By Mark G. Auerbach
Bryan Batt stars in Hartford Stage’s The King’s Speech.
Mad Men star Bryan Batt headlines cast of ‘The King’s Speech’ at Hartford Stage
Hartford Stage presents the original stage version of “The King’s Speech”, which inspired the Oscar-winning film, March 19-April 19. David Seidler, Academy Award winning screenwriter, adapted his movie from his play, which tells the true story of King George VI, his speech therapist Lionel Logue, and their friendship which helped steer the course of history. Michael Wilson, former Artistic Director of Hartford Stage (1988-2011), returns to direct this production. The stage version of “The King’s Speech” made its North American premiere in Chicago last year.
Playwright David Seidler was born in London and sent to the USA as an infant during World War II. Seidler had a childhood stammer, and George VI, the reluctant stuttering king, because his boyhood hero and role model. Nick Westrate from Broadway’s “Casa Valentina”, Bern Hardt/Hamlet, and “A Moon for The Misbegotten”, plays George VI. Bryan Batt, star of TV’s Mad Men and Broadway’s “Cats and Sunset Boulevard,” plays Lionel Logue. Noble Shropshire from Hartford Stage’s “A Christmas Carol,” and Broadway’s “The Drowsy Chaperone,” and numerous productions at Springfield’s former StageWest, is in the cast.
For details: www.hartfordstage.org.
Of Note:
Chad Jennings headlines ThearterWorks’ “Every Brilliant Thing.”
Jenn Thompson directs Anne of Green Gables at Goodspeed.
Goodspeed Musicals has announced the creatives for its 2020 season. Rob Ruggiero, TheaterWorks Artistic Director; Darko Tresnjak, former Artistic Director at Hartford Stage, and Jenn Thompson, who has staged plays and musicals at many area theatres, will helm Goodspeed’s 2020 Musicals. Ruggiero directs the opening production of South Pacific. Thompson, who staged the memorable productions of “Bye, Bye Birdie” and “Oklahoma, “directs Goodspeed’s new musical, “Anne of Green Gables.” Tresnjak, who sent “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” and “Anastasia” in Hartford and on Broadway, mounts a revival of “Candide.” Adam Souza, newly appointed music director at Goodspeed, will serve in that capacity for all three productions this summer. For details: www.goodspeed.org.
Darko Tresnjak, former Artistic Director of Hartford Stage, will direct the world premiere of the new musical, “Noir,” with music by Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening) and book by Kyle Jarrow (The Spongebob Musical). The show, about a recluse who finds solace in music on the radio, premieres at Houston’s Alley Theatre in January, 2021. For details: www.alleytheatre.org
Theresa Rebeck, author of plays, novels, screenplays, and TV scripts will present a conversation about writing and the role of women writers, at the Rand Theatre at the Umass Fine Arts Center on March 26 at 5PM. Rebeck is one of the most-produced women playwright son Broadway. Her recent Off-Broadway offering, “Seared,” featured UMass Theater alum David Mason in one of the main roles. Her play, “Omnium Gatherum,” was a Pulitzer Prize finalist, and she created the TV show Smash, as well as writing award-winning episodes of NYPD Blue. The event is free.
Stephen Sondheim, prolific Broadway composer, turns 90 on March 22, and Williams College is presenting a two-day symposium on the composer and lyricist, whose works include: “Sweeney Todd,” “A Little Night Music,” “Company,” “Follies” and more. For details: https://communications.williams.edu/news-releases/1_21_2020_sondheim/
Keep in Mind…
“Every Brilliant Thing” by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe, has been added to TheaterWorks season, March 12-22. Chad Jennings, an alum of the national tours of “War Horse,” “South Pacific,” and “Wicked,” stars in the life-affirming theatrical event, staged by Eric Ort. A seven year old kid, whose mom is in the hospital, tries to cheer her up, by making a list of everything brilliant in the world from ice cream and water fights, to hairdressers who listen to what you want, and chocolates…all in the hopes of cheering mom up. “Every Brilliant Thing” has been performed nationwide, including a herald production at Chester Theatre Company last year. After this production, Jennings heads to Goodspeed to reprise the role of Luther Billis in “South Pacific,” staged by TheaterWorks’ Rob Ruggiero. For details: www.twhartford.org.
“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” the Tony Award-winning play by Simon Stephens, based on Mark Haddon’s novel, plays at Connecticut Repertory Theatre on the UCONN/Storrs campus through March 8. Kristin Wold directs the story of a teen with an extraordinary aptitude for math, who turns detective when he’s wrongly accused of killing a neighbor’s dog. For details: www.crt.uconn.edu
Cirque FLIP Fabrique, world-class circus performers from Quebec,will turn the stage at the UMass Fine Arts Center Concert Hall into a winter wonderland on March 18, with their latest production, Blizzard. Featuring original music, circus performers at the peak of their art, and outstanding visual poetry, Blizzard takes the audience on a crazy, poetic and gentle journey in the dead of winter, and invites them to get lost in a moment of complete wonder. FLIP Fabrique was born in 2011, formed around the common aspirations of a group of six friends who met at the École de Cirque de Québec. The group is composed of world-class artists who possess a combined experience of several hundred performances with the prestigious Cirque du Soleil and Éloize, among others. For details: www.fineartscenter.com/Blizzard.
The Springfield Symphony Orchestra performs music of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky to Symphony Hall on March 8. Daniel Hege is the guest conductor, and Angelo Xiang Wu is the soloist for Beethoven’s Violin Concerto. Hege is conductor of the orchestras in Wichita and Binghamton, while Maestro Rhodes is conducting at the Norwegian National Ballet in Oslo. For details: www.springfieldsymphony.org.
Screaming Orphans on the Westfield Concert Series. (SANJAY SUCHAK PHOTO)
Westfield Concerts returns to the Westfield Woman’s Club with their March Monthly Music Weekend Series, March 13-15. Headliners include Celtic Rockers, The Screaming Orphans, on March 13; and singer/songwriter Robbie Fulks on March 15. Westfield Concerts is powered by Gaslight Entertainment. For details: www.westfieldconcerts.com.
The Irish Comedy Tour at Berkshire Theatre Group.
The Irish Comedy Tour plays The Colonial in Pittsfield on March 12. It’s a quartet of comics from the Emerald Isle bringing fast-paced, raucous laughs to the Berkshires. 16+ only. For details: www.berkshiretheatregroup.org.
DIVAS, stop/time dance theater’s original show featuring 18 outstanding company members who sing and dance their way into your heart with a mix of tap, jazz, swing and funk, March 25-April 5 The resident dance company of West Hartford’s Playhouse on Park, directed by theatre co-founder Darlene Zoller, is now in its 17th season. DIVAS pays homage to all of your favorites: Cher, Tina, Gloria, Shania, Dolly, Whitney, and more! For details: www.playhouseonpark.org.
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, and is a contributor to Pioneer Valley Radio.
