Bo Bice is one of America’s most popular modern day southern rock singers. Bo’s epic run on American Idol as runner-up to Carrie Underwood in 2005 is still one of the most watched seasons in the shows history. Bo currently is playing the lead role in “Rock of Ages” at the Garden Theatre in Winter Garden, FL. The show opened on January 25. 2023 and recently got extended to March 12, 2023. Be sure to catch a performance if you can.

Click here to purchase tickets: https://www.gardentheatre.org/play/rock-of-ages/

Bo has received many awards over his 25 year career. As a Native of Alabama being inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and having Governor Bob Riley declare May, 24th Bo Bice day were among the greatest honors of his career. He has a string of 3 Gold Albums from his contribution to the Idols 2005 compilation CD, his single “Vehicle” and for his Debut CD “The Real Thing” recorded with Clive Davis/RCA Records. Bo has recorded and performed with such greats as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Phish, Marshall Tucker just to name a few. He has recorded a duet with Carlos Santana “Brown Skin Girl” 2005.

Winnie the Pooh and his friends in the 100 Acre Wood have always been a favorite of mine since I was a kid and straight through my adult life. Whenever there is a movie or anything relating to Pooh I immediately have to see it. When I heard about the Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation in NYC, I was dying to see it. I am currently 40 years old and the magic has never left me. Having a daughter myself, I have been able to introduce her to this world and pass it on to another generation. This show was recently held at the beautiful Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, FL and it was adorable, fun and left us singing as we left the theater.

All of Disney’s iconic characters were featured in this show, Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, Owl and Tigger too! It was amazing seeing them come to life in this beautifully crafted musical stage adaptation. This beautiful stage adaptation is told with stunning life-sized puppetry through the eyes of the characters we all know and love, in a brand new story from the Hundred Acre Wood. All the puppets featured in the show were designed and constructed within the walls of Rockefeller Productions by a talented team of artists, designers, patternmakers, builders, welders and fabricators. It also featured the timeless music of the Sherman Brothers along with further songs by A.A. Milne.

Inspired by Disney’s original character designs, each character is literally brought to life by its puppeteers perfectly. This production is created by renowned family entertainment creator Jonathan Rockefeller, and made by Rockefeller Productions alongside Disney Theatrical Productions. The theater was filled with families of all ages exposing them to the beauty of these characters and the classic Grammy winning music. The show itself ran for a straight solid hour with no intermission and left me wanting more, which is not a bad thing. If you are able to catch this show when it comes to a city near you I would highly recommend it for sure. It is nothing short of magical.

On sale February 17, the critically acclaimed and much beloved Broadway production stars Montego Glover, Stephanie J. Block, Sebastian Arcelus and Gavin Creel –

– Arts center selected as one of 10 to present the straight-from-Broadway production –

ORLANDO, Fla. (February 7, 2023) – Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts today announced the hugely acclaimed and much beloved Grammy^®-winning Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Tony Award^®-winning triumph, Into the Woods, will go on sale for single tickets Friday, February 17 at DrPhillipsCenter.org. 

The direct from Broadway production will play a series of select engagements across the U.S. in 2023, including seven performances in Walt Disney Theater. Starring Montego Glover as The Witch, Stephanie J. Block as The Baker’s Wife, Sebastian Arcelus as The Baker, and Gavin Creel as Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf reprising their Broadway roles, the strictly limited engagement will run from June 6 to June 11 presented by Dr. Phillips Center.

As one of only 10 cities in the entire country selected to present this direct from Broadway production, the downtown Orlando arts center is excited to welcome Into the Woods and its incredible company to Walt Disney Theater, bringing four Broadway stars to Central Florida. 

Into the Woods, which became the first Broadway hit of the 2022/2023 season after its sold-out run at New York City Center Encores!, is directed by Lear deBessonet, with music supervision by Rob Berman, and choreographed by Lorin Latarro. This production is dedicated to the memory of Stephen Sondheim.

The company will include Cole Thompson as Jack, Katy Geraghty as Little Red Ridinghood, Diane Phelan as Cinderella, Nancy Opel as Cinderella’s Stepmother, Jason Forbach as Rapunzel’s Prince, Aymee Garcia as Jack’s Mother, David Patrick Kelly as The Narrator, Josh Breckenridge as Cinderella’s Father, Felicia Curry as Cinderella’s Mother/Grandmother/Giant’s Wife, Ta’Nika Gibson as Lucinda, Brooke Ishibashi as Florinda, Kennedy Kanagawa as Milky White, Jim Stanek as the Steward, and Alysia Velez as Rapunzel with Erica Durham, Ellie Fishman, Marya Grandy, Paul Kreppel, Eddie Lopez, Ximone Rose, and Sam Simahk as understudies.

Into the Woods first premiered on Broadway in 1987, winning three Tony Awards including Best Score and Best Book. It has since been produced throughout the world and was adapted into a major motion picture in 2014. This production marks its first time on Broadway in more than 20 years.

About Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts 

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is a private nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in downtown Orlando supported by the City of Orlando, Orange County, the City of Winter Park, the State of Florida and generous donors and sponsors. The 698,312-square-foot venue includes the grand 2,711-seat Walt Disney Theater, the community-theater style 296-seat Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater, the new adaptable 1,464–1,770-seat Steinmetz Hall and, opening in 2023, the dynamic cabaret-style music room Judson’s. In addition, the venue has various versatile event spaces like the DeVos Family Room, the Rooftop Terrace and the 3-acre outdoor Seneff Arts Plaza. In addition, the arts center’s AdventHealth School of Arts offers classes, camps and pre-professional productions. For more information, visit drphillipscenter.org. Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

• PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL
• Music Hall – Kansas City, Missouri
• December 6, 2022

WELCOME TO HOLLYWOOD!

Hundreds of newcomers receive this greeting daily.  For some new arrivals, it’s the beginning of fulfilling a dream.  For Vivian Ward (Jessie Davidson), it’s a daily reminder of the life she now leads.  A daily reminder that she has yet to find her prince. Yet?

There have been so many musicals in the pipeline recently – coming soon, shows based on “Mr. Holland’s Opus” and “The Nutty Professor” – and some are, to be polite, not very good.  So please take this as a great compliment when I say that “PWTM” is much better than I expected.  Based on the 1990 film that unleashed Julia Roberts on an unsuspecting world, “PWTM” is a very funny, and well produced, show that is carried squarely on the shoulders of the writers and the performers.

For those of you who may not be aware of the story, it’s the tale of Vivian, a working girl trying to drum enough business to help pay the rent.  A chance meeting with Edward Lewis (Adam Pascal) leads her to an arrangement she cannot turn down.  However, as things progress, unemotional business begins to take a backseat to actual feelings, as two lonely people connect.

Adam Pascal has one of the most powerful and recognizable voices in musical theater history (again, for those of you who don’t follow theater, he was Roger in the original production of RENT, as well as in the film).  Pascal gives Edward a sense of decency that helps make the character likeable.  Ms. Davidson also works some magic in making Vivian a true heroine of the story.  It’s hard to create a fairy tale out of cutthroat businessmen and prostitutes, but together Pascal and Davidson pull it off.  They are assisted greatly by a strong ensemble cast, including Jessica Crouch as Vivian’s roommate, Kit; Kyle Taylor Parker, as the overzealous greeter, proved an audience favorite.  And I want to give a special shout out to Trent Soyster as the limber and mischievous bellboy Giulio.

A fun night at the theater, PWTM is playing in Kansas City through December 11^th.  For information on this stop of the tour, or upcoming shows, please click HERE.

The wildly popular, award-winning musical Hamilton returns to the Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando, Florida for an almost one-month run from October 26-November 20. Hamilton is the story of America in its infancy, told by America now. With a score that seamlessly blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway, Hamilton tells the story of the birth of America through the eyes of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers. With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton has won multiple Tony®, Grammy ®, and Oliver Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Having the opportunity to see Hamilton live for a second time with the touring cast, I was nervous it wouldn’t pack the same punch as the Broadway version. My nerves increased a bit more when I noticed that three (3) of the main characters – Eliza Hamilton, George Washington, and Hercules Mulligan – were all being played by understudies, and it was only the second night. Once the show began, however, I quickly realized that it was silly to worry as every actor on that stage brought the themes and story to life in a way where you felt the real emotions. By the end I had changed my tune to “Understudies: They get the job done.”

Each of the 34 songs (you read that right, 34 songs) were written in a way that it enhanced the story being told and eliminated the boring stereotype that tends to come with a historical narrative. In addition, Dr. Phillips Center used Gala Pro – and app which provides captioning on your personal mobile device – for this show, which allowed individuals with hearing impairments the ability to read and understand the, at times, very fast lyrics. For a show that celebrates diversity and the strength it brings to us as a country, it was great to see it was accessible for those with hearing impairments as well.

Tickets are still on sale for the remainder of the Hamilton run at Dr. Phillips Center, and before you think to yourself “What’d I Miss,” I highly recommend you find the time to “Take a Break” and see this “Non-Stop,” inspirational musical before it plays “One Last Time” on November 20^th. I promise you that you will walk out of the theater “Satisfied.”

The 23-time award winning musical SIX brings its Euphoric Celebration of 21 st century girl power to the Dr. Phillips Center Broadway series in Orlando now through October 9 th . Re-writing “herstory,” the SIX wives of Henry VIII go from Tudor Queens to Pop Icons in this non-stop, 80-minute concert-style show that will keep you dancing and entertained the entire time.

Having the opportunity to see SIX for the first time on its opening night in Orlando was phenomenal. There weren’t any set changes or costume changes (okay, maybe one costume change) leaving the music and story of the show as the main characters. The diverse cast of women who played The Queens – Khaila Wilcoxon as Catherine of Argon, Storm Lever as Anne Boleyn, Jasmine Forsberg as Jane Seymour, Olivia Donalson as Anna of Cleves, Cassie Silva (alternate) as Katherine Howard, and Gabriela Carrillo as Catherine Parr – not only exuded confidence in their period-inspired pop star attire, but also kept the energy high with their amazing vocal talents and dedication to telling the stories of these women. Feeling

inspired and empowered as I left the theater, I wanted nothing more than to listen to The SIX: LIVE ON OPENING NIGHT Broadway album as I couldn’t get enough.

If I had to give one complaint, it would be that the show itself was not long enough. When The Queens sang “for five more minutes we’re SIX,” I felt a tinge of disappointment as it was as if the show just hit its peak and then it ended, leaving me wanting more. Would this keep me from seeing the show again, ABSOLUTELY NOT! Just ask my husband who I have been begging to go see it again with me before its final curtain on Orlando 9th .

• SISTER ACT
• STARLIGHT THEATER – KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
• AUGUST 16, 2022                

Over the past couple decades there have been a number of Broadway musicals that have been based on popular films.  “Hairspray,” “The Producers,”  “Beetlejuice,” “Rocky,” and “Young Frankenstein” are just a small fraction of the shows that have hit the Great White Way – with new productions of “The Nutty Professor” and “Mr. Holland’s Opus” currently previewing in smaller cities.  Some have gone on to Great success, while others have faded away.  One of the better ones has just arrived in Kansas City.

Based on the very popular 1992 film that starred Whoopi Goldberg, “Sister Act” is the story of lounge singer Delor1s Van Cartier (an excellent Tamyra Gray), auditioning to perform in a club owned by her gangster boyfriend, Curtis (Benjamin H. Moore) on Christmas Eve 1977.  However, despite her obvious talent, she is told she is “not ready” to play the club yet.  This does not phase Deloris, whose dream is to be a star.  She knows she has the talent and the desire.  She just needs the opportunity.  When Deloris accidentally walks in on Curtis and his henchmen immediately after they have killed someone, she runs to the police, who decide that the best thing to do is to hide Deloris where no one would think to look for her.

Smartly written, with a great score by multiple Oscar-winner Alan Menken and Grammy award winner Glenn Slater, “Sister Act” is a combination of laughs and music.  Ms. Gray brings a belter’s voice and a Catskill veteran’s comic timing to the role of Deloris and genuinely makes it her own.  Other outstanding turns by Mr. Moore, Anne Tolpegin (Mother Superior) and Susana Cordon (Sister Mary Robert) are accompanied by a supporting cast that keeps the show moving swiftly. 

If there was one drawback to the evening, it was one that had nothing to do with the performances.  In each city, local “celebrities” appear on stage in the silent role of the Pope and on opening night we were treated to Kansas City Mayor Quentin Lucas in all of his Papal glory.  Unfortunately, due to some local political issues, some idiots in front of the stage felt the need to stage a protest, causing security to escort them out and taking the fun out of the closing number. 

That aside, I highly recommend you catch “Sister Act” when it comes to your town.  It is, dare I say, a divine evening at the theater.

“Sister Act” runs through Sunday, August 21 at Starlight Theater in Kansas City. 

• ANASTASIA
• Starlight Theater – Kansas City, Missouri
• August 11, 2022

Bear Wolf is many things.  A teacher.  A musician.  A writer.  And, most importantly – to me anyway – my brother.  He has spent the summer on the road, sharing his talents and promoting his new book of poetry -.   He joined me recently during a stop outside of Philadelphia.

Michael Smith:  Tell us a little bit about your tour.

Bear Wolf:  So I have many performing personas and I’m out on the road right now supporting a book and CD of my poetry.  I go by “Propaganda Poet” for my poetry.  The tour started out in New York City at the Nuyoricans Poets Café where I was part of an event called “Two Venues, One Mic.”  It’s really a great idea where two different poetry venues simultaneously have two curated open mics.  Each venue has their ZOOM hooked as well so when one venue is featuring live readings the other venue is watching on the big screen.  It goes back and forth.  This edition was with a venue in Japan.  We were simultaneously doing poetry with a venue in Japan.  They’ve done Paris.  They’ve done London.  The next one they’re working on is in Italy.  Because of having a lot of my stuff on line over the past couple years I’ve been able to share my work with people from all over the country.  Putting this tour together was pretty easy since I already knew a lot of the people involved.  I’ve done a few shows in New Jersey as well and now I’m on my way to the AWP Writer’s Conference in Philadelphia to perform with another group of poets that I’ve met on line.  Then it’s on to a couple of Busboys and Poets spots in Baltimore and Washington D.C., which is a chain of venues that are being revitalized now that everything is opening up again.

MS:  What is the name of your latest book?

 BW:  My book is called “2020 D/Vision.”  It’s my response to the pandemic.  Not just the COVID pandemic but all of the other pandemics we’re dealing with like racism and systematic oppression and the American Dream that is not fully attainable for everyone because we don’t all start from the same spot.  For the past two years Mother Earth has essentially sent us to our room.  While I was there I contemplated and wrote a couple of books.  “2020 D/Vision” is available on Amazon.

MS:  So what exactly goes on at a poetry recital?  In my mind I’m picturing the movies of the 60s that had the hip poet up on stage snapping his fingers and addressing the audience.  Or Mike Myers in “So I Married an Axe Murderer.”  What does it entail?  Do you just go up on stage?  Do you have music in the background to set the mood?

 BW:   The sweet thing about open mics is that you really never know what’s going to happen.  It’s pure creativity across the board.  The one I did last night in New York City had comedians, musicians, poets…it’s actually very much like you’re picturing; the old beat poets of the 60s and 70s in Soho and San Francisco.  This art has just carried on.  Artists who are not recognized on a large scale can still go up there and do their thing.  And it’s really supportive.  Even the on-line open mic community is very supportive. 

 MS:  What are the crowds like?  Pretty packed?

BW:  Their very well attended.  People are really hungry to get out of the house now.  They really contribute to the atmosphere.  And it’s a wide spectrum of poetry.  You get social justice poetry…erotic poetry.  It’s really one of the best and broad cultural things you can experience. 

MS:  Does your CD feature you reading your poetry?  Music to read your poetry by?

BW:  It’s both.  It’s called “Haiku, Tanka & Senryu, Oh My!”  A friend of mine, C.K. Shmallowell, composed some great electric dance music, but with a jam-band feel to it.  He gave me the audio tracks and I re-mixed them and put the poetry on top of them. 

MS:  What’s next?

BW:  This is my second tour this year.  Earlier I did a tour of the South.  And I just completed a CD of covers and mash-ups where I mixed my poetry in as well.  It’s my first attempt at doing everything.  Drums, guitars, vocals.  The whole nine-yards.  It’s going to be available on Soundcloud.  I just finished my next book called “Word Tornadoes.”  That manuscript is under review.  My ultimate point with all of this is to get to a point where this is all I do.  I can put together workshops and lessons and basically be a freelance teacher.    I want to get the message out that poetry is alive and well and thriving.   

TO PURCHASE A COPY OF“Haiku, Tanka & Senryu, Oh My!”   CLICK HERE

TO PURCHASE A COPY OF “2020 D/VISION” CLICK HERE

When I asked to speak with Leslie Broecker I was told we’d get along as she was a fellow “theater nerd.”  What an understatement.  The President of Broadway Across America Midwest, Ms. Broecker lives and breathes theater.  When we spoke she had just spent a whirlwind week in New York City, seeing EIGHT Broadway shows in seven days.  Thank goodness for matinee’s. 

Michael Smith:  First off, please tell our readers what you do, how long you’ve been doing it and how I can apply for your job when you decide to retire?

Leslie Broecker: (laughs)  Absolutely you can!    I’ve been here 35-years.  I started in the marketing department but I’ve loved theater my whole life.   Really my passion has been in radio and television production, especially radio.  And so I worked with the local Broadway series in Louisville (Kentucky) on some of their radio buys.  That’s how the local company hired me as their marketing director.  The company became so successful that it grew into Cincinnati, and then Columbus and Indianapolis.  Ultimately our partner, which was Pace Theatrical Group, purchased our company and that is how Kansas City became part of my responsibilities as well.

MS:  How do you go about choosing what shows go to which city?  Is it just a national tour of certain shows or do you pick specific shows for specific cities?

LB:  The tours are tailor made for each city.  It’s a jigsaw puzzle of what shows are available, what dates are available in the theaters and then trying to marry those.  We are very reliant on our neighbors and friends that present in other cities in order to make routing reasonable and responsible.  We need to have decent jump cities that are not too far apart.  We’re all tied together.  Most of our shows close on Sunday night.  Then they have to break down, move and be ready to go by curtain time on Tuesday.  It’s all very calculated.  That’s the unsexy part of it.  The other way we choose shows is that we survey our subscribers and single-ticket buyers and group clients and see what’s on their list.  What do they want to see?  We not only survey about shows that are current and will go out on the road, but also about shows that are in development so we can have a voice in what is created for the future three or four or five years down the road.

MS:  I was in the film marketing and promotions business for 20-years and had to deal with not only first run theatres but second run and discount houses.  If a show is currently on Broadway, is there a time limit before it can tour?

LB:  That’s a great question.  There’s not.  But I think the comparable analysis might be that when a show goes on the road, they first thing they want to do is play in markets that can sustain it for a long period of time.  So many shows that come off Broadway will go and sit in Chicago or Boston or L.A. or even the Kennedy Center (Washington D.C.)  Then they begin to look at the next markets.  Where can they play a few weeks instead of several months?  That includes cities like Cincinnati, Ft. Lauderdale, Denver.  Markets that can support the shows for two weeks.  And where Kansas City fits in is where most cities are, a one-week grouping.   The way you stand in the pecking order is that shows want to play where they will be successful.  People love theater in Kansas City, and we can do many week’s of shows.  Kansa City usually lands on the first or second year of a tour going out, which is really great.  Other cities, like Indianapolis, are on the third or fourth year of a tour.  Kansas City is way up there for getting in line for the best shows as fast as they come out. 

MS:  When Ellen (McDonald, my local rep) and I spoke about this interview she said you were kind of a theatre nerd.  You are so much more so I have a couple questions.  What was the first show you saw?

LB:  “Hello, Dolly.”

MS:  With Carol Channing?

LB:  No, that was a local production.  My first Broadway show was “Barnum,” with a then unknown Glenn Close and Jim Dale.  How about you?

MS:  My first show, that I wasn’t a part of, was “A Chorus Line,” which I saw here in Kansas City with a then unknown Bebe Neuwirth as Cassie. 

LB:  You just gave me goosebumps.

MS:  My first Broadway show was “42^nd Street,” with Jerry Orbach.

LB:  That was a pretty good starting point, definitely. 

MS:  What is your favorite show, if you can have one?

LB:  That’s like having to pick between your children.  I will say that the first show I worked on was “Hello, Dolly” and that made such an imprint.  I was able to present “Hello, Dolly” eight or ten times with Carol Channing and we became friends.  That’s my favorite show.  The book is incredible, the music…there’s not a bad number.  Well, maybe “Ribbons Down Your Back” is a little slow (now THAT’S a theatre nerd!) but the show is awesome.  And then to be friends with Carol….we spent many times together beyond “Dolly.”  I brought her in a couple of times to do some fund raisers and things in the second half of her life, which was amazing. 

MS:  I’m guessing the answer is “no,” but is there a show you’ve wanted to see but never have?

LB:  Hmmmmm….no I can’t think of one.    Oh wait!  There’s a show by Kander and Ebb called “70, Girls, 70.”  I’ve seen a lot of community productions but I’d love to cast it on Broadway.  (NOTE:  “70, Girls, 70” premiered on Broadway in 1971 and ran for 35 performances.  It was revived in London in 1991, where it played for several months.  However, there has never been a Broadway revival.  Until now?

MS:  In the last 10-years, there have been countless musicals based on popular films.  Why do you think that is?

LB:  I think it’s similar to films being based on books.  There’s a following.  Producing on Broadway is incredibly risky and I think the foundation of a successful film gives a safe jumping off point.  I wish there could be 20 new musicals and 20 new plays a year, but creativity comes in little spurts.  If you’re lucky you’re blessed with a Sondheim, who could spit out a lot of those.  But it’s tough to come up with that success.  I’m no wiz on why that is but my guess would be that it’s a little bit safer ground.  I mean a show like “Hadestown,” the Tony Award winning musical, is hugely popular on Broadway but not many people know about it outside New York.  It may take a couple of years on the road for people to really discover how great a show it is.

MS:  Finally, any hints at what may be coming our way next season?

LB:  We’re actually just starting on next season.  We will be hopeful and looking for shows like “Frozen” or “Moulin Rouge.”  This year’s Tony Awards will help decide what shows are recognized and could do a tour.  One show I’d really like to do there is “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

MS:  With Richard Thomas?

LB:  Yes.  You know, there’s a cool casting twist in the show.  I can’t remember her name, but the little girl who played Scout in the film….

MS:  Mary Badham

LS:  …there you go.  She’s in this production.  She’s the nasty, racist neighbor…

MS:  Miss Dubose?

LB:  …yes.  You’re good.

MS:  It’s my favorite novel ever.

LB:  I’m working hard to get that as well.  The pipeline is full.

MS:  Great to hear.  Maybe you’ll bring “ROCKY” to town.

LB:  Yeahhhhh, I don’t think that’s gonna happen.

MS:  I guess I’ll wait for the local dinner theater production.

LB:  (laughs)  Perhaps. 

• ain’t too proud; THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS
• Music Hall, Kansas City, Missouri
• June 21, 2022

My new definition of irony:  while going to see “ain’t too proud” I was telling my wife about the members of the group.  I rattled off Melvin Franklin, David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks and Dennis Edwards.  I told her there was one more but I couldn’t for the life of me remember his name.  Now I’ll never forget it.

The show opens outside the historic Fox Theatre in Detroit and we meet Otis Williams (played brilliantly by Marcus Paul James).  Otis talks about his young life and his dream to put together a singing group.  Through trials and tribulations he puts together a group of amazing singers.  A chance meeting with Berry Gordy (Michael Andreaus), the founder of Motown Records, and a group name change, and the dream comes through.  But unfortunately, not all dreams are good ones.

Bursting with over 30 classic songs, and featuring Tony-award winning choreography, “Ain’t Too Proud” is that rare look at success, that also includes the pitfalls that come with it.  Whether it’s something petty, like trying to solve an issue democratically, or serious, like deciding to kick a member out of the group, the road to success is seldom smooth.

As the story moves forward we not only meet the Temps, but also get acquainted with other musical legends like Smokey Robinson, the Supremes and Tammi Terrell.  The performances are amazing, with the vocals being backed by a first-rate orchestra.  It’s not the Funk Brothers, but they do their memory proud. Special shout out to the bass player who, on songs like “Ball of Confusion” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” laid down the groove.

The Temptations remain  among the greatest and most popular musical groups of all time.  The story of how they achieved that acclaim, and the obstacles they did their best to overcome, is one that needs to be experienced.

“ain’t too proud” continues at the Music Hall in Kansas City through June 26, then continues on through August 2023.  For information on when it’s coming your way, click HERE

Starlight Theatre
Kansas City, Missouri

With one of the most energetic productions you could ever hope to see, “Hairspray” is a beat you just can’t stop. Currently playing at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri, the national tour of the hit Broadway musical, which won eight Tony Awards in 2003, is a delightful show overflowing with wonderful dance choreography, terrific vocals, and a timeless story about the power of love.

In 1988, the first incarnation of “Hairspray” was released in movie theaters with Ricki Lake in the lead role as Tracy Turnblad. Crafted by director John Waters, the film’s screenplay was based upon a 1950s and 1960s era Baltimore dance party television program called the “Buddy Deane Show.” That real life program served as the inspiration for the fictional “The Corny Collins Show,” an equally popular show in our story set in June 1962.

An overweight high school girl named Tracy Turnblad (Niki Metcalf), who gets in trouble at school for having “inappropriate hair height,” dreams of being on the dance show. So, it’s no surprise that she begs her shy, overweight mother, Edna (Andrew Levitt) for permission to go to an audition being held for a newly opened dance spot. Edna refuses out of fear Tracy will be ridiculed because of her weight. However, Tracy gets permission from her happy-go-lucky father, Wilbur (Christopher Swan) who is always encouraging her to pursue her dreams.

Edna’s world changes forever after her arrival at the television studio where Corny Collins (Billy Dawson) hosts his show. She swoons over teen heartthrob Link Larkin (Will Savarese), gets in the crosshairs of the show’s racist producer Velma Von Tussle (Addison Garner) and her prima donna daughter, Amber (Kaelee Albritton), and sees firsthand the ugliness of racism, which ultimately pushes her to be an agent for change.

Metcalf is nothing less than a pure bundle of delightful energy while on the stage. Her vocals were spot-on all the while she was seemingly forever dancing across the entire Starlight venue. Still, the most memorable moments of the opening night performance came first during a duet between Levitt and Swan. Their characters are suddenly destitute, but they express with humor and love how they can never part from one another in the sweet song “You’re Timeless to Me.” It easily produced some of the night’s biggest laughs. The moment that completely stole the show, though, came when Sandie Lee as Motormouth Maybelle, a confident and strong-willed downtown record shop owner and host of “Negro Day” on “The Corny Collins Show,” belted out “I Know Where I’ve Been.” After lots of humor, it was a starkly serious moment in the production as Motormouth sings about the struggles against racism. It was powerful and soul stirring. If it had been at the end of the show, it would have brought about a standing ovation from the audience. Lee’s voice was superb and the emotions she put into the song struck a chord with everyone there.

Overall, “Hairspray” provides a rousing night of entertainment for all.

“Hairspray” will run through June 12th at Starlight Theatre.

• JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
• The Kauffman Center – Kansas City, Missouri
• March 29, 2022

I have a very special place in my heart for the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar.”  I’ve had it since I was 13 years old when, while visiting my grandfather – who I called Bapa, which is now how my grandchildren refer to me – in Florida, I asked to go see the movie, which was playing at a nearby theatre.  A quick phone call to my parents to make sure it was ok with them, and off I went.  For those of you who may not have seen the film, I won’t let on how it ends.  Let’s just say the ending haunted me on the way home and evolved into a long conversation with my Bapa.  Years later I had the opportunity to see the show a couple of times with both Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson, who played Jesus and Judas, respectively, in the film.  I was a guest backstage when I met both of them.  I told Ted Neeley about my conversation with Bapa and his thoughts and kindness will remain with me for the rest of my life.

Rolling into Kansas City this week is the 50^th Anniversary Tour of “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and it is a fine addition to the show’s great history.  A totally sung dramatization of the last week of Christ’s life, this production is very barebones, with an almost empty stage.  Also, while normally presented in two acts, there is no intermission here.  It’s a quick 80 minutes or so, but if you like to stretch your legs you’re out of luck.

The cast was excellent, both vocally and physically.  There is a lot of dance and movement here and nobody missed a beat.  Vocal standouts include Omar Lopez-Cepero (Judas), Jenna Rubaii (Mary) and Alvin Crawford (Caiaphas), whose amazing baritone shook the house.  The score is one of the best ever written and the orchestra, perched high above the stage, was outstanding.  Even the guys in the sound/light area could be seen grooving to the music.

The show continues in Kansas City at the beautiful Kauffman Center through Sunday, April 3^rd.  If you’ve never seen the show, I urge you to take a chance.  If you have, see it again.  You won’t be disappointed.

• MEAN GIRLS
• The Music Hall
• Kansas City, Missouri