29
May

Swindlers

Swindlers
Aurora Theatre
through June 5, 2022

This is a premiere co-production by Aurora and Broadway Factor, which is a real farce taking to the stage here before heading to the Big Apple. This one is written by Chris Anthony Ferrer and Directed by Ivan R. Lopez.

When a couple of sly thieves decide to hit on a wealthy gent who may have an incredibly valuable gem, what could possibly go wrong? Everything. It seems that none of these swindlers have control of anything, as Moliere would design. The grim reaper shows up in various genres. A dangerous lion, a latina who doesn’t even speak Cuban, and as one door closes another opens and as one gun is aimed at a potential victim the bad guy may take the shot himself. As you sit by and wonder where this one can go awry, it will do so with a great cast working through a script which has almost every old film and TV schtick adapted and woven in. This is a riotous trip into insanity land, that is sure to do well; and as we say in show biz, it certainly has legs.

Check it out at AuroraTheatre.com and drag your tired buns over the Lawrenceville for a show where the laughter never ends. Enjoy!

19
May

Forever Plaid

Forever Plaid
Strand Theatre
through May 22, 2022

While this is one that resonates profoundly with the AARP crowd, it is one that audiences of any age will enjoy. Come back to the 1950’s and 60’s when we had maybe 3 or 4 TV channels, and we gathered to watch Milton Berle or Ed Sullivan as a group each week. It was a time when there were quite a few male quartet harmony groups doing their numbers. And high-schoolers thought it was a real expericnce to make out in the back seat of that Chevy.

The night that those four young men from England were about to debut on the Ed Sullivan show, one of the harmony four were rammed by a school bus heading to the show. Alas, none of the four survived. Stuart Ross created this show, which played in NYC from 1989 tgo 1994, and was later adapted into a film in 2009.

Caleb Brink (Frankie), John Jenkins (Jinx), Zander Krenger (Smudge) and Keenan Rogers (Sparky) come on as the singers. They wanted to perform with plaid costumes and they come back from the afterlife to be forever plaid and sing their numbers. With Kevin Sanders on the keys and Drew Lloyd on bass, they run through more than two dozen numbers in a cabaret style setting, and you can clap your hands, click your fingers and sing along as you wish.

Directed by Cindi Costoulas there are two acts, and in the second act they camp things up really well as they are imagining performing on a variety show, and they’ll bring back many old time performers schticks that most of us will recall.

The show is presented at the Strand Theatre on Marietta Square. Open parking may be hard to find but the garage is right across the street from the theatre. They have good seats with good views, lots of concession goodies and it is a very entertaining couple of hours with no ads or politicians. Could it get much better? More info and tickets at EarlSmithStrand.org

10
May

A Very Sordid Wedding

A Very Sordid Wedding
OnStage Atlanta
through May 29, 2022

This is a riotous co-production with The Process Theatre, and the gay cast is directed by DeWayne Morgan in this sequel to Del Shores’ Sordid Lives. Now the action takes place in Winters, TX and the fun and insanity never slows down for a minute.

This is not for kiddies nor the homophobic. The story line explores the questions of bigotry and the fallout of what happens when gay marriage comes to communities and families that are not quite ready to accept it. Bigoted “religious freedom,” marriage equality and cultural acceptance are all explored and the drag queens really belt out some great numbers, even if only lip-synching.

The show moves along on a versatile set, with a hard working cast and really funny turns at every minute. OnStage Atlanta is easy to get to, plenty of free parking and some nice goodies. It is one of the funniest gigs you will see this year. More info and tickets at OnStageAtlanta.com

9
May

A Bad Year for Tomatoes

A Bad Year for Tomatoes
Lionheart Theatre
through May 22, 2022

John Patrick must have quite a sense of humor; for he wrote this crazy opus, which Lionheart has brought to their stage uunder the direction of Marla Krohn. In her notes she says she would love to play every one of these nut cases, and in fact, she did on opening night when one of the actors couldn’t make it.

Myra Marlowe (Nancy Lowery Powell) has had a successful career in Hollywood of more than 20 years; and she’s had it “up to there”. So she takes her leave and moves east to a hick town in New England, Beaver Haven. This is where she is going to settle in, grow her own tomatoes, and write her autobiography.

She may not know that much about some small towns, inhabited by folks who are certainly not so much like her. She meets up with nosy neighbors, gossip mongers, and some who would be considered trailer-trash back in Hollywood. Her agent, Tom (Paul Milliken) settles her in but takes his leave to get back to work. But he has feelings for her and never wants to let her off the hook as a client. Myra is not a fool, but she does come up with a crazy scheme to keep the townies at bay. I can’t tell you how she does it, for she’d kill me if I did.

I can tell you the show is a riot that never stops until the last line. If you are tired of listening to politicians, then this is a great change of pace. Lionheart is located right off the square in Norcross and has easy parking, good seating, and wonderful goodies at intermission.

More info and tickets at LionheartTheatre.org

8
May

The Color Purple

The Color Purple
City Springs Theatre
through May 22, 2022

The original Color Purple was a book by Alice Walker, and was also brought to the screen by Warner Brothers. This adaptation by Marsha Norman is an intense musical of more than 24 numbers with music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray. This production is directed by Kamilah Long, with a hard working cast of more than 20 actors who come to us in the show from their small town in in the South in the days when a woman of color was treated as chattel by her own people.

A center point of the story is about a young girl, Celie (Felicia Boswell) who is trying to find her way through the miserable life she is experiencing. One of the principal male rolls is that of Mister (Gavin Gregory). Kayce Grogan-Wallace shows up as Sofia, a role she had played before; and Safiya Fredericks is Shug Avery, Trevon Davis is Harpo and Latricia Akhagbeme is Nettie alongside Jalise Wilson as Sqeak.

With a hard working Iive orchestra in the pit under the baton of Derrick Jackson, the story unwinds the lives of these poor folk and what belief, if any, they may have in an Almighty, and where, when and how they may fashion a meaningful life. It is especially poignant these days with what is going on in this world and this nation.

The show runs a little over 2 hours with an intermission and every seat in the house has good view. Plenty of garage and/or valet parking and concessions. You may not leave the theatre belting out the songs; but the experience shall forever be engraved in your memory; and as the Bard opined; The Play’s the Thing.

More info and tickets at CitySpringsTheatre.com

6
May

HOMOS or Everyone in America

HOMOS or Everyone in America
OutFront Theatre
through May 21, 2022

OK, let’s start by acknowledging that this one is not for the PG13s, nor the Prims who might be offended by the constant use of the universal modifier starting with F. The show does have issues with homosexuality, and how it may most often just mirror hetero relationships.

It is set in Brooklyn maybe 15 years ago, and is staged like a small cabaret show with some patrons actually sitting onstage. Directed by Mandy Mitchell, this regional premiere brings four players to stage. Tyler Sarkis is a writer, whose actual name is never an issue; and he is in and out of relationships with an Academic played by Niko Carleo. They are the leads in the show and the time line moves back and forth as they examine the meanings and effects of love. They do run into some problems with the third contact who is Dan, played by Angel Fabián Rivera. Si Chen comes on as Laila as the show moves from time past to today to days gone by and days to come.

The play by Jordan Seavey has played in several cities and been well received by the audiences for whom it is promoted.  The show runs about 2 hours with intermission and the theatre is easy to get to downtown, with easy parking, comfy seats and nice goodies. More info and tickets at OutFrontTheatre.com

3
May

The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs

The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs
Atlanta Opera
through May 8, 2022

The Opera is taking a break from the usual classic opera to bring to our stage this new one composed by Mason Bates with a libretto by Mark Campbell. The opera won some Grammys when it premiered just 5 years ago, and this company has played in a few cities in the USA and soon will travel to Canada as well.

Tomer Zvulun has spent three years working with the creative team to bring this newly staged version to Atlanta. To say it ain’t your usual production is kind of obvious when you see the swarm of projections that take over the stage through 18 scenes. And the scenes deal with the life and work of Steve Jobs; but not necessarily in chronological order. S, Katy Tucker handled the projections design, and a full orchestra is in the pit under the baton of Michael Christie.

Much of the story takes place around Cupertino and Job’s times in school and college; as he tries to define himself and life in general. John Moore takes the stage as Jobs, and Billie Bruley plays his original partner, Steve Wozniak. While Jobs may have been a genius in transforming present day communications and computer usage; he wasn’t always the most considerate of corporate barons. He had a brief affair with Chrisann Brennan (Elisabeth Sutphen) and did her wrong in a terrible manner. Later he actually wed Laurene Powell (Sarah Larsen) who did her best to put up with his behavior. He was a real putz.

The opera is a one-act running about 100 minutes, as it swings back and forth through dates and aggravations. It isn’t one that has the legs of a Carmen or La Boheme by any means. But it is especially meaningful in the glare of the spotlight on what’s going on in our world these days.

More info and tickets at AtlantaOpera.org