On Stage This Weekend - Picnic, Paradise and Magnolias!

   There are several great shows on tap this weekend - here's the list of shows to watch for:

- Picnic - Marshall University School of Theatre presents the play by William Inge on Sept. 29, 30, Oct. 1, 6, 7 and 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center at 1655 5th Avenue. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for faculty and senior citizens, $7 for children ages 5-12, and free to full-time Marshall students with valid ID.

- Steel Magnolias - ACTC Theatre presents the beloved play on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at 7 p.m., and Oct. 2 at 2:30 p.m. General admission is $10 at the door. Tickets for seniors, students and children are $5.

- Norman Rockwell's An American Paradise - CYAC presents this original musical, which features 27 vignettes, each based on a different Rockwell painting that tells a story behind each painting. Shows will be on Sept. 29, 30 and Oct. 1, 6, 7 and 8 at 8 p.m., and Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater at 123 Summers Street in Charleston. Tickets are $8 for students and senior citizens and $15 for adults.

   So get out there and support your community theatre!

On Stage This Weekend: "Norman Rockwell's An American Paradise"

   I'm very happy to see the return of the CYAC original musical, Norman Rockwell's An American Paradise!

    I saw it several years back and thoroughly enjoyed it (it doesn't hurt that I'm a big Rockwell fan, of course). 

   The show is an original musical with music by Mark Scarpelli and lyrics by Dan Kehde. It features 27 vignettes, each based on a different Rockwell painting that tells a story behind each painting. It's loaded with terrific songs, and each one brings a different painting to life. 

    You'll find a great mix of styles and subjects, including songs that will touch your heart, bring a tear to your eye and make you laugh out loud!

   Shows will be on Sept. 29, 30 and Oct. 1, 6, 7 and 8 at 8 p.m., and Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater at 123 Summers Street in Charleston. 

   Tickets are $8 for students and senior citizens and $15 for adults.

   Highly recommended!

On Stage This Weekend - "Cabaret" and "Mousetrap"

   Taking the stage this weekend are two terrific shows - one a hit musical and the other a beloved mystery!

   Check 'em out:

- Cabaret - The Paramount Players present the hit musical on Sept. 23 and 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Paramount Arts Center at 1300 Winchester Avenue in Ashand. Tickets are $40 for VIP seats, $25 for all others (additional fees may apply).

- The Mousetrap - The Actors Guild of Parkersburg present the play by Agatha Christie Friday and Saturday, Sept. 23 and 24 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 25 at 2:30 p.m. at 724 Market Street in Parkersburg. Tickets are $16 for adults and $14 for senior citizens and students. 

   So get out there and support your community theatre!

Angela Lansbury sings "Beauty and the Beast"

   How sweet is this? The wonderful Angela Lansbury, who provided the voice of Mrs. Potts in the original Disney animated film, Beauty and the Beast, took the stage this week as part of a celebration of the movie's 25th Anniversary and sang the title song for a delighted audience.

   Check it out, and be ready to smile a lot:

Cast Announced for "Jesus Christ Superstar"

   The Charleston Light Opera Guild is tackling a terrific musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, and has lined up a stellar cast to bring it to life. It's the first time that company has tackled the beloved production.

   Here's the cast list:

JESUS CHRIST – Ryan Hardiman
JUDAS ISCARIOT – Chris Conard
MARY MAGDALENE – Beth Winkler Bowden
PONTIUS PILATE – Kenny Harbolt
CAIAPHAS – John Valleau
ANNAS – Rick Fleenor
PETER – Cameron Vance
SIMON ZEALOTES – Stephen Hayward
KING HEROD – Ted Brightwell
SOLDIER/APOSTLE - Jacob Fleck
PRIEST/APOSTLE - Max Ross
PRIEST/APOSTLE - Chris Terpening
PRIEST/APOSTLE - Mark Felton
APOSTLE - Aaron Sheppard
APOSTLE - Jerry Marsili
APOSTLE - Dewey Flectcher
WOMEN BY FIRE - Julie Simon
APOSTLE’S WIFE - Terry Terpening
APOSTLE’S WIFE - Lynn Bell
APOSTLE’S WIFE - Ann Marie Haddy
SOUL SINGER - Dwedee Kobbah
SOUL SINGER - Karen Williams
SOUL SINGER/Dancer - Ashle Branham
FEATURED DANCER - Shakira Martin
FEATURED DANCER - Kim Patterson
FEATURED DANCER - Caroline Shriver
ENSEMBLE - Savannah Reese
ENSEMBLE - Amelia Allen
ENSEMBLE - Susannah Atkins
ENSEMBLE - Delaney Wells
ENSEMBLE - Grace Walker- Matthews 

DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER- Nina Denton Pasinetti
MUSICAL DIRECTOR- John Marshall
TECH DIRECTOR- Tom Pasinetti

Charleston Light Opera Guild will present Jesus Christ Superstar at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theater on November 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. and on November 13 at 2:00 p.m.
For more information visit www.charlestonlightoperaguild.org.

Edward Albee Passes Away

   Sad to note the passing of playwright Edward Albee, who's most famous for his drama, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

   You can read a complete obituary right here - here's an excerpt:

-----------------

   Edward Albee, widely considered the foremost American playwright of his generation, whose psychologically astute and piercing dramas explored the contentiousness of intimacy, the gap between self-delusion and truth and the roiling desperation beneath the facade of contemporary life, died Friday at his home in Montauk, N.Y. He was 88.

Young Actors Needed for Marshall's "A Christmas Carol"

   Marshall's Department of Theatre is looking for some talented young actors for its traditional Christmas production.

   Auditions will be held for children ages 6 - 12 for Marshall University's upcoming production of A Christmas Carol on Thursday, Sept. 22 from 7 to 8 p.m. on the stage of the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse. (Enter through the door at the top of the ramp on the 6th Avenue side of the building and follow the signs to the playhouse stage.) 

   Children should prepare one Christmas song, preferably something traditional, and will be asked to speak lines from the script which will be provided. Children may be asked to attempt to speak the lines with a British accent.

   Rehearsals begin the week of Oct. 10 and are typically Monday through Friday from 7 to 10 p.m. and some Saturday afternoons. 

   Children will be called to minimal evening rehearsals until the week of Nov. 7, after which time they must be available every evening. 

   The production runs from Nov. 16 - 19, 2016, at 7:30 p.m., with matinee performances on Saturday Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. and on Friday, Nov. 18 at 9:30 a.m. 

   Children must be available for all performances. 

   Please email the director, Nicole Perrone, with any questions at perronen@marshall.edu.

We're Putting the Band Together

   I promised updates on our progress with First Stage Theatre Company's production of School of Rock the Musical: Youth Production (it's a show I'm directing with Huntington's long-running children's theatre), so here's the latest:

   We've been rehearsing now for two weeks, a whirlwind of learning lines, songs and dances for the scenes that make up the show.

   So far the focus has been on Act 1, and we're actually getting close to being able to "run" Act 1. The cast is doing terrific work - they're dedicated and hard-working, and they're picking up the show fast. That's especially impressive since the show has never been staged in this area!

   Another fun element has been putting together the band. For this show, you have five on-stage actors who will play their instruments live - and there are four musicians in the pit orchestra who are also "kids" (meaning they're age 18 or younger).

   Both of those are a "first" for First Stage (no pun intended) - in fact, I don't know if any local theatre group has included actors playing instruments live on stage.

   The band has had a few rehearsals so far, and they already sound amazing - I can't wait to see (and hear) the final product!

   We still have a long way to go - and about eight more weeks of rehearsal ahead - but so far, it's going great!

   More later!

On Stage This Weekend - The Best of Broadway!

   There's only one show taking to local stages this week - and you can't beat the ticket price. It's free!

   What could be better?

   It's The Best of Broadway, a concert by Kristen Pennington, which will be presented Friday, Sept. 9 at 8 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church at16 Leon Sullivan Way in Charleston. 

   Enjoy the show!

On Stage in September

   As usual, community theatre takes a bit of a breath in September, getting ready for the fall avalanche of shows. But there are six great shows to see! 

   Here are the ones to watch for this month:

- Disney’s Aladdin Jr. - Alban Arts Center presents the musical based on the beloved animated film on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 2 and 3 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 4 at 2 p.m. at the Alban Arts Center at 65 Olde Main Plaza in St. Albans. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and senior citizens.

- The Best of Broadway - The concert by Kristen Pennington will be presented Friday, Sept. 9 at 8 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church at16 Leon Sullivan Way in Charleston. Admission is free!

- The Mousetrap - The Actors Guild of Parkersburg present the play by Agatha Christie Friday and Saturday, Sept. 16, 17, 23 and 24 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 18 and 25 at 2:30 p.m. at 724 Market Street in Parkersburg. Tickets are $16 for adults and $14 for senior citizens and students. (Opening night, receive 50 percent off two or more adult tickets.)

- Cabaret - The Paramount Players present the hit musical on Sept. 23 and 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Paramount Arts Center at 1300 Winchester Avenue in Ashand. Tickets are $40 for VIP seats, $25 for all others (additional fees may apply).

- Picnic - Marshall University School of Theatre presents the play by William Inge on Sept. 28, 29, 30, Oct. 1, 6, 7 and 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center at 1655 5th Avenue. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for faculty and senior citizens, $7 for children ages 5-12, and free to full-time Marshall students with valid ID.

- Steel Magnolias - ACTC Theatre presents the beloved play on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at 7 p.m., and Oct. 2 at 2:30 p.m. General admission is $10 at the door. Tickets for seniors, students and children are $5.

- Norman Rockwell's An American Paradise - CYAC presents this original musical, which features 27 vignettes, each based on a different Rockwell painting that tells a story behind each painting. Shows will be on Sept. 29, 30 and Oct. 1, 6, 7 and 8 at 8 p.m., and Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater at 123 Summers Street in Charleston. Tickets are $8 for students and senior citizens and $15 for adults.

   So get out there and support your community theatre!