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07/04/2019 12:01 AMInto the Woods: Madison Lyric Stage is presenting Steven Sondheim’s Into the Woods Thursday, July 18 to Sunday, July 28. The musical about fairytales and reality will be staged inside the historic Deacon John Grave House in Madison, which is described as a “storybook cottage setting.” The audience is limited for this audience-immersive production. For tickets call 203-215-6329.
A New Musical: The second new musical at Goodspeed Chester, Passing Through will feature Broadway regulars Max Chernin, Jim Stanek, Garrett Long, and others. The show tells “the true story of a young man who journeys on foot from Pennsylvania to California.” During the journey, as he meets many people, an unresolved family crisis is discovered. It runs Friday, July 26 to Sunday, Aug. 18. For tickets visit goodspeed.org or call 860-873-8668.
Pippin Outdoors: The hit musical Pippin is the show this summer for the Summer Theatre of New Canaan which is performing at a new home this year closer to downtown. The show runs Friday, July 5 through Sunday, July 28. For tickets visit stonc.org. The director promises an immersive production of the popular show.
Impressive Cast: The Connecticut Repertory Theatre on the UConn campus in Storrs has assembled a top-notch cast for its production of Cabaret. The cast will be led by Olivier Award-winner Laura Michelle Kelly (Broadway’s Mary Poppins, Finding Neverland) as Sally Bowles and Tony Award-nominee Forrest McClendon (The Scottsboro Boys) as the Emcee. They will be joined by three-time Tony Award-nominee Dee Hoty (Broadway’s The Will Rogers Follies, Footloose) and Jonathan Brody (Broadway’s Spamalot, A Bronx Tale). Scott LaFeber will direct with choreography by Christopher d’Amboise. The show runs through Sunday, July 21. For tickets visit crt.uconn.edu or 860-486-2113.
New York Notes: The summer is a time of closing and announcements of upcoming openings. Among the closings are the musicals Be More Chill (Sunday, Aug. 11), The Prom (Sunday, Aug. 11), My Fair Lady (Sunday, July 7). The latter two have national tours planned. Among the plays are many limited engagements including All My Sons which just closed, Ink (Sunday, July 7), Burn This (Sunday, July 14), The Ferryman (Sunday, July 7). The surprise closing is The Cher Show (Sunday, Aug. 18).
The only major show opening this summer on Broadway is the musical Moulin Rouge which is already in previews at the Al Hirschfeld Theater. The two one-act plays, Sea Wall/A Life is moving from off-Broadway where it had a limited run last winter. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Tom Sturbridge; previews begin in late July. Also, Faye Dunaway is expected to open in the one-woman show about Katharine Hepburn, Tea at Five during the summer. No dates have been announced.
Interesting Documentary: Many people may not know but in the 1950s and ‘60s many well-known (or soon to be well-known) composers and lyricists wrote elaborate shows for various companies which presented them at sales meetings and more. John Kander, Sheldon Harnick were among those who wrote for the shows that also feature top talent. A documentary about these shows, including excerpts from them, is now streaming on Netflix. It’s called Bathtubs Over Broadway.
Karen Isaacs is an East Haven resident. To check out her reviews for New York and Connecticut shows, visit 2ontheaisle.wordpress.com. She’s a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle, New York’s Outer Critics Circle and the American Theatre Critics Association.