Seattle’s tribute to iconic composer Leonard Bernstein continues with this week’s opening of The 5th Avenue Theatre’s production of On the Town, the 1944 musical with music by Bernstein and book and lyrics by Comden and Green based on Jerome Robbins’ ballet, Fancy Free. Probably best known for the 1949 film adaptation with Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra, On the Town is an unabashed love letter to New York City, (why not; “It’s a Helluva town!”) the story of three young sailors on shore leave in the Big Apple as they try to cram as much living as they can into a 24 hour shore leave. Directed by Bill Berry and choreographed by Bob Richard with the participation of Seattle’s Spectrum Dance Theater, this production stars the astonishingly handsome Jon Aaron Reid as Gabey (aka Gene Kelly), Greg McCormick Allen as Ozzie (aka Jules Munshin), and Matt Owen as Chip (aka Frank Sinatra) with Billie Wildrick as Claire (aka Ann Miller), Sarah Rudinoff as Hildy the cabdriver (aka Betty Garrett), Courtney Iventosch as Ivy, “Miss Turnstyles” (aka Vera-Ellen, aka the female lead opposite Gabey/Gene Kelly) and the always divine Seattle veteran actress, Suzy Hunt as Madame Dilly. On the Town performs Tues/Wed at 7.30pm; Thur/Fri/Sat at 8pm; Sun at 7pm and there is are matinees at 2pm on Saturdays and 1.30pm on Sundays. The show runs now through May 2 at The 5th Avenue. SGS is going tonight and we’ll get a review up this weekend…unless I end up drinking too much at a Mexican themed party I’m invited to…
Also opening this weekend, is Seattle Shakespeare’s production of Henry V, Shakespeare’s historical tale of the court of Henry V and Henry’s bloodthirst to wage war against France which led to the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. Seattle Shakespeare has adapted the play and updated the setting to 1962, an interestingly similar time in world history as the Cold War heats up and Russia and US battle for control of ideologies through the race to conquer space and stockpile nuclear weapons. Directed by Russ Banham and starring Evan Whitfield as Henry V, the play runs Thurs-Saturday at 7.30pm with matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2pm, now through May 9th. I’m seeing this on Saturday (yes, I’m a busy little bee) and should have a review up posthaste…
And, for fans of musical theatre and water sports, Cornish School of the Arts is presenting the beloved Tony Award winning musical, Urinetown: the Musical this weekend at Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway on Capitol Hill. The satirical comedy about a dystopic society where the residents of a city have to pay to relieve themselves, manages to lampoon corporate greed, government bureaucracy and the conventions of musical theater itself…it’s a fun show! Plus, URINE! Lots, and lots of URINE! And, it’s a cheap date, only $10 for general public and $5 for students; that’s cheaper than a visit to Club Z! Check it out.
And, continuing their runs this weekend are the fabulous RoboPop! at WET, the audience slaying True West at The Balagan and the closing weekend for Fences at Seattle Rep; all of them are worth a looky-loo.
In the last week or so, there has been some EXCITING news coming from Broadway (the theatre center in NYC; not the irritatingly dirty and under-constructed street on Capitol Hill). First, it was announced a couple days ago that South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone will be making their Broadway debut with their original musical, The Book of Mormon. Parker and Stone are writing the book and music with the help of Avenue Q’s Bobby Lopez and Parker will co-direct the show with Avenue Q’s Jason Moore. They aren’t appearing in the show which is set to open NEXT March and the plot is described as the story of two Mormon boys on their mandatory Mission to convert the world to Mormonism…if it’s half as funny as the South Park Mormon episode, it’ll be a winner, (dum, de dum, dum, dum)….Also opening next March and even MORE exciting for LGBT theater-lovers, will be the long-awaited Broadway debut of the stage version of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert which has been staged in Australia and the UK and finally makes it to Broadway in 2011. I’ve seen clips of this musical on YouTube and it should be a HUUUUUGE hit with queer audiences…it’s a slavishly faithful remake of the film complete with all the songs and the Oscar winning costumes. It’s pure fluff, but fluff of the highest quality…AAAAAND, finally, it has just been announced that adorably cute little Daniel Radcliffe is coming back to Broadway next spring but he won’t be waving his wienie on stage like he did in his B’way debut in Equus a couple of years ago. Instead, he’ll be singing and dancing in the 37th revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, the classic Tony/Pulitzer Prize winning musical about a window washer who confidently climbs the corporate ladder in 1960’s New York City (it’s so Mad Men…) It’s interesting that Radcliffe seems to be positioning himself as a THEATER Star for his post-Potter career; it’s probably the smart way to go for career longevity for an actor so strongly associated with an iconic role. Also, this is a great show; I saw the last big B’way revival in the mid-90’s with Matthew Broderick and a pre-Will and Grace Megan Mullaly and it’s an old-fashioned toe-tapping charmer. Still, it would be better if they add a scene where Daniel Radcliffe could make sweet, sweet love to some B’way chorus boys dressed as horses…
That’s it for theatre news…I’m spent and I have to mentally prepare for my weekend theatre excursions. Once more into the breach, dear friends…
About the Author: Michael Strangeways
