[NEohioPAL]Berko: Fall theatre preview

[Roy Berko]

An overview of some local Fall ’07 theatre offerings

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--

Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times	

“What should I see this fall?”  I can’t tell you what
to see, at least not until I’ve seen the productions,
but I can tell what’s scheduled at some of the local
theatres and give a quickie preview of what each show
is about.

PLAYHOUSE SQUARE CENTER

‘CHICAGO’ 
October 9-14 
A razzle dazzle musical tale of sin and celebrity. 

‘THE DROWSY CHAPERONE’ 
October 16-28 
A musical comedy with tons of laughs and the most 2006
Tony Awards of any musical that opened last year on
Broadway!

Hal Holbrook in ‘MARK TWAIN TONIGHT’ 
November 3
Samuel Clemens returns to the banks of the Cuyahoga
River when Hal Holbrook comes to Playhouse Square.

DISNEY’S HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 
November 13-18
Disney Theatrical Productions have created an exciting
stage version of the phenomenal Disney’s High School
Musical! 

TWELVE ANGRY MEN 
November 27 –December 9
What seems like an open-and-shut murder case becomes a
twisted puzzle of prejudice and intrigue.

Tickets:  216-0241-6000 or 1-800-766-6048 or online at
www.PlayhouseSquare.org  


HANNA THEATRE

‘FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT’ 
September 12-December 2
The latest version of the inventive and scathing
production that pays homage to Broadway’s biggest
shows and brightest stars.
Performance times are Wednesday through Friday
evenings at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 5:00 pm and 8:30 pm
and Sunday at 2:00pm. 

Tickets:  216-241-6000 or 1-800-766-6048 or online at
www.PlayhouseSquare.org  


DOBAMA

‘TAKE ME OUT’
August 17th - September 9th, 2007

A Tony-award winning play in which a major league
baseball player announces that he is gay.  Dobama’s
impressive production explores character, friendship,
and what it means to be a man.  (Note:  The show
contains full-frontal male nudity)  For a review of
this show:  www.royberko.info

Presented at Cleveland State Factory Theater, East
24th Street and Chester Avenue

For tickets call 216-932-3396 and leave a message. 
Tickets will be held for you at the performance.   Or
go on-line at  www.ticketleap.com.


KALLIOPE STAGE

‘DEAR WORLD’
September 27 - October 21 2007

Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman, Book by Jerome
Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
Based on the play THE MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT by Jean
Giraudoux, it asks,  “Who will save Paris from greedy
oil tycoons determined to blow it up in search of
black gold?”   Enter a madcap rescue team of bohemians
who believe poetry, love and idealism conquer all.

Box Office: 216.321.0870 or tickets at kalliopestage.com


KARAMU

‘PURLIE VICTORIOUS’ (Classic Comedy) by Ossie Davis 
September 28 - October 21
Newly ordained preacher, Purlie Victorious Judson,
returns to his family’s sharecropper cabin to
reacquire the local church and ring the “Freedom
Bell.” 

‘BLACK NATIVITY’ (Gospel Musical) by Langston Hughes
December 7 -30
Black Nativity is focused on the religious and
spiritual aspects of the Christmas story.  It is
performed with gospel music and colorful costuming
within a dance context.


GREAT LAKES THEATER FESTIVAL

‘ARSENIC AND OLD LACE’ by Joseph Kesselring
A drama critic learns that his beloved maiden aunts
are homicidal and that insanity runs in his family. 
Bodies in the window seat, murder as an act of
kindness and Teddy Roosevelt leading a charge.  Let
the fun begin!

‘MEASURE FOR MEASURE’ by William Shakespeare
One of the Bard’s problem plays, often classified as a
comedy, in which the Duke of Vienna leaves the
government in the hands of a strict judge who is known
to be a hard-liner on matters of sexual immorality. 
Let the conflicts begin!

‘ARSENIC AND OLD LACE’ and ‘MEASURE FOR MEASURE
‘ are presented in repertory from September 21-October
21

‘A CHRISTMAS CAROL’ by Charles Dickens
November 23-December 23
Tiny Tim, Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, the ghosts of
Christmas past, present, and future.  Let the holiday
season begin!

Tickets”  216-664-6064 or www.greatlakestheater.org


BECK CENTER FOR THE ARTS

‘REFLECTIONS’  (PEGGY SINGS LEIBER AND STOLLER) by
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
September 14 – October 7
WORLD PREMIERE…A kaleidoscope of beautiful love songs,
hilarious send-ups of Broadway, haunting tunes of days
gone by, and reflections of the pure joy of living.

‘DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’ by Linda Woolverton,
Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice
November 30 – December 30
The Beck continues its holiday tradition with this
third and final production of the classic Disney
musical with many of the same cast.  Fred Sternfeld
again directs.

‘HOLY GHOSTS’  by Romulus Linney
 September 28 – October 21
A tale of a Smokey Mountain sect blends both drama and
dark comedy which builds to a startling climax.

‘ALL THE GREAT BOOKS (ABRIDGED)’ by Reed Martin and
Austin Tichenor
November 16 – December 16
CLEVELAND PREMIERE…a wild evening concerning
everything you didn't get around to reading in high
school and college!

Tickets: 216-521-2540


THE BANG AND CLATTER

‘THE DEAD GUY’ by Eric Coble
September 21-October 21
You have one million dollars to spend in seven days. 
At the end of that time, the audience decides how you
are going to die!

’BUG’ by Tracy Letts
November 2-December 2
Things are going well for a waitress with a fondness
for cocaine and a soft spoken Gulf War drifter, until
her abusive ex-husband is released from prison.

‘POUNDING NAILS IN THE FLOOR WITH MY FOREHEAD’ by Eric
Bogosian
December 7-December 30
A one-man show that delivers searing commentary on
topics from panhandlers to barbecue-crazed
millionaires.

Tickets:  330-606-5317


NEAR WEST THEATRE
 
‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST’
November 16 - December 2
Based on the Academy Award winning animated feature.
Plays performed at St. Patrick’s Club Building, 3606
Bridge Avenue,.

Tickets and information call 216-961-9750


THE CLEVELAND PLAYHOUSE, MAINSTAGE

‘MAN OF LA MANCHA’ by Dale Wasserman
 Drury Theatre, September 14 – October 7
Winner of five Tony Awards, the “Dream the Impossible
Dream” musical, is an adventure narrated by a prisoner
who recounts a fable of righting all wrongs and
winning the heart of one’s true love.  

 
 ‘SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FINAL ADVENTURE’ by Steven
Dietz
A mystery featuring the world’s greatest detective,
the King of Bohemia, a notorious photograph, a
kidnapping, and of course, Holmes’ great nemesis,
Professor Moriarty.  

 ‘THE CHOSEN’ by Aaron Posner and Chaim Potok
Drury Theatre, November 2-25
Set amid the intellectual and religious turmoil of the
1940’s in America, the play  dramatizes the universal
challenges of coming of age and a heartfelt path to
understanding and reconciliation.

 ‘A CHRISTMAS STORY,’ adapted by Philip Grecian
Bolton Theatre, November 29 – December 23
Based on the movie filmed in Cleveland in 1983, this
classic holiday comedy is a funny and sweet tale of
growing up in the 1940s.  Suitable for ages 5 and up
–back by popular demand!

Tickets:  216-795-7000

New at CPH: Sweetwater Restaurant Group, operated by
Gary Lucarelli, will operate a public restaurant in
the space formerly occupied by The Cleveland Play
House Club.  The new restaurant, Stages at The
Cleveland Play House, opens in mid- September.

ACTORS’ SUMMIT

‘ROUNDING THIRD’ by  Richard Dresser                  
           
 September 13-30
The tumultuous journey of two Little League fathers,
with different philosophies of life and winning, who
co-coach a team to the climactic championship game. 
 
‘MEDEA’  by Euripides, translated and adapted by
Robinson Jeffers.                     October
18-November 4  
Having saved her husband’s life, Medea is spurned by
him when he re-marries for political power.  She
wreaks aweful and awful revenge on him.
 
‘A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS IN WALES’ adapted to the stage by
Jeremy Brooks and Adrian Mitchell 
November 29-December 23
Dylan Thomas’s boyhood memories of Wales. 
Tickets:  330-342-0800. Mail orders can be sent to
Actors' Summit, 86 Owen Brown Street, Hudson, OH
44236, and email orders may be sent to:
info at actorssummit.org
 
CLEVELAND PUBLIC THEATRE

GORDON SQUARE THEATRE
Oct. 11- 27:  ‘AT-TEN-TION SPAN: A FESTIVAL OF
10-MINUTE PLAYS.’ An evening of work by local and
national writers.

Nov. 9 –11:  ‘THE Y-HAVEN PROJECT’ 
An original work created and performed by the Men of
Y-Haven based on their personal experiences.

Dec. 6 –22:  ‘THE SANTALAND DIARIES’ 
David Sedaris' hilarious retelling of his days as a
Macy’s elf. 

JAMES LEVIN THEATRE

Oct. 18 – Nov. 3:  ‘Osama the Hero” by Dennis Kelly. 
In this angry, explosive, controversial new work,
garages are blowing up all over the neighborhood and
vigilantes hunt down someone to shoulder the blame. 
Ohio and regional premiere

Nov. 8 –18:  “LITTLE BOX’
A series of staged readings modeled after the
successful Big Box series but on a smaller scale. 
Designed to foster works by local playwrights and
producers at an earlier stage of development.

Nov. 29 – Dec. 22:  ‘PULP’ by Patricia Kane, music by
Amy Warren and Andre Pluess, lyrics by Patricia Kane. 

A sexy and over-the top all female musical comedy
takeoff of the lesbian pulp fiction of the 1930’s
through the 1950’s.  Ohio and Regional Premiere.

Tickets:  216.631.2727 or go to www.cptonline.org.





Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2002 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info
      
Roy's theatre and dance reviews appear regularly on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.  His reviews also appear on www.coolcleveland.com


      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Park yourself in front of a world of choices in alternative vehicles. Visit the Yahoo! Auto Green Center.
http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center/