The Harassment of Iris Malloy

Teri Lamm & Juliana Zinkel

People’s Light, located at 39 Conestoga Road Rt. 401, Malvern, Pa. is presenting a new play by Zak Berkman.  Entitled The Harassment of Iris Malloy, this world premiere will be at People’s Light through July 10, 2016. That gives you ample time to make arrangements to see this powerful drama. The four member ensemble cast is outstanding. Well known actor Scott Bryce is powerful as the influential Senator Aarons who has presidential aspirations. Pete Pryor is multi-faceted as he portrays Sticker, George, and a reporter who makes a video of Iris exiting the senator’s hotel room. It is Julianna Zinkel and Teri Lamm, however, who render truly superb performances. Julianna portrays Iris Malloy,  a young single mother who has spent some time in the senator’s hotel room and is persuaded that capitalizing on it will be a road out of her poverty. Teri portrays her  spinster sister Cydney. The staging is quite masterful as well. By the movement of a sliding screen, a whole new room is presented and when it closes the original room is back again. There are twists and turns aplenty in this 90 minute one act and several questions left open to the audience’s interpretation. For more information or tickets, call the box office at 610-644-3500.  For groups, call 610-647-1900 x111.

Dinosaurs at the Academy of Natural Science

After being greeted by George Gephart Jr., President and COE of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, members of the media were treated to an introductory talk about the dinosaur exhibit unearthed to the public this summer. Archaeologist and Associate Curator Dr. Ted Daeschler spoke about the Academy of Natural Sciences having the largest Dinosaur Museum in North America with the first dinosaur skeleton having been put together at this location. The first dinosaur was discovered in Haddonfield, NJ  in 1858. In front of the museum at 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway are two dinosaur replicas that roar and move their heads every few minutes… a great invitation to come inside and see more.  As you enter, there is a Dinosaur Hall to your right where a guide is eager to explain every display in the room and spout interesting facts, such as ”Most carnivores walk on four legs,” and “Many of the marine animals that you see pre-dated dinosaurs.”  My granddaughter was most fascinated by the large turtle skeletons. Upstairs there are a variety of interesting exhibits. A treadmill is wired to a wire-and-can dinosaur whose legs move; the legs move faster as the treadmill goes faster.  Another interesting exhibit compares different mammals to dinosaurs.  For example: How is a rhino like a dino? They both have horns for protection. Could you guess how an elephant is like a dino? They both make loud noises. Children will love the Fossil Dig Expedition. Before entering this exhibit, each child is handed a pair of safety goggles and a small digging tool with instructions on how to use it.  They are then told to go and dig for dinosaur bones. What fun to see their faces when they discover some. The pièce de resistance is The Dinosaurs Unearthed. Here you will see a richly colored room with giant dinosaurs. A T Rex stretches his neck out of lush foliage and roars as you walk by. You can find stegosaurs and an allosauras or two roaring and moving their heads. There is even a hands-on dinosaur with five movements that you can control on your own.  By pushing one button at a time, you can make the dinosaur move its small front legs, move its head up or down, side to side or roar. The Dinosaurs Unearthed Exhibit will be at the Dinosaur Museum at the Academy of Natural Sciences through January 7, 2017. Discount tickets are available online at ansp.org. This is something you will not want to miss. 

Summer Events at the Kimmel

Yanni

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts is presenting four exciting and exceptionally different shows this summer.  The first is International superstar Yanni, who brings his greatest hits and new songs to the Academy of Music July 19-20, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. Accompanied by his world-renowned orchestra, Yanni’s performance will feature all of his greatest hits along with music from his most recent album, Sensuous Chill. For over two decades Yanni has been one of the top global touring acts with over 50 platinum and gold albums to his name. His success has allowed him to engage in many humanitarian projects.  The second engagement is British rock star, singer and songwriter Bryan Ferry who will be appearing at Verizon Hall July 21 at 7:30 p.m.  with special guest LP. The performance will feature a set list that combines both songs from Ferry’s time with Roxy Music as well as solo hits, including his critically acclaimed Avonmore, his 15^th solo album.  Opening for Perry is American pop star LP (Laura Pergolizzi). In addition to her own work, she has written songs for Heidi Montag, Rihanna and Christina Aguilera.  The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, in association with Mills Entertainment presents Bring It! Live featuring the stars of Lifetime’s hit series Bring It!, Miss D and her Dancing Dolls performing never-before-seen routines, and audience participation. As part of its national tour, Bring It! Live will appear at the Merriam Theatre on Friday August 5 at 8:00 p.m. The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, in association with Live Nation Entertainment, presents  Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally, the award-winning comedians and real-life married couple, in Summer of 69; No Apostrophe. Their performance will be for one night only- August 20, 20126 at the Merriam Theater. The duo has won numerous awards for comedy both together and separately. Summer of 69: No Apostrophe promises to be a hilarious evening of comedy and music, Tickets for any of these events are available now and can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, visiting online at kimmelcenter.org or the Kimmel Center Box Office.  Group sales are available for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased by calling 215- 790-5883.

If/Then

Anthony Rapp & Jackie Burns

Broadway Philadelphia presents If/Then at the Academy of Music through June 26, 2016.  Who among us has never wondered, “What if…”or “If Only…”?  The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning team of Next to Normal, composer Tom Kitt and book writer/lyricist Brian Yorkey have tackled this somewhat suppressed thought and burst it right out into the open by examining two parallel roads that a person might take. What makes the concept so distinctive is that the results of the different choices  made are seen side by side...The single successful corporate executive and the stay-at-home mother of two.  This totally unique production is flawless in its execution. The first National Tour brings together original Broadway cast members Jackie Burns and Anthony Rapp along with Tamyra Gray and Matthew. Hydzik.  The music has a wow factor of 10!   Not only are the songs exciting, but the delivery is exceptional.  Jackie Burns, who is either Liz or Beth, depending upon which storyline she is immersed in, has an extraordinarily powerful voice. Tamyra Gray portrays her enthusiastic friend Kate and her enthusiasm  rings throughout the Academy as she sings.  Anthony Rapp and Matthew Hydzik, the men in Elizabeth’s parallel universes, add great touches to their musical renditions. The frequent projection changes are incredible. They range from moving flashing lights  which give credence to actors sitting a subway, to the city Library, to townhouses, starry nights and airplane windows. Everything about this National Tour demands a return engagement. Tickets can be purchased now by calling 215-893-1999, visiting online at www.kimmelcenter.org, or visiting the Kimmel Center Box Office.  Group Sales are available for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased by calling 215-790-5883. 

New Shows Added to Kimmel's Broadway Philadelphia Season

Broadway Philadelphia

BROADWAY PHILADELPHIA

HAS ADDED TWO POPULAR

PRODUCTIONS

TO ITS 2016-17 SEASON

       RETURNING FAVORITES DIRTY DANCING

      AND CIRQUE ELOIZE JOIN THE SEASON LINE-UP

               Tickets On Sale To Subscribers Today

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and the Shubert Organization announce the addition of two productions to the 2016-17 Broadway Philadelphia season.  Nouveau cirque troupe Cirque Eloize  will return to Philadelphia with its new production Saloon - A Musical Acrobatic Adventure January 13-14 2017 and back by popular demand is Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage May 16- 21, 2017, both at the Kimmel Center’s Merriam Theater. Season ticket holders will receive priority access to both shows starting June 20.  The general public can purchase tickets to individual shows beginning September 10. Broadway Philadelphia is presented collaboratively by The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and The Shubert Organization.  In addition to Cirque Eloize and Dirty Dancing, other 2016-17 Broadway Philadelphia shows include An American in Paris (November 22-27, 2016),The Bodyguard,(Feb 21-26, 2017), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (February 28-March 5, 2017), The King and I (March 22-April 2, 2017),Cabaret ( April 4-9, 2017), and Fun Home (June 13-18, 2017).  Add-on shows include: Mamma Mia! (December 27-31, 2016) Hedwig and The Angry Inch (April 18-23, 2017) Motown the Musical (May 30- June 11, 2017) and Wicked (July 26- August 27, 2017) Show packages are available now and include Tuesday through Sunday performances with an option to include any of the add-on shows. Tickets are available online at kimmelcenter.org/bwy1617 or by calling 215-893-1955.  Group sales are available for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased by calling 215-790 5883 or 866-276-2947. You can also visit online at kimmelcenter.com/groupsales or telecharge.com/groups.

Muddled

Bob Heath, Carlo Campbell &
Amanda Schoonover

The New York Times best-selling humorist Josh Priven is presenting his world premiere of Muddled, A Stage Comedy through June 26 at Drexel URBN Annex (3401 Filbert Street). The play runs 100 minutes without an intermission and scenes change with the aid of blackouts. The story begins with a young girl in the advanced stages of pregnancy with a musician by her side who decides he cannot stay with her until the baby is born but must head out on tour. The next scene takes place over thirty years later in a bar that has a no cell phone policy and seemingly no customers either. Andy (Trevor William Fayle) opens the 1920’s style bar after having been fired from Facebook and disavowing all social media.  His girlfriend Chrissy (Hannah Gold) and Mother Tina (Amanda Schoonover) ostensibly work at the bar but there is little to do as there are never any customers.  The no cell phone or iPad policy appears to be a turn-off to any who enter, for they quickly exit. Along comes Nicky (Bob Heath) head of the famous band of the 80’s The Black Widows. Having made a fortune by investing well, he tells Andy he wants to help him out after announcing that he is his long lost dad. But when other members of his band appear, it seems that his fatherhood is in question. Does he really want to help or are Tina’s fears that he’s a scam artist about to be realized? When Nicky swears to Tina, “I’m not the same man I used to be. I’ve changed,” she replies, “Your underwear, maybe.” There are chuckles throughout the piece as well as a real twist at the end. For more information or tickets, call 267-225-7175 or visit muddled.brownpapertickets.com 

Hillary and Clinton

Alice M. Gatling &
John Procaccino

Philadelphia Theatre Company in its home at Suzanne Roberts Theatre, Broad and Lombard Streets, is presenting the East Coast Premiere of Hillary and Clinton through June 26. Playwright Lucas Hnath has us imagine a parallel universe in which a woman named Hillary (Alice M. Gatling), is running for president in a country called The United States of America.  We are to further imagine that she is married to a man named Bill (John Procaccino) who was a very popular but unfaithful ex-president of this same country. Hillary is losing in the polls in New Hampshire and has several decisions to make. Does she go to Bill for help and in doing so, possibly give up her control of the campaign? Does she follow the advice of her campaign manager Mark (Todd Cerveris) who has not been very successful in running her campaign so far, or should she take the offer of the other guy( Lindsay Smiling) to drop out of the race and run as his VP if he should win the nomination? These are all big decisions for a strong character to tackle. The problem with this piece is that there are no strong characters. Hillary waffles between wanting Bill’s help and then refusing it. She is strongest when she admits that she stayed married to a man who cheated because she wanted the power that would evenutally come her way if she remained by his side. Bill is presented as pretty much of a whining wimp until he makes a decision behind Hillary’s back which angers her but assures her the primary win in New Hampshire. The other guy who at first wanted Hillary to leave the race discovers she has taken money from Bill which has come from unsavory origins, so he no longer wants any part of her. This discovery is made very quietly with no vitriol. The play begins with Alice M Gatling speaking to the audience about all the infinite possibilities of multiple universes in the world and ends with a similar speech.  There are chuckles in between, but  there are no great dramatic moments. For more information or to get tickets to see this play, call 215-985-0420 or visit PhiadelphiaTheatreCompany.org.