Book of Mormon

                                                                         Ensemble

Back by popular demand, The Book of Morman,   co-presented by Ensemble Arts Philly and the Shubert Organization, is returning to the Academy of Music  October 1 – 6. Since opening on March 24, 2011, The Book of Mormon  has become one of the most successful shows in Broadway history. In addition to nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical and the Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album, The Book of Morman won five Drama Desk Awards,including Best Musical, the NY Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, Drama League Award for Best Musical and four Outer Critics  Circle Awards including Best Musical. The Book of Mormon has been performed on three continents and has won over 30 international awards. The musical has smashed long-standing box office records in New York, London, Melbourne, Sydney and cities across the U.S. and the world. Tickets can be purchased  by calling 215-893-1999 or visiting online at www.ensembleartsphilly.org. In person ticket sales can be purchased from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily at the Academy of Music Box Office, 240 S Broad Street. Orders for groups of 10 or more may be placed by calling 215-790-5883 or emailing groupsales@ensembleartsphilly.org. . For more information, visit thebookofmormontour.com. 

Mamma Mia!

                              

                                Jalynn Steele, Christine Sherrill & Carly Sakolove

Ensemble Arts Philly and the Shubert Organization are presenting Mamma Mia! as part of the show’s 25^th anniversary tour . The musical showcases the feel-good music  of the band ABBA. I’ve seen this show twice in the past 20 years, and this iteration remains delightful. Alisa Melendez’s portrayal of Sophie Sheridan is like a breath of fresh air. She opens and closes the show with  “I have a Dream,”  and sings a multitude of numbers throughout the performance. She has a wonderful stage presence and an engaging voice. The simple set is multi-purposeful as both a backdrop for the outdoors on the  Greek island and indoor bedroom scenes as well. Howard Harrison’s lighting design is  brilliant.  The special lighting effects  are particularly noteworthy when Christine Sherrill, portraying  Donna Sheridan, sings  “Money, Money” and a bit   later when she sings the title song, “Mamma Mia!.”  Additionally, the multi-colors of orange and yellow and red  against the backdrop at the end of the first act nearly perfectly simulate an outdoor sunset. There are many humorous moments throughout this performance.  Donna resurrects her old band act with band-mates Tanya (Jalynn Steele) and Rosie ( Carly Sakolove) as they sing  “Dancing Queen.”  A small group of ensemble members dress in wetsuits as they sing and dance, with interesting choreography, to  “ Lay all your Love on Me.”  A larger ensemble sings and dances to “Voulez -Vous.”  Rosie has a hilarious moment in the second act with Jim Newman portraying  Bill Austin as she sings,  “ Take a Chance on Me.”   The only problem with this entire performance is that the orchestra is a bit too loud at times.  It occasionally overpowers the performers as they sing. After final bows and quick costume changes, everyone returns to the stage and begins to sing favorite hits from the show. Everyone in the audience is up dancing by their seats, clapping, and  singing along. What a  wonderful night.

 Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999 or  visiting online at www.ensembleartsphilly.org . In person tickets can be sold daily from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at the Academy of Music Box Office at 240 S. Broad Street. See www.ensembleartsphilly.org for more information.

Philadephia Fringe Festival

                                                                    Poor Judge ( a curated program)

The Fringe Arts Festival  is coming to Philadelphia again in September and it’s not too early to plan to visit some of these unique productions. The 28^th Annual Philadelphia  Fringe Festival  features over 300 diverse  productions and experiences through Philadelphia for a month - long celebration. The programming includes world premieres by Lightning Rod Special and Pig Iron Theatre Company  as well as a new interactive opera, We Have Gone As Far As Far As We Can Together. There will be several curated programs throughout the month as well as 14 digital events  and the return of the Festival Hub program featuring Cannonball, Circus Campus Presents , and the new Glen Foerd Hub. These independent satellite festivals feature dozens of individually produced  experiences in one centralized location. Tickets are now on sale. For more information and tickets visit online at FringeArts.com, by phone at 215-413-1318 or by visit the Fringe Festival Box Office at FringeArts ( 140 N Columbus Blvd. Philadelphia )