MARK AUERBACH
The Rite of Spring
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra performs Stravinsky’s mastepiece “The Rite of Spring” on its season finale concert, April 25 at Springfield Symphony Hall. Guest pianist Spencer Myer joins the Orchestra for Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No 2, and the Orchestra opens the season finale with Wagner’s Overture to “Tannhauser”. Maestro Kevin Rhodes conducts.
SPENCER MYER
Spencer Myer is a highly acclaimed pianist who studied at Oberlin and The Juilliard School. His career was launched with three important prizes: First Prize in the 2004 UNISA International Piano Competition in South Africa; American Pianists Association’s 2006 Christel DeHaan Classical Fellowship; Gold Medal from the 2008 New Orleans International Piano Competition. He performs internationally with orchestras, in recital, and in chamber music concerts. He also performs with cellist Adrian Daurov as the Daurov-Myer Duo.
In the “small world” department, Mr. Myer’s agent is Springfield native Tom Parker, a graduate of Cathedral High School and University of Massachusetts, who founded Parker Artists almost 25 years ago. Parker, previously associated with Shaw Concerts, Sheldon Soffer Management, and Colbert Artists, represents an array of pianists, violinists, cellists, other musicians, conductors, and ensembles. Before turning to arts management, he was a producer at WTIC-FM in Hartford. He’s been recognized twice by UMass, and is the first recipient of the “Distinguished Alumnuns in the Arts” Award.
After this concert, Maestro Kevin Rhodes leaves for Vienna to conduct “La Sylphide” with the Vienna State Opera Ballet and the world class Rudolf Nureyev Gala.
For tickets: 413-733-2291 or www.springfieldsymphony.org.
Season Announcements
Chester Theatre Company’s season has four plays new to area audiences, including the East Coast premiere of Scott Carter’s “The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens, and Count Leo Tolstoy. Discord”. Irish playwright Diedre Kinahan’s “Halcyon Days” has its New England premierein Chester. Kathleen Tolan’s “Memory House” and Phil Porter’s “Blink” complete the season. Daniel Elihu Kramer, Sheila Siragusa, and Byam Stevens are directors. Stevens, Artistic Director since 1998, retires after this season. For details: www.chestertheatre.org.
TONY WALTON
Connecticut Repertory Theatre at Storrs has a stellar summer line-up including a production of Les Miserables, the Broadway blockbuster with its original star, Terrence Mann; the high-flying “Peter Pan” which was made famous by Mary Martin, Sandy Duncan and Cathy Rigby; and “Xanadu”, the recent Broadway hit based on the silly Olivia Newton-John movie. For details: 860-486-2113. or www.crt.uconn.edu
Hartford Stage’s 2015-16 season will open in September with the world premiere of “An Opening in Time”, a subtle and moving play about finding connections in a changing world, written by Connecticut native Christopher Shinn. The 52nd season lineup also will include the award-winning “The Body of an American” by Dan O’Brien enroute to a New York run, and “Romeo and Juliet”, directed by Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak. A new musical directed by Tresnjak and another play will be announced soon. “A Christmas Carol” returns to Hartford over the holidays. For details: 860-527-5151 or www.hartfordstage.org.
Playhouse on Park has announced its 2015-16 West Hartford season, which includes the musicals “Passing Strange” and “A Cohrus Line”, Chaim Potok’s “The Chosen”, “Tuesdays With Morrie”based on Mitch Alborn’s book’; Paul Rudnick’s comedy “I Hate Hamlet”; and Margaret Edson’s powerful “Wit”. For season details: 860-523-5900 ext 10 or www.PlayhouseOnPark.org
NOAH ALTSHULER
Honors and Accolades
Noah Altshuler, a senior at Groton School, and a resident of Cambridge, has already been named The Mark Twain House’s Playwright-in-Residence. That’s quite a feat for a high school senior. Now, he’s been commissioned to adapt Mark Twain’s “Tom Sawyer” for the stage, with an eye for Broadway. For details. www.marktwainhouse.org
Tony Walton, the award-winning set and costume designer, will be the recipient of the Goodspeed Award for outstanding Contribution to the Musical Theatre. Goodspeed Musicals will bestow the Tony, Emmy, and Oscar winner with the accolade at a gala in East Haddam, CT on June 6. For details: 860-873-8668 or www.goodspeed.org.
Tim Rogan as Lancelot at The Bushnell (Photo by Mark Steven 2014)
Keep in Mind…
***Camelot, the Lerner and Loewe musical about King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and his nights of the Round Table, plays The Bushnell (April 21-26). The celebrated score includes the classics “If Ever I Would Leave You,” “The Simple Joys of Maidenhood,” and the title song, “Camelot.”. For tickets: 860-987-5900 or www.bushnell.org
***Live From Nashville, a country music revue celebrating the traditions that gave “Music City” its name, plays Springfield’s City Stage on April 17. For tickets: 413-788-7033 or www.citystagesymphonyhall.com
***Katherine Winston, the “American Idol” contestant from Lenox, performs at The Garage at The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield on April 18. .Winston’s many musical influences include Johnny Cash, John Paul White, The Civil Wars, Matt Corby, The Lone Bellow, and Stevie Nicks. For tickets: 413-997-4444 or www.berkshiretheatregroup.org.
***The Fab Faux, with the Hogshead Horns and Creme Tangerine Strings, performs The Beatles’ “Abbey Road” and a Mixed Set of Favorites on April 25 at the UMass Fine Arts Center Concert Hall. For tickets: 413-545-2511, 800-999-UMASS or http://www.fineartscenter.com/
Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio.
