Message in A Bottle

 

Ensemble Arts in partnership with the Shubert Organization , Sadler’s Wells and Universal Music UK is presenting the Philadelphia Premiere of Message in a Bottle at the Miller Theater from May 14 - 19, 2024. This is a new dance theatre production , choreographed by artist Kate Prince  and set to the music of 17-time Grammy Award winning artist Sting. It  incorporates dance and athleticism weaving a tale of three siblings who are separated from their parents when  their village suddenly becomes under siege. The soundtrack to Message in a Bottle features vocals by Sting, and guest vocals  from award-winning  actress and singer Beverly Knight MBE and Lynval Golding. There are some scenes that are adult in nature; a moment representing sexual violence against a female character in Act I and some depictions of drug use in the beginning of Act II. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999 or by visiting online at www.ensembleartsphilly.org  In person tickets can be purchased daily from 10 a.m.–6 p. m at the Academy of Music Box Office, located at 240 S. Broad Street.  Orders for groups of 10 or more  may be placed by calling 215-790-5883 or emailing groupsales@ensembleartsphilly.org

 

RAIN A Tribute to the Beatles

RAIN A Tribute to the Beatles is returning to Philadelphia by popular demand. Presented by Ensemble Arts Philly, ( the new brand name of the Kimmel Cultural Campus and the Philadelphia Orchestra) the show will run from May 9-11, 2024, at the Miller Theater. Songs in the show cover an eclectic mix from The Beatles'  early favorites through Abbey Road. Band member Steve Landes, who grew up in Lansdale , Pa, and is one of the original founders of the group, will be making his return to Philadelphia with RAIN. Together longer than The Beatles, RAIN  has mastered every song. gesture, and nuance of Liverpool’s finest. With amazing costumes and beautiful visuals, RAIN A Tribute to the Beatles creates a thrilling concert with a wink to the 60’s. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999 or by visiting online at www.ensembleartsphilly.org. In person ticket sales can be purchased daily from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. at the Academy of Music Box Office at 240 S. Broad Street.

The Last Yiddish Speaker

                                                                  

                                                              Kaitlyn Zion &  Gabriel Elmore 

InterAct Theatre Company is  presenting The Last Yiddish Speaker by Deborah Zoe Laufer through April 21, 2024. This extraordinarily powerful One Act imagines a white Supremacist regime is in power in the years following a successful Jan. 6 insurrection. It’s set in a small mid-western town where everyone has to believe in the same things  or “be returned.”  Paul   (Dan Hodge ) and  his daughter Sarah ( Kaitlyn Zion) who has changed her name to Mary upon moving to the town, are living as Christians and are “inspected “ regularly by John (  Gabriel Elmore), a local 17-year -old .  This regime does not allow for books for girls. Girls may not read recreationally or attend college, but Sarah is bright and has trouble accepting this. When a mysterious visitor appears at their doorstep with a note attached to her clothing signed, “Aunt Chava” (Stephanie Satie), Sarah immediately empathizes with her while her father is afraid of being caught harboring a Jewish relative. The acting is outstanding. The set is well designed. Paul’s two-story apartment has a utility closet and an outdoor porch with many exits and entrances for the actors.  Although John and “Mary” have inherently different beliefs, meetings on the porch might overcome them. To discover the answer to this and other questions raised by this dynamic work, get tickets for The Last Yiddish Speaker, appearing at The Proscenium Theatre at the Drake, 302 S. Hicks Street.

Beautiiful The Carol King Musical

 

                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                           Kathryn Boswell, Sara Sheperd, Eddie Olmo II                                                                                                   &  Fran Prisco

Walnut Street Theatre is presenting Beautiful, The Carol King Musical on its mainstage through May 5, 2024. Beautiful, indeed, describes much of Carol King’s life as she meets , then marries Gerry Goffin portrayed by Matthew Amira. Together their songwriting collaboration results in hit songs for many popular groups, among them : The Drifters, The Shirelles and The Righteous Brothers. The staging is superb. As Carol, portrayed by Sara Sheperd, submits a song she and her husband have written, one of the singing groups appears onstage and begins a song and dance routine . This happens multiple times throughout the course of the musical and it is marvelous. The lighting design is dazzling, and its frequent changes alter each set in a magnificent way  With support of friends,  music writing team Cynthia Weil (Kathryn Boswell) and Barry Mann  (Eddie Olmo II ) and producer Don Kirshner ( Fran Prisco ), Carol survives divorce and begins her solo songwriting career. Beautiful, The Carol King Musical is magnificent in every aspect. The singing and dancing are excellent ; unfortunately, it constantly prompted someone in my row to sing along. It is tempting- I sang along in my head to several of the songs myself. For more information or tickets, visit www.WalnutStreetTheatre.org. 

Girl From the North Country

                                                             

                                         

                                            

                                                                  Sharae Moultie

Ensemble Arts Philly and the Shubert Organization are presenting the Tony Award winning Girl from the North Country at the Forrest Theatre, 1114 Walnut Street. Written and directed by Conor McPherson, Girl From the North Country is basically a vehicle for 22 of Bob Dylan’s songs. Many actors have an opportunity to shine with a solo or instrumental accompaniment on the drums or other acoustic aid, but the most remarkable renditions of his songs are rendered by the entire cast singing in gorgeous harmonies. The play is set in Bob Dylan’s hometown of  Duluth, Minnesota during the Depression of 1934. Many characters lead depressing lives - a mother with dementia, a young daughter who is an unwed mother, a con-man preacher and a  nearly penny-less father running an unsuccessful boarding house where characters come to spend the night or drop in for breakfast. These characters are involved with others in short skits intermingled with big musical numbers. The music, however, does not always seem to relate to anything that is happening on stage. The lighting design is outstanding throughout. The use of dark and bright spaces on the stage is extremely effective. The show can be seen through  Sunday, March 10, 2024.  For more information or tickets, visit www.ensembleartsphilly.org.   

Groucho : A Life in Revue

                                             Dreya Weber, Frank Ferrante & Matt Roper

Groucho: A Life in Revue  The Musical  graces the mainstage of the Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut Street, through March 10, 2024. Written by Robert Fisher and Groucho Marx’s son, Arthur Marx, the show is a tribute to Julius Henry aka “Groucho” Marx, America’s beloved comedian , vaudeville star and star of radio and television. The revue is bursting with one-liners from Groucho’s  storied life  - “There’s no such thing as an old joke if you’ve never heard it before.”  Comedic actor Frank Ferrante is no stranger  to “Groucho”, having performed this role nearly 40 years ago off-Broadway and again 20 years ago at the Walnut .  His representation of Groucho is superb from the time Julius is a young man through his many career changes as Groucho Marx.  The Walnut Street stage rotates so the sets change and Groucho  appears  to be in different places at various times. Matt Roper does an excellent job of portraying both Chico and Harpo. He treats the audience to a comedic  harp “solo” by Harpo and a piano “solo” by Chico.  Dreya Weber is the woman of many faces and voices as she beautifully portrays a multitude of characters. For more information to this delightful treat of non-stop chuckles,  or to purchase tickets, call 215-574-3550, or visit online at walnutstreettheatre.org or ticketmaster.com

 

March events at the Kimmel

 

Ensemble Arts Philly presents comedian. actor and writer, Alex Edelman  in his one-man show Just for Us  at the Miller Theater on March 3, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. He comes to Philadelphia following a hit run on Broadway  and international engagements in London, Edinburgh, and Melbourne. Directed  by Adam Brace, this theatrical experience is an exploration of identity and our collective capacity for empathy. After a spate of anti-Semitic language pointed at him online, stand-up comic Edelman decides to go straight to the source- Queens- where he covertly attends a meeting of White Nationalists. What happens next forms the backbone of these relevant, hilarious stories that are the basis of Just for Us. He appeared on The Later Show with Stephen Colbert, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! and others. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999 or online at www.ensembleartsphilly.org. In person ticket sales can be conducted daily from 10 a.m.- 6.p. m at the Academy of Music Box Office, located at 240 S. Broad Street.

Ensemble Arts Philly  and the Philadelphia Orchestra present international drag superstar RuPaul on his international book tour to celebrate the release of the highly anticipated memoir The House of Hidden Meanings. This one night only event will take place inside the Kimmel Center’s Perelman Theater on March 6, 2024, at 7:00 p.m.  RuPaul is a force in pop culture, challenging norms, and inspiring millions to embrace their individuality. The Emmy Award-wining host, producer and performer is renowned for his pioneering efforts to bring drag culture into mainstream popularity through his hit T.V show, RuPaul’s Drag Race.Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999 or online at www.ensemblephilly.org.. In person tickets can be purchased  between 10:am – 6p.m. at the Academy of Music Box Office, located at 240 S. Broad Street. The House of Hidden Meanings by RuPaul goes on sale March 5, 2024.

Ensemble Arts Philly and the Philadelphia Orchestra welcome one of the mist dynamic young musicians today , Emmet Cohen, leading the Emmet Cohen Trio inside the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts’ Perelman Theater on March 14, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. Emmet Cohen became a recognized prodigy at a young age.  He is part of  the jazz season, representing young artists. While he is an excellent solo performer, he also leads his ensemble trio through an extensive repertoire. He is both producer and pianist for each of his albums. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999 or online at www.ensembleartsphillyorg   

Ensemble Arts Philly presents Tay Tay Dance Party  set to the electrifying beats of DJ SWIFTIE at the Kimmel Center’s Perelman’s Theater on March 16, 2024, at 8 p.m. This two -hour themed dance party comes with a professional laser show crafted around everyone’s favorite Taylor Swift songs. DJ SWIFTIE has received acclaim for his remixes of Taylor Swift’s hits and never fails to create a memorable fusion of beats that will keep fans moving all night. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999 or online at www.ensembleartsphilly.org . In person tickets can be purchased daily from 10: a.m. - 6p.m.  at the Academy of Music Box Office, located at 240 S. Broad. Street.    

Ensemble Arts Philly, in association with Outback Presents welcomes KevOnStage and  That Chick Angel in their comedy tour Here’s The Thing at the Miller Theater on March 30, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. Here’s The Thing is a podcast co-hosted by Kevin Fredericks aka KevOnStage and Angel Laketa Moore, aka That Chick Angel. The podcast has been described as a ” live comedy show with a little podcast." Both Kevin and Angel are actors and comedians. The duo brings a unique mix of humor, insight, and raw honesty incorporating their firsthand experiences and the African American perspective. They each have multiple TV series experiences to their credit. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215 893 1999 or online at www.ensembleartsphilly.org.  In person ticket sales can be purchased daily from 10 a.m – 6 p.m. at the Academy of Music Box Office, located at 240 S. Broad Street.
   

Ensemble Arts Philly and the Philadelphia Orchestra,  in partnership with  the Shubert Organization and Disney Theatrical Group will present Disney’s Frozen the hit Broadway Musical, for a three- week engagement at the Academy of Music, March 21- April 7, 2024.  Disey’s Frozen has played to rave reviews all across the country. There are currently four productions playing around the world, including Tokyo, London, and Hamburg.  Frozen has been created for the stage by an award-winning team and features songs from the original Oscar-winning film plus a dozen new numbers by the film's song songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. The entire creative team has won a total of 16 Tony Awards. For information, visit FrozenTheMusical.com/Tour. Tickets may be purchased by calling 215-893-1999 or online www.ensembleartsphilly.org. In person ticket sales can be purchased from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at the Academy of Music Box Office, located at 240 S. Broad Street.

 

                                                                             
             

Faith Healer

                                              

                                                        

                                                                     Ian Merrill Peakes

The Lantern Theater Company is presenting Faith Healer through Sunday, March 3, 2024, at St. Stephen’s Theater in Center City Philadelphia. The play is a series of monologues in which each character relates a story from their perspective. The drama is surprising , but even more astounding are the diverse accounts for the same events. Frank Hardy ( Ian Merrill Peakes) is a Faith Healer who doesn’t always have faith in his ability to heal. He is accompanied on his British Isles tour by his manager Teddy ( Anthony Lawton) and Grace, (Genevieve Perrier), whom he refers to as his mistress. Frank frequently finds comfort in the bottle and can be verbally abusive to Grace. Grace’s monologue is an eye-opener. She resents Frank and calls him a liar for referring to her as his mistress rather than his wife. After seven years on the road with him and his abuses,  Grace returns home to face her ailing father who cannot forgive the fact that she gave up a promising career  in the legal field to run away with Frank. She tells of fleeing her father’s house and  returning home to Frank where she gets pregnant and delivers a stillborn 9 months later in Scotland .The end of this second monologue foreshadows the end of the fourth.  Gracie yells to come quick to see Frank. Teddy (Anthony Lawton) is the Faith Healer’s promoter and begins the third monologue.  He sells tickets for the events and tries to have large audiences of people who need to be healed. He tells of one night that had 10 cures by the Faith Healer although he wasn’t sure if it was the actual cure or the audience’s faith that promoted the cures. Teddy’s love for Grace is evident as he relates her child labor in Scotland and his calling out to Frank who runs away up a hillside. Teddy laments a father-to be leaving Grace and when the child is still-born, he follows her directions; buries the child; and marks the spot with a small wooden cross. In the fourth monologue, Frank is warned to leave a pub where he had bragged that he could heal someone in a wheelchair. He was told if he didn’t cure the man, the crowd would kill him. He said he would wait for the wheelchair to arrive. Lights out. The three actors portraying Frank, Grace and Teddy are among the best in their field. Anthony Lawton has perfected the monologue with his productions of Charles Dicken’ A Christmas Carol, but Ian Merrill Peakes and Genvieve Perrier give excellent performances as well. For more information or tickets, call 215-829-0395 or visit online at www.lanterntheater.org.

Stepmom Stepmom Stepmom

                       

                                                             Abdul Sesay & Jessica Johnson

InterAct Theatre Company, located at the Proscenium Theatre at the Drake . 302 S.  Hicks  Street, is presenting the World Premier of Stepmom, Stepmom, Stepmom through February 18, 2024. Known for its commitment to diversity and promotion of dialogue on  societal issues, InterAct does not disappoint in producing this play.  Kaila, (Jessica Johnson) is a Black woman unsatisfied with the sex-life in her marriage. She wants her husband Louis ( Scott R.  Sheppard) to be rough and hit her. Louis , a white male, has lived his life  respecting women and can’t imagine the optics of his raising a hand to his wife. Kaila fantasizes about what her life would be like with her very good-looking ex. After hearing some of her fantasies which were accidentally recorded on his laptop, Louis begins to wonder if perhaps he might be able to accommodate his wife and still stay true to himself. Abdul Sesay  is very convincing as Kaila’s ex-boyfriend, Marc. Donovan Locket does an excellent job of portraying Tichelle, Kaila’s  best friend, who tries to get Kaila to determine what she really wants in life. InterAct hosts discussions for audience members almost every day of the week after the show. For tickets and show times, visit https://www.interacttheatre.org/step-mom-step-mom-step-mom.

The Flatlanders

                                                               Scott Greer & Jennifer Childs

Bruce Grafham’s, The Flatlanders, produced by 1812 Productions, Philadelphia’s All Comedy Theatre Company, can be seen at Plays and Plays Theatre, 1714 Delancey Place. Be sure to catch A Bright Comedic Duo of comedy in this hysterical rendition In it, artistic director and founder of 1812 Productions, Jennifer Childs, and Scott Greer, her real-life husband are stranded in a blizzard in the Poconos the night before their wedding. Bruce Graham has written a marvelous one act play that is replete with laugh lines which Jen and Scott deliciously deliver deadpan. There is  also slapstick which generates  streams of laughter from the audience as well as some kink with hidden sex toys. The show is uproarious. This  excellent gem is a must-see for all Jennifer Childs and Scott Greer fans in addition to anyone else who enjoys a good laugh. The play can be seen through February 18, 2024 in Philadelphia and will open in March through April in Delawatre. 

Ensemble Arts Philly

 

The Kimmel Cultural Campus and The Philadelphia Orchestra are announcing Ensemble Arts Philly, a new brand name to encompass a wide variety of genres including Broadway, comedy, theatre., jazz, dance, and family presentations across three venues: the Kimmel Center for the Performing  Arts, the Academy of Music, and the Miller Theater. The new brand name will also represent free programming, community service partnerships, digital rush opportunities, and educational activities- including the new Musical Theatre Program: Set The Stage for 5-7 graders.

The new name and accompanying URL (www.EnsembleArtsPhilly.org) will ensure ticket purchases are made though official channels and will enable guests to purchase tickets to events from multiple genres in one transaction- including The Philadelphia Orchestra and Broadway. Tickets to events can also be purchased in person at the Box Offices at all three venues-  The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, The Academy of Music, and Miller Theater- or by  calling Ensemble Arts Philly Audiences Services at 215-893-1999. Visit www.EnsembleArtsPhilly.org/plan-your-visit/box-office/ to check box office hours and locations. All visitors to the old website will be redirected to the new web page. Ticket Philadelphia will become the ticketing and audience services department of Ensemble Arts Philly, continuing exceptional customer service under the new name.

 

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

                                         Brandon O'Rourke, Anna D. Bailey
                                                                            Greg Wood & Susan Riley Stevens

Walnut Street Theatre is producing Edward Albee’s phenomenal work, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ?  on its main stage through February 4, 2024. Unlike a typical production seen at the Walnut, this show has only one set through-out its three acts, but the design team is outstanding with multiple experiences on Walnut Street Theatre stages --- Roman Tatarowicz- Scenic Design; Ryan O‘Gara -Lighting  Design; and Christopher Colucci -  Sound Design. A special nod goes to Costume Coordinator Natalie De La Torre who initiates a change in Martha after a costume change. Welcome to newcomer and Wig Designer, Claire Waid. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?  generates a series of appalled laughter as the audience examines the dysfunctional relationships presented on stage and wonders if any apply to their own lives. Albee’s play is extremely funny on one hand but shockingly disturbing, on the other.  The play is set in a college town at 2:00 a.m. after a professor’s party. Martha (Susan Riley Stevens) and George ( Greg Wood) stumble through their front door. Shortly after, guests Nick (Brandon )O’Rourke  and Honey (Anna D. Bailey) arrive, and the foursome begin what is an endless night (morning)  of drinking. Martha constantly belittles George because he doesn’t live up to her expectations and George, in turn, is nasty to Martha. Funny lines are  frequently interspersed in the script, made even more humorous when Honey makes outrageous comments indicating she doesn’t understand the conversation. With a great deal of drinking and a great deal of shouting, there is little wonder that lines can be blurred between reality and fantasy. Honey’s naivete is fun to watch while Martha’s portrayals of her pent-up frustrations are nail-biting. For more information or tickets, call 215- 574-3550 or visit online at walnutstreettheatre.org or ticketmaster.com.