On Stage

is announcing its 2016-2017 Season! This line up was chosen as a reflection of the community and culture, presenting a diverse range of exciting and thoroughly entertaining shows. Featuring Tony award winning productions, including Into The Woods, City of Angels, as well as two World Premieres from Local Playwrights, this season is sure not to disappoint! To get the excitement underway, the season opener will be on the Mainstage as Players presents Into The Woods. From the pen of Musical Theatre legend Stephen Sondheim comes this thrilling and spell-binding collision of your favorite fairy tales. When a Baker and his …

Hal Holbrook, at an impressive 91 years of age, continues his 62 year tour performing his legendary impression of Mark Twain and interpretation of the 19th Century American author’s work. I had the exquisite pleasure of attending his performance at the Thrasher Horne Center for the Arts. The lighting and acoustics in this gem of a theater provided the perfect venue to showcase one of America’s most famous touring actors. While Mr. Holbrook can not be pinned down to a specific program for the audience to follow along to since he says that it would stifle his inspiration, he does …

PLAYERS BY THE SEA THEATRE REVIEW DICK KEREKES & LEISLA SANSOM [email protected] Politics seems to be on every American’s mind at this time, with news about the presidential race filling television screens and newspapers throughout the country. The timing of the opening at Players by the Sea of “All the Way,” Robert Shenkkan’s award-winning political drama, could not have been more opportune. The play, which portrays the extraordinary efforts of President Lyndon Johnson to get the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed, is informative, exciting, and inspiring. This must-see show opened on April 22, 2016, and will run through May …

THEATRE JACKSONVILLE THEATRE REVIEW DICK KEREKES & LEISLA SANSOM [email protected] opened the “,” a wild and crazy farce, at 2032 San Marco Boulevard in Jacksonville, Florida on April 22, 2016. The production will run through May 7; visit theatrejax.com or call 904 396-4425 for additional information and reservations. Playwright wrote this comedy, which will take you back to Victorian England in the most captivating way. If you are a fan of operettas or episodes, you’ll love this show. Or if you just like frothy, frivolous comedy, this is the ticket for you. The action takes place in an exclusive men’s …

presented a two-night benefit cabaret on April 14 – 15, 2016 at their theatre home at 700 East Union Street, in Jacksonville, Florida. This was the finest evening of song we have ever heard in thirty-six years of covering the theatre scene in this area. Oh, we have seen some fine cabaret shows over the years but none with TEN featured singers performing! Before we comment on the show, just a few words about this event and similar productions by community theatres in North Florida. The cost of everything is going up, and that includes the cost of putting on …

ONCE, winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and winner of the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, will play the for a limited engagement of two shows on Sunday, May 1 at 2 PM and 7 PM. This will be the Northeast Florida Premiere for the tour. Tickets for ONCE are available now and can be purchased by calling (904) 276-6815 or visiting THcenter.org. ONCE, which was named Best Musical by the New York Drama Critics’ Circle, Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle and Lucille Lortel Awards, ran for more than 1,100 performances on Broadway with …

LIMELIGHT THEATRE REVIEW DICK KEREKES & LEISLA SANSOM [email protected] St. Augustine’s opened the mystery/comedy farce “” on April 15, 2016. The play, which can perhaps best be described as an homage to the great filmmaker , continues through May 8 on the Matuza Main Stage at 11 Old Mission Avenue. Limelight’s version of the “The 39 Steps,” which was written by playwright-actor in 2005, premiered in London in 2006, and opened on Broadway in 2008, where it received both Drama Desk and Tony awards, and ran for almost 800 performances. For his zany fast-paced script, Barlow incorporated and adapted two …

in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, which has a Music & Arts Ministry, has become a springtime destination for lovers of musical theatre during the past six years. Last year, the church delighted patrons by staging ’ fabulous original production of “.” Mr. Woods is back this year with his adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s 1904 play, “,” a beloved classic which is now in public domain. While “The Sound of Music” was initially planned as the 2016 production, a new choice was required due to unexpected issues with obtaining the rights. And as with “St. George,” Woods is again totally involved …

  Theatre critics throughout the United States gathered in the friendly city of for their annual conference during April 6 – 10, 2016. This was a return visit for and the Dual Critics of Jacksonville’s Entertaining U, as Philadelphia was the site of a prior conference in 1999. With this year’s enthusiastic group, we attended productions at several of Philadelphia’s fabulous professional theatres, participated in workshops, and discussed the role and challenges of modern theatrical criticism in today’s world with producers and other theatre professionals. Our opening reception was held at the Arden Theatre, now in its 29th season. We …

Despite her penchant for observational comedy, doesn’t move through the world mining for jokes. Life generously delivers truckloads of material that often manifests in lightning-quick, brain-to-mouth moments of comedy gold. “ I just think of stuff and say it. Sometimes stuff I think of that I think is funny, I say it on stage and the audience disagrees,” says Poundstone. “It happens less often the more years that I do it because I don’t care what profession you’re in. There’s always something to be said for experience. But I don’t really analyze it very much. I just like things that …