Author Archives
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Theater Review: William Peace Theatre Production of ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ Steeped in Nostalgia and Charm
It was 75 years ago that the film Meet Me in St. Louis premiered starring Judy Garland. The movie musical introduced the world to such standards as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Trolley Song,” and the title song…. Read More ›
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Theater Review: NCSU’s Satirical ‘The Colored Museum’ Uncorks 300 Years of Oppression
The North Carolina State University production of George C. Wolfe’s The Colored Museum is discomforting, and that is one of the strongest arguments for going to see it. It is a slap-in-your-face satirical play that challenges the audience to think… Read More ›
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Theater Review: Meredith’s ‘Company’ Seems an Odd Choice for a College Main Stage Musical but Fine for a Sondheim Fix
When Company first came out in 1971, it was billed as Stephen Sondheim’s groundbreaking, concept musical. The show has been revived twice on Broadway and is scheduled for a third revival next year coinciding with Sondheim’s 90th birthday. If the… Read More ›
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Theater Review: Bar Plays 5.0 Spotlights Local Playwrights with a Series of Short Plays
Fortnight’s Terminal B just might be the perfect spot for a rhetorical trip through eight original short “bar” plays. Cary Playwrights’ Forum has become an incubator of sorts for aspiring North Carolina playwrights. Out of 36 plays submitted, a committee… Read More ›
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Theater Review: Chazz Palminteri’s Bio-Musical ‘A Bronx Tale’ Falls a Bit Flat
By Gus Allen, Guest Contributor A Bronx Tale has taken an interesting path to its current stage-musical form. It began as an autobiographical one-man stage show written by and starring actor/director Chazz Palminteri in the late 1980s. In 1993, Robert… Read More ›
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Q & A: Breia Kelley Brings ‘A Bronx Tale’ Home
It’s been a whirlwind few months for Breia Kelley. She graduated from Elon last May and almost immediately landed a role in the national tour of Chazz Palminteri’s A Bronx Tale. She is looking forward to bringing the musical to… Read More ›
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Theater Review: PlayMakers’ Production of ‘Dairyland’ Knee-Deep in Meaning
A big city foodie reaches inside a 2000-pound animal and pulls out something surprising, a sense of self. That pretty much sums up what Heidi Armbruster’s new play Dairyland is about. The play is making its world premiere at PlayMakers… Read More ›
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Q & A: Hoagy Bix Carmichael, Tony Nominee Susan H. Schulman, and Michael Lichtefeld Talk About the Musical Legacy of Hoagy Carmichael
If you think you don’t know Hoagy Carmichael’s music, you probably do. Anyone who has beat out heart and soul on the piano, fallen in love with the soundtrack to “Sleepless in Seattle” or can remember Ray Charles singing “Georgia… Read More ›
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Theater Review: A Stylistic, Stripped-Down ‘West Side Story’ Opens North Carolina Theatre’s Season
Sometimes a less is more approach in theater can be more effective than a lavish production. Such is the case with North Carolina Theatre’s production of West Side Story. West Side Story opened on Broadway in 1957 and was nominated… Read More ›