Roy Berko - Page 12

Just because it basically takes place in a high school, don't expect 'MEAN GIRLS,' now on stage at the Connor Palace as part of the Key Bank Broadway series, to have the emotional impact of 'DEAR, EVAN HANSEN.'

It's '1996, the Alexandria [Egypt] Ceremonial Police Orchestra, just arrived in Israel, and are waiting in Tel Aviv's central bus station. They expect to be welcomed by a representative from a local Arab cultural organization, but no one shows up.

On May 4, 1970, over a period of 13-seconds, nearly 70 shots were fired upon Kent State University unarmed students by the Ohio State National Guard. The students, and their supporters, were protesting against the bombing of Cambodia by the United States, part of the ill-conceived Vietnam incursion. Forever after, to be known as 'The Kent State Massacre,' the attack killed four and wounded nine others.

Multi-award-winning Dominique Morisseau is one of America's new and, in the view of many, the best of emerging playwrights.

Most Americans know Margaret Atwood as the author of 'The Handmaid's Tale,' the multi-award-winning television series.

'Wakey, Wakey' leaves audience emotionally drained at Dobama.

Sara Bruner has proven once again that she is the queen of Shakespeare staging. As she did last season with her 'The Taming of the Shrew,' her women-centric version of 'Julius Caesar,' which is now on stage at Great Lakes Theater, is creative, well-formulated and long on clear message development.

The play 'Member of the Wedding' is based on Carson McCullers 1946 novel of the same name. The author also penned the script for the 1950 Broadway stage production which starred Ethel Waters, Julie Harris and Brandon DeWilde.

We are in the midst of 'The Music Man' blizzard. In the last year, Porthouse Theatre and The Shaw Festival have done the show, and a Broadway production starring Hugh Jackman as Harold Hill, will begin performances on October 15, 2020. Two-time Tony Award-winning superstar, Sutton Foster, will co-star as Marian the librarian. The production will be directed by four-time Tony Award winner, Jerry Zaks, with choreography by Tony Award winner Warren Carlyle.

On October 12 at 8PM in the Ohio Theatre and October 13 at 3 PM at Fairmount Temple, The Musical Theater Project (TMTP) will present 'BLUE SKIES-IRVING BERLIN AND THE AMERICAN DREAM' with Bill Rudman, Paul Ferguson, Trev Offult and Michael Shirtz, the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and Joe Hunter Trio. It is a tribute to Irving Berlin.

As the lights come up on the Tony Winning Cleveland Play House's opening production of its 104thseason, it's 1942 and the Oberon Play House (a stand-in name for CPH), is about to open its season. There is a major problem, however. The plays scheduled are all Shakespeare, the company's males are all off fighting in World War II, and the director is in the service of his country.

The lights dim. Joseph Lyle Dunn, who we later learn is portraying Conrad, the play's protagonist, comes stage center and says, 'The play will begin when someone says: 'Start the fucking play.'' As if on cue, a member of the audience yells, 'Start the fucking play,' and it does!