The Last Summer for "The Little Mermaid"

The Associated Press is reporting that the Disney musical The Little Mermaid will end its Broadway run at the end of the summer.

I'm surprised - I thought it would run longer than a year-and-a-half, but perhaps the tough financial times are partly to blame.

Anyway, here's the story:

The Little Mermaid is set for its final Broadway swim.

The lavish musical based on the Disney animated film will close Aug. 30 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York after a run of 685 performances.

Producer Thomas Schumacher says a national tour is planned for fall 2010. It will be followed by overseas productions.

The Little Mermaid opened in January 2008.

Back in Town!

Sorry to have gone silent over the weekend, but I was off enjoying a short vacation up in Chicago.

But I was thinking of you, gentle readers, so I took in a show - Second City's production of Rod Blagojevich, Superstar (based on the bizarre life of the Illinois governor who was recently impeached).

I'm still recovering from the trip, so I'll try to get my review posted tomorrow. In the meantime, it's great to be home!

On Stage This Weekend - Lots of Shows!

Coming up this weekend:

- Guys and Dolls will be presented by the Portsmouth Little Theatre tonight at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. You can purchase tickets online at www.pltlive.com.

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

- All Shook Up will be presented June 27, 28 and 30 at Jenny Wiley State Park.

- Theatre West Virginia will present Hatfield and McCoys June 26, 28, 30 at 8:15 a.m.

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

- The Wiz will be presented by The Red Lion Theatre Company at Greenbo Lake State Park Amphitheatre tonight through Sunday at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors.

So get out there and support your summer theatre!

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!