On Stage

by DICK KEREKES & LEISLA SANSOM Players by the Sea is presenting a unique drama/comedy musical on stage in their black box Studio Theatre entitled “Passing Strange.” It runs through May 4th, in the 80-seat theatre. Reservations are a must, so call 249-0289. Player’s motto, which can be found on its promotional material, is “Expect the Unexpected.” And while they’ve lived up to this promise many, many times over the past years, they’ve exceeded far beyond expectations with this production. If you have seen a show in the studio theatre in the past, you will be surprised and delighted at …

by DICK KEREKES AND LEISLA SANSOM Entertaining U’s Dual Critics attended the critic’s weekend of the renowned Humana Festival, at Actors Theatre of Louisville on April 5, 6, 7. It had been two years since we last attended, but we were able to go this year since there were no plays opening that weekend in the North Florida area. It was a very festive weekend throughout Louisville. Critics from all over the world had come to see what was new in theatre, and the University of Louisville was playing in the Final Four round of the NCAA’s basketball tournament on …

by DICK KEREKES & LEISLA SANSOM The 1980’s and its music has moved into the Times Union Center in downtown Jacksonville with Chris D’Arienzo’s blast from the past musical, “Rock of Ages.” You can experience for the first time or relive the music of the era in this fast-paced show, onstage through Sunday April 7, 2013 at the Times-Union Center. The run includes evening weeknight shows and four shows on the weekend; Saturday at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM and Sunday at 1:30 PM and 7:00 PM. Call (904) 442-2929 or visit www.artistseriesjax.org for tickets. This musical opened Off-Broadway and …

by DICK KEREKES & LEISLA SANSOM Jacksonville’s Bolles School presented its spring show March 14, 15 & 16 at the McGehee Auditorium on the San Jose Campus. The 1939 novel by British author Agatha Christie has apparently been a part of the school’s curriculum as Director Laura Rippel mentioned in a pre-show curtain speech that it has been a favorite of Bolles’ students. In 1943 Christie adapted it for the stage as “Ten Little Indians” and it was also made into a very good movie in 1945; additional movies followed in 1965, 1975 and 1989. American publishers changed the title …

by KATIE GILE Strutting wildly through the era of short shorts, lofty coifs and hard rock, “Rock of Ages” spins out the tale of defiant rock’s triumph over “the Man,” served over a bed of Aqua Net fumes. The show, which swaggers into the Moran Theater at the Times-Union Center April 2-7, is brought to life by a spectacular cast of actors, singers and dancers. Dominique Scott stars as big-city dreamer Drew who works as a bar back at the infamous Los Angeles Bourbon Room in 1987 as he awaits his big break. Life imitates art for Scott, who moved …

by DICK KEREKES & LEISLA SANSOM ABET opened the musical “Once On This Island” at its theatre in Atlantic Beach Florida at 716 Ocean Boulevard. It will run through March 30. Call 249-7177 or visit abetheatre.com for reservations. This musical, with its interesting characters and a fascinating story line, opened on Broadway in 1990 and received several Tony nominations including Best Musical. It did not win but then competition was especially tough that year, with “Miss Saigon” and “The Will Rogers Follies.” You may have seen it in Jacksonville as Theatre Jacksonville did it fifteen years ago and Douglas Anderson …

by DICK KEREKES & LEISLA SANSOM OPCT and The Tom Nehl Fund of the Community Foundation opened playwright Ken Ludwig’s wild and wacky farce, “Moon Over Buffalo”. The play continues through March 24; call (904) 276-2599 or visit opct.org for reservations. “Moon over Buffalo” opened in 1995 on Broadway with Carol Burnett who received a Tony Nomination. It has been a very popular play all over America since that time. This is the story of an over-the-hill acting couple, who in 1953 are on tour in Buffalo, New York offering two plays, either” Cyrano de Bergerac” or Noel Coward’s “Private …