Supporting Asheville and Western North Carolina’s Recovery from Hurricane Helene through Music
Hurricane Helene may have passed, but its impact on Asheville and the surrounding regions of Western North Carolina is still felt deeply. Attending upcoming concerts and music events not only provides entertainment but also contributes to the local economy and fosters community spirit. Here’s how you can get involved and help Asheville and Western North Carolina bounce back from the storm.
PlayMakers Rep's Rendition of Lynn Nottage's Crumbs from the Table of Joy Is a Soul-Pinching, Conversation-Generating Production
… Sometimes evoking Denzel Washington in the 2016 movie Fences, at other times John Amos in the 1970's sitcom Good Times, John Mark's laugh is contagious; and the earnestness with which he portrays Godfrey's rage-suppressed angst and desire to do well by his family is commendable.
The Lion King at DPAC Boasts a Top-Notch Cast and Spectacular Production Values
Much like "The Festival of the Lion King" performance that comes with tickets to Disney World's Animal Kingdom theme park, the Broadway musical features actors in animal costumes as well as giant, hollow puppets. The Lion King (musical), which has been on Broadway since 1997, is Broadway's third longest-running show in history and the highest-grossing Broadway production of all time. But unlike the movie or amusement-park production, The Lion King (musical) puts its audience in the center of the life-sized animals that are integral to its Hamlet-like plot and message.
The Game by Bekah Brunsetter Explores the Impact of an MMORPG-Addicted Spouse on His Marriage
Though based on Aristophanes' Lysistrata, The Game is set in current-day Troy, North Carolina, not ancient Troy in Asia Minor. It features five women of differing generations and circumstances, who have formed a support group for women whose partners are addicted to the massively multiplayer online role-playing game(MMORPG) aptly called The Game.
Mrs. Doubtfire at DPAC Is WONDERFUL!
I had my doubts about going to see the Durham Performing Arts Center's presentation of the 2021 Broadway musical comedy Mrs. Doubtfire. I couldn't imagine anyone holding a flame to Robin Williams' performance in the movie. But I was more than pleasantly surprised -- at some points, nearly ecstatic -- by two-time Tony nominee Rob McClure's multifaceted performance as Daniel Hilliard, the man-child protagonist of the production.
Jeffrey Blair Cornell Gives a Passionate Performance as Hercule Poiret in PRC's Murder on the Orient Express
PlayMakers Repertory Company's production of Ken Ludwig's 2017 stage adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express, based on the 1934 novel by Agatha Christie, offers Agatha Christie fans the opportunity to introduce her work to the young people in their lives (PlayMakers recommends 10 years and older), most of whom have likely never heard of the prolific author.
Van Gogh Exhibit Gives Me Fever
Not long ago, I was rolling my eyes at another selfie taken in front of the giant reproduction of Starry Night covering the entrance of every venue for the Van Gogh Immersive Experience. Two days ago, I found myself at a show in Raleigh. When I got home, I researched the things I'd learned and found that we're not as sure of Van Gogh's history as we think.
James Ijames' Fat Ham at PlayMakers Rep Gives Shakespeare's Hamlet a New and Colorful Twist
“Fat Ham, playing now through Feb. 18th in the Paul Green Theatre, is the most recent play by James Ijames' (pronounced "times" without the "t") that is based on Shakespeare's Hamlet. But rather than focusing on an outdated Danish royal family, Fat Ham centers on a contemporary Black family at a cookout in none other than North Carolina.”
On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan is a Pop Concert, Dance Party, Documentary, and Musical Theater, All Rolled Into One
“It's a shame that there is only one more performance of On Your Feet! -- at 7:30 p.m. tonight at DPAC. The house should be filled for the show's final Durham performance, and audience members should inform the producers and DPAC that they want it back for a longer run next year.”
Mean Girls at DPAC May Be the Best Musical That I've Ever Seen
“I would see the performance again tonight just to hear Natalie Shaw’s solos a second time, but there’s so much more to the musical than her enchanting voice. It would be a shame if the house were not full for all the remaining performances, particularly given the number of angsty teenagers we have in the Triangle who would benefit from its viewing.”
Funny Girl at DPAC Is a Bucket-List American Classic
“Director Michael Mayer and stage manager Jovon E. Shuck have their hands full with this production of Funny Girl, but they can clearly handle the weight. They deserve the house to be full for every remaining performance. And YOU deserve to see it!”
DSA Theatre Troupe 5765's Into the Woods Meets Sold-Out Audience's Expectations
“Director and DSA theatre teacher Douglas Graves can once again hold his head high with DSA’s 2023-24 high school students’ performance of this year’s production of Into the Woods, as should assistant stage managers Clark Beckstrom, Emily Neill, and Sasha Wolfrum, all DSA students. DSA students were responsible for every part of the production, which was sometimes hard to believe given its professional quality.”
Prince Hal at Breweries Is a Win-Win Proposition
“I highly recommend Scrap Paper Shakespeare's remaining brewery-located performances to parents who are looking for a place to have a drink while doing something productive with their teen or tween children. I was just glad my 13-year-old got some outside-the-book exposure to Shakespeare. Turns out, he thoroughly enjoyed the first act and at times actually explained to me what was going on. “
British Comedic Icon Delighted His Triangle Fans with An Evening with the Late John Cleese
“Death is certainly a taboo enough subject for Cleese's brand of comedy (and that of his Monty Python peers), particularly among older people who don't even want to acknowledge its encroaching inevitability. You would think that such a stereotypically dark theme would doom a comedy show from the start. But, for most of the audience, including my son and me, this couldn't have been farther from the truth.”
PlayMakers Rep's Rendition of Stephen King's Misery Is Perfect Friday the 13th Fare
“Not only are the set, lighting, sound, and costume design top notch; but the characters' inner feelings and thoughts are visible in a way that cannot be accomplished without effectively passionate direction. PlayMakers Rep's presentation of Misery is a team effort, and they makes you a part of that team the minute you walk into the Paul Green Theatre. Adding this to the near-guaranteed thrill of Stephen King's scary storytelling, how can you miss it?”
The World Premiere of Ona by Keith Burridge Vividly Dramatizes a Forgotten But Still Pertinent Chapter of 19th Century U.S. History
“Ona centers around Martha Washington's personal house slave Ona Judge. I'd never heard of her; and I'm not alone, which is not coincidental. thirty-five American states still censor discussion of slavery in secondary-school classrooms, which inevitably hinders public discussion altogether.”
Clyde's at PlayMakers Rep Puts Its Audience in the Shoes of the Formerly Incarcerated
“The riding momentum behind PlayMakers' production of this iconic play is toward social consciousness and literacy when it comes to addressing the denigrating, disparaging, and (seemingly) hopeless experiences that previously incarcerated people face every day. We nod our heads empathetically when the subject comes up in conversation, but how many of us with no incarceration experience ever put ourselves in their shoes? This is desperately needed, and seeing Clyde's is a good start.”
Sound Problems Make Ride the Cyclone a Bumpy Ride
“The highlight of the production is Kayla Petrille's expert portrayal of the doll-like Jane Doe, particularly her piercing, siren-like voice whenever she opens her mouth and especially when she sings. This is no surprise, as Petrille teaches voice lessons full time and has the most performing experience among the actors. “
Lights! Costumes! Magic! Beetlejuice Brings the DPAC Audience to Its Feet!
“The costume and physical appearance of Lydia (Isabella Esler) is delightfully reminiscent of Christina Ricci's wardrobe as Wednesday in the 1991 film adaptation of The Addams Family or the costumes that Winona Rider wore when she played Lydia in Tim Burton's 1988 movie Beetlejuice. Whether speaking or singing, Esler's voice is prominent and clear, with the made-for-stage lilt and vibrato of a pop star.”
John Frazier Lights Up the PSI Stage as Ladies' Man Garry Essendine in Noël Coward's Present Laughter
Present Laughter, which was written in 1939, but not staged until 1942, due to World War II, opens on a young woman in her dressing robe, waiting in a sitting room for world-loved comic actor Garry Essendine to emerge from his bedroom. Daphne, played in dramatic juvenile fashion by Dani Coan, forgot her latchkey the previous night and had to spend the night in Essendine's "spare room" …