On Stage

When one mentions intellectual comedy, it’s unlikely that your mind travels south of the Mason Dixon line. The comic trio of Trae Crowder, Drew Morgan and Corey Forrester are redrawing the boundaries of what it means to be smart and funny in the south. wellRED: From Dixie With Love​ is comedy for those who love all people, but also blowing shit up. It celebrates everything great about the South. It’s about loving your neighbor whether you have the same religion, skin color, or sexual preference, so long as they cheer for the same college football. It is about leaving behind …

DUAL CRITICS REVIEW “Mrs. Warren’s Profession,” a social-issues play by George Bernard Shaw, opened on the Swisher Theatre Stage at Jacksonville University on February 15th, with additional shows scheduled February 22 and 24, at 7:30 PM.  The Irish playwright was a Nobel Prize winner, who wrote more than sixty plays during his lifetime. His best known works include “Man and Superman,” “Saint Joan,” “Major Barbara,” “Caesar and Cleopatra,” and “Pygmalion,” the basis for the ever- popular musical “My Fair Lady.” He died at age ninety-four, while in the process of writing still another play. “Mrs. Warren’s Profession” was written in …

It’s early Sunday afternoon and Michael Jackson Jr. has just hopped in a cab on his way home from a short video shoot. In the morning, the dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater begins a new tour. There is still much to do, and the energy is high, especially for Jackson. As the face of the 2018 tour, his image represents one of most distinguished brands in the world of dance. “It’s a mix of emotions to be honest. At first, I was definitely shocked. Along with happiness and excitement, there is a little bit of pressure. Ever …

The Alhambra Theatre opened the 2nd show of its 51st season with the classic “Little Shop of Horrors” the l982 Off-Broadway musical by and which in turn was base on Roger Corman’s l960 movie. It has remained very popular over the years after running for five years in New York. This show run through March 25 20l8, call 641-1212 for reservations. is located at 12000 Beach Blvd in Jacksonville Florida. This is the story of a nebbish flower shop guy Seymour () who unknowingly cultivates an “unusual” new plant that brings him good fortune and wealth to the skid row …

The 5 & Dime, Jacksonville’s downtown theatre company, opened its first play of 2018 with “The Walls,” by Lisa Dillman. The production opened on February 16th and will remain on stage through March 4th. Playwright Dillman has written several plays; this is the first performed in Jacksonville. s staging is the second production of this play, which debuted in 2009 at Ms. Dillman’s homebase, the Rivendell Theatre Ensemble in Chicago. The play’s title refers to the walls around people with mental illness; sometimes it’s possible to break down the walls, often it’s not. The play has two stories than run …

Jacksonville University’s College of Fine Arts Performing Arts Series opened the pop-musical “Aida” at on their Arlington campus on February 16, 2018; additional performances are scheduled on February 17, 23 and 25. The musical is based on ’s opera of the same name, with music by and lyrics by . “Aida debuted in 2000 on Broadway and was not a favorite of New York critics. But the public loved it and it ran for 1,800 performances. “Every Story is a Love Story,” the opening song, informs us that “Aida” is a story of love that flourished in a time of …

The exploration of female insanity traces a dark path through times when women were often institutionalized for mental illness. Ribbons of tragedy and unimaginable suffering are entwined in their history, but there are also unexpected threads of hope woven into the individual stories. Playwright Lisa Dillman offers a fascinating portrayal of the elusive nature of madness and the resulting separation it can bring in The Walls, opening February 16th at . Directed by Bradley Akers, the production runs through March 4th. Centered around a group of women and their families in three different time periods, the play studies the exploration …

ORANGE PARK COMMUNITY THEATRE REVIEW OPCT opened a delightful version of “Kiss Me Kate” with its first show of 2018, for a run from February 9 – March 4. The theatre is located at 2900 Moody Avenue, in Orange Park, Florida. For reservations, call 904-276-2599 or visit ShowTixNow.com.   For additional information, see www.opct.info.  “” is a musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” and is a play within a play. The show is set in Baltimore in the 1940’s and tells the story of Fred Graham and Lilli Vanessi, a divorced couple who have been brought together …

Paula Poundstone loves to play ping pong, even though she admittedly sucks at it. The comedienne recently spent an entire day playing ping pong with a revolving roster of competitors. If someone missed their scheduled time slot, she was ready to go head-to-head with an automated ball machine but thankfully, there was more than enough players to fill the nine-hour experiment in joy. “We used to have parties where we’d invite maybe 50 people or so and do a doubles tournament and pull names out of a hat. But I’m always so busy that I hardly get to play at …

A DUAL CRITICS REVIEW by Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom Elvis Presley was back, on stage at during February 7 – 11, 2018, where the legendary entertainer was portrayed by Kevin Mills. Eager fans throughout the area gathered to see and hear an artist who is considered one of the best at recreating the legend of The King. The entire run was sold out.  began his journey in this role back in Memphis, Tennessee when he entered the “Images of the King” contest. His performance was so well received that it launched his career. He performed at Bill Clinton’s presidential inauguration, …