Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom
October 29, 2019
Dual Critics, Feature, Jacksonville Beach, On Stage, On the River, The Beaches, Theatre, Theatre Reviews
Jacksonville Beach’s Players by the Sea opened the cult classic “The Toxic Avenger” on October 25, 2019, which runs through November 10, 2019. The theatre is located at 106 6th Street North in . For reservations call 904-249-0289 or visit playersbythesea.org. This classic has its beginnings in a non-musical film released in 1984. Three sequels followed; none were hits. However, the story found a receptive audience as a musical, which made it to New York in 2009, and received the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best New Off-Broadway Musical. The work was crafted by (lyrics) and David Bryan (music). The …
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Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom
April 30, 2019
Dual Critics, Feature, Jacksonville Beach, On Stage, The Beaches, Theatre, Theatre Reviews
A DUAL CRITICS PLAYERS BY THE SEA THEATRE REVIEW Andrew Lippa’s Wild Party opened on April 26th, 2019, at opened. It runs through May 18th. The theatre is located at 106 6th Street North in . For reservations call 904-249-0289 or visit playersbythesea.org. The play, with book, music and lyrics by (who wrote music and lyrics for The Addams Family) offers a trip back to the 1920s, the days of flappers, jazz, illegal hooch, and reckless disregard for societal conventions. The original story, a book-length poem, was written in 1926 by Joseph Moncure March, who previously worked as the managing editor …
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Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom
January 29, 2019
Dual Critics, Feature, Neptune Beach, On Stage, The Beaches, Theatre, Theatre Reviews
A DUAL CRITICS REVIEW The All Beaches Experimental Theatre (ABET) opened “The Robber Bridegroom” on January 25th, 2019. This high-spirited musical is sponsored by John Johnson and runs through February 10th. The production by is the North Florida premier. The story is based on a 1942 novella by Eudora Welty adapted from a story the Grimm brothers included in their book of European fairy tales (published 1812); she changed the setting from Germany to Mississippi. The story was rewritten as a musical in the early 1970s, with book and lyrics by Alfred Uhry and music by Robert Waldman. This version …
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Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom
November 6, 2017
Downtown, Dual Critics, Feature, On Stage, Theatre, Theatre Reviews
A DUAL CRITICS 1904 MUSIC HALL REVIEW Yes, Rocky is back in town thanks to the and show sponsor Alexander Dental. It opened Oct. 31, 2017, with additional performances scheduled Nov. 3, 4, 10, and 11. Tickets are available at 1904musichall.com and the venue’s Facebook page. We attended the performance on Nov. 4, and found the show just as exciting as our previous experiences with . The show has an interesting history. wrote the musical, which debuted in London in 1973. During the next six years, the London-based production was staged in a number of theatres for almost 3,000 performances, but …
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Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom
September 14, 2016
Atlantic Beach, Dual Critics, Feature, On Stage, The Beaches, Theatre, Theatre Reviews
ABET THEATRE REVIEW DUAL CRITICS REVIEW BY DICK KEREKES & LEISLA SANSOM [email protected] The opened the Florida premier of the musical “” on September 9, 2016. The production will be onstage through September 26. The musical, which debuted on Broadway in 1981, is based on a 1934 play by and . It hasn’t been staged frequently, probably because it is so challenging for the actors, musicians, and directors. But as far as we know, director embraces challenging works, and this play was no exception. He was ably assisted by actor/director . The book is by , while the music and …
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Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom
April 19, 2016
Downtown, Feature, On Stage
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 …
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Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom
June 15, 2015
Comedy, Dual Critics, Feature, Neighborhoods, On Stage, San Marco, Theatre, Theatre Reviews
THEATRE JACKSONVILLE REVIEW and present the blockbuster musical “” on stage at 2032 San Marco Avenue in Jacksonville, Florida during June 12-27, 2015. For reservations, call 904-396-4425 or visit theatrejax.com. The musical, which is based on a 1988 film, debuted on Broadway in August, 2002 and was a big hit from the beginning, with audiences at 99% capacity for the first year. The story is based on events related to Baltimore’s real life “Buddy Dean Show,” a popular televised teen dance show that was on the air from 1957 to 1964. The play received eight Tonys, and had a six-year …
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Dick Kerekes & Leisla Sansom
July 29, 2014
Dual Critics, On Stage, Theatre, Theatre Reviews
and The present “,” the Tony and Pulitzer prize- winning musical by playwright Jonathan Larson. Larson died, tragically and unexpectedly, on the morning of the play’s first Off-Broadway preview performance in 1996. The play moved to Broadway in April, where it remained for a run of twelve years. The revival at Players opened on July 18th, 2014 and will be on stage until August 9th. All performances are in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The first two nights of this production played to packed houses, and tickets for the remainder are reportedly going fast. For reservations or information call 904-249-0289 or visit …
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