Southside

A DUAL CRITICS REVIEW Jacksonville’s Alhambra Theatre opened the Tony Award-winning musical “1776” on October 17, which will continue through November 18, 2018. The theatre is located at 12000 Beach Boulevard in Jacksonville, Florida. Visit alhambrajax.com or call 904-641-1212 for reservations. The Alhambra’s timing for staging the production is notable, since our country is involved in mid-term elections which include extensive coverage of all things political by our newspapers and television commentators. This 1969 musical by Sherman Edwards and Peter Stone is about the drafting, acceptance and signing of the Declaration of Independence, the cornerstone of our liberty. Director Tod …

A DUAL CRITICS REVIEW The Douglas Anderson School of the Arts opened “East of the Sun and West of the Moon” on October 11, which continues during October 17 – 20, 2018. The play is based on the works of Norwegian writers Christian Asbjornsen and Jorgen Engebretsen Moe, who collected Scandinavian folktales and began publishing them in 1842. DA’s production is one of the most unique and entertaining we have ever seen. The characters are those found in many fairy tales and legends: a beautiful young girl, an ensorcelled prince, evil trolls, frightened villagers, and a lumbering giant bear, along …

A DUAL CRITICS REVIEW Jacksonville’s Alhambra Theatre revives one of the most popular shows it has ever done with the staging of “” This musical about eight Catholic school students in the 1950’s debuted in 1979 and is based on an earlier novel by John Powers; he subsequently wrote the book for the play, while James Quinn and Alaric Jans added music and lyrics. The Alhambra’s production opened on September 12 and runs through October 11, 2018. At times, we are asked if those of other faiths can enjoy this show: our response is “Yes!” and is based on the …

London Brown feels at home on the stage. The electric energy from a good crowd lets him know when he’s had a good show. It’s that dude eyeing him from the back that makes him question if his set sucked, or if guy with the stink eye is hating on him because of the character he plays on the HBO series “Ballers.” “I was in a club and this tall black guy that looked like he just got out of prison two hours ago is starting me down from across the room,” he says, “He finally walks up to me …

Jacksonville’s Alhambra Theatre opened “Kiss Me Kate,” a classic musical with a score filled to the brim with tuneful and thoughtfully fun songs. The production (August 1 – September 9, 2018) is staged at 12000 Beach Boulevard. Call (904) 641-1212 or visit alhambrajax.com for tickets and additional information. The musical, based on William Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” features the fabulous music and lyrics of Cole Porter and is very funny. The Bard’s work was adapted for the stage by Jeremy Sams, who set it in Baltimore in the 1940s, where a theatre company is planning a production of …

A DUAL CRITICS REVIEW The FSCJ Artist Series and the Nathan H. Wilson Center for the Arts debuted the thirteenth annual High School Summer Musical Theatre Experience (SMTE) on July 20th, 2018 with “,” Mel Brooks’ zany musical, which runs through July 29th. The musical is based Brooks’ 1974 black and white comedy-horror film by the same name. The film became and remains a cult passion; DVDs are available in public libraries and on-line, and it’s screened on television from time to time. Brooks wrote the lyrics and music for all but one of the songs in the adaptation (“Puttin’ …

Jacksonville’s Alhambra Theatre opened the Florida premiere of “,” a production offering a fun time for children of all ages and a trip down memory lane for many adults, especially those who remember the 1968 movie of the same name which starred Dick Van Dyke. The matinee the Dual Critics attended was packed. The story is based on a children’s book written for the young son of , who is better known as the creator of superspy James Bond. How did the novel get its name? “Chitty Chitty” is reportedly based on Fleming’s friendship with an engineer named Chitty and …

The Douglas Anderson School of the Arts opened a splendid revival of the Pulitzer Prize winner (1953) Picnic by , which opened April 12th, 2018. The production will remain on stage though April 20. For additional information and tickets, visit datheatreboosters.org. William Inge’s career peaked in the 1950s as he wrote several successful plays about small-town life, earning the title of “Playwright of the Midwest.” His other well-known works include “Come Back Little Sheba,” “Bus Stop,” and “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs.” This production is in at the school’s campus in San Marco. We are always excited …