Arts and the Election, Summer Nights, Broadway’s Loss, and More
It Was a Very Good Year: 1975 that is—two amazing musicals opened—Chicago and A Chorus Line. Ivoryton Playhouse will present A Chorus Line about dancers auditioning for a Broadway musical, Wednesday, Aug. 8 to Sunday, Sept. 2. It’s bound to sell out, so get your tickets early by visiting ivorytonplayhouse.org or calling 860-767-7318.
Arts and the Election: Members of the Connecticut Arts Alliance and the Connecticut Alliance for Arts Education have established Create the Vote CT, a nonpartisan educational campaign raising awareness and support for the arts among candidates. It seeks to education candidates for governor and other offices on the importance of arts and culture to Connecticut and the impact they have on the state and its economy. A gubernatorial candidate forum on the issues was held on July 31. You can follow the campaign and the position of candidates on the arts at ctartsalliance.org, through Facebook and Twitter, and by joining the Create the Vote CT email list.
Summer Nights: Music Theatre of Connecticut in Norwalk is finishing up its Hot Summer Nights series of one night special events. Saturday, Aug. 18 is a tribute to Marvin Hamlisch called Marvin and Me. This review features Valerie Lemon, who is billed as Hamlisch’s “signature singer for 12 years” and Hamlisch’s widow Terri Blair Hamlisch. It features music and stories. On Saturday, Sept. 8, it is Dr. Bradley’s Fabulous Functional Narcissism, which is subtitled “The Psycholantic Odyssey of a Once Glorified Chorus Boy.” Bradley Jones, who was in A Chorus Line and other shows before becoming a psychoanalyst, tells stories and songs from his coming-of-age. For tickets, visit musictheatreofct.com.
Broadway’s Loss: Bobby Steggert, a promising Broadway actor and singer, has left the profession. Many of us had wondered where he was after receiving great notices and award nominations for performances in 110 in the Shade, Ragtime, Yanks! and Mothers and Sons. Connecticut residents saw him at Goodspeed at Chester and later Long Wharf playing Toulouse Lautrec in My Paris. He recently announced he has left the profession and obtained a master’s degree in social work. His talent will be missed.
New York Notes: Will Chase will costar with Kelli O’Hara in Kiss Me, Kate in spring 2019 at the Roundabout Theatre. Lauren Ambrose, Eliza in My Fair Lady, is no longer performing the Sunday matinees; Kerstin Anderson will be Eliza at Lincoln Center. Jeremy Jordan, who appeared on Broadway in Newsies but may be better known for his work on Supergirl and Smash, will be back on Broadway in the play American Son, which begins previews Oct. 6. The musical version of Baz Luhrmann’s film Moulin Rouge is now in Boston with hopes of making it to Broadway. This year’s Tony award winner, Glenda Jackson will be back on Broadway next spring as King Lear in the Shakespeare play by the same name. She recently did the play in London. The musical King Kong will start previews Oct. 5. It’s based on the 1932 novel. A musical version of the film Dave is in Washington; who knows if it will make it to Broadway or when. The Band’s Visit, which not only won the Tony award for best musical, but took home the most awards this past June, will launch a national tour.
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 both the Connecticut Critics Circle and New York’s Outer Critics Circle.