Summer Show Tunes
Little Shop of Horrors in Pittsfield
Lindsay Nicole Chambers stars in Little Shop of Horrors at The Colonial in Pittsfield.
Pittsfield’s Colonial Theatre will host musical theatre’s favorite man-eating plant, when Berkshire Theatre Group presents the zany, off-beat hit musical Little Shop of Horrors (through July 23).
Ethan Heard, the wunderkind director, who staged Berkshire Theatre Group’s Bells Are Ringing and A Little Night Music, returns to the Berkshire Theatre Group to direct Little Shop of Horrors. Parker Esse, whose choreography for Bells Are Ringing and Goodspeed’s A Wonderful Life, provides the dances.
Roger Corman’s 1960 low-budget black comedy film about a florist’s worker, who bonds withs a man-eating plant, was a cult favorite, and Alan Menken and Howard Ashman transformed Little Shop of Horrors into a hit Off-Broadway musical in 1982, which ran for over five years. It moved uptown to Broadway, was adapted into a hit movie, and got an Encores revival on Broadway last summer with original cast member Ellen Greene recreating the role of Audrey opposite Jake Gyllenhaal as Seymour.
Ron Orbach stars in Little Shop of Horrors at The Colonial in Pittsfield.
Director Ethan Heard, says, “My collaborators and I knew we wanted to find a fresh way to manifest Audrey II, in all her fun and terrifying glory. We’ve decided to bring the infamous plant to life, not with a puppet, but with a fabulous, lip-syncing drag queen onstage (Taurean Everett) and a powerhouse, female, actor-singer offstage (Bryonha Parham). Designed by Miodrag Guberinic, who has crafted eye-popping window displays for Bergdorf Goodman and stunning costumes for Madonna, our Audrey II will be more magical, thrilling, and hilarious than ever. Fashion, camp, and ferocity combine to embody Seymour’s wildest dreams…and nightmares.”
The Little Shop of Horrors cast also features Stanley Bahorek from Broadway’s The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as Seymour; Lindsay Nicole Chambers from Broadway’s Legally Blonde, as Audrey; and Ron Orbach from Chicago on Broadway as Mushnik.
For details: 413-997-4444 or www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org.
West Side Story in Storrs
Connecticut Repertory Theatre ends their summer season with a production of the Broadway classic West Side Story with book by Arthur Laurents, Music by Leonard Bernstein, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and based on a concept of Jerome Robbins. West Side Story will be directed and choreographed by Cassie Abate, who has staged and/or choreographed some of the best CRT productions in recent years, including: Peter Pan, A Chorus Line, The Music Man, and How to Succeed.
In West Side Story, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is transported to New York City, as two young lovers find themselves torn between their love and their allegiance to rival street gangs. Arthur Laurents’ book remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. The score by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim is widely regarded as one of the best ever written, featuring “Tonight”, “America” and “Somewhere”
Luke Hamilton is Tony in the Connecticut Repertory Theatre production of West Side Story.
CRT favorite Luke Hamilton (CRT’s Xanadu, Les Misérables, Gypsy) will return as Tony Yurel Echezarreta of the original Broadway casts of Aladdin and Matilda, as well as the revival casts of La Cage Aux Folles (2010) and West Side Story (2009) will play gang leader Bernardo. Julia Estrada will make her CRT debut as Maria.
For details: 860-486-2113 or www.crt.uconn.edu.
Eleanor Reissa headlines Yidstock at the Yiddish Book Center.
Keep in Mind…
Yidstock, The Festival of New Yiddish Music, comes to the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, MA on July 14-17. This festival, now in its 5th year, celebrates the best of Klezmer and Yiddish music. Many events are already sold out, so check availability before you go, and add some time, so you can see the Yiddish Fight Club exhibit. For details: http://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/yidstock
The Greenwood Chamber Players return to Sevenars in Worthington, MA on July 17, with music for flute and strings. The program includes a vibrant quintet by Kuhlau (sometimes called “the Danish Beethoven”), the beautiful Impresiones de la Puna by Argentine composer Ginastera (for the 100th anniversary of his birth), and much more. For details: www.sevenars.org
The Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s Talcott Mountain Music Festival celebrates the classics on July 15 (Raindate: July 16) in Simsbury, CT. HSO Maestro Carolyn Kuan conducts, and the program includes Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring, Tchaikovsky’s Serenade, and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17 with soloist Andrew Armstrong. For details: 86-987-5900 or www.hartfordsymphony.org.
The Merchant of Venice, Shakespeare’s controversial drama about divided love, a tragic history, and an infamous wager, plays Shakespeare and Company in Lenox through August 21. Tina Packer directs; Jonathan Epstein plays Shylock. For details: 413-637-3353 or www.shakespeare.org.
Sarah Elizabeth Charles, the Springfield native who has become an up-and-coming vocalist and composer returns to her native
Sarah Elizabeth Charles returns to Springfield. Photo by Shervin Lainez.
Springfield with pianist Jarrett Cherner, to perform at The Secret Garden Party at The Shops at Marketplace in downtown Springfield on July 13. Her appearance is is a collaboration between Girls Just Wanna Have Fun , The Shops at Marketplace and The American Women’s College of Bay Path University. For details: www.thesecretgarden.eventbrite.com
Bakersfield Mist, Stephen Sachs’ play about what is art and how one determines its value, is next at Northampton’s New Century Theatre (through July 9). Sam Rush directs. For details: 413-585-3220 or www.newcenturytheatre.org.
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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.
