by Mark G. Auerbach
Austin Thomas stars in The Legend of Georgia McBride at Theaterworks
Theaterworks Presents “The Legend of Georgia McBride”
Matthew Lopez’s The Legend of Georgia McBride is a new play catching the attention of theatres coast-to-coast, and Theaterworks’ Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero will stage the comedy with music March 16-April 22.
Austin Thomas stars as Casey, a former Elvis impersonator, who is about to become a father, broke, and about to be homeless. He unexpectedly finds fame as a drag queen, and as his life changes, he finds his voice.
Matthew Lopez is the author of The Whipping Man, one of the most widely produced new American plays of the last several seasons. His play Somewhere was produced at Hartford Stage, which also produced the world premiere of his play Reverberations. His newest work, The Inheritance, is having its world premiere at London’s Young Vic with Vanessa Redgrave starring.
The Legend of Georgia McBride premiered at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts[ in 2014. New Regency and Fox 2000 have acquired the feature film rights to The Legend of Georgia McBride with Jim Parsons co-starring and producing. Parsons, star of TV’s The Big Bang Theory, will play the role of Miss Tracy Mills, a drag star who teaches the art of impersonation to Casey. At Theaterworks, Jamison Stern, who played Zaza in Ruggiero’s Goodspeed production of La Cage Aux Folles, plays Miss Tracy.
Rob Ruggiero is excited about bringing Matthew Lopez’ comedy to Hartford. “Who doesn’t love a great laugh… or an evening in the theater that offers us not only a really good time as the main course, but also some enlightenment on the side? At its core, The Legend of Georgia McBride is a “feel-good”, gender-bending comedy with heart. I can’t remember the last time I laughed out loud reading a script. But beneath the fun is an important message about tolerance framed around themes of identity and transformation”.
Ralph Perkins, who choreographed La Cage Aux Folles for Ruggiero at Goodspeed, stages the dance numbers for The Legend of Georgia McBride.
And, on March 25, drag star extraordinaire, Varla Jean Merman, brings her new show Bad Heroine toTheaterworks as a benefit. Much of Varla’s material has been written by Hartford playwright Jacques Lamarre, whose Raging Skillet had its world premiere at Theaterworks last summer..
For details: 860-527-7838 or http://www.theaterworkshartford.org/
City of Westfield Engineer Mark Cressotti spoke to the public about the conversion project on Thursday night. (Photo courtesy of Greg Fitzpatrick)
Of Note
Theaterworks announced that they have received an Urban Act Grant in the amount of $2.5 million as a grant-in-aid from the Connecticut Bond Commission to assist with renovations and improvements to City Arts on Pearl, its home at 233 Pearl Street in downtown Hartford. TheaterWorks’ development team has raised an additional $1.5 million from individual contributions, foundations and corporate support. Fundraising continues to reach the projected budget of $4.5 million. Funding will be used to support extensive improvements to the historic 1927 building, which include replacement of the HVAC system, electrical and fire protection systems upgrades, elevator upgrades, and renovations to the theater lobby and performance space. Renovations are scheduled to begin in late spring of 2018. For details: www.theaterworkshartford.org.
The New England Public Radio Foundation announced the recipients of the 2018 NEPR Arts & Humanities Award. This year, NEPR will honor The Literacy Project; poet and founder of Springfield’s Teatro V!da, Magdalena Gómez and music director of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Carolyn Kuan. It will also celebrate Dr. David Tebaldi, Executive Director of Mass Humanities with the first ever “Lifetime Achievement” Arts & Humanities Award. For details: www.nepr.net.
Keep in Mind…
Arts Beat Radio host Mark G. Auerbach talks with Eric Ort, assistant director of Theaterworks upcoming The Legend of Georgia McBride. Playhouse on Park’s Meredith Atkinson previews In The Heights. Meet Jeanne Yocum, author of The Self-Employment Survival Guide: Proven Strategies to Succeed as Your Own Boss Tune in Wednesday, March 21 at 9AM on 89.5FM/WSKB. And, on Thursday, March 22, meet the Berkshire Theatre Group talents from 6AM-8AM on The Westfield News Show. Tune in live on the airwaves, on Comcast ch. 15, or www.wskb.org
Keith Lockhart conducts the Boston Pops in Hartford. .Photo by Stu Rosner.
The Best of The Boston Pops with Keith Lockhart plays The Bushnell on April 4. Lockhart leads the Boston Pops in favorites from musical theater, jazz, the movies, and more. The first half of the concert features a variety of favorite compositions including pieces from Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, and Richard Rodgers. Long-time Boston Pops collaborator, pianist Michael Chertock, also joins the orchestra for Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. Following a brief intermission, Maestro Lockhart and the Pops dive into the worlds of Duke Ellington, Astor Piazzolla, John Williams, and popular rock music legends Queen and ABBA. For details: 860-987-5900 or www.bushnell.org.
Air Play at the UMass Fine Arts Center
Air Play: A Circus of Air is a modern spectacle that brings to life the very air we breathe. Flying umbrellas, larger-than-life balloons, and giant kites floating over the audience are just part of the magic. Air Play, which plays the UMass Fine Arts Center on March 20, is a circus-style adventure of two siblings journeying through a surreal land of air, transforming the ordinary into objects of uncommon beauty. For details: 413-545-2511, 800-999-UMAS, or www.fineartscenter.com/airplay.
Jay Sefton and Ron Komora in the Majestic Theater’s Outside Mullingar. Photo by Lee Chambers
Outside Mullingar, John Patrick Shanley’s drama set in the midlands of Ireland, is onstage at West Springfield’s Majestic Theater through March 31.The play, written by the author of Doubt and Moonstruck, follows the story of Anthony and Rosemary, two neighboring farmers who are clueless when it comes to love. Danny Eaton directs. For details: 413-747-7797 or www.majestictheater.com
The Hartford Symphony Pops performs Never Break the Chain- The Music of Fleetwood Mac on March 24 at The Bushnell. Carolyn Kuan conducts the tribute concert with featured guests Jeans ‘n Classics. For details: 860-987-5900 or vwww.hartfordsymphony.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. Mark produces and hosts ArtsBeat Radio for 89.5fm/WSKB.
