The Golden Gals Live
Out Front Theatre
through June 25, 2023

If you are over a certain age you will fondly remember more than 150 episodes of The Golden Girls. It was those four old broads living together in Miami. Blanche was the slut, Rose was the dumb-nut, Dorothy was divorced from the jerk, Stan; and Sophia was Dorothy’s mother.

This production is a touring company which thankfully has come to our town, although they are getting back on the road after this weekend. You have four drag queens on stage and a couple of supporting cast members. Ginger Minj may be the director, but he/she is also Blanche Devereaux; the one every sailor and bar hopper knows.

It remiinded me of when I was in St. Olaf and they had a touring company. The only problem was they didn’t bring any seats with them. But, fear not. Out Front has easy parkiing, good views from every seat and goodies at the bar. This show, in particular is a real non-stop laugh-fest. You know the characters, and they are all on stage for you to enjoy a couple of hours.

More info and tickets at OutFrontTheatre.com

Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood
Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
through July 2, 2023

While you may have thought that the Bard of Avon only wrote hard drama, then you will love Ken Ludwig’s camped up version of that young guy with a great aim in the Sherwood Forest. For this is not the usual Robin Hood.

As you enjoy your gastronomic choices at the Tavern, you will be delighted by the pre-show choral group, then be off to dealing with the problems of those olden days. Robin Hood (Kevin Roost) has a thing for Maid Marian (Amanda Lindsey McDonald) and Friar Tuck  (Chris Schultz) has to help move the tale along.

Directed by Andrew Houchins, the cast of 10 players does a superb job. The cast moves through a lot of song and dance numbers, and you will be awe struck by the sword play that was designed by Jake Guinn. I can assure you that nobody on stage nor in the audience will actually fall from a lunge nor an arrow.

The Tavern is like your Local Pub, and the food and grub are good, the seating is easy and has good views and nobody leaves feeling that Classic Comics might be a better way to learn. Their website is at ShakespearTavern.com

Water for Elephants
Alliance Theatre
through July 9, 2023

Let’s jump to the bottom line. This is the MOST exciting production you have seen in years, and the most energetic ever staged by the Alliance. Go online or the phone and get your seats as it should sell out every day.

Jessica Stone directs a cast of dozens of players who are just bringing down the house with their singing, dancing, puppetry and acrobatics of pure Big Top excellence. This is a huge production with more than 60 people working together to bring the very best to you. You will be drawn into the life of Jacob (Ryan Vasquez) who hops on the circus train to leave his home town. He joins the Benzini Brothers Circus and gets into training the newly acquired elephant with Marlena (Isabelle McCalla) and that has some problems you will watch them work through.

A full orchestra under the baton of Matt Hinkley keeps the story moving, while some incredible sets will surprise you quite often. The show is more than just Broadway quality. It is world class, and here in Atlanta. So hit the keys and visit AllianceTheatre.org and do it NOW!

The Legend of Finn McCool
Aris Theatre
through June 25, 2023

This production of the new telling of the old legend by Rob Shaw-Smith, is a hoot. It is playing at the Academy Theatre just south of the airport in Hapeville. It takes us back to the olden days when the Irish and the Scots were generally not fans of each other.

Finn McCool wants to get it on with that giant from Scotland, Benandonner but he has some problems, mainly the Irish Sea running between the two area. You have to watch the show to see how Finn figures to reach the Scottish Giant, and what distrust and dislike brings about in the areas of romance, and gastronomy.

With the live band on stage, the players work the house as if you were your Local having another pint. So know you can bring beverages and snacks with you, sit back and laugh and clap your way through a couple of hours. Get info and tickets at ArisTheatre.org

The Wiz
True Colors Theatre
through July 2, 2023

When L. Frank Baum penned his famous children’s book in 1900, it is hard to imagine that he could have foreseen it’s trip to Broadway, the 7 Tony awards, nor the more modern adaptation now played just as The Wiz. This one is a real eye opener and crowd pleaser.

The Wiz with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls brings into the ‘hood of a cast of 15 players, each of whom is African-American, and the set and technical aspects are certainly Broadway quality; while the players run through their trip to Oz, that looks more like Atlanta. Backed up by live singers and musicians, they belt out many a tune as a Tin Man seeks a heart, the Straw Man looks for a brain and that cowardly Lion wants to get pumped up. Dorothy, on the other hand just wants to get back to Kansas. Did she always love tornados?

You will be blown away by the costumes, rapid changes, and the choreography designed by the play’s director, Brian Jordan, Jr. The packed house is just blown away by the first-class production. So, for an wonderful few hours, plan your trip to the Southwest Arts Center and enjoy. Full info and tickets at TrueColorsTheatre.org

Jesus Hopped the “A” Train
Actor’s Express
through July 2, 2023

This is a production of a play which delves deeply into religious beliefs and non-beliefs. Written by Stephen Adly Guirgis, the play is set in the Rikers Island jail, there are two prisoners played by Sekou Laidlow and Cristian Gonzalez who are being held on murder charges.

One of them may be relying on his faith in the almighty to save him from further pain and angst, while the con across the hall is a non-believer who relies more on the possibility of a good lawyer saving his toosh. Directed by Eric J. Little, the cast also includes Jacob York, Cara Mantella, Luis Hernandez and Andrew Randolph.

This is a very sensual dive into the nature of these two, one of whom has more to atone for than the other as he has commtted a multitude of felonies. It is a difficult story with loads of yelling out and the use of the “F word” as the universal modifier. Ergo, it isn’t for Ms. Prim nor the kiddies; while it surely resonates with so many of us understand that the work dysfunctional is predicated upon families.

A harrowing script, masterfully done. More info and tickets at Actors-Express,com

Deer Camp
Art Station Theatre
through June 25, 2023

David Thomas has the pleasure of directing this riotous show of the four old geezers who take an annual week off together, telling their wives they are staying at a hunting lodge. The four guys are Diesel (David Craven), Moose (Tony Hayes), Digger (Jeff LeCraw, and Dougski (Michael Strauss)

The story moves along with a bunch of musical numbers, mostly for the quartet. Doug Spartz is the composer and you’ll crack up with the lyrics with Patrick Hutchison on the keyboard. You may think it is like a barbershop quartet; but they’re more like a barroom quartet.

You will thoroughly enjoy this one, and want to hoist a glass in a salute to them. More info at ArtStation.org

The Humans
Theatrical Outfit
through June 25, 2023

This play by Stephen Karam won a Tony when it started off in NYC. And it is set in a situation of your family, or mine, or one you know getting together for a Thanksgiving event. Directed by Matt Torney, the cast of players is Lala Cochran, Susan Shalhoub Larkin, Maggie Larson, Rhyn McLemore and Tamil Periasamy.

They are meeting up in a flat where not everything works quite as one might wish; but this is in the big city and life has to go on. It’s a two story residence connected by the spiral staircase or for those with problems by the building’s outer elevator.

Just know this is not one for the kiddies, as you may agree at the finale that the OED should be inclined to change the definition of dysfunctional to “see family.” It’s a deeply provocative show running about 100 minutes without intermission, at the Balzer Theatre down on Luckie Street.

East to get to, plenty of nearby parking, and every seat has a good view. More info and tickets at TheatricalOutfit.org

Four Old Broads on the High Seas
Onstage Atlanta
through June 25, 2023

This is a laugh-a-minute show by Leslie Kimbell who brings together a ya-ya sisterhood group of four older ladies who book a cruise. If you’ve been on plenty of cruises you’ve met many of the characters. It is a hoot that makes one think that it is sort of The Golden Girls meet Agatha Christie.

Barry West directed this work with nine fine actors, you’ll revel in the con artist who tries to work these ladies and changes his ID every few minutes, as well as the drag performer and every member of the cast.

The show runs about 2 hours with one intermission, and while it is not one for the kiddies, it sure rings the bells for any of us with an AARP card. East to get to, free parking, good seats, and a wonderfully funny evening. More info at OnstageAtlanta.com

Hairspray
Fox Theatre
through June 4, 2023

Hairspray was about a chubby young lady from Baltimore who wants to get onto a TV competition. Most likely we don’t recall the tunes until we hear the first few bars again, and maybe we didn’t think how this show dealt with the days of segregation in Baltimore and elsewhere. I lived in Baltimore in the late 50’s and when they mention certain streets and areas so much pops up in what’s left of my mind. Of course, like Atlanta, Baltimore has been very much rebuilt; and like Atlanta, certain things which we might have thought had been erased from our society, still quietly lie under, yet to be fully eradicated. So this one really resonates with the audience.

Tracy Turnblad (Niki Metcalf) is the chubby young lass who wants to get on the local TV show hosted by Link Larkin (Skyler Shields). Tracy’s parents fear she will become the object of public embarrassment and they want to dissuade her from her dreams. Andrew Levitt is a hoot as her mother Edna, and Ralph Daniel is the somewhat wimpish father, Wilbur.

The story deals with two problems. One is the egocentric Velma (Addison Garner) who figures she must be crowned as Miss Baltimore, and she has the money and the contacts to ensure that. Maybe today she could have run for office. And another problem is racial division. Whites and blacks didn’t mix much in Baltimore in those days and the neighborhoods were pretty much segregated.

Matt Lenz directed this superb cast of more than 30 players, and the live orchestra is under the baton of Julius LaFlamme. The costumes and all the production values are a real hit. You will feel as it you are right there in the TV studio as the beat goes on. I guess the bottom line is that it just can’t get no better. Unless they had some Baltimore crab cakes

If you snooze, you lose; so get up and get going to the Fox Theatre. More info and tickets at FoxTheatre.org