One-Man Nutcracker

                                                                      Chris Davis

Chris Davis is appearing in the One-Man Nutcracker at Louis Bluver Theatre at The Drake, 302 Hicks Street,  through December 29, 2024. He performs to Tchaikovsky’s  well- known music narrated by Severin Blake.  As audience members enter the théâtre, each one is given a long-stemmed rose  and told that it will become part of the show. Once everyone is seated, Chris Davis appears in white ballet slippers and tights and a black jacket with tails. He demands applause from the audience and when it isn’t loud enough for his liking, he raises his arms to increase the volume until the sound is quite high. He abruptly cuts it off and turns to face the hanging sheet-like screen behind him and begins conducting the music. He performs on both sides of this sheet; when behind it, he produces a huge shadow.  He gives new meaning to dancing with two left feet. You must see the show for yourself to discover  the secret. The show is absolutely magical. Chris interacts with the audience throughout the program and the audience is always engaged. Asking the audience if they would like to see magic tricks, he has everyone chant, ” Magic, Magic, Magic” and he disappears behind the sheet to do a shadow trick. When the audience isn’t quite satisfied, he comes to speak to the audience again and tells them they know what to they must do. Again, the audience chants ,   "Magic, Magic, Magic.”   I must confess I was caught up in the moment and found myself chanting as well. Chris dons a tutu for the dance of the sugar plum fairies; he implements a swordfight between the mouse king  and the  toy soldiers and tells interesting tales behind some of the darker history of the original Nutcracker. For a finale he implores the audience to show their appreciation by throwing their roses on the stage. Amid much laughter, everyone in the audience does so.  This is 60 minutes of pure joy. Chris Davis has given us a true holiday gift. Tickets are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ .

MJ The Musical

                                                                         Ensemble

The smash-hit musical MJ, centered around the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour, will debut in Philadelphia at the Academy of Music from January  8  - 19, 2025.  This presentation is part of the 2024-25 Broadway season.  Jordon Markus will make his debut in the title role beginning December 31.  Jamaal Fields-Green departs to take over the title role in London’s West end.  Jordon Marks is very familiar with the role, having played the role of MJ twice a week as the MJ Alternate  since August 2024.  Michael Jackson’s unique artistry comes to Philadelphia in MJ , the multiple Tony Award winning musical centered on the making of the 1992 Dangerous World Tour.  The musical offers a rare look at the creative mind that propelled Michael Jackson into legendary status. It focuses on Michael Jackson’s talent, displaying his one-of a -kind music and dance moves . The creative team features Tony and Emmy Award-winning designers. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893 1999 or visiting online at www.ensembesartsphilly.org . In-person tickets can be purchased daily from 10:00  am -  6:00  pm. at the Academy of Music Box Office, located at 240 S .Broad Street. 

The Play That Goes Wrong

                                                    Justin Jain, Ian Merril Peakes, Scott Greer
 

Everything is right in 1812 Production’s of The Play That Goes Wrong  being presented at Plays and Players Theater , 1714 Delancey Street through December 29^th.  This remarkable play-within – a play and its all-star cast featuring Melanie Cottin, Rain Diaz, Michael Doherty, Scott Greer, Anthony Lawton, Ian Merril Peakes,  and Karen Peakes is helmed by  director Jennifer Childs. The set-up is marvelous- Cornley Drama Society is about to produce a 1920’s murder mystery-The Murder at Evesham Manor. If something could go wrong with the Society’s production, it does. In a madcap manner, pieces of the set deteriorate and fall apart. Florence Collymoore, portrayed  by  Karen Peakes is the fiancé of the murdered Charles Haversham ( Ian Merril Peakes) After professing love for Charle’s brother , Cecil, (Justin Jain ) she tries to run from the room, but falls and hits her head. She is replaced by understudy Melanie Cotton who appears onstage  reading lines from a script. After Florence recovers, the two fight for the role.   While an inspector searches for clues, Cecil is  also mysteriously murdered; a  supporting leg is torn off the study upstairs while Thomas Collymore (Scott Greer) and Inspector Carter ( Anthony Lawton) are sitting there; and the elevator malfunctions. Rain Diaz adds another layer to the hilarity with his management of the sound and lightboard.   This is a must-see production. You will laugh throughout the entire play. For more information and tickets,  visit the website at  1812productions.org .  

Elf The Broadway Musical

 

                                                                      Nic Rouleau

The Walnut Street Theatre is presenting Elf The Broadway Musical  through December 29, 2024. Based on the holiday film, the show premiered on Broadway in 2010 with a dozen original  songs to charm audiences of all ages. Nic Rouleau is outstanding as Buddy , a baby who mistakenly crawled into Santa’s bag and was raised by elves. Despite his enormous size and poor toy-making ability, he doesn’t realize he is human until he overhears  the other elves talking about him. When Santa confirms that he is really a human and not an elf, he is off to find his real dad.  Things aren’t easy for him when he  leaves the North Pole; no one believes his story.  The Walnut stage is well equipped for multiple scenes. Thanks to the  set design by Robert Andrew Kovach, there are frequent  scene changes, and they are done very quickly. From the North Pole to the Empire State building to an ice - skating pond beside decorated Christmas trees - Buddy travels back and forth trying to save Christmas by having people believe in Santa once again. Nic has made Buddy an endearing character. He’s sincere and naïve, and reminiscent of Tom Hanks in the movie BIG. The choreography throughout the show is excellent. Members of the ensemble do a variety of routines including juggling, tumbling, and tapdancing while singing crowd pleasing numbers such as “Sparklejollytwinklejingley” and “Nobody Cares About Santa Claus.” Buddy is included in almost every number. This show is sure to delight everyone no matter what their age. It brings laughter, a tear or two, but ultimately joy in a story well told and wondrously received. For tickets, call 215- 574-3550, or visit walnutstreettheatre.org or ticketmaster.com.

American Moor

 

The Lantern Theater Company is  presenting  the Philadelphia Premiere of Keith Hamilton Cobb’s American Moor through December 8, 2024.  This ‘not -to-be-missed’ presentation stars  Phillip Brown as an Actor and Thane Madsen as a Director.  The Actor, a tall Black man, enters an audition for Othello as a classically trained actor, very familiar with the canons of Shakespeare.  He comes well prepared for the audition. The Director interferes with the  speech immediately; suggests that Shakespeare meant Othello to speak in a different manner and exits the stage.  The Actor is infuriated that a young white director would have a better knowledge of Othello than a Black man who is a  classically  trained actor. In a poignant monologue, the Actor speaks to the audience, stating his case. He walks into the audience  and also jokes with them, developing a strong rapport. The Director returns with another  similar suggestion and quickly makes an exit.  The Actor again has his script in hand on the stage.  After reciting some of Othello’s lines he leaves the stage for a nearby chair and laments in anguish the plight of a Black man who can’t be heard. His torment is palpable. The acting is exquisite. The play’s ending is jaw-dropping.  For more information or tickets to this ‘must see’ presentation, call 215-829-0395 or visit online at www.lanterntheater.org  .

Moreno

 

               

                                                  Moreno locker room and football field

InterAct Theatre Company, housed inside St. Stephens Theatre, 923 Ludlow Street, is presenting the American Premiere of Moreno through November 24, 2024. There is a very talented four-member ensemble cast whose political positions are clearly defined in the first act and  are  less clear in parts of the second. Charvez Grant portrays Ezekiel Williams whose mother was a political activist before her recent death. He decides to follow in the footsteps of  Colin Kaepernick and bend a knee during the national anthem to protest against police brutality and honor his mother. His teammates, Cre’von Garcon (Abdul Sesay), Danny Lombardo ( Gabriel Elmore ), and Luis Moreno ( Frank Jimenez ) will have none of it.  Danny is the team’s quarterback and is only  interested in getting the team to the Super Bowl. Moreno is a cocky spoiled rascal who is all about how much money he is earning and how important he is. Cre’von is young and just wants to play ball. Everything changes when  Moreno gets a call that his Mexican mother has been harassed and is planning to leave the country as the result of hate crimes. He leaves suddenly to check on his mother and the team loses their perfect winning streak without him. There are changes for Moreno and changes for the team when he returns.The stage is set up with three entrances and exits. All 4 players are rarely on the stage at the same time except when there is a football game. Oftentimes two will be talking while the other two are having a costume change off- stage. The costume changes are frequent but subtle. This is a remarkable work. The acting is excellent, and the messages are powerful. For more information or tickets, visit www.interacttheatre.org.

The Neil Diamond Musical: A Beautiful Noise

 

Ensemble Arts Philly and The Shubert Organization will present the Philadelphia Premiere of A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, December 10 -22. 2024. Created in collaboration with Neil Diamond himself, A Beautiful Noise is the stirring true story of how a kid from Brooklyn became an American rock icon.  With 120 million albums sold, filled with classics like “ America,” Forever in Blue Jeans,” and “Sweet Caroline,”, induction into the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and sold-out concerts around the world, Neil Diamond’s story was made to shine on stages everywhere. Nick Fradiani will play Neil Diamond   Then’ in the national tour directly from playing the role on Broadway since October 2023. ( Tony nominee Robert Westenberg will play Neil Diamond Now. )  A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical   is a moving energy-filled musical memoir that tells the untold story of how America’s greatest hitmaker became a star, set to the music that made him become one.

Tickets are now on sale for performances of A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical at the Forrest Theatre. They can be purchased by calling 212-239-6200, visiting www.telecharge.com (and selecting “Philadelphia area” for purchase ) or in-person starting November 18 at the Forrest Theatre box office, 1114 Walnut Street.