[NEohioPAL] Berko preview of coming events

[Roy Berko]

UPCOMING DANCE, THEATRE AND CHILDREN’S EVENTS

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

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BALDWIN-WALLACE COLLEGE AND PLAYHOUSE SQUARE
First US staging of CHESS  – THE LONDON STAGE VERSION
14th Street Theatre 
Friday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 1 at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 2 at 7 p.m.
Tickets:  PlayhouseSquare Ticket Office, 216-241-6000 or playhousesquare.org
CHESS develops the game of chess into a metaphor for romantic rivalries and East-West political intrigue.  With music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and lyrics by Tim Rice, the score includes "One Night in Bangkok " and "I Know Him So Well."   The production  features current students in the Baldwin-Wallace Music Theatre Program under the direction of Victoria Bussert,

MERCURY SUMMER STOCK
The 2010 Season Line-up!
JOSEPH AND HIS AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (June 11-26)
LI’L ABNER (July 9-24)
THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL (August 6-21)
Note the new location:  The Brooks Theatre in The Cleveland Play House,  8500 Euclid Ave 
Subscriptions:   $36 for adults and $30 for seniors (60+) and students
For reservations and more information call (216) 771-5862 or go to  www.mercurysummerstock.com

FIRST INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL
Playhouse Square Center
http://www.playhousesquare.org/childrensfestival
Performances include:
CORBIAN: A GLOW IN THE DARK ADVENTURE
Palace Theatre
Wednesday, May 5, 6:30PM    
Corbian Visual Arts and Dance introduces us to Darwin, a dinosaur brought to life by the great Professor Henslow, who encourages Darwin to go and explore. In his explorations, Darwin encounters many different types of living creatures, learning the value of both good and bad, love and hate, friends and enemies. Features glow-in-the-dark creatures that light up the stage.
Recommended Ages: 6-13

FARFALLE (BUTTERFLIES)--Teatro Di Piazza D’Occassione ( Italy )
May 4-5 & 7-8
 
THE MAN WHO PLANTED TREES, Puppet State Theatre Company (Scotland )
May 7-8, 2010

THE DREAM JAM BAND ( USA )  May 7-8, 2010
 
TERRANCE SIMIEN & THE ZYDECO EXPERIENCE ( USA )  May 8, 2010

ACTORS' SUMMIT
CRIMES OF THE HEART
The Pulitzer Prize winning comedy by Beth Henley, CRIMES OF THE HEART, examines the plight of three young Mississippi sisters betrayed by their passions.
Preview:  Thursday, April 29.  Opening Friday, April 30.  The play will run Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 PM and Sunday afternoons at 2:00 PM through May 16 at the theater in downtown Hudson.
Tickets: 330-342-0800

GREASE
KeyBank Broadway Series
May 11-23, 2010 
Tickets:  www.playhousesquare.org, 216-241-6000 or at the Playhouse Square ticket office.
 A rock n' roll celebration of growin' up, cruisin' with friends and goin' steady,  the new production of GREASE™ features songs from the hit 1978 motion picture for the first time ever in a Broadway production including “Sandy,” “Hopelessly Devoted to You,”  “Grease” and “You’re the One That I Want.”  AMERICAN IDOL winner, Taylor Hicks, appears as the “Teen Angel.”  
A special Teen Night will follow the May 14th evening performance. Teens (ages 14-19) are invited to a party featuring an appearance by members of the cast, a DJ and pizza.   Call or go on-line for information.

PILOBOLUS DANCE THEATRE
Co-presented by Cuyahoga Community College and DANCECleveland, the internationally acclaimed Pilobolus Dance Theatre comes to the Palace Theatre in Playhouse Square for one performance on Saturday, May 8, at 8 p.m. Tickets starting at $10 can be purchased at 216-241-6000 or online at playhousesquare.org.
Among the Pilobolus cast is Christopher Whitney, a graduate of Cleveland Heights High School.  He began his dance training as an intern with Inlet Dance Theatre under the guidance of Bill Wade and joined Pilobolus in 2008. 
 For more information about the company, go to Pilobolus.org.

HUMBLE BOY
Written by Charlotte Jones
Broken vows, failed hopes, quantum mechanics and the joys of beekeeping are interwoven as Felix comes to terms with the sudden death of his father, his overbearing mother and his onetime sweetheart. 
Dobama Theatre 
2340 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, OH
May 7th - May 30th, 2010
For tickets go to dobama at dobama.org or call 216-932-3396

GYPSY
Brecksville  Theatre on the Square
Runs Friday, Saturday at 7:30 and Sunday at 2 through May 16
Staring Monica Olejko as Mamma Rose and Bridge Chebo as Gypsy
For info or tickets go to:  440-526-3443 or btots.org
 Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 2010, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info

His reviews can also be found on www.coolcleveland.com and NeOHIOpal (to subscribe visit http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/neohiopal.)