Theatre

[BayCityJohn]

Pride Films and Plays Chicago

We are looknig for performers of all kinds to perform scenes or monologues from great gay screenplays for our benefit at Halsted/Hydrate on August 22. If you have ever wanted to perform a great movie monologue, or have a great scene up your sleeve, send an email to PrideActor@gmail.com with August in the subject line. Thanks!

[BayCityJohn]

October 14 - 30, 2010
Laboratory Theater presents
GIT ALONG LIL DOGGIES
http://vimeo.com/8540538
http://www.laboratorytheater.org

"Brokeback Mountain" meets "Naked Lunch" in Laboratory Theater's newest work, a cowboy dance-drama about the spiritual imprint of the windswept landscape of the American west. In an impressionistic narrative inspired by the work of William S. Burroughs and Annie Proulx, two outlaws conjure the violent forces of nature through sex-magic to take revenge on an old adversary. Commingling elements of country-western line dance and gay pornography, the performance
unfolds against a projected video landscape of repainted Marlboro cigarette TV commercials and within an immersive soundscape incorporating contemporary new age music for pedal steel guitar.

Directed by Yvan Greenberg, with Corey Dargel, Sheila Donovan, Oleg Dubson, and Wil Smith.


http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/The_Brick_Announces_Their_Fall_2010_Season_20100709

[BayCityJohn]

Alan Cumming did a wonderful cabaret style show tonight at the Castro Theater in San Francisco.

The puckish stage and film star Alan Cumming brings his solo live show Alan Cumming: I Bought a Blue Car Today to the Castro Theatre on Saturday night. The evening of stories and songs earned rave reviews in New York, Sydney, London and LA, and chronicles the Scottish actor's adventures coming to America.

"It was something I always wanted to do, but I was too scared to do it," he told me in a recent interview. "As an actor, I was so used to the full rehearsal process, but Lincoln Center facilitated making it happen. The inspiration for the show was me coming to America and becoming a US citizen because I wanted to vote for Obama."

Mingled throughout his autobiographical tales, Cumming sings selections from his CD I Bought a Blue Car Today. "I'm really looking forward to being at the Castro Theatre so I can sing a few songs and tell a few dirty stories."

http://ebar.com/arts/art_article.php?sec=theatre&article=636

[Lyle (Mooska)]

A friend of mine, Nicholas-who played Tony Hayward in a Jimmy Kimmel sketch,
was in a show I saw last night called Black Coffee.  An Agatha Christie play.
I enjoyed it very much, a good production and a nice theatre space.

While there I discovered some ads for other shows playing in Los Angeles
right now:  A musical of "CHiP's"!  The tag says, "They're back!  And this
time they're singing!"  LOL...but the one that made me really laugh is a
re-visioned Gilbert & Sullivan musical that takes place on the Star Trek
ship Enterprise, called U.S.S. Pinafore!  Silliness!!!

[Ennis Del Mark]

A singing Ponch???  Love it!!!

[canmark]

Just saw the touring production of South Pacific (based on the current Lincoln Center/Broadway production) and it's wonderful! Although I've seen the movie version at least 10 times, I had never seen the show on stage. Very good. If the tour comes to your town, go see it.

http://www.southpacificontour.com/

[daannzzz]

UCSC Shakespeare Santa Cruz:

I saw their production of "The Lion in Winter"
Very good. The man playing Henry was awesome.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Veritas, About Harvard Gay Witch-Hunt
Begins Fringe Run Aug. 20
By Andrew Gans
20 Aug 2010

Stan Richardson's Veritas, which is part of the New York International Fringe Festival, begins its run Aug. 20 at HERE Arts Center Mainstage Theater.

Directed by Ryan J. Davis, the cast includes Justin Blanchard, Paul Downs Colaizzo, Mitch Dean, Morgan Karr, Doug Kreeger, Eric Nelsen, Matt Steiner, Jesse Swenson, Sam Underwood and Joseph Yeargain.

Inspired by true events, Veritas, according to press notes, is "the story of a group of young men at Harvard in 1920 whose promising futures fell prey to Harvard's 'Secret Court': a gay witch-hunt conducted by school administration to purge Harvard of all homosexuality."

HERE Arts Center Mainstage Theater is located at 145 6th Avenue.

www.FringeNYC.org
www.VeritasThePlay

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Yank! Delays Broadway Bow Until Fall 2011
By Andrew Gans
and Adam Hetrick
September, 2010

Yank! A WWII Love Story, which ended its extended run at the York Theatre Company April 4, will not arrive on Broadway this season, according to the New York Times.

The new musical, which will be directed by David Cromer, is now aiming for a fall 2011 Main Stem bow.

The decision to postpone will allow the creators more time to overhaul the musical's book. Both director Cromer and Bobby Steggert, the Tony-nominated performer who starred in Yank!Off-Broadway, remain committed to the production.  Cromer will make his Broadway musical debut with Yank!  Yank! A WWII Love Story has music by Joseph Zellnik with book and lyrics by David Zellnik. Set during World War II, Yank!, according to press notes, "chronicles the relationship between two servicemen long before Don't Ask Don't Tell was part of the national discussion. With a lively score inspired by the pop sounds of the 1940s, Yank! captures the spirit and exuberance of the era as it explores questions of prejudice, courage and survival."

The Off-Broadway production of Yank! received seven Drama Desk nominations, including Outstanding Musical; two Outer Critics Circle nominations, including Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical; and two Lucille Lortel Award nominations, including Outstanding Musical.

I saw this a couple weeks ago--my friend who is really in to theatre had one of those dvd copies from
someone who recorded it in the theatre...

It was decent, I didn't think it was great.  The problem is that the lead character needs more motivation,
otherwise things just happen to him and you don't feel anything about it.  Maybe that's what they're going
to work on.  The music was adequate, I don't remember any of the songs, but I enjoyed it enough.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

I saw this a couple weeks ago--my friend who is really in to theatre had one of those dvd copies from
someone who recorded it in the theatre...

I also saw this week, in this kind of format, the original Broadway production of Take Me Out.
Loved it!  A Celebration Theatre production is going to be done in WeHo soon, I may go see it.
This play is right up my alley! 

[canmark]

I would love to see the revival of Angels in America now playing in NYC. I've read the plays (Millennium Approaches and Perestroika), have the HBO movie version on DVD which I've seen multiple times, and even saw the Japanese version of Millennium Approaches (in Japanese, which I don't understand) in Tokyo way back in '95, but have never actually seen a production on stage (in English). Alas, I don't see myself going to NYC any time soon.  But if anybody sees this production, please post about it.

http://www.signaturetheatre.org/angels/multimedia.htm

[BayCityJohn]

I've only seen Angels in America on stage once at Saginaw Valley State Univ, and it wasn't really well done. I had the feeling that the student actors didn't have a clue about what they were trying to portray. It would be nice to see the play done by professionals.

I also have the HBO movie on DVD and I love it. I've watched it several times over the years.

[BayCityJohn]

Gary, Bryon and I saw Dreamgirls in San Francisco tonight.

This is the first time I've seen it on stage. Somehow I missed it 30 years ago when it was new.

It's quite a spectcular production. I was very impressed with the rotating, floor-to-ceiling LED screens and the way the dancers seemed to disappear into and then emerge from the digital images. The screens are in fact the only set in the show, and are never a distraction. They are totally in synch with the performers at all times.

Moya Angela as Effie was outstanding, and Chester Gregory as James nearly stole the show.

[garyd]

Yank! Delays Broadway Bow Until Fall 2011
By Andrew Gans
and Adam Hetrick
September, 2010

I saw this a couple weeks ago--my friend who is really in to theatre had one of those dvd copies from
someone who recorded it in the theatre...

It was decent, I didn't think it was great.  The problem is that the lead character needs more motivation,
otherwise things just happen to him and you don't feel anything about it.  Maybe that's what they're going
to work on.  The music was adequate, I don't remember any of the songs, but I enjoyed it enough.

Lyle:
Do you know which production you saw?
Was it the Diversionary 2008 or the New York off Broadway production from last year?
g

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Lyle:
Do you know which production you saw?
Was it the Diversionary 2008 or the New York off Broadway production from last year? g

I don't really know.  It wasn't the one from thisyear, because my friend also has
an audio recording (from where-who knows) of that one and there's a few changes and a
new song.  I know he had this dvd last Nov., if that helps.