No Pants Benefit for Kanawha Players

Now this sounds like a fun evening - but just for grownups! My pal Tony Slack sends along this info:

The No Pants Players are doing a Benefit Show for Kanawha Players, with all proceeds going to KP.

This is a special show - not only is this a benefit for a great cause, but also, no one under 17 will be admitted! That's right, those No Pants guys, known for their family-friendly shows, are putting it all out for a rare "adult comedy" performance!

It will be no-holds barred, as WV's premiere improv comedy troupe brings the funny to make KP some money. Kanawha Players has a very special meaning to the NPP, due to the fact that it is where most of the troupe met each other.

The troupe has had many requests to do an adult comedy show since their last one, which was during Festivall two years ago.

The show will be June 27 at 10 p.m. at the Kanawha Players building. Tickets are $10 each.

Please help spread the word so we can make this show as successful as possible. Thank you for your time and support, and hope to see you all at the show... just leave the kids home for this one!

On Stage This Weekend: "The Wiz"

My pal Levi sends along this information:

Red Lion present The Wiz by Charlie Smalls and William F. Brown at Greenbo Lake State Park Amphitheatre, on Thursday through Sunday at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors.

The Wiz is a vibrant telling of L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz, with a few twists!

In this tale, Oz is a world full of munchkins, kahlidahs, poppies, ozians, winkies, witches (both good and evil) and the wizard! So, come on out to this bright, family-friendly, colorful musical!

It stars Kameron Stambaugh as Dorothy, Kory Helmick as the Scarecrow, Tad Barker as the Tin Man, Roger Hagley as the Lion, and Drew Adams as the Wiz.

Check out redliontc.org for more information!

Laura Returns to Elle

According to this story in Playbill, Kentucky's own Laura Bell Bundy will reprise her role as Elle Woods as the touring show of Legally Blonde: The Musical visits Nashville this week.

Bundy, who is now a Nashville, TN, resident, will perform the role during the evening performances of Legally Blonde, which plays Jackson Hall June 23-28. Lauren Zakrin will portray Elle Woods at matinee performances. Bundy assumes the role while national tour leading actress Becky Gulsvig is on vacation.

Some upcoming touring shows that will bring Legally Blonde into our area (sorta) include:

Nashville - June 23-28
Atlanta - July 14-19
Hershey, Penn. - Dec. 8-13
Norfolk - Dec. 28, 2009 - Jan. 2, 2010
Indianapolis - May 4-9, 2010
Cincinnati - May 11-23, 2010
Louisville - June 8-13, 2010

The Cast of "Rent"

The Charleston Light Opera Guild will be staging Rent in late July and early August, and they've just announced the cast for the show - and there are some names familiar to audiences in Huntington.

Here 'tis:

Mark Cohen - Chris Conrad
Roger Davis - Ryan Hardiman
Mimi Marquez - Beth Winkler
Benny Coffin, III - D'laontie Lewis
Maureen Johnson - Mara Stewart
Joanne Jefferson - Nakeila Killing
Tom Collins - Michael Barnes
Angel Schunard - Nathan Mohebbi

Ensemble:
Mark's Mom - Ann McBurney
Mr. Jefferson - Christopher Corbett
Mrs. Jefferson - Madeline Gourevich
Restaurant Man - Michael Rose
"Seasons" soloist - Sarah Plata
"Seasons" soloist - Cameron Burford
The Man - Todd Griffith
Alexis Darling - Cassie Sorrells
Roger's Mom - Jessica Sensabaugh
Vendor 2 - Kristen Pennington
Mimi's Mom, Sue - Kristan Hebbard
Paul, Mr. Gray, Dancer - Paul Shannon
Pam - Cassia King
Vendor, Dancer - Megan Green
Squeegee Man - Nicholas Foster
Bag Lady - Jessica Gardner
Vendor, Dancer - Shakira Martin
Cop, Dancer - Kevin Swafford
Caroler, Dancer - Joanna Radow

Happy Father's Day!

I've been running around this weekend, so I'm running late in saying this - but Happy Father's Day!

It's a great day because of the attention I get from my two sons, and I also like to pause and remember my dad, Walt Minsker, who passed away a decade ago.

He was a great dad and a great friend. He was born and raised in Charleston, served in the Navy during World War II aboard a minesweeper in the Philippines, and returned home to build a life. He worked for almost four decades as a salesman for Appalachian Power and raised four boys. He was smart, a hard worker, was able to fix almost anything and had a terrific sense of humor. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think of him and how much he meant to me.

To all you dads out there, I hope you had a great day, too!

Summer Shows Heat Up

Hey, if you're looking for information about the mob of community theatre shows being offered this summer, my pal Beth Hendricks recently assembled a comprehensive list for the Herald-Dispatch.

You can read the whole thing right here.

How's that for service?

Last Chance to Catch the New Works Festival

Tonight is the final performance in the New Works Festival 2009.

Best Imitation is a musical written by Jeremy Richter, and directed by my pal Bruce Rous (who also directed last night's show).

We asked Bruce to tell us about his experience working on the Festival, and here's what he had to say:

This is my first year to be involved, and it really is thrilling. I have the honor of directing Clint McElroy's show, and Jeremy Richter's.

I say "honor" because Jack Cirillo and Chair Julie Jackson graciously offered me these projects, and the playwrights have entrusted their work to me.

I told Dave Lavender I feel like its a big, artistic sandbox filled with all this amazing talent, and they've invited me to just come play. It's been fun, to say the least.

The writing is great, the casts are superb, and the collegial feeling of appreciation and team work at Marshall University's Department of Theatre are refreshing.

I've worked on new projects in the past including an ABC pilot and a few
musicals, but am really impressed with this Festival and what Jack and the rest have done to develop it.

It is yet another great thing I'm finding at MUT.

Thanks, Bruce!

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the Francis Booth Experimental Theatre of the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse. For tickets or information, call 304-696-ARTS (2787). Tickets are priced at $12 or a full festival pass (all three nights) for $20.

It will be followed by a discussion/question and answer session with the playwright, director and cast. Participation is both welcome and encouraged.

All I can add is: highly recommended!

A Christmas Special in the Summer?

Only my pal Clint McElroy could dream up a Christmas Special to be presented at tonight's New Works Festival 2009 at Marshall University.

I hear the show is very funny (though probably not for little kids). Here's a quick e-interview with Clint about what you can expect:

Q: Tell us about your work that's being presented.

Clint: This year I have written a musical called The Pep Sturdley Family Christmas Special. It's a take-off on those old Christmas Specials that ran 24 hours a day on TV from Thanksgiving to December 25 when we were growing up.

My take is: What would happen if one of those old-time shows had guest stars with a somewhat more contemporary approach? It's about a very dysfunctional (but funny) family.

Q: Where did the idea for this show come from?

Clint: I actually got this idea from watching a special on PBS which had a clip from the Bing Crosby Christmas show where he sang a duet with David Bowie. That was such a surreal moment... it inspired this entire... surreal... play.

Q: How does a venue like this benefit a playwright?

Clint: With New Works I get to hear real live breathing people laugh at the jokes... hopefully. The "Q & A" afterwards is a huge help as well.

Q: This is the third year for the Festival - what's different this time around, and what hasn't changed?

Clint: The festival has gotten more and more elaborate, more sophisticated through the years. More Staging. More effects. Some of the material is a bit mature, so it might not be the cup of tea for the younger set.

The festival begins tonight and tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. in the Francis Booth Experimental Theatre of the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse.

For tickets or information, call 304-696-ARTS (2787). Tickets are priced at $12 per show or a full festival pass for $20.

Each evening’s readings will be followed by a discussion/question and answer session with the playwright, director and cast. Participation is both welcome and encouraged.

Two Shows Tonight at New Works Festival

Tonight at 7:30 p.m. the New Works Festival 2009 kicks off at Marshall University's Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center with two short plays by local playwright Jonathan Joy.

I did an email interview with my pal Jon, and here's what he had to say:

Q: What is the New Works Festival?

Jon: It's a three-night festival of new plays presented by Marshall University Theatre Alliance and the Marshall University College of Fine Arts. It's an opportunity for artists and audience alike to take part in the playwriting process and to experience premieres of new comedy and drama that are "hot off the press."

Q: Tell us about your work that's being presented.

Jon: I have two new plays premiering Thursday night. Senate Idol is a satirical look at the Ohio senate race using the popular reality television show as a backdrop; contestants compete for one of the most important jobs in the state of Ohio, not in the polls, but by “phoning or texting.” The only thing that will ensure their place of a senate seat is the TV viewing audience.

Also, Fly By Night, a one-act comedy that asks the question: Is extraterrestrial life out there, and if there is, are the aliens interested in American politics, marital infidelity and life in southern Ohio?

In addition to my plays, which run about 25 minutes each, two short student-written productions will be presented. I got to see these Monday night at the tech rehearsal and I was impressed with the concepts and dialogue they have created in just a matter of weeks. This is a really talented group of students.

Q: Where do you get your ideas?

Jon: Senate Idol is loosely based on a play that I wrote in 2006 titled Just Another Day In November. That play was a political comedy based on the making of campaign commercials. I decided to take the concept one step further and put our cast of would-be politicians in a reality TV world where they must compete for votes in a very non-conventional way. After all, American Idol and Survivor are so popular. Why not pick our leaders the same way?

The idea for Fly By Night came out of a writing assignment that I have used with some of my students. We were working on details in descriptive writing and I asked them to imagine a conversation with a being from another world. How would you describe your life, job, neighborhood, etc. to someone with no basis for comparison? It prompted a pretty interesting discussion and I thought the concept had some nice comic possibilities. What I came up with is a short play with an alien interviewing a guy on his front porch one summer night. It's a simple concept, but I got some really interesting ideas from it.

Q: How does a venue like the New Works Festival benefit a playwright?

Jon: It's a valuable experience. As a playwright, the work created is meant to be performed in front of an audience. You get to hear the audience respond live and there is no more direct way to analyze what works and what doesn't. The "Q & A" period after the shows is helpful, too. It's interesting to hear thoughts, comments and suggestions from everybody in attendance. It always gives me something to think about when I go back to revise or when I start another project.

Q: This is the third year for the Festival - what's different this time around, and what hasn't changed?

Jon: In some ways it's very different. The Marshall University Theatre students have been more involved than ever. Both of my plays are cast entirely with students (under the direction of Jack Cirillo) and several new works written by the students will be presented.

In other ways, it feels very similar to the first two years. There are a lot of familiar faces from the community and the format for the plays and the "Q & A" period at the end of each night is basically the same as before.

I think an audience member whose been there before will see a familiar format with some nice surprising changes/additions.

Q: Why would you recommend the Festival to theatre fans out there?

Jon: It's a fun and interactive theatre experience. Audience members will get to see some great works in progress and add his/her input. These plays only premiere once. That makes it a really exciting and special event for me, and I believe, many of the actors involved and the audience present will feel the same. Audiences will laugh and have a great time, too. Additionally, in this case, the audience could even shape the future development of each play.

Q: Tell us the times, dates and location for the New Works Festival.

Jon: The three-night festival will present both staged and unstaged readings of four new plays over three consecutive evenings, June 18-20, 2009. All readings will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Francis Booth Experimental Theatre of the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse.

For tickets or information, call 304-696-ARTS (2787). Tickets are priced at $12 per show or a full festival pass (all three nights) for $20.

Each evening’s readings will be followed by a discussion/question and answer session with the playwright, director and cast. Participation is both welcome and encouraged. The schedule of events is as follows:

Thursday, June 18 - two short comedies: Fly By Night and Senate Idol by Jonathan Joy

Friday, June 19 - new musical comedy: The Pep Sturdley Family Christmas Special by Clint McElroy

Saturday, June 20 - new musical drama: Best Imitation by Jeremy Richter

Previewing the New Works Festival 2009

The driving force behind Marshall University's New Works Festival is my pal Jack Cirillo, who's a terrific instructor, director and actor (among his many talents).

I did a quick email interview with him about the festival (which starts tomorrow night), and here's what he had to say:

Q: This is the third year for the Festival - what's different this time around, and what hasn't changed?

Jack: This year we're adding a new element. We have a "resident company" of student theatre artists who have developed some original material - DEVISED WORK is the hep term for it. Over the course of the last month the student group - about 12 in all - have gathered regularly and have collaboratively worked to create several short (very short) scenes and monologues that will be featured throughout the festival as what we're calling "Interludes." They're all very innovative and are a very important contribution to this year's presentations.

Q: Why would you recommend the Festival to theatre fans out there?

Jack: This is the only theatre presentation in the area that invites the audience to not only witness the birth of a new play, but offers a forum to contribute to its development in the post-show discussion each of the three evenings. This kind of work is a staple to theatre communities in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and throughout the country and is the only one in our Tri-State Region.

Thanks, Jack!

The three-night festival will present both staged and unstaged readings of four new plays over three consecutive evenings, June 18-20, 2009. All readings will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Francis Booth Experimental Theatre of the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse.

For tickets or information, call 304-696-ARTS (2787). Tickets are priced at $12 per show or a full festival pass (all three nights) for $20.

Don't miss it!

New Works Festival 2009

Thanks to my pal Jack Cirillo for sending along everything you need to know about the New Works Festival:

If you think there are no original ideas out there lately, then drop by Marshall University during The New Works Festival 2009 to see the premiere of four new plays by local and national playwrights, presented by Marshall University Theatre Alliance and the Marshall University College of Fine Arts.

The three-night festival will present both staged and unstaged readings of four new plays over three consecutive evenings, June 18-20, 2009. All readings will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Francis Booth Experimental Theatre of the Joan C. Edwards Playhouse.

Each evening’s readings will be followed by a discussion/question and answer session with the playwright, director and cast. Participation is both welcome and encouraged.

The schedule of events is as follows:

On Thursday, June 18, 2009, two new one-act plays by talented local/national playwright Jonathan Joy will be presented: Senate Idol, a satirical look at the Ohio senate race using the popular reality television show as a backdrop. Contestants compete for one of the most important jobs in the state of Ohio, not in the polls, but by “phoning or texting.” The only thing that will ensure their place of a senate seat is the TV viewing audience.

Fly By Night is a one-act comedy that asks the question: Is there extraterrestrial life out there, and if there is, are they interested in American politics, marital infidelity and life in southern Ohio?

On Friday, June 19, Clint McElroy’s new holiday comedy will be premiered: The Pep Sturdley Family Christmas Special. Pep is an American icon and his family gathers annually to celebrate the holidays with some good old-fashioned fun, song and humor. The problem is: Pep’s family dysfunction turns the hour-long live broadcast into a chaotic nightmare of epic proportions. Pep’s pain is our pleasure!

On Saturday, June 20, a new musical drama closes out the festival, [Best Imitation] by West Virginia playwright and Marshall University Theatre alumni Jeremy Richter. It's a contemporary twist on the “boy meets girl” musical genre. This is a dark and sensitive story that follows the strained relationships of mismatched couples looking for love and rarely finding it.

Tickets are now on sale. For further information or to purchase tickets, visit the Marshall University Theatre box office in the Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center or call 304-696-ARTS (2787). Box Office hours are Monday – Friday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. Tickets are priced at $12 per evening or a full festival pass (all three nights) at $20.

Let me just add that I attended the first two editions of the New Works Festival (in 2007 and 2008) and had a terrific time. Highly recommended!

Coming Up This Week: New Works Festival

Coming up next weekend is the third New Works Festival, which is presented every summer by the Marshall University Department of Theatre.

It's kind of a "rough cut" version of short plays, and they're presented with minimal sets, props or costumes. It offers an interesting and entertaining look inside the process of creating a show, and it presents some excellent works.

I'll have more about it in the days ahead, including (hopefully) interviews with some of the creative minds behind the festival.

Several Shows Closing on Broadway

The Tony Awards were last Sunday, and after that show it's not unusual for more than a few shows on Broadway to announce they're shutting down.

This season is no different, and tonight's performance is the last for several shows, including the revival of Guys and Dolls, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Reasons to Be Pretty and Exit the King.

But not to worry, there are lots of other shows waiting in the wings! For example, a revival of The Wiz has its official opening this week.

"Mamma Mia" Moves Up the List

The Broadway show Mamma Mia! is about to hit another milestone, as its June 27 performance will take it past Tobacco Road into 15th place on the list of all-time longest-running shows on Broadway.

The show will celebrate by offering discounted tickets and contests. And looking at the list, in the space of another year (assuming it continues) Mamma Mia will move up to 11th place. But it'll take a few more years to crack the top 10.

The most amazing number, of course, belongs to Phantom of the Opera, which is number one and still going strong.

Here are the numbers from May (the shows with a (*) next to it are still running):

1. The Phantom of the Opera 8859 (*)
2. Cats 7485
3. Les Misérables 6680
4. A Chorus Line 6137
5. Oh! Calcutta! (Revival) 5959
6. Beauty and the Beast 5461
7. Chicago (Revival) 5176 (*)
8. Rent 5124
9. The Lion King 4808 (*)
10. Miss Saigon 4097
11. 42nd Street 3486
12. Grease 3388
13. Fiddler on the Roof 3242
14. Life With Father 3224
15. Tobacco Road 3182
16. Mamma Mia! 3146 (*)

On Stage This Weekend: Four Shows

There are several shows to choose from this weekend, although you might have to do a little driving to see them.

Here are your choices:

- A Body of Water runs tonight and tomorrow at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Kanawha Players Theater on Beauregard Street in Charleston.

- Smoke on the Mountain will be presented Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Jenny Wiley State Park.

- Theatre West Virginia will present Honey in the Rock Saturday at 8:15 p.m. and Hatfield and McCoys tonight and Sunday at 8:15 a.m.

So get out there and support your summer theatre!

Tony Photos

One last note about the 63rd Annual Tony Awards: you can see a pile of photos from the show (including lots of backstage stuff) at the Herald-Dispatch photo gallery page right here.

This photo, for example, shows the crowd scene at the end of the opening medley of numbers that included the casts from all the nominated shows, including Sir Elton John at center stage. (Photo by Seth Wenig courtesy AP)

A Standing Ovation

The amazing thing about satellite and cable television is the sheer number of channels available. There are hundreds of channels to choose from out there - and maybe that's why I've managed to completely overlook the Ovation Channel.

(Obviously I haven't been paying close enough attention - the channel has been around for two years.)

Located at Channel 274 on DirecTV, the channel is dedicated to the arts, and the emphasis of late has been on theatre.

For example, there's a two-hour special that tells the story of the original production of The Phantom of the Opera - it features loads of interesting behind-the-scenes stories. It includes interviews with the lead actors, the composers and many others involved in the creation of Broadway's longest-running show, and lots of clips from early productions and test runs of the show.

There's another special about the girls who starred in the original production of Annie, and the effect the show had on their lives.

And there are quite a few other shows worth checking out. If you're a theatre fan, you'll want to track down the Ovation Channel!

Bret Michaels Takes His Lumps

I mentioned in the live blog that it looked like someone got hit by a backdrop at the end of a song last night at the Tonys.

It was Bret Michaels from Poison, and although in the show they said he was "fine," it looks like it was more serious than that.

Here's what the Associated Press said:

Bret Michaels performed at the Tony Awards, and all he got was a nose fracture — and a busted lip.

According to Michaels’ spokeswoman, the rock singer had X-rays taken after getting clocked in the head by a descending set piece at Sunday’s Radio City Music Hall ceremony.

Publicist Joann Mignano says Michaels, who performed with his 1980s hair-metal band Poison, fractured his nose and had to get three stitches in his lip. She says he was getting a CAT scan on Monday as a precaution, as he’s had a past neck injury.

Although he’s “pretty bruised up,” Mignano says, Michaels was in good spirits.

Our "Pick the Tonys" Winner Is...

... Denise LaCara!

For the second year in a row, Denise has shown she's the master of predictions, scoring 21 out of 27 correct, including a near-sweep of all the major categories - she only missed the Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play. Amazing!

Placing a distant second was yours truly, with 16 out of 27 correct.

Barely edged into third place was Mark Hayes, who managed 15 out of 27 correct.

And finishing in last place, is Zach "wait'll next year" Davis, with 12 right.

Thanks to our small but courageous contestants for taking part in our fun little competition, and congrats again to Denise, who gets bragging rights for another year!

Will anyone ever wrest the crown from her? Only time will tell...

More Stuff about the Tonys

It's interesting to note that last night's Tony Awards was the highest-rated show in recent years.

According to the Associated Press:

Broadway's big night was seen by 7.45 million people. Nielsen Media Research says that's a 19 percent increase over last year's awards show, which had 6.27 million viewers.

Elton John's show Billy Eliot won the Tony Award for best musical, and the three young men who play the lead role will share the best actor prize. Neil Patrick Harris was the host of Sunday's show, which was held at Radio City Music Hall. Angela Lansbury, Marcia Gay Harden and Geoffrey Rush also took home trophies.

Nielsen said it was the biggest audience for the Tonys in three years, the second biggest since 2003.

Personally, I'm not sure why it did so well - the show didn't have any high profile shows to feature that might bring in the casual audience (like The Producers, for example).

Let's give the credit to host Neil Patrick Harris, if just because it'll make my pal Angela happy. And speaking of NPH, in case you missed it, here's his performance at the end of the show that brought the house down. Amazing that they got the lyrics ready to go so quickly. Perhaps they peeked at the winners? Here's the video:



And finally, here's the list of all the winners:

Best Play - God of Carnage, Author: Yasmina Reza

Best Musical - Billy Elliot, The Musical

Best Book of a Musical - Billy Elliot, The Musical, Lee Hall

Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre - Next to Normal, Music: Tom Kitt, Lyrics: Brian Yorkey

Best Revival of a Play - The Norman Conquests

Best Revival of a Musical - Hair

Best Special Theatrical Event - Liza's at The Palace

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play - Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play - Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical - David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish, Billy Elliot, The Musical

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical - Alice Ripley, Next to Normal

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play - Roger Robinson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play - Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical - Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot, The Musical

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical - Karen Olivo, West Side Story

Best Direction of a Play - Matthew Warchus, God of Carnage

Best Direction of a Musical - Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot, The Musical

Best Choreography - Peter Darling, Billy Elliot, The Musical

Best Orchestrations (tie) - Martin Koch, Billy Elliot, The Musical; and Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, Next to Normal

Best Scenic Design of a Play - Derek McLane, 33 Variations

Best Scenic Design of a Musical - Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot, The Musical

Best Costume Design of a Play - Anthony Ward, Mary Stuart

Best Costume Design of a Musical - Tim Hatley, Shrek The Musical

Best Lighting Design of a Play - Brian MacDevitt, Joe Turner's Come and Gone

Best Lighting Design of a Musical - Rick Fisher, Billy Elliot, The Musical

Best Sound Design of a Play - Gregory Clarke, Equus

Best Sound Design of a Musical - Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot, The Musical

Special Tony Award® for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre - Jerry Herman

Regional Theatre Tony Award® - Signature Theatre, Arlington, Va.

Isabelle Stevenson Award - Phyllis Newman

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre - Shirley Herz

Tony Awards - Final Thoughts

So, overall a pretty good Tony Awards show. The focus was on performances, which is always a good idea, but it all just seemed too tame and controlled. Only two speeches were memorable, and the clips from the Best Play nominees were so short, they seemed to be wasted.

I love the idea of focusing on traveling shows, since it allow the inclusion of some more fun numbers (especially in a year that seemed to have a shortage of fun shows).

Neil was a good host, but they needed to give him more to do. The closing "Eleven O'Clock" number was great, though.

Tomorrow I'll tally up the numbers and announce the winner of our Pick the Winners contest (which I'm pretty sure I didn't win).

Thanks to all for reading along! Now go out there and see some live theatre - you'll be glad you did!

Tony Awards #12

Final segment!

Looks like they're running over this year - very unusual for the Tonys.

Liza Minelli comes out to present the Best Musical winner. Has to be Billy Elliot, right? Right! Someone ran off stage as the clips ended - I think she forgot the envelope. Tivo confirms it!

A crowd rushes the stage, including a pile of kids. Lots of names listed, with Elton John getting the final nod - and he commandeers the mic. He praises Next to Normal (but nothing for the other nominees. Elton, Elton).

Neil Patrick Harris finally gets a chance to do something - he sings a terrific recap of the awards, seemingly made up on the spot (to the tune of "Tonight's the Night"). Terrific and funny - they needed something like this much earlier in the show, but at least it ends on a strong note.

Back with some final thoughts in a minute.

Tony Awards #11

15 minutes to go! My fingers are numb, and the room is spinning. Will I make it to the end?

Ah, I'm just kidding. Glad to hear there's a number from Jersey Boys coming up in the next segment - it's one of my all-time favorite musicals.

David Hyde Pierce is here to present Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical - the winner (they seem to be moving fast here) - the winner, Alice Ripley, Next to Normal - the crowd is going wild. She quotes John F. Kennedy at the top of her lungs, praising art. The first vigorous speech I've heard yet.

Audra McDonald presents Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. The winner: the three young performers from Billy Elliot, the Musical. It's the first time in history that three actors have shared an award. They take turns saying "Wow, this is unbelievable." They recover and manage to get through it well. The crowd loves it.

Shaundra Wilson presents the touring show of Jersey Boys - with a difference. Five Frankie Vallis from different productions singing together. Cool. Great show!

Commercial!

Tony Awards #10

Back again!

I have to say, with about a half-hour to go, the show so far has been without any shocking moments - no ridiculous dresses, no absurd acceptance speeches. A few laughs, but that's about it. What's up with that?

AH, here's Angela Lansbury. Maybe she'll do something wild. Nah, she's presenting a Lifetime Achievement award to Jerry Herman. A nice retrospective from his amazing catalog of songs. A standing ovation. He gives a moving speech. "The best of times is now."

Anne Hathaway looks stunning (as always) as she intros a song from Hair. Greta performance, with the cast rushing into the audience to mess with the crowd. Fun stuff.

Kristin Chenoweth somehow takes the stage and presents the award for Best Revival for a Musical. The winner: Hair! Groovy! The stage is packed with an army of cast and crew. The producer accepting seems a bit crazed, but who can blame him?

Commercial!

Tony Awards #9

We're back, with about 45 minutes left. My pal ANgela will be glad she skipped the last half of the Tonys - she wanted to see Neil Patrick Harris, and he's been largely absent.

Gina Gershon brags about the great season Broadway had. (Really?) She intros a number from the touring show of Legally Blonde. Good stuff.

Harvey Fierstein walks out to present the Best Revival of a Play. The winner: The Norman Conquests. Ah, the whole cast and crew runs up on the stage.

Now, the Best Play award. The winner: God of Carnage. Ah, here comes another crowd. Harvey keeps muttering things to people, but I can't make out what he's saying. It's probably very funny. Nice acceptance speech.

Commercial!

Tony Awards #8

An hour to go!

They zip through more creative Tonys - looks like Billy Elliot is cleaning up.

Frank Langella is here to present Best Lead Actress in a Play (he gives a funny plug to his most recent show, which he was not nominated for). The winner: Macia Gay Harden, God of Carnage. She gives a nice, funny speech.

Another Best Play clip - Reasons to be Pretty.

Sir Elton John comes out to loud applause - he intros a number from Billy Elliot. Hmm. Intense, but if the idea was to convince me to go see the show, I'm not sure it succeeded. But I'm sure those who know more about dance (which is just about everyone out there) probably loved it.

Commercial!

Tony Awards #7

Back again!

Neil kicks it off with what must be an inside joke about eating sushi for energy when performing. Sorry, I don't get the reference.

Jessica Lange is here to present Lead Actor in a Play. The winner: Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King. It's his first Tony - how about that! He waves his light from the Rock of Ages song and observes that he's just one light among thousands on Broadway. Very funny speech.

Another Best Play clip, this one for Dividing the Estate.

Bebe Neuwirth intros the Memorial segment for those who passed this year. Nice segment, with vocalists singing "What I Did for Love," but I hate the "Applaud for the ones I know" syndrome - the same things happen at the Oscars, and it seems rude to those who weren't as well know. Ah well.

Commercial!

Tony Awards #6

Back for more!

At the halfway mark, and my fingers are hanging in there.

We're back with a bunch of the Creative Tonys, most of which seemed to go to Billy Elliot - though one of them was a tie, which must be a rare event. I'll have to recap those after the show.

We start off with a pitch about a forum, "Working in the Theatre," to learn about creating theatre from the pros. Neat.

Hey, it's John Stamos. Best Performance by a featured actor in a musical. The winner, Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot. (He plays the kid's dad.) He brings his wife on stage with him, and looks like the first candidate to cry during his acceptance speech. No, he holds it together. Good for him.

Now, Featured Actress in a Musical: the winner - Karen Olivo from West Side Story. She gives a great, emotional speech - and then cries. She's the first, but probably not the last.

Carrie Fisher introduces a song from Next to Normal. More sound problems, but mostly minor. Strong stuff!

Break!

Tony Awards #5

Back again!

I forgot to mention that Will Ferrell said that Billy Elliot won for Best Book for a Musical.

Glad to see an ad during the break for "Broadway In Charleston" - some great shows coming to the Clay Center next season!

Edie Falco is here for the Best Special Theatrical Event. The winner: to no one's surprise, Liza Minelli. "This is exquisite." Someone hands her a list. She's telling a long story. Will they cut her off? She is theatre royalty, of course. Here comes the music. She thanks her parents, and finishes before they cut her off. Nice.

Now they show a clip from another nominated play, God of Carnage. Another video.

Now another musical number, this one from the revival of "Guys and Dolls." Ah, my favorite number - "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat." More mic trouble. Someone runs a new mic to the singer. The sound guy is getting roasted after this show. Great number!

Commercial!

Tony Awards #4

We're back! About an hour into the show, and so far it's been pretty solid - lots of performances, minimal speeches.

Susan Sarandon is here to present Best Direction of a Play. The winner: Matthew Marchus for God of Carnage (he was nominated for two shows) - it's his first win! Nice speech. He also credits the cast of The Norman Conquest (his other show). Good on him.

Now she presents the Best Direction of a Musical. The winner: Stephen Daldry for Billy Elliot, the Musical.

Now we bust into another song from Rock of Ages. Constantine rocks the house. Looks like a great shop for fans of '80s rock!

Commercial!

Tony Awards #3

Back again! 40 minutes in, and they've handed out two awards.

Neil's doing a good job so far - funny but classy.

Now they're talking about Best Play - they show a clip from 33 Variations (what, no live performance?).

Will Ferrell comes out to present the award for Best Original Score (he doesn't mention his movie, Land of the Lost, which is struggling at the box office). The winner: Next to Normal. The audience seems shocked and delighted. An energetic acceptance speech, but they run long and get cut off. No running long on the Tonys, they have to finish on time (unlike the Oscars, which always runs long).

Now we see a number from the revival of West Side Story. A terrific dance number into a short song. Very nice!

Commercial time!

Tony Awards #2

And we're back! (By the way, Mark and Denise are tied for first place in our competition - good on them!)

It's a number from Shrek the Musical (no doubt so the leads can get out of that makeup). Pretty impressive, though I would have thought they'd have showcased a number starring the lead characters (who just delivered a few jokes at the top of the number).

Now it's time for the Best Featured Actress in a Play. The winner: Angela Lansbury! (Thank goodness, I got one right.) She's the first actress to win five Tonys - amazing!
She gets a well-deserved standing ovation. She gives a classy acceptance speech, natch.

Now they introduce a number from a touring show - it's Mamma Mia! That's a good way to inject some fun popular numbers into the show.

Commercial times!

Tony Awards #1

And here we go! The ads before the Tony Awards were promising a big surprise early on. What could it be?

Looks like we're starting with Billy Elliot - and Elton John's mic was dead for the first line. That's live theatre for you. Nice that they're using all three Billys.

Ah, it's a medley. More mic troubles. West Side Story, Guys and Dolls - a true medley of songs from the two shows. Very cool! Now here's Rock of Ages. Did he hit the drop as he exited? Now My Pal Joey and Next to Normal.

Now Shrek the Musical - then 9 to 5 - hey, it's Dolly Parton! And now Liza Minelli - pretty darned impressive.

Ah, and now the cast of Hair - and now everyone's on stage to bring it home. That was fun - a heckuvan exhuberant start to the show!

Tweleve minutes in, we finally see host Neil Patrick Harris. Apparently Brett Michaels actually did hit his head on the way offstage, but they say "He's fine."

A nice, heartfelt intro from him about the importance of the Tonys to those of us who live away from New York.

The first presenter - Jane Fonda. She's presenting Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play. The winner: Roger Robinson for Joe Turner's Come and Gone - it's his first Tony. He gives thanks to his 98-year-old Mom, who's walking at home. How cool is that?

Commercial time!

Getting Ready for the Tony Awards

Hi, theatre fans! Just a reminder that I'll be live-blogging Tony Awards, which start in about 30 minutes.

I'll probably post my comments during each commercial break - hey, I'm only human!

Something I forgot to mention is that my pal Angela Henderson has an interview with the show's host, Neil Patrick Harris, right here on her "Stay Tuned" blog.

Back soon with the start of the show!

Tony Awards - Chuck's Picks

At long last, it's time for yours truly to break down and list my picks for this year's Tony Awards.

I'll be live-blogging the awards tomorrow night, and there's still time to get into our "Pick the Tony Winners" competition - just send your entry in before the show starts Sunday night - and good luck!

Here are my wild guesses:

BEST PLAY: God of Carnage

BEST MUSICAL: Billy Elliot, The Musical In a season of not-so-overwhelming shows (which is not to say the nominees aren't good), this looks like the one that's going to run away with it.

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL: Billy Elliot, The Musical (See?)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE: Next to Normal But this one could be the sleeper hit.

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY: The Norman Conquests

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: West Side Story I just like the title of this category: "Best Revival." Like they strolled down to the graveyard and picked a dead show to bring back to life.

BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT: Liza's at The Palace

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY: Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King Rush gets my vote in anything he does.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Hope Davis, God of Carnage

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: J. Robert Spencer, Next to Normal

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Alice Ripley, Next to Normal

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY: John Glover, Waiting for Godot

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit Gotta lean toward theatre royalty.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Will Swenson, Hair

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY: Rob Howell, The Norman Conquests

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot, The Musical

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY: Dale Ferguson, Exit the King

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Gregory Gale, Rock of Ages

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY: David Lander, 33 Variations

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Rick Fisher, Billy Elliot, The Musical

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY: Gregory Clarke, Equus

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Brian Ronan, Next to Normal

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY: Matthew Warchus, God of Carnage

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL: Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot, The Musical

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Peter Darling, Billy Elliot, The Musical

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS: Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, Next to Normal

One More Show for June - "Guys and Dolls"

My pal Stephen Vance passes this along about another show this month I missed:

Portsmouth Little Theatre is doing Guys and Dolls June 19 and 26 at 7:30 p.m., and June 20 and 27 at 2:00 p.m.

The main reason I mention this show is because our good friend Mark Near will be playing the role of Nicely Nicely.

I'm so there! I can't wait to hear him singing "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat!"

A great show, highly recommended!

Tony Awards - Mark's Picks

My pal Mark sends along his choices for this year's Tony Winners with this note:

Haven't seen any of them, so this is a total shot in the dark; however, we just can't have Denise waltzing to the winner's circle unopposed!

It's on! Here are Mark's picks:

BEST PLAY: God of Carnage

BEST MUSICAL: Billy Elliot, The Musical

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL: Billy Elliot, The Musical

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE: 9 to 5: The Musical

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY: Waiting for Godot

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: West Side Story

BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT: Liza's at The Palace

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY: James Gandolfini, God of Carnage

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Marcia Gay Harden, God of Carnage

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Brian d'Arcy James, Shrek The Musical

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Stockard Channing, Pal Joey

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY: Roger Robinson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: David Bologna, Billy Elliot, The Musical

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Martha Plimpton, Pal Joey

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY: Derek McLane, 33 Variations

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Robert Brill, Guys and Dolls

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY: Anthony Ward, Mary Stuart

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Tim Hatley, Shrek The Musical

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY: David Hersey, Equus

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Howell Binkley, West Side Story

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY: Scott Lehrer and Leon Rothenberg, Joe Turner's Come and Gone

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot, The Musical

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY: Matthew Warchus, God of Carnage

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL: Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Peter Darling, Billy Elliot, The Musical

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS: Martin Koch, Billy Elliot, The Musical

This Weekend - the Tony Awards!

A reminder that the Tony Awards will be televised Sunday evening, and for the third year in a row, I'll be live-blogging the show.

That means I'll be posting live updates all through the evening, so feel free to follow along in the fun as we see if my typing fingers make it through the festivities!

There's still time to enter our "Pick the Tony Winners" contest. There's no actual prize other than bragging rights (we're on a tight budget here at ye olde Tri-State Theatre blog), but what more could you want?

You can send you choices in by clicking on the link at the bottom of this entry, or you can email them to me at TheMinskers@aol.com. The list of the nominees can be found at this link.

I plan to post my wild guesses - er, carefully chosen selections on Saturday. You can send in your entries anytime before the start of the show.

Good luck! (Oops, I mean, Break a leg!)

"Up" - A Review

The Pixar company has turned out 10 movies so far, and each one has been excellent.

The creative teams there have tapped into the real secret of making a great movie: first, have a really good story to tell. Add in clever and innovative animation, and the result is always going to be fun.

The company's newest movie is simply titled Up, and it tells a story you wouldn't expect to see in a "kid's" movie - and I use the quotes because I don't believe animated movies are automatically just for kids.

The central character is a grouchy old man who finds himself alone in his home, and construction is closing in around him. Before his time runs out, he wants to take one last great adventure - but he doesn't want to lose his home.

His solution to the problem is clever and stunning in its execution (though I wouldn't recommend trying it in the real world).

What follows is a unique adventure that moves into a lost world in South America, where encounters include some unique animals, a living legend and some difficult decisions.

There are a few scary scenes, so the movie might not be right for the youngest eyes (although all the best Disney movies have a scary moment or two in them, too). But there are some big laughs in there, too, and more than once I heard a child cheering during the show.

But it's a clever and truly touching film - those of us in the older category would be well advised to keep a hanky handy. You'll need it more than once.

I don't know if it's the best Pixar movie yet (that would be high praise indeed), but it's right up there - and it's the most emotional. I'm looking forward to seeing it again.

The 3-D was very effective (although I had a twinge of the traditional 3-D headache at the beginning, it quickly went away), and didn't detract from the film at all.

So what I'm saying is: recommended. Highly! (Ha! Get it?)

More Shows in June

Oops! I missed a couple of outstanding theatre events coming up in June - the New Works Festival and Festiv-all!

Here's what to watch for:

- The Third Annual New Works Festival at Marshall University runs June 18, 19 and 20. Jonathan Joy will have two new plays presented, including Fly By Night and Senate Idol, both premiering June 18. Clint McElroy and Jeremy Richter have new pieces on the other two nights.

- And Jonanthan Joy's play Fly By Night will also be presented at the Clay Center as a part of the One Act Fest at Festiv-all June 27 at 8 p.m. Two other plays will be performed that same night. More information is available here: http://www.festivallcharleston.com/.

- Other plays will also be part of Charleston's Festiv-all, including How Cissy Grew featuring James Denton of Desperate Housewives and Charleston Stage Company's 10-minute play, The Crossing.

Again, more on Festiv-all as news develops (and I track it down).

Shows in June

There are a surprising number of shows coming up this month. Here's what we have to look forward to:

- A Body of Water runs June 11-13 at 8 p.m. and June 14 and June 21 at 2 p.m. at the Kanawha Players Theater on Beauregard Street in Charleston.

- Curtains will be presented by the Charleston Light Opera Guild June 19, 20, 26 and 27 at 8 p.m., and June 29 at 3 p.m. at the Charleston Civic Center Little Theater.

- Smoke on the Mountain will be presented June 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26 and All Shook Up will be presented June 27, 28, 30 at Jenny Wiley State Park .

- Theatre West Virginia will present Honey in the Rock June 9, 11, 13, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27 at 8:15 p.m., and Hatfield and McCoys June 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 24, 26, 28, 30 at 8:15 a.m.

- Willy Wonka will be presented at Chief Logan State Park June 16 - July 5 at 8:30 p.m.

- The Odd Couple will be presented by Red Lion Theatre Company at Greenbo State Park June 4, 5, 6, 7 at 8:30 p.m.

On Stage This Month - "A Body of Water"

My pal Mel shares this message from Debbie Haught about the upcoming Kanawha Players production A Body of Water.

Debbie writes:

This is a funny, thought-provoking, intelligent puzzle of a play about how who we are if we have no memories.

I was very excited when I first read this play, it engaged me from the beginning and I found myself looking at things from a different perspective.

Now that it is cast, I am in love with this play. I have three very skilled actors, Joe Miller as Moss, Susan Marrash-Minnerly as Avis and Bethany Cline as Wren.

The show performs on June 11-13 at 8 p.m. at the Kanawha Players Theater on Beauregard Street, with two additional matinees at 2 p.m. on June 14 and June 21. The show runs 90 minutes with no intermission.

This show deserves an great audience, and I know you all know people who love good theater. Encourage them not to miss this one.

Tony Awards - Denise's Picks

Stepping into the batter's box is my pal Denise, our reigning champion in the "Pick the Tony Winners" competition!

As always, readers, you're invited to send in your picks anytime before the Tony Awards show begins next weekend. You can send them in as a comment (the link is at the bottom of each blog entry), or you can email them to me at TheMinskers@aol.com. The list of nominees is right here (just click on the link).

With luck, I'll once again live-blog the show, and we'll see who wins the award this time around!

Denise writes:

Enclosed and below are my best guesstimates for the 2009 Tony awards. I would be very surprised if my record didn't come crashing down. Good luck to everyone. And happy Tony watching!

BEST PLAY: God of Carnage

BEST MUSICAL: Billy Elliot

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL: Lee Hall, Billy Elliot. Though Next to Normal would be the more esoteric and brave choice.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE OF A MUSICAL: Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, Next to Normal

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY: The Norman Conquests

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: Hair

BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT: Liza's at the Palace

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY: Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Janet McTeer, Mary Stuart. Hard one. Marcia Gay Harden and Jane Fonda both have a chance. But my money is on the Brit.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik, Kiril Kulish, Billy Elliot

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Alice Ripley, Next to Normal

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY: Roger Robinson, Joe Turner's Come and Gone. Difficult to choose between John Glover in Waiting for Godot or Mr. Robinson.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit. Hallie Foote from Dividing the Estate (written by the late Horton Foote) deserves it though.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot. This one is also hard. It could be Will Swenson from Hair.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Karen Olvio, West Side Story

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY: Dale Ferguson, Exit the King

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY: Dale Ferguson, Exit the King

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Tim Hatley, Shrek

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY: David Hersey, Equas

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Kevin Adams, Next to Normal

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY: Gregory Clark, Equas

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Acme Sound Partners, Hair

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY: Matthew Warchus, God of Carnage. He was also nominated for The Norman Conquests and could win for this play instead of G of C.

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL: Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Peter Darling, Billy Elliot

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS: Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, Next to Normal

On Stage This Weekend - "Cupid Rising" and "Words and Music"

We wrap up the month of May with a couple of great shows in Charleston!

Make the time to see:

- The comedy Cupid Rising, which is being presented by CYAC tonight and Saturday night at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater at 123 Summers Street in Charleston.

- West Virginia: Words and Music, which is co-presented by the Clay Center and the Charleston Stage Company. Show times are tonight and tomorrow at 8 p.m. in the Clay Center’s Walker Theater. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for seniors and students and can be purchased at this site or by calling 304-561-3570.

Huntington High's Talent Show

Thanks to son Evan for pointing out the photo gallery on the Herald-Dispatch's website (which you can see here).

It features photos from Huntington High School's talent show last Wednesday, and sharp-eyed readers will spot several performers who have appeared in community theatre shows.

For example, here's a shot of two terrific singers, Elliott Imlay and Maggie Saunders (how I wish these photos included sound!):


And here's Maggie again, this time providing guitar backup for another outstanding singer, Elijah Boyles:


There are lots of great shots by H-D photographer Lori Wolfe - check 'em out!

EDIT: Here's a late addition (and a real treat) - video of Maggie and Elliott singing, courtesy of my pal Allen. Enjoy!

Art Center School of Dance Presents Ballet

I usually don't post dance recital notices here (because community theatre events take up most of our time), but I'm making an exception here for two reasons: 1) they actually sent me a press release; and 2) they sent along a photo of two of the featured dancers - both of whom have appeared in a number of community theatre shows (including, I should mention, some of mine).

Here's the photo of Nathan Mohebbi and Sarah Hayes:

And here's the press release:

Mrs. Ella Hay and The Art Center School of Dance present their 2009 Spring Recital, featuring the ballet “La Fille Mal Gardée” this Saturday, May 30, at 8:00 p.m. at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards Performing Arts Center.

“La Fille Mal Gardée” is a romantic comedy, and is the oldest and one of the most important works in modern ballet repertoire. The Art Center School of Dance’s production features dancers Sarah Hayes as Lise, Nathan Mohebbi as Colas and Josh Meredith as Alain, and is directed by Ella Hay.

Prior to the performance of “La Fille Mal Gardée”, The Art Center School of Dance will present its 2009 Spring Recital featuring Mrs. Hay’s students performing a variety of ballet and tap numbers.

Tickets are $12, and are available at the door or by calling The Arts Center School of Dance at (304) 429-6606.

ACTC Announces Its Upcoming Season of Shows

Well, your man Chuck is back from vacation and ready to get back to blogging!

To get us back in gear, my pal Zach sends along this information: Ashland Community and Technical College (ACTC) has announced its 2009 - 2010 season of shows.

Zach writes:

ACTC Theatre recently held its annual awards banquet and after the awards, it announced the shows for the upcoming season. They are:

- The Fall production is Blood Brothers.

Willy Russell's classic musical Blood Brothers is set in Liverpool and is about twins separated at birth whose paths cross in later life.

Now commonly regarded as one of the all-time great British musicals, Blood Brothers has touched the hearts and minds of a generation of theatregoers in dealing with two of the most pressing social issues of our time - inequality and unemployment.

The story takes us to Liverpool, around the time of the coal miner strikes. A single mother in financial desperation gives away one of her newborn sons and attempts to keep them from discovering one another's true identity. However, their lives become unavoidably linked.

The pressures of superstition, economics and class trap them both and seal their fate - their paths are destined to cross again in both friendship and anger with the most tragic consequences imaginable.

A powerful and moving story, with both lively and sad parts. A wonderful tale that will capture your heart and leave a lasting impression. The show is both hilariously funny, deeply moving and features loads of well-known songs.

The incredible score includes Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and the emotionally charged hit, Tell Me It's Not True.

- The Christmas show is (of course) A Christmas Carol.

- The children's show is the musical Willy Wonka Jr.

- The Spring show is Copacabana the Musical by Barry Manilow.

The story follows aspiring songwriter, Stephen, as he composes what he hopes will become a hit musical. His imagination takes him back to the 1940s as he creates a story surrounding an ambitious young singer, Lola Lamar, who arrives in New York City from Tulsa hoping to become a star. She lands a position at the famous Copacabana Nightclub, "the hottest club north of Havana," and strives to become a 'Copa Girl' dancer with the help of the bartender, Tony Starr.

It is so great to see a full lineup for ACTC again. I am looking forward to a wonderful exciting season.

A Rare Day Off

Hey, it's the Memorial Day weekend, so ye olde Tri-State Theatre blog is going to take a rare couple of days off.

Enjoy the holiday, and take a moment to remember your friends and loved ones who have passed on.

And give a special thought to the Veterans who paid the ultimate price for the freedom we all enjoy!

See you on Tuesday!

On Stage This Weekend - "Cupid Rising" and "Words and Music"

Be sure to check out the two shows running this weekend in Charleston:

- The comedy Cupid Rising is being presented by CYAC tonight and May 29-30 at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater at 123 Summers Street in Charleston.

- West Virginia: Words and Music is co-presented by the Clay Center and the Charleston Stage Company. Show times are tonight and May 28, 29 and 30 at 8 p.m. in the Clay Center’s Walker Theater. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for seniors and students and can be purchased at www.theclaycenter.org or by calling 304-561-3570.

Check 'em out!

Jim Stone Scholarship Applications Being Accepted

Here's an announcement especially for graduating seniors, about a scholarship program that's near and dear to my heart - The Jim Stone Scholarship. First, the announcement:

The First Stage Theatre Company is now accepting applications for its annual Jim Stone Scholarship.

First Stage sponsors the scholarship to honor the memory of Jim Stone, a distinguished local actor and a longtime supporter of and mentor to local children in the performing arts.

A $1000 scholarship is available to an entering freshman or current full-time student who is studying dramatic or performing arts at a college, university or certified school of the performing arts.

The deadline for entries is Monday, August 10, 2009.

Applicants must have been involved with at least one First Stage Theatre Company show, either on-stage (as a performer) or off-stage (as a member of the tech crew).

Applicants must send a transcript of their last year’s schooling, a list of the shows they’ve been in and a short essay (no more than 300 words) on why the applicant is planning to study dramatic or performing arts.

Applications should be sent to: First Stage Scholarships, c/o Nancy Newfeld, 3 Stratford Way, Huntington, WV 25705. For more information, call 304-736-4366.

The award means a lot to me because I worked with Jim Stone on a couple of projects, including an original hour-long TV special, and he acted in shows that included both of my sons, and he was a great mentor to them and to other actors of all ages.

He was a great guy, and I'm glad First Stage honors his memory with this award.

The award has actually changed a little bit - when it was first created, it was designed as a $250 scholarship that would be awarded once a year for four years - so the winner would get a total of $1000 in scholarship money.

At its most recent meeting, the First Stage board of directors voted to make a slight change to the scholarship, so it's a one-time, $1000 award. The previous award winners will get the balance of their winnings this year, too.

If you know of a student who's eligible, have them apply!

On Stage This Weekend - "Cupid Rising"

Here's another show that slipped under the radar, as CYAC presents Cupid Rising!

My pal Mel sends along this note from Dan Khede about the show:

A comedy??? From the same guy who brought you Fred and Harriet, Fireflies and The Trial of President George W. Bush? A comedy?

It's a good show, very fast paced, actually fairly short, irreverent, a little scatalogical (but not nearly what most of my other plays are) suitable for high school age and up, and written purely for fun.

It's been a short rehearsal schedule with an amazingly diverse and dedicated cast. We're opening this Friday, May 22, and running Friday and Saturday May 22-23 and 29-30, (instead of our normal Thursday - Saturday runs) mainly because of graduations.

So come on out and see us. It'll be nice to see some friendly faces in the audience. (Actually, it'll be nice to see ANY faces in the audience.)

We hope you can make it!

The note doesn't say, but I'm assuming the shows will be at the WVSU Capitol Center Theater at 123 Summers Street in Charleston.

CYAC always does a great job, so check it out!

WV: Words and Music at the Clay Center This Weekend

Taking the stage in Charleston starting Thursday is West Virginia: Words and Music. It's a great showcase of music and stories, and includes a play by my pals Jonathan Joy and Doug Imbrogno (among others)!

Here's the press release with more info:

The 2008-2009 Clay Center Presents performance season comes to a close with an all-new production – West Virginia: Words and Music co-presented with Charleston Stage Company. Show times are Thursday through Saturday, May 21, 22 and 23 and May 28, 29 and 30 at 8 p.m. in the Clay Center’s Walker Theater.

This incredible performance is full of music and stories that challenge the perceptions of life in West Virginia: past, present and future. The brand new theater piece combines original monologues written by West Virginia playwrights and writers with music including Mountain State standards as well as new songs written for the production.

The cast includes Joe Miller, Micah Atkinson, Rebecca Kimmons, Tara Phares-Pauley, Bill Hairston, Joshua Fix, Doug Imbrogno, Sheila Jarrett, Larry Groce, Jeff Ellis and John Lilly.

West Virginia: Words and Music is directed by David Wohl. The writers and composers whose work is used include Denise Giardina, Colleen Anderson, Mark DeFoe, Kirk Judd, Susan Shaw Sailer, Hallie Turley, Ingrid Briles, Jeremy Richter, Jonathan Joy, Larry Groce, Ron Sowell, Webb Wilder, Doug Imbrogno, Rebecca Kimmons, Al Smith, Mark Atkinson, Jeff Ellis, John Lilly and Margaret Baker.

This performance is part of the Clay Center Presents 2008-2009 performance season. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for seniors and students and can be purchased at www.theclaycenter.org or by calling 304-561-3570.

West Virginia State University students receive free admission with valid student ID. Group discounts are available by calling 304-561-3536.

Highly recommended!

Tony Awards - Zach's Picks

The Tony Awards are closing in fast, so it's time to gear up our second annual guessing contest.

Last year, my pal Denise walked away with bragging rights (scoring 17 right out of 26) - so the award became The Denise LaCara Tony Award Good Guessing Award 2008! Can she repeat? Will someone else steal the crown and rename the title? It's up to you, theatre fans!

You can find the list of nominations right here. You can send your choices in as a comment - just click on the link at the bottom of this entry - or you can email them to me at TheMinskers@aol.com.

To kick things off, here are my pal Zach's choices:

BEST PLAY: God of Carnage (don’t know much but seems be well liked in awards)

BEST MUSICAL: Billy Elliot The Musical (what I have seen look awesome but we all know I am pulling for Shrek The Musical. Next to Normal stands strong as well.)

BEST BOOK OF A MUSICAL: Shrek the Musical (hey, I stand by my show, but second pick is Next to Normal)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (MUSIC AND/OR LYRICS) WRITTEN FOR THE THEATRE: 9 to 5: The Musical (Dolly has a chance, but I'd rather see Shrek The Musical win.)

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY: The Norman Conquests (I don’t know much about non-musicals. Oh well.)

BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL: Hair (to me this is the hardest category this year. All are good choices.)

BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT: You're Welcome America - A Final Night With George W. Bush. (Liza stands strong - I mean, come on, look who it is - but Will Ferrell has a great fighting chance)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY: Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Hope Davis, God of Carnage. (I must confess I chose her just due to her last name.)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Brian d'Arcy James, Shrek The Musical (I thought he was true to the character and marvelous, however the Elliot boys will more than likely take it. Kids in a huge show - of course they will win.)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Sutton Foster, Shrek The Musical (She was flawless and she always delivers.)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY: Zach Grenier, 33 Variations (again just for his name.)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit (She is an Icon. She deserves this.)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Christopher Sieber, Shrek The Musical (A show stealing guy! He was fantastic and he does the whole show on his knees! He worked too hard not to win!)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Jennifer Damiano, Next to Normal.

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY: Rob Howell, The Norman Conquests.

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Ian MacNeil, Billy Elliot, The Musical (I was shocked to see Shrek wasn’t om this list. The set was OUTSTANDING.)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY: Martin Pakledinaz, Blithe Spirit.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Tim Hatley, Shrek The Musical (These were simply the best costumes ever. They were Lion King good! Pinnochio’s nose grew on stage! Simply Genius!)

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY: Hugh Vanstone, Mary Stuart.

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Kevin Adams, Hair; Kevin Adams, Next to Normal (Either way - he was nominated twice in one category, he deserves the award!)

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY: Russell Goldsmith, Exit the King.

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL: Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot, The Musical.

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY: Matthew Warchus, God of Carnage.

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL: Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot, The Musical.

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Peter Darling, Billy Elliot, The Musical. (He took kids to an all new level! Hands down, another no contest!)

BEST ORCHESTRATIONS: Danny Troob and John Clancy, Shrek The Musical. (Why not.)

It is going to be very interesting to see the winners announced! Billy Elliot I feel will win the most and I would like to see Shrek win at least four! I find it interesting that Next to Normal and Rock of Ages came in as silent contenders. I am shocked that 9 to 5 didn’t receive more nominations than it did! I am stoked to see what performances get slated into the mix of this fun filled night!

HOT's Summer Plans Are "All Shook Up"

The Huntington Outdoor Theatre has been forced to make a last-minute change in its summer production. The group had planned to present The Wedding Singer, but the rights to that show were pulled because a professional touring show will take the stage at the Clay Center in the fall.

So now HOT will be presenting the musical All Shook Up, which features the music of Elvis Presley.

Here's the updated cast list for that show (in alphabetical order):

Kenny Bass - Jim Haler
Kristin Caviani - Lorraine
Philip Cron - Chad
Kerri Easter - Sylvia
Melanie Hughes - Matilda
Ryan Jackson - Sheriff Earl
Jessica Maier - Miss Sandra
Mark Radford - Dennis
Cody Verbage - Dean

Ensemble:

Tammy Barrett
Megan Boggs
Shaina Carter
Christopher Crawford
Nathan Cron
Zach Davis
Chloe Donohoe
Courtney Dugan
Kenny Duthie
Julia Freitag
Julia Galloway
Christina Gayheart
Todd Green
Casey Homonai
Angela Hunt
Jacob Jarvis
Sarena Johnson
Greg Kiser
Alaina Krantz
Kelsey McCallister
Morgan McMicken
Jesse Patterson
Candiace Radford
Alyssa Ramey
Brea Ross
Hilary Roush
Felicia Sargent
Jynnea Shropshire
Megan Smith
Miranda Swanson
Rachel Tadlock
Sherri Tadlock
Josh Taylor
Cadyn Turley
Brittany Woods
Brian Zepp

#1100!

Just wanted to note that this is post #1,100 for the Tri-State Theatre blog!

If I was writing a book, I'd be there now!

Now if I just had an idea for a book. ;-)

Of course, this is only possible because of the information you all send along about community theatre. Keep sending in those comments (the link's at the bottom of each post) or send emails to TheMinskers@aol.com!

Thanks as always to the Herald-Dispatch for giving the local theatre community this place to chat, share info and generally have fun.

Thanks for being part of it, gentle readers - there's lots more where that came from!