Alice in Wonderland Jr

Alice in Wonderland Jr was performed on the main stage of the Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut Street on September 20 and 21 and can be seen again on September 27 and September 28.  Based on Lewis Carroll’s book and subsequent movies, the show abounds with teen-aged talent from 21 students of the Walnut Street Theatre School.  Keelin  Kelly begins the production as he  portrays the Cheshire Cat and narrates the tale.  The three Alices, Emily Gallagher, Alexis Gwynn (small Alice) and Gabriela Barrett (large Alice) crawl in and out of a rabbit hole after eating a cookie… a very clever on-stage device. Equally clever  is  the flower garden with an attitude…Alexa Liss portraying Rose, Madi Resnic  portraying Lily, Maggie McPherson portraying Petunia, Skylar Raye Noyes portraying Violet and Dominque Swift portraying Daisy.  Morgan Snowden portrays the Queen of Hearts with a very regal bearing but she proves no match for the astute  Alice. This captivating young cast performs over sixteen songs during the one hour performance. It is truly a delight to watch these young performers.  For more information or tickets, call 215-574-3550, 800-982-2787 or visit online at www.WalnutStreetTheatre.org. 

La Bête

Scott Greer and Ian Merrill Peakes

The Arden Theater Company, located at 40 N. 2^nd Street, is beginning its 2014-2015 Season with La Bête, (The Beast). It will run on the Arden's F. Otto Haas stage through October 12. Ian Merill Peakes portrays Elomire, leader of an acting troupe in Prince Conti’s court.  Scott Greer is Valere, a troubadour that the Prince (Dito van Reigersberg) wants to bring to court to join the troupe. Elomire finds Valere bombastic beyond belief and wants no part of him. In French, bête not only means “beast,” but also, “stupid or idiot”.  “Etre bête" (to be stupid) is to believe in something so much that you cannot see anything else and therefore miss the point. Thus the foundation is set for this ludicrous farce.  Scott Greer is a comic genius. He is outrageously funny. Never before have so many words conveying so little meaning been uttered so exquisitely. Non-stop laughter fills the theatre while at the same time audience members are shaking their heads in disbelief at the utter nonsense of it all. Ian Merrill Peakes gives an outstanding performance as a principled troupe leader who takes a firm stand for the integrity of his craft. Despite the Prince’s wishes, such opposing views cannot peacefully co-exist. Someone’s, perhaps everyone’s, world must collapse in the aftermath. For more information or tickets to this intriguing show which is done completely in verse, call 215-922-1122 or visit online at ardentheatre.org. 

Til Divorce Do Us Part: The Musical

created and lyrics by
Ruthe Ponturo

A new musical comedy will be opening the 55^th Season of The Society Hill Playhouse.

Til Divorce Do Us Part: The Musical is a new musical comedy about the end of a marriage.  Inspired by a true story of love and loss, it is the tale of a woman who turns to her close friends who laugh, sing and dance their way through the end of a relationship and on to a new beginning. This comedy has its Philadelphia premiere Oct 15 and runs through Dec 7. Performances will be held Wednesday through Saturday evenings with matinees on Sundays. Tickets are $45. The Society Hill Playhouse is located at 507 S. Eighth Street (On Eighth Street between Lombard and South).  Parking is free on South Street every Wednesday night.  For more information or tickets call 215-923-0210 or visit online at www.societyhillplayhouse.org. Group rates are available and  group reservations may be made by calling 215-923-0211.

9 to 5: THE MUSICAL

Getting even with the Boss

Walnut Street Theatre, located at 825 Walnut Street, has opened its 206^th season with the spirited 9 to 5: THE MUSICAL. This magical musical comedy, featuring music and lyrics by Dolly Parton, will run through October 19^th on Walnut Street Theatre's mainstage.  Three co-workers, driven to distraction by their “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical boss” devise a plan to remedy their work woes. Paul Schoeffler expertly portrays Franklin Hart Jr., the lecherous, treacherous menace. Spitfire Mary Marcello brilliantly portrays Roz, his no-nonsense Administrative Assistant, who lets her hair down in the number “Heart to Hart”.  Dee Hoty, as Violet, is the backbone of the trio of co-workers. She exudes both strength and panache on the stage, with a voice that is marvelous to hear in a solo, a duet, or as part of a group. Amy Bodner, who portrays Doralee, the misunderstood country girl, has a robust voice as well.  Amanda Rose is Judy, the third of the co-workers who band together. She expertly portrays a woman who matures from a shy brow-beaten wife to a female ensconced in self-confidence. Her gut-wrenching performance of “Get Out and Stay Out” brings the house down. Local favorite Ben Dibble portrays Joe, the persistent love interest for Violet. Unfortunately there is only one opportunity to hear him sing, for he has a fine voice. As there are numerous songs in this production, so too, are there frequent scene changes. Thanks to the phenomenal vision of Scenic Designer Robert Andrew Kovach, these are accomplished with split-second precision whether they involve rolling desks, sliding walls, or moving elevators. For more information or tickets to this extremely humorous and entertaining musical comedy, call 215-547-3550, 800-982-2787 or visit online at www.walnutstreettheatre.org. or Ticketmaster.

CINDERELLA

Dancing at the Ball

Thanksgiving Holiday Treat - Tix On Sale Friday!

Rogers + Hammerstein’s Tony Award-winning musical CINDERELLA will play at the Academy of Music for a limited engagement over the Thanksgiving holidays from Nov 25-30 as part of Broadway Philadelphia, presented collaboratively by The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and the Shubert Organization. This production has some surprises for fans of the CINDERELLA that was debuted on television in 1957. Roger + Hammerstein’s contemporary Cinderella is not only a pretty face with a one-of-a kind shoe size.  She is a feisty young woman, who, despite her rags and her ill lot in life, follows her quest for kindness, compassion and forgiveness, imagining herself making the world a better place. She not only fights for her dreams but helps the prince to realize his dreams as well.  Tickets for CINDERELLA will go on sale beginning Friday, September 12 at 10:00 am and may be purchased by calling 215-731-3333, visiting online at kimmelcenter.org/broadway, at the Kimmel Center box office, Broad & Spruce Streets (10am to 6pm) or at the Academy of Music box office, Broad and Locust Sts. which is open during performances only. Special phone lines of 215-790-5883 and 866-276-2947 have been made available to place orders for groups of 10 or more. 

Intimate Exchanges

Jennifer Childs and Anthony Lawton

A wildly innovative show is being produced by 1812 Productions on the Arcadia Stage of the Arden Theatre, 40 N 2^nd Street, through September 21. Alan Ayckbourn’s Intimate Exchanges, with comic geniuses Jennifer Childs and Anthony Lawton, is a sure-fire hit. Opening on an English estate, one of the characters is soon faced with a choice.  A member of the audience is called upon to make the choice and the play continues on a prescribed path until the next choice must be made.  Mr. Lawton and Ms. Childs will play a total of 7 characters during the run and have mastered 16 scenes, which in different combinations, create eight possible plays with eight possible endings. The play is delightful and witty beyond measure. No one can tell a story with facial expressions better than Jennifer Childs.  She doesn’t have to utter a word to have the audience roaring.  Childs seamlessly changes roles in the blink of an eye, and does a costume change almost as quickly. In the opening night piece, she was a headmaster’s wife one minute and her young house maid barely a few seconds later. Anthony Lawton, too, embodies two polar opposites .to perfection. He scarcely has time to leave the stage as one character than he is returning as another, costume set and mind-set reversed. For more information or tickets  to this superb opening of 1812 Production's 2014-2015 season, call 215-592-9560 or visit online at www.1812productions.org.