Detroit

cast of Detroit

The Philadelphia Theatre Company, at home in the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, Broad and Lombard Streets, is presenting the Pulitzer Prize nominated Detroit to inaugurate its 40^th Anniversary season. The play will be performed through November 9. The all-star cast of Geneviève Perrier (Mary), Steven Rishard (Ben), K.O. DelMarcelle (Sharon), Matteo J. Scammell (Kenny) and Tom McCarthy (Frank) present a study of dysfunction in middle class suburbia.  Ben and Mary befriend new neighbors who move into the vacant house next door. It does not take long for the thin veneer of respectability that is within each one’s grasp to slowly peel away. It does so, however, in unexpected ways, both disconcerting and unsettling.  Your vision of a perfect backyard barbecue may never be the same.  There are a series of special events scheduled during October.  If you are planning to attend on Tuesday October 21, you will have a chance to hear a panel discussion immediately following the performance with leaders who will discuss the ideas and issues raised by the production.  Audience members attending the Saturday October 25 matinee will have an opportunity for a post-matinee backstage tour of the set to learn how this very effective set was conceived by Set Designer Vince Mountain and Lighting Designer Nicole Pearce as well as how the crew runs the show.  On Thursday, October 30, following the evening performance, join the members of the cast and creative team for a post-show discussion. For more information or tickets, call 215-985-0420 or visit online at PhiladelphiaTheatreCompany.org.

Bad Jews

Sofie Yavorsky and Greg Follick

Walnut Street Theatre’s Independence Studio on 3 is presenting the hysterical Bad Jews through November 30^th. Cousins forced to share a studio apartment for a night following their grandfather’s funeral become embroiled in a family’s side-splitting tug-of-war for familial rights and their rights of identity.  Sofie Yavorsky portrays an impassioned young Jew who is critical of her cousins for not sharing her devotion to Judaism. Nor does she believe they share her loss over their recently departed Poppi. Her early monologues are poignant and her later ones are vitriolic but she is always an incredible presence on the stage. The barbs flung back and forth between her and Greg Fallick, portraying Jonah Haber and Davy Raphaely playing his brother Liam are outrageously funny and astonishingly witty. Only Melody, Liam’s non-Jewish girlfriend, tries to present the voice of reason, but when her voice is actually heard…you can barely recognize Melody.(beautifully portrayed by Laura Giknis) Tempers flare; hilarity breaks out; somber refection seeps in….This exceptionally talented young cast takes the audience on a wild ride through the many phases of comedy. For more information or tickets, call 215-574-3550 or 315-336-1234.  Tickets are also available at WalnutStreetTheatre.org or Ticketmaster.com.

THE 39 STEPS

Adam Sowers, Dan Hodge
Karen Peakes

Bristol Riverside Theatre, located at 120 Radcliffe Street in Bristol, Pa, is opening its 28^th season with a bang. The 4 member ensemble cast of Dan Hodge, Matt Leisy, Karen Peakes and Adam Sowers play over 150 roles in an uproarious adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s murder mystery, The 39 Steps. A red armchair might be considered a fifth cast member as it has a recurring role. Breathtakingly handsome Richard Hannay, portrayed by Matt Leisy, is falsely accused of murder and goes to any length to prove his innocence and the existence of a mysterious plot. Other cast members change persona at the drop of a hat…literally. This zany madcap farce has more hat changes, costume changes and wig changes than you can count. The story-line is preposterous. To call this production silly would trivialize the work of this outstanding cast. It is hilarious and provides an evening of non-stop fun. For more information or tickets call 215-785-0100 or visit online at www.BRTstage.org.

NEWSIES:the Musical

Casting has been announced for Philadelphia’s limited engagement (Oct 28-Nov 2) of Disney’s NEWSIES which will introduce the 2014-2015 Broadway Philadelphia season, presented collaboratively by the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and The Shubert Organization.  Featured performers are Dan DeLucca as “Jack Kelly”, Steve Blanchard as “Joseph Pulitzer,” Stephanie Styles.” as “Katharine,” Angela Grovey as “Medda Larkin,” Jacob Kemp as “Davey," Zachary Sayle as “Crutchie” and Vincent Crocilla and Anthony Rosenthal alternating the role of “Les.” Completing the cast are twenty-five talented ensemble members. NEWSIES is inspired by the real-life ‘Newsboy Strike of 1899’ when newsboy Kid Blink led a band of orphan and runaway newsies on a two-week-long action against publishing giants Joseph Pulitzer, and other powerful publishers.  Set in New York City at the turn of the century, NEWSIES is the inspiring tale of Jack Kelly, a captivating newsboy and leader of a rag-tag band of teenaged “newsies” who dreams only of a better life far from the hardship he meets on the streets.  When publishing giants Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise their distribution prices at the boys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike for what’s right. While on Broadway, NEWSIES became the highest grossing show of the 2011-2012 season.  In Philadelphia, it will play at the Academy of Music from October 28 through November 2 Tuesday through Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm; Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm; Sunday evening at 6:30 pm with a Saturday matinee at 2:00 pm and a Sunday matinee at 1:00 pm. Tickets are available by calling 215-731-3333; visiting online at kimmelcenter.org/broadway; at the Kimmel Center Box Office, Broad and Spruce Sts or at the Academy of Music box office, Broad and Locust Sts (during performances only). Orders for groups of 10 or more may be placed by calling 215-790-5883 or 866-276-2947.

The Jost Project

Tony Miceli, Paul Yost,
Kevin MacConnelol

“Good Vibrations” will fill the air on Thursday, October 9, 2014 when The Jost Project performs in Chris’ Jazz Café, 1421 Sansom Street in Philadelphia. The cover charge is $15 and can be purchased at www.chris-jazz-cafe.seatengine.com.  For more information, call 215-568-3131. The Jost Project is composed of Philadelphia area musicians including internationally renowned vibraphonist Toni Miceli, singer Paul Jost and bassist Kevin MacConnell. Drummer Anwar Marshall will be performing with them at Chris’.   Performing classic rock in a classic jazz format, The Jost Project will be adding a whole new repertoire of music to their show.  Songs like “Come Together” and “Good Vibrations” will be added to such favorites as “Walk This Way” and “Kasmir.” Their CD, ‘Can’t Find My Way Home’ has been released by dot records and is available at dottimerecords.com, iTunes, Amazon.com and in retail stores.  For more information, contact SFPR Music, Sharla Feldscher, 215-627-0801#101 or Sharla@sf-pr.com.

Arcadia

Kittson O'Neil, Maxwell Eddy and
Alex Boyle

Lantern Theatre Company, located in St. Stephen’s Church, 10^th and Ludlow Streets, is producing Tom Stoppard’s masterpiece, Arcadia, through November 2. Stoppard gives us a unique glimpse of life in the time of Lord Byron and his contemporaries at the turn of the 19^th century as well as an in-depth peek at present-day scholars who try to glean information about that time period from journals, papers and artistic renditions that they have been found. Interestingly enough, things are not always what they seem. A hermit sketched on a landscape as a whim takes on great significance when it is discovered and studied centuries later. An assignation in the gazebo may be attributed to the wrong personage.   Sometimes research of the past is incomplete and conclusions are based on conjecture. And so Stoppard poses the hypothesis…”It is the wanting to know that makes us human. Failure is inevitable.”  With a stellar cast of 12, Lantern’s rendition of Stoppard’s Arcadia is as fascinating as it is spell-blinding. The audience is transported effortlessly between centuries and, at times, is able to become involved in the happenings of both centuries simultaneously. Humor abounds in both, although 19^th Century  Thomasina (Alex Boyle) her mother Lady Croom (Charlotte Northeast) and her tutor Septimus (Maxwell Eddy put on a very serious front as do researchers Hannah Jarvis (Kittson O’Neil) and Bernard Nightingale (Joe Guzman) two centuries later.  Be intrigued. Be captivated. But by all means, be in the audience for at least one performance of Arcadia. To coincide with this production Lantern Theater is presenting a four day festival of special events from October 23-26.  For more information about the festival or tickets to the production, phone 215-829-0395 or visit online at www.lanterntheater.org.