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02/29/2024 12:00 AMGrumpy Old Men: The 1993 film, which was turned into a musical that premiered at Ogunquit (Maine) Playhouse in 2018, is the first show of Seven Angels Theatre’s 2024 season. If you remember the film, it is about two feuding elderly men who each are attracted to the new neighbor across the street. The production runs from Friday, March 1, through Sunday, March 24. It will star Rob Bartlett, Semina DeLaurentis, and Gary Harger. For tickets, visit SevenAngelsTheatre.org
Juxtapositions: Yale Rep is presenting Caryl Churchill’s short (55 minutes) but intriguing Escaped Alone from Friday, March 8, to Saturday, March 30. Churchill, a prominent British playwright, sets Escaped Alone in a garden on a presumably normal afternoon. Four women talk, but one woman continues to address the audience about various disasters. What is going on? If this sounds fascinating, visit YaleRep.org for tickets.
Next Cabaret Concert: Alice Ripley will perform Sunday, March 10, as part of the Legacy Theatre’s Broadway Concert Series. Ripley won a Tony for creating the leading role in Next to Normal. She has also starred in SideShow, Sunset Boulevard, American Psycho, and other shows. The performance also streams live. Visit LegacyTheatreCT.org for information.
Hot Wings: Next up at Hartford Stage is The Hot Wing King by Katori Hall through Sunday, March 24. This Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy-drama is all about Cordell and his crew prepping for the annual Memphis “Hot Wing Festival.” You can bet that relationships and even participating in the event will be in question. For tickets, visit HartfordStage.org
I Would Love to See This: If I weren’t away, I’d be rushing to buy tickets for The Trip to Bountiful, Westport Country Playhouse’s March Script in Hand series on Monday, March 11. Not only is the play touching, but this evening will be directed by Michael Wilson, who is the premier director of Horton Foote’s works. You can also bet that Westport will have a terrific cast. Tickets are just $30. Visit WestportPlayhouse.org before they are sold out.
Calling All Cher Fans: The national tour of the Broadway musical The Cher Show is at the Bushnell in Hartford from Tuesday, March 5, to Sunday, March 10. The show includes 35 of Cher’s hits and more Bob Mackie gowns than you think is possible. Three actresses portray Cher at different parts of her life: Babe, the newcomer; Lady, the pop star; and Star, the cultural icon. For tickets, visit Bushnell.org.
Laughs and More: I’ve seen The Legend of Georgia McBride several times. But I must admit the production at MTC in Norwalk through Sunday, March 3, is the best. Perhaps it is the intimate theater setting, or perhaps it is the outstanding direction by Kevin Connors and his fine cast. The show is about a not-very-good Elvis impersonator performing on the Florida panhandle, who is replaced by a drag show. He turns to bartending at the establishment, but one night, he is pressed into performing as Edith Piaf. The rest, as they say, is history. For tickets, visit MusicTheatreOfCT.com.
Spectacular Performances: The Days of Wine and Roses features outstanding performances by Kelli O’Hara, Brian d’Arcy James in the leads, and Bryon Jennings in a major supporting role. I saw this off-Broadway last spring; the Broadway production has deepened. Based on the 1960s film, this musical isn’t for the faint of heart–it is about the downward spiral of a young couple in the 1950s who became alcoholics. I found it touching.
PBS: This spring’s Great Performances series will feature a concert by Audra McDonald (May 17), Rodgers & Hammerstein's 80th Anniversary Celebration (May 31), and Hamlet by the Public Theatre’s production in Central Park (May 10). I’ve heard that the revival production of Purlie Victorious! will also air.
NYC Notes: Boy George is now starring in Moulin Rouge! The Musical playing the role of Harold Zidler. Mary Jane, which had its premiere at Yale Rep in 2017, is opening on Broadway beginning April 2. Rachel McAdams stars. The Alicia Keys’ new musical Hell’s Kitchen will start Shoshana Bean and Brandon Victor Dixon. The show was a hit off-Broadway; it begins previews on Broadway on March 28.
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, the League of Professional Theater Women, and the American Theatre Critics Association.