Music, dance, and rollicking fun await you in the Alhambra’s Crazy For You which will be onstage through May 5, at 12000 Beach Boulevard in Jacksonville. Call (904) 641-1212 for reservations. Crazy For You debuted in 1992 and won the Tony for Best Musical. The Alhambra’s production is an energetic fast-paced show that you will want to see again and again. It is filled with great Gershwin songs including “Embraceable You”, “Someone to Watch Over Me”, and “I Got Rhythm”. The show is set in the 1930s and is an adaptation of “Girl Crazy”, a musical which played on Broadway …

The LaVilla School of the Arts presented two one-act plays as their annual Spring Production. The school does two major productions each year. Last fall, LaVilla did the musical School House Rock, which went on to the District Thespians and State Thespian Festival in Melbourne Florida. LaVilla is a magnet school with students from every corner of Duval county in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. Many students continue their education at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts or Stanton College Prep. The first one-act was “UPON A SEA OF DREAMS” by Kathleen Donnelly which debuted in 2008 and is …

The Alhambra Theatre opened Alfred Uhry’s popular and Pulitzer Prize winning play, Driving Miss Daisy and it will run through March 17th. It stars Emmy Award winning actress MICHAEL LEARNED of The Waltons and LANCE NICHOLS of HBO’s currently running drama “Treme.” Set in Atlanta in 1948, the plot revolves around a 72 year old cantankerous and independent Jewish widow, Daisy Werthan, who is at odds with her son Boolie (MICHAEL EDWARD HODGE) over his advice about her driving. Despite recently hitting a building and totaling her automobile, Daisy refuses to give up driving. Over her objections he hires a full-time black …

The Alhambra Theatre kicked off its 2013 season on December 28th with the North Florida premier of the Richard Maltby Jr. musical Ring of Fire – The Music of Johnny Cash. The show opened on the 28th so the Alhambra could feature it for the annual New Year’s Eve event. The official gala opening is January 4th, and this is a rare opportunity to read a review and make gala reservations. (Galas are lots of fun, with free champagne and hors d’oeuvres offered by the roving wait staff before the show and some goodies after the show along with a …

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas? A Christmas that includes softly falling snow? Not much chance of that in Jacksonville, although we came close in 1989. Does anyone remember? If you’re dreaming of a theatrical White Christmas, then the musical stage version of the 1954 Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye movie is now at the Alhambra and will remain until December 24. However, even experiencing the fluffy stuff vicariously may remain a dream unless you already have reserved seats, as the show has been sold out since Halloween. You can ask to be put a waiting list; perhaps you’ll …

Traditional good old country music is alive and well on the stage of the Alhambra Theatre and Dining in the hands of country music star Jason Petty and his show Hank & My Honky Tonk Heroes. Originally scheduled to run through August 19, it has been extended until August 26. In this tribute to Hank Williams, one of the most popular shows to ever come to the Alhambra, Petty recreates Hank’s iconic stage presence. A terrific four-piece backup band includes Mark Baczynski (fiddle), Rory Hoffman (electric guitar), Eric Lewis (steel guitar) and David Martin, who is the bandleader and on …

Some early results are in for the 2012 election year. The Alhambra Theatre decided to choose its summer play based on the votes of its fans and patrons, and The Wizard of Oz was the winner of the popular vote. The musical has now opened and will be playing through July 23rd. It’s not a surprise that it won; the novel by L. Frank Baum that inspired the play has had a strong following since it was first published in 1900, 112 years ago. In 1939, an Academy Award nominated film starring Judy Garland was made. The Wizard of Oz film …

If you are a fan of 50s rock, Buddy Holly and the Crickets in particular, then the Alhambra’s new show The Buddy Holly Story is for you. If you were not around when Buddy Holly rose to fame and created the sound that changed the music of the 50s, you will be a fan after you experience this energy-packed extravaganza, which runs for two and a half hours. The story of Buddy begins at age 19 when, as the leader of a small county music band, he pursued his desire to perform rock and roll in his very own special style. The …

One of the Alhambra’s all time favorite shows is back in town, starring Gail Bliss in A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, on stage from February 8 to February 26. Webster’s dictionary defines “bliss” as supreme happiness; utter joy or contentment.” Indeed Ms. Bliss’s performances over the past twelve years has garnered a legion of loyal fans who return again and again because of the supreme happiness and joy they receive from her total commitment to bringing the songs of Patsy Cline to life once again. When it was announced by the Alhambra that this would be the last presentation …