community theatre!
Taking the stage this weekend at the Alban Center in St. Albans is The Princess of Rome, Ohio, a play created by local playwright Jonathan Joy.
To learn more about the show and the actors involved, we have a series of interviews lined up with the cast.
Let's start with Lisa Gandee, who plays the part of Alma. Here are her comments:
Q. Tell us the story behind The Princess of Rome, Ohio.
Lisa: It's a story about a dysfunctional family and their small town friends. Any more info than that would give away too much!
Q. Tell us about the character you play.
Lisa: I play Alma, Lulu's best friend. She's a nervous, fidgety woman whose future seems quite uncertain when the play opens.
Q. Why did you want to be part of this show?
Lisa: When I read the script, I knew I wanted to be a part of this show! It has great characters, and the play itself is hilarious!
Q: What's the biggest challenge to this show?
Lisa: I had an accident at work a few weeks ago, which required me to undergo surgery. I lost about a weeks worth of rehearsal due to that. I think for me, personally that has been the biggest challenge.
Q. Why would you recommend this show to our reader?
Lisa: If you want to see something that is going to make you laugh, this is the show for you. Each character has their own quirky way of dealing with life. Our cast has become a family and we gel together the way a cast should.
Thanks, Lisa! The performances will be June 28, 29, July 5 and 6 at 8 p.m. and June 30 and July 7 at 2 p.m. at The Alban Arts and Conference Center in St Albans.
Huntington Outdoor Theatre always includes a pre-show as part of its summer shows, and they're looking for local talent to be part of this, their final season. My pal Donna Duke is heading up the auditions, and she sends this note:
I'm directing HOT's Community Showcase, which will be held Thursday, June 27 at Ritter Park Amphitheatre.
Those interested in auditioning should come to the back of the stage shell and I'll be there at 7 p.m. to begin auditions. All are welcome.
If these dates are not convenient for some, they could call me at304-743-6664or email atdonnaduke67@gmail.comand we'll plan another time to meet.
This press release was posted to Facebook this afternoon - it's a farewell of sorts from the long-running Charleston Stage Company, which announced recently it was shutting down this year: It was with a heavy heart and great reluctance that the Board of The Charleston Stage Company (CSC) voted to end the operation of the company at the conclusion of the scheduled events for 2012/2013. For nearly two decades CSC has enjoyed the resources and security of West Virginia State University’s College of the Arts and Humanities.
Unfortunately, due to administrative changes within the College of Arts and Sciences, the company had to leave the campus and fend for itself as an independent entity.
With the backing of the university, the company had the unique position of developing public taste through exciting theater experiences. Actors, directors, writers, and technicians worked together to create distinctive productions that stretched the imagination, challenged conventional thinking, and entertained the masses. CSC grew a reputation for providing fascinating, thought-provoking theater that reached beyond the usual canon of plays.
With a sudden and steep cut in resources, facilities, and leadership, the Charleston Stage Company soldiered on toward an unknown future. CSC continued to premiere exciting theater experiences — utilizing the very best in local talent — though the lack of funds began to diminish elements of production. Previously subsidized expenses fell into the lap of CSC. More and more money was used to cover rent, copyright fees, costumes, props, and others. Still, Charleston Stage Company was committed to providing quality entertainment to the Kanawha Valley.
Unfortunately, as audiences and support steadily decreased, it became clear that the continual operation of Charleston Stage Company was no longer feasible. The Board recognized that without a reliable home, sufficient investment of money, in-kind resources and volunteer time the Charleston Stage Company could not continue as Charleston’s only professional theatre company.
Though efforts were made to keep Charleston Stage Company functioning, it was not enough. During the 2012-2013 season, the Board sent out SOS letters to current and past technical staff, season ticket holders, audience members, potential sponsors, and actors outlining the growing difficulties of the CSC. Additionally the full Board participated in a series of “hold-your-feet-to-the-fire” seminars, offered by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, to find a solution to stay afloat. It was through these seminars that brought many of the issues to light.
Though Charleston Stage Company is taking its curtain call, the Board, members, and active participants truly appreciate the many years of patronage and opportunities to entertain audiences. It is hoped that CSC will be remembered as a thoughtful, engaging, and unique theater company that shined a light on numerous cultural and social issues. Its mission was to produce exciting theater experiences that challenged the status quo and provided a platform for an array of talented voices and visions. Ideally, some of the philosophy and influence of CSC will live on in the remaining Charleston theater companies.
The final board meeting of the Charleston Stage Company will take place on July 2 at 6 p.m. at Good News Mountaineer Garage at 221 Hale Street. Members of the Charleston community are duly invited to attend.
Here's a press release with loads of info about CYAC's latest show:
The Contemporary Youth Arts Company announces the premiere of the new Scarpelli-Kehde historical/musical love story, Holly Grove, to be presented during FestivAll 2013.
It's the story of a young school teacher, trapped by the violence of the mine war on Paint Creek, W.Va. Holly Grove brings to the stage a large and talented cast and a dramatic new score to highlight this moment of courage and perseverance in West Virginia’s history.
In April of 1912, in response to the horrendous working conditions in the mines along Paint Creek and Cabin Creek, miners along those creeks called for a general strike. Immediately forced out of their homes by the mine owners, striking miners and their families were forced off mine property and relocated to tent colonies on private land. Once such colony was located at Holly Grove, a half mile down from the company owned town of Mucklow, along Paint Creek.
Intending to break the miners once and for all, the owners refused negotiations for months, forcing the miners and their families to live in tents throughout the desperately cold winter of 1912-1913. The owners then imported strike breakers and an army of armed guards from the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency in Bluefield, whose job it was to violently intimidate miners and family members alike.
The miners retaliated with violence of their own, exchanging gunfire with the guards and attacking their barracks at Mucklow. On the night of Feb. 7, 1913, the violence reached its peak when the Kanawha County Sheriff Bonner Hill and mine operator Quinn Morton mounted two machine guns on a boxcar and ran the well-armed train up the Paint Creek spur, firing directly into the tents at Holly Grove.
Following retaliatory attacks by the miners from the hills above Mucklow, peace was finally achieved with the election of a new governor, Governor Henry D. Hatfield, the following March, who forced both sides to compromise. The strike on Paint Creek ended in May 1913.
The cast include Liz McCormick, Nik Tidquist, Michael Tighe, Matt Connelly, Jim Balow, Mariah Plante, Maddy Gourevitch and Heather Newhouse in leading roles, with a supporting cast that includes Lee Armstead, Beth Chambers, Sara Shaver, Rick Shaver, Shelbi Clark, Caitlin Moore, Kalie Knecht, Lauren Mallory, Amanda Mandirola, Devin Elliot, Riley Elliot, Dawson Eagle, Rowan Maher, Nicci Matheny, and Eleanor Paybins.
Performances are June 27-29 at 8 p.m. at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater, 123 Summers Street in Charleston.
ARTS has announced the cast list for its next show, The Man Who Came to Dinner, which promises to be a lot of fun - especially considering the talented cast they have lined up! (Oh, and the show is directed by my pal Gene Anthony, which alone would make it worth watching.)
Here's the lineup:
Mrs. Stanley.........................Karen Kelly Pruitt Nurse Preen..........................Marnie Riddell Richard Stanley....................Tristan Reynolds June Stanley..........................Jamie Mathis John......................................Greg Kiser Sarah....................................Stevie Brigode Mrs. Dexter..........................Tiffany Trent Mrs. McCutcheon.................Sheila Meade Mr. Stanley............................Todd Green Maggie...................................Amy Carlson Dr. Bradley............................OFFER PENDING Sheridan Whiteside................Mike Murdock Harriett Stanley.......................Linda Reynolds Bert Jefferson..........................Jonathan Maynard Prof. Metz...............................Eric Wilson Loraine Sheldon......................Joanna Berner Beverly Carlton.......................Clay McKnight Banjo......................................Simon Woods Convict 1, Baker, Radio Man 1(Westcott)...Philip Carry Convict 2, Deputy 1, Radio Man 2..........Jake Sharp Convict 3, Man (p. 73), Radio Man.........Luke Hagley Sandy, Expressman..................................Erik Woods
ARTS is offering a special class this Saturday at the Renassiance Theatre in the old Huntington High School - here's the announcement they sent out: ARTS will be offering a character study / sensory awareness / movement workshop on Saturday, June 22, 2013, from 10 a.m. to noon, taught by Leah Turley, the Creative Artistic Director of the Appalachian Artists Collective. Leah graduated from with her BFA from Marshall and her MFA from UNC Greensboro. Some of you might remember the excellent work she did with the Witches in last year's production of MACBETH.
The class is offered for $25 - checks can be made out to "ARTS Resources For The Tri-State."
Don't miss this chance to work with an extremely talented actress and teacher as she works with you from the "outside in" with breathing, physicality, authentic emotion, awakening the senses, sensorial response and how to use your entire body in your acting.
We are VERY lucky to have someone like this work with us. Everyone that can should take advantage of this. There's never been a better time to be at ARTS. Won't you join us?
Thanks to my pal Ryan Hardiman, here's the list of shows taking the stage this week:
- Location!Location!Location! The Library Play Two 2012 winning site-specific ten-minute plays The final presentations of The Charleston Stage Company June 22 at 11 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Kanawha County Main Public Library, 3rd Floor 123 Capitol St, Charleston, WV FREE
- The Civil War (Musical) By Frank Wildhorn Charleston Light Opera Guild June 21 at 7 p.m. June 22-23 at 2 p.m. AND 7 p.m. Culture Center Theatre Capitol Complex 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East Charleston WV General Admission Tickets: $20 Guild box office open 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Mon-Sat 304-342-9312. Tickets also sold in WV Culture Center lobby, if available, 1 hour before performances
- Holly Grove (Musical) An original musical by Dan Kehde and Mark Scarpelli Contemporary Youth Arts Company June 20-22 and June 27-29 at 8 p.m. Matinee June 23 at 2 p.m. WVSU Capitol Center Theater 123 Summers Street, Charleston, WV $10 Adults, $6 Students 304-342-6522
- Church Basement Ladies (Play) Jenny Wiley Theatre June 21 at 1 p.m. (Luncheon Performance) June 22 at 8 p.m. (Continues through Aug 3) Wilkinson Stumbo Convention Center, 75 Theatre Court, Prestonsburg, KY Show Only Reserved Tickets Adults: $22 Seniors: $20 Youth: $13 Show Only Tickets at the Door Adults: $24 Seniors: $22 Youth: $15 *Meal Performance Adults:$42 Youth (12 and under)* $22 877-CALL-JWT
First Stage is holding its second annual Summer Theatre Camp this week, and there was a nice writeup in today's edition of the Herald-Dispatch (including some nice photos by Lori Wolfe, including the one above), which you can read right here:
Kids are getting a "fast and furious" introduction to theater this week in the First Stage Theatre Summer Camp, said camp Director Mary Smirl.
Taking place at Pea Ridge United Methodist Church, this week's camp is geared toward children in kindergarten through fifth grade and covers auditioning, rehearsing, costumes and set building.
"We're having a blast," said Smirl, a board member for First Stage Theatre Company. "We're doing everything from puppetry to theater games. Then we're doing a production on Friday."
She's thrilled with the enthusiasm of the campers and the older students who have come back to serve as counselors.
Twenty-nine kids are participating in the camp, which has the theme of "Alice in 'Wonder What It's Like to Be in a Show' Land."
Their public performance will be a mash-up of "Alice in Wonderland" scenes, and is planned for 2 p.m. Friday at the church, located at 5747 E. Pea Ridge Road.
First Stage's camp for middle- and high-schoolers is coming up July 15-19. "Wicked Auditioning Skills" is for kids in grades 6-12 and will cover preparing for an audition, monologues, vocal assessment, dance and what to wear.
Here's a show that almost slipped past me - an original show presented by Charleston's CYAC. Here's the info: During FestivAll, don’t miss Scarpelli and Kehde’s new historical musical love story, HOLLY GROVE, presented by the Contemporary Youth Arts Company, June 20-22 and 27-29 at 8 p.m., with a Sunday matinee on June 23 at 2 p.m. at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater at 123 Summers Street in Charleston.
The story of a young school teacher, trapped by the violence of the mine war on Paint Creek, West Virginia, 1912 – 1913, Holly Grove brings to the stage a large and talented cast and a dramatic new score to highlight this moment of courage and perseverance in West Virginia’s history.
For more information, call the Theater, 304-342-6522, or email cyac2001@juno.com.
Auditions are being held this week for the next show in the excellent season bing offered by ARTS: The Man Who Came to Dinner. The auditions: will be held June 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Theatre in Huntington (at the old Huntington High School). The show will be directed by: Gene Anthony.
The Man Who Came to Dinner is set in Ohio in the 1930s. The play takes place during Christmas. A famous radio personality named Sheridan Whiteside is invited to dinner at the home of a rich factory owner. Before Whiteside enters the house he falls on the ice and hurts his hip. He ends up staying at the home to recover and consequently terrorizes the lives of the rich factory owner and his family. This play is one of a number of the classic comedies written by Kaufman and Hart, including titles such as You Can’t Take it with You and George Washington Slept Here. Think of Whiteside as an early version of Jay Leno, only more acerbic and obnoxious. Zingers fly freely as his famous friends, stars of screen and stage come an pay a visit, prototypes of Harpo Marx, Cole Porter, Gloria Swanson and all such.
Available Roles: Mr. Stanley - Male - 45+ Richard Stanley - Male - 18-25 June Stanley - Female - 18-25 John - Male - 55+ Mrs. McCutcheon - Female - 50+ Bert Jefferson - Male - 25-40 Sandy - Male - 20+ Beverly Carlton - Male - 20+ Westcott - Male - 25+ 12 Cameo Roles for Men and Women of All ages
Roles filled by ARTS Resident Company Members: Sheridan Whiteside, Maggie Cutler, Banjo, Professor Metz, Loraine Sheldon, Dr. Bradley, Mrs. Stanley, Harriett Stanley, Miss Preen, Mrs. Dexter, and Sarah. It promises to be a lot of fun - highly recommended!
A couple of great shows on stage this weekend, and two more shows start up early next week. Here's the rundown:
- God of Carnage- Portsmouth Little Theatre presents the drama about a playground altercation between 11-year-old boys that brings together two sets of parents for a meeting to resolve the matter. As the meeting progresses, tensions emerge and the gloves come off, leaving the couples and their principals in tatters. The show will be presented June 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m.
- Church Basement Ladies - Jenny Wiley Theatre presents the heartfelt, hilarious musical comedy abut the live of four characters as they organize the food, stave off disasters, have fun and keep the pastor on course in a rural Minnesota church in 1965. The show will be presented June 14, 15, 16, 19, 21, 22 and 27 at 8 p.m.
And on stage next week:
- Jungle Book Kids - Jenny Wiley Theatre's Footlights Theatre Camp presents this exciting Disney classic! Join Mowgli, Baloo, King Louie and the gang as they swing their way through madcap adventures and thwart the ferocious tiger, Shere Khan. Specially adapted from the beloved film, this musical includes all your favorite Disney tunes, like “The Bare Necessities,” and “I Wanna Be Like You.” The show will be presented June 17 and 18 at 8:15 p.m.
- The Wizard of Oz - The beloved musical will be presented by The Aracoma Story in Logan, W.Va., from June 18 to July 7 at 8:30 p.m. For more information, call 304-752-0253.
Sad news is running through the local theatre community as reports through social media sites indicate that the board of the Charleston Stage Company has voted to shut down that organization.
Apparently the group will offer a special performance on June 29 as part of FestivAll, it'll offer its summer camps, and then it'll close shop.
It's a shame because the group has done such excellent work over the years, and it's been willing to tackle edgier shows - every vibrant arts community needs that.
This is shaping up to be a tough year for local theatre, as both CSC and Huntington Outdoor Theatre take their final bows.
The Tony Awards was terrific last night - one of the most entertaining awards shows I've seen in a long time.
The opening number alone was worth the price of admission (oh, you know what I mean). The opening number is at the top of the post, or you can see it right here. (Note that there's some grownup language in there.) Eight minutes well spent.
The other awards shows could learn from this production - they kept it fast and funny, lots of great scenes from new shows, and Neil Patrick Harris was a terrific host (in fact, they should just name him permanent host and have done with).
For those who missed it, here's the recap of the show from the Associated Press:
The feel-good musical "Kinky Boots," with songs by pop star and Broadway newcomer Cyndi Lauper, won a leading six 2013 Tony Awards on Sunday, including best musical, best score and best leading man.
Christopher Durang's comical "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" won the best play Tony. "Matilda the Musical" and "Pippin" won four awards and two other shows -- "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and "The Nance" -- shared three awards each.
Lauper, who wrote the hit "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," was part of an impressive group of women who took top honors. Diane Paulus and Pam MacKinnon both won for directing -- a rare time women have won directing Tonys for both a musical and a play in the same year. (It also happened most recently at the 1998 Tonys.)
"Kinky Boots" also won for choreography and two technical awards, and Billy Porter won for leading man in a musical.
Porter beat "Kinky Boots" co-star Stark Sands and told him from the stage: "You are my rock, my sword, my shield. Your grace gives me presence. I share this award with you. I'm gonna keep it at my house! But I share it with you."
Durang, whose other works include the play "Beyond Therapy," was a Tony nominee for "A History of the American Film" and his "Miss Witherspoon" was a Pulitzer Prize nominee in 2006.
Paulus won her first Tony for directing the crackling, high-energy revival of the musical "Pippin," which also earned the best revival honor and helped Patina Miller earn a best leading actress trophy. The win caps a whirlwind few years for the Carnegie Mellon University graduate, who was nominated for back-to-back Tonys for her first roles on Broadway.
MacKinnon won for directing the play "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?," a year after earning her first nomination for helming "Clybourne Park." Her revival of Edward Albee's story of marital strife won the best play revival and earned playwright and actor Tracy Letts his first acting Tony, which prompted an upset beating of Tom Hanks.
"The greatest job on Earth. We are the ones who say it to their faces, and we have a unique responsibility," Letts said.
Andrea Martin, 66, who won as featured actress in a musical, plays Pippin's grandmother and sings the music hall favorite "No Time at All," stuns audiences nightly by doing jaw-dropping stunts that would make someone a fraction of her age blanch.
The Tonys were broadcast live by CBS from Radio City Music Hall. Neil Patrick Harris was back for his fourth turn as emcee and leads a show featuring talented children and pulse-pounding musical numbers.
The big, opening number started with Harris simply holding a guitar in a pub like "Once" but quickly morphed into a flashy razzle-dazzle number that showcased performers from almost a dozen musicals -- and even ex-boxer Mike Tyson dancing. Harris sang "It's bigger! Tonight it's bigger," jumped through a hoop, vanished from a box and promised a "truly legendary show" before glitter guns went off.
Courtney B. Vance won for best featured actor in a play for portraying a newspaper editor opposite Tom Hanks in "Lucky Guy." He dedicated his award to his mother.
Judith Light won her second featured actress in a play Tony in two years, cementing the former TV star of "One Life to Live" and "Who's the Boss?" as a Broadway star. She followed up her win last year as a wise-cracking alcoholic aunt in "Other Desert Cities" with the role of a wry mother in "The Assembled Parties," in which she goes from about 53 to 73 over the play's two acts.
"I want to thank every woman that I am in this category nominated with: you have made this a celebration, not a competition," she said.
Gabriel Ebert of "Matilda the Musical" won as best featured actor in a musical. He thanked his four Matildas and his parents, stooping down to speak into the microphone.
Cicely Tyson, 88, won the best leading actress in a play honors for the revival of "The Trip to Bountiful," the show's only award on the night. It was the actress' first time back on Broadway in three decades.
"'Please wrap it up,' it says. Well, that's exactly what you did with me: You wrapped me up in your arms after 30 years," she said.
Lauper and Harvey Fierstein have given "Kinky Boots" -- originally a 2005 film about a failing shoe factory that turns to making drag queen boots -- a fun score and a touching book that celebrates diversity.
"I want to thank Harvey Fierstein for calling me up. I'm so glad I was done with the dishes and answered the phone," Lauper said.
The import "Matilda the Musical" is a witty, dark musical adaptation of the novel by Roald Dahl that is still running in London. Its leading woman is actually a man -- Bertie Carver, who plays the evil headmistress Miss Trunchbull.
Others musicals hoping for awards include the acrobatic "Bring It On: The Musical," the hit-heavy "Motown the Musical" and "A Christmas Story, the Musical," adapted from the beloved holiday movie. Top musical revivals include an updated "Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella" and a cracking revival of "Pippin" with a circus feel.
Some of the telecast highlights included the stunning kids on Broadway -- the orphans in "Annie," the actor Raymond Luke Jr. as a pre-teen Michael Jackson in "Motown the Musical," and the dancing tots in "A Christmas Story, the Musical" -- especially the young tap dancer wizard Luke Spring -- plus the four young women in "Matilda."
Harris got his face licked by the dog playing Sandy in "Annie," made fun of Tyson and Shia LaBeouf, who left a revival of "Orphans" before the show opened and then tweeted about it, and joined with "Smash" star Megan Hilty, "Go On" star Laura Benanti and former "The Book of Mormon" star Andrew Rannells to skewer theater stars who seek fame on TV with a twisted version of "What I Did For Love" from "A Chorus Line."
Kenneth Posner, surprisingly, did not take home the award for best lighting design of a musical. Of the four shows in the category, Posner had been nominated for three -- "Kinky Boots, "Pippin" and "Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella." But he lost to his only competitor, Hugh Vanstone, who designed the lighting for "Matilda the Musical."
Presenters included Jesse Eisenberg, Jon Cryer, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anna Kendrick, Zachary Quinto, Sally Field, Audra McDonald, Alan Cumming and Jesse Tyler Ferguson.
The Tony winners were picked by 868 Tony voters, including members of The Broadway League, American Theatre Wing, Actors' Equity, the Dramatists Guild, Stage Directors and Choreographers Society as well as critics from the New York Drama Critics Circle.
The awards telecast faced competition for attention on Sunday night from an episode of "Mad Men" on AMC and Game 2 of the NBA finals between San Antonio and Miami on ABC. Last year's telecast was seen by 6 million viewers, down significantly from 2011's 6.9 million.
The awards cap a somewhat grim financial season on Broadway in which the total box office take was flat and the number of ticket buyers slipped 6 percent. Both numbers were blamed in part on Superstorm Sandy, but high ticket prices and the lack of long term audience growth has many worried.
A total of 46 new shows opened during the season, which began last May and ended May 26: 15 musicals, 26 plays and five special events or concerts.
Startring at 8 p.m., the annual Tony Awards ceremony will take the stage, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.
It offers a fun glimpse at some of the new and classic shows on Broadway, and it promises some highlights from long-running shows, too.
We'll have the rundown of the winners after the show - but you'll want to watch it for yourself (although I admit, it's a busy night, with game two of the NBA Finals and the season finale for Game of Thrones).
But for theatre fans, there's only one show worth watching.
You have three shows to choose from this weekend: a musical, a drama and a mystery:
- [title of show] - Company of Dreams presents the musical that chronicles its own creation as an entry in the New York Musical Theatre Festival, and follows the struggles of the author and composer/lyricist and their two actress friends during the initial brief (three-week) creative period, along with subsequent events leading up to the show's production. It will be prented June 7 and 8 at 8 p.m. at the Cosmopolitan Club, 1108 Winchester Avenue in Ashland (inside Blue Ribbon Bowling Center).
- God of Carnage - Portsmouth Little Theatre presents the drama about a playground altercation between 11-year-old boys that brings together two sets of parents for a meeting to resolve the matter. As the meeting progresses, tensions emerge and the gloves come off, leaving the couples and their principals in tatters. The show will be presented June 7, 8, 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m.
- Post Time for Murder! - Murder and Merriment present the murder mystery at the Pullman Plaza Hotel in Huntington June 8 at 5:45 p.m.
So get out there and support your community theatre!
Continuing our rundown of summer camps, here's the info about First Stage's version: Huntington’s children’s theatre will offer its 2nd Annual First Stage Theatre Summer Camp for young people in June and July.
The first camp is open to kids from Kindergarten to 5th grade, and it will show what it’s like to be in a stage show! The week-long class is called “Alice in ‘Wonder What It’s Like to Be in a Show’ Land,” and it will cover auditioning, rehearsing, costuming, set building, and performing in a show! The class will be offered Monday through Friday, June 17 to 21, 2013, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $120 per student.
The second week of camp is open to young people from 6th through 12th grades, and it will offer a workshop in developing “Wicked Auditioning Skills.” It will cover preparing for an audition, monologues, vocal assessment, dance, and even what to wear! The week will end with a Mock Audition with critique from area Theatre Directors. The class will be offered Monday through Friday, July 15 to 19, 2013, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $120 per student.
The camps will be held at the Pea Ridge United Methodist Church at 5747 East Pea Ridge Road in Huntington, W.Va.
The director of the camp is Mary Smirl. She said, “Last year’s summer camp was a huge success, so we’re glad to once again make this opportunity available for aspiring actors.”
For more information about the camps offered, call 304-525-2557.
Based in Huntington, W.Va., the First Stage Theatre Company is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing an educational, developmental experience for young people through the performing arts.
The group's upcoming season will include It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Dear Edwina and another show to be announced.
Summer's here, and there are quite a few opportunities for summer camps coming up! Over the next few days we'll run down some of the opportunities on the way, starting today with the first week of classes being offered by the Paramount Arts Center: ---------------------
June 10 - 14
All campers must be fully potty trained before attending a Paramount Arts Center summer camp!
Each camp will include a demonstration for the parents/friends on the last day of camp!
A snack will be provided. Those staying for a full day will need to bring lunch. Campers should wear comfortable clothes!
Disney Favorites
Ages 5-10
8:30 am-12:00 pm $125
Join the wonderful world of Disney as you sing, dance and act your way through Disney favorites old and new!
Tie Dye Explosion
Ages 6-13
8:30 am-12:00 pm $125
T-shirts, art and exciting new projects will be completed in this tie-dye experience.
Hip-Hop Dance
Ages 6-12
8:30 am-12:00 pm $105
All the basics including krump, break dance, pop lock, wave, footwork and much more! A perfect introduction to this exciting dance form.
Who Lived Here Before Us?
Ages 6-8
8:30 am-12:00 pm $110
This session will discuss the different native American people who lived here in ancient times. Hands on activities will include drawing, beading, pottery and will include wikkum and wigwam building.
If Jelly Beans Could Dance
Pre-school ages 3-5
8:30 am-10:30 am $85
Using the book Jellybeans as a starting point our youngest campers will get an introduction to drama, creative movement, music, art and games.
Fairy Tales With A Twist
Ages 10-18
12:30 pm-4:00 pm $105
Put your own twist to a well-known fairy tale and become a playwright, director and actor all in one week! Students will work together to rewrite a fairy tale with their own flavor, cast it, rehearse it and perform the piece at the end of the week.
Modeling
Ages 6-12
12:30 pm-4:00 pm $110
Learn how to walk the runway and tips on being a model. Learn makeup application and how to achieve special looks, have pictures made and find your signature style!
Paint Like a Pro
Ages 6-12
12:30 pm-4:00 pm $110
Explore different painting styles and techniques while creating beautiful works of art.
Tiptoe Tap
Ages 5-8
12:30 pm-4:00 pm $105
Learn beginning tap steps and explore the musicals that made tap famous including Singing in the Rain!
Here's an exciting show taking the stage next month in Charleaton: The Civil War!
Here's a recap of what to expect from this musical:
Charleston Light Opera Guild presents THE CIVIL WAR, THE AMERICAN MUSICAL for West Virginia’s Sesquicentennial Celebration and FestivALL Charleston 2013
Norman L. Fagan West Virginia State Theatre
Culture Center, State Capitol Complex
West Virginia Day, June 20 at 4 p.m.
June 21 at 7 p.m.
June 22 and 23 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Featuring native West Virginian and celebrated actor, David Selby, as the voice of Abraham Lincoln, introductory song performed by Mountain Stage/FestivALL executive director Larry Groce. Sponsored by the West Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American War Commission and Mrs. Alex Schoenbaum.
The Civil War cast includes David Legg and Mark Parsons as Union and Confederate captains and Reggie Parks as Frederick Douglass.
Featured singers are Elizabeth Cary Brown, Dakota Burdette, Adam Campbell, Kevin Hardy, Ethan Lyvers, Lauren Meyer, Cindy Moss, Cheryl Anderson Plear, Christy Roy, John Valleau, Phil Washington and Tim Whitener.
Featured dancers are Angela Price and Paul Shannon who are joined by and ensemble including Wesley Armstead, Cameron Bertolotti, Ric Bertolotti, Steve Brannon, Rachel Coffman, Samuel Crosby, Jr., Renee Ecckles-Hardy, Kelsey Johnson, Amelia Legg, Kimberly Pickens, Whitney Pressley, Max Ross, Chris Sears and Karen Williams.
Directed and choreographed by Nina Denton Pasinetti with a live orchestra under the direction of Bobby Hodges, Jr., technical direction by Thomas P. Pasinetti and accompaniment by Leah Lewis.
The Civil War, with music by Frank Wildhorn and book and lyrics by Frank Wildhorn, Gregory Boyd and Jack Murphy humanized our greatest American tragedy. The landscape of people, voices and sentiments of the American Civil War is illustrated through a song-cycle of pop, rock, country, gospel and folk music inspired by the words of Walt Whitman, Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln and through the letters, photos and journals of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.
The Civil War combines the stories of Union and Confederate soldiers, the families they leave behind as well as the hopes of slaves whose freedom is at stake.
Box Office opens Monday, June 10 and is open Monday ~ Saturday from 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Charleston Light Opera Guild Theatre
411 Tennessee Avenue on corner of Roane Street
Call (304) 342-9312. One hour prior to show time in the Culture Center lobby
All Seats General Admission ~ $20 each
A limited number of free tickets are available for June 20.
Don’t miss this Tony Award nominated musical that pays respect to freedom and patriotism!
Visit the Charleston Light Opera Guild at http://www.charlestonlightoperaguild.org/
There are lots of shows are on tap for June (if we missed one, drop us a line at TheMinskers@aol.com and we'll add it on)!
Here's the rundown:
- How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying - ARTS will present the beloved musical comedy about a young man's attempts to climb the corporate ladder in the '60s. It will be presented at the Renaissance Theatre at 900 8th Street in Huntington on June 2 at 2 p.m.
- Greater Tuna - One Night Only - The Alban Arts Center and LimeLight Theatre Company Present an encore performance of the show on Thursday, June 6 at 8 p.m. Only two actors perform 20 different characters in this fast paced, down home comedy set in small town Tuna, Texas. Bouncing around from; the Radio Station OKKK, the Humane Society, the funeral home, church, sheriff's office and back, the audience is taken on a crazy ride thru comedic vignettes in small town America. Held at the Alban Arts Center 65 Old Main Street in St. Albans.
- The Princess of Rome, Ohio - The Alban Arts Theatre presents the story by Jonathan Joy. It tells the story of three loves. Alma’s husband Chester hitches up the house and leaves. Lulu is shocked when her dead husband shows up alive and well. Hattie is 14 but has lived a lot of life for a teen. An awkward relationship is brewing with the new boy next door Jimmy. The show will be presented at the Alban Arts Center at 65 Olde Main in St. Albans, W.Va. on June 28, 29 and July 5 and 6 at 8 p.m. and June 30 and July 7 at 2 p.m.
- Post Time for Murder! - Murder and Merriment present the murder mystery at the Pullman Plaza Hotel in Huntington June 8 at 5:45 p.m.
- [title of show] - Company of Dreams presents the musical that chronicles its own creation as an entry in the New York Musical Theatre Festival, and follows the struggles of the author and composer/lyricist and their two actress friends during the initial brief (three-week) creative period, along with subsequent events leading up to the show's production. It will be prented June 6, 7 and 8 at 8 p.m. at the Cosmopolitan Club, 1108 Winchester Avenue in Ashland, Ky (inside Blue Ribbon Bowling Center).
- The Civil War - The Charleston Light Opera Guild presents the musical that explores one of the most dramatic and important times in our history with a somewhat contemporary song cycle of pop, rock, operetta and country sounds honoring the people and their times. It tells of the experiences of the soldiers and leaders from both the Union and Confederate armies, examines the lives of the lovers and families they left behind, as well as the hopes of the slaves whose freedom was at stake. The show will be fully staged with costumes, orchestra and sets which will be enhanced by numerous projected images of the Civil War. The show will be presented at the Culture Center Theatre at the Capitol Complex, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East, Charleston. Showtimes are June 20 at 4 p.m., June 21 at 7 p.m., June 22 at 2 and 7 p.m., and June 23 at 2 and 7 p.m.
- Sing Down The Moon: Appalachian Wonder Tales - Kanawha Players presents this journey into the Appalachian mountains in this musical that deftly weaves six traditional tales and original music into a keepsake quilt of mountain lore and wisdom. The show will be presented June 28 and 29 at 8 p.m. June 30 at 2 p.m.
- God of Carnage - Portsmouth Little Theatre presents the drama about a playground altercation between 11-year-old boys that brings together two sets of parents for a meeting to resolve the matter. As the meeting progresses, tensions emerge and the gloves come off, leaving the couples and their principals in tatters. The show will be presented June 7, 8, 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m.
- Church Basement Ladies - Jenny Wiley Theatre presents the heartfelt, hilarious musical comedy abut the live of four characters as they organize the food, stave off disasters, have fun and keep the pastor on course in a rural Minnesota church in 1965. The show will be presented June 14 , 15, 16, 19, 21, 22 and 27 at 8 p.m.
- Jungle Book Kids - Jenny Wiley Theatre's Footlights Theatre Camp presents this exciting Disney classic! Join Mowgli, Baloo, King Louie and the gang as they swing their way through madcap adventures and thwart the ferocious tiger, Shere Khan. Specially adapted from the beloved film, this musical includes all your favorite Disney tunes, like “The Bare Necessities,” and “I Wanna Be Like You.” The show will be presented June 17 and 18 at 8:15 p.m.
- The Sound of Music - Jenny Wiley Theatre presents the beloved musical June 28, 29 and 30 at 8:15 p.m.
- The Wizard of Oz - The beloved musical will be presented by The Aracoma Story in Logan, W.Va., from June 18 to July 7 at 8:30 p.m. For more information, call 304-752-0253.
