Oyster Mill Playhouse to Present the Comedy 'How The Other Half Loves'

The Oyster Mill Playhouse will present How The Other Half Loves, by Alan Ayckbourn, November 6-22 at the theater located at 1001 Oyster Mill Rd in East Pennsboro Twp. Curtain is at 8:00 p.m. for all Thursday, Friday, and Saturday shows, and 2:00 p.m. for Sunday matinees. Tickets are $16. Visit www.oystermill.com or call the box office at 717-737-6768 for tickets.

There are three couples in this play, the men all working for the same firm. One of the younger men is having an affair with the wife of the oldest, and when each returns home suspiciously late one night or early one morning they invent a story about having to spend some time smoothing domestic matters in the home of the third couple. Of course, the third couple have to show up to put the fat in the fire, but that complication only adds to the fun of this famous farce.

The show is directed by Greg Merkel, and stars Gail Kemeny, Kristen Borgerson Ottens, Kathleen Tacelosky, Ron Nason, Craig Copas, and Keith Bowerman.

Celebrate Halloween with PRiMA Theatre's 'Broadway Villains' Cabaret

PRiMA Theatre will present a "Broadway Villains" cabaret on Friday, October 30 and Saturday, October 31 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday November 1 at 7:00 p.m. The performances will take place at 26|East, located at 26 East King Street, Lancaster City. Tickets to the show start at $24.00 and are available at primatheatre.org or by calling the box-office at 717-327-5124.

Celebrate All Hollows' Eve weekend with this chic cabaret featuring songs from the Great White Way's darkest characters. Come early to enjoy the bar and food options available for purchase at 26|East. The cabaret features 10 local, professional theatre performers including Jaclyn Harnish and Kristen Brewer.

Broadway Villains is the first in a series of event collaborations with the new and exciting venue known as 26|East. PRiMA will produce other theatrical experiences in 2016 at the location, where patrons can have dinner before the show in the Barbaret Bistro.

For more information on "Broadway Villains," please visit www.primatheatre.org/villains. 

'Matilda The Musical' Will Make its Premier at Hershey Theatre

TIME Magazine’s #1 Show of the Year, Matilda The Musical is coming to Hershey Theatre from Tuesday, November 10 through Sunday, November 15. Tickets for this show are $25.00, $35.00, $43.00, $58.00, $73.00, $78.00, $83.00 and $88.00 (tax and applicable fees apply) and are available at the Hershey Theatre Box Office. They can be charged by phone at 717-534-3405 and online at www.HersheyEntertainment.com or www.TicketMaster.com.

Winner of 50 international awards including four Tony Awards and a record-breaking seven Olivier Awards including Best Musical, Matilda The Musical is based on the beloved novel by best-selling author Roald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox). It is the story of an extraordinary girl who dreams of a better life. Armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, Matilda dares to take a stand and change her destiny. 

Matilda The Musical is directed by Tony Award winner Matthew Warchus (God of Carnage), who helms this production with a book by Tony Award-winning playwright Dennis Kelly and music and lyrics by Australian comedian, musician and composer Tim Minchin. The production has sets and costumes by Tony Award winner Rob Howell, with choreography by Peter Darling, orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Tony Award winner Hugh Vanstone, and sound by Simon Baker. For more information, please visit www.MatildaTheMusical.com.

Carlisle Theatre Company's 'Hairspray' Heats Up a Chilly Fall Day

Outside the Carlisle Theatre, the leaves on the trees are changing colors, people are carrying around pumpkin-spiced food and drinks, and the air is cooling off. But inside the theatre, things are heating up with the bright colors of the 60s, and dancing that's just as vibrant, in Carlisle Theatre Company's production of Hairspray.

Plump teenager Tracy Turnblad has big hair and even bigger dreams, and she doesn't let her size, her detention, or even her own mother stand in her way of auditioning for the opportunity of a lifetime: The chance to dance on the Corny Collins Show. When she surprisingly ends up on the show, she sets her sights even higher as she aims to integrate blacks into the show on a regular basis instead of just on "Negro Day," which is only one day a month. While Hairspray is a fun and upbeat show from beginning to end, it also successfully manages to present the more serious issue of racism in the 1960s, making the colors of black and white just as much a part of the show as the bright colors.

Through her journey on the Corny Collins Show, Tracy (played by Aimeebeth Davis) connects with various characters, including teen heartthrob Link Larkin (played by Greg Athanasatos); lovable dancer Seaweed J. Stubbs (played by Jeremy Patterson), his little sister Little Inez (played by Annalise Prentiss), and his soulful mother, Motormouth Maybelle (played by Gabrielle Dixon), who is the host of Negro Day on the Corny Collins Show; and lying, cheating, scheming, fame-obsessed mother/daughter team Velma and Amber Von Tussle (played by Lindsay Bretz and Hillary Miller). Tracy's best friend Penny (played by Carly Lafferty) is there to support her every step of the way, and Tracy's mother Edna (played by Ryan Boyles), while initially against her daughter auditioning, quickly becomes one of her biggest supporters.

Dixon's passionate performance was one to note, as she had her own cheering section with a handful of people who gave standing ovations after each of her songs. Boyles also had a memorable performance, perfectly executing his role while sporting nightgowns, dresses, heels, and even a red feather boa. And the smooth dancing skills of Patterson are worth a mention as well.

The score (by Marc Shaiman) features plenty of catchy tunes, from the opening "Good Morning Baltimore" to the closing "You Can't Stop the Beat," and the 36-member cast wastes no time showcasing top-notch dancing and choreography. While the voices in the show are good, the energetic dancing takes center stage. That the talented cast manages to sing while enthusiastically executing the non-stop dancing is a big part of what makes this show so spectacular. The 10-member orchestra has no trouble pumping out the fast-paced music, which only enhances the energy of the performance. And the costumes, sets, and lighting provide plenty of bright color to round out the production.

Carlisle Theatre Company's Hairspray is a fun, upbeat, and impressive production that heats up a chilly fall day better than any pumpkin-spiced latte ever could. Audiences of any age can enjoy this family-friendly performance filled with quality music, dancing, humor, and yes, hairspray. 

Hairspray runs at Carlisle Theatre through October 18. For additional details and ticket information, please visit www.carlisletheatrecompany.com/.

Dutch Apple will Present New Installment of the Church Basement Ladies

 

The all new installment of the Church Basement Ladies series of musical comedies, A Mighty Fortress Is Our Basement, will be presented at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre from September 24 – November 7, 2015. The popular series began at the Plymouth Playhouse in Minneapolis with the first installment, Church Basement Ladies, in 2005. Its sequel, A Second Helping, The Church Basement Ladies Sequel, and the Christmas Musical, Away In The Basement, A Church Basement Ladies Christmas, have been seen in venues coast to coast to cheering, sold-out crowds.

In the latest installment, these “bulwarks never failing” are at it again. The year is 1960, and a reformation is underway. With a new crop of Confirmands, Beverly, the youngest of the bunch played by Sarah Cammarata, dons her first pair of high heels for her confirmation ceremony. Mrs. Snustad, the matriarch of the kitchen played by Diana Wilde, wins top honors at the County Fair for her “Grand Champion” pickles. Mavis, the able-bodied farm wife played by Shannon Connolly, must find a way to deal with the new “Super Highway” that cuts through her farm. Karin, the real homemaker of the kitchen played by Alison Nusbaum, finds new freedom behind the wheel of her husband’s pickup truck and must reconcile a new world of change for her daughter, Beverly. Pastor, played by Greg Eiden and who has always found strength and solace in the church basement, has found new love and announces his impending nuptials. The Church Basement Ladies are once again required to face change head-on. Against the changing tide, these pillars of the church stand strong in their faith and in their friendships with more crazy antics, more great new songs and more lessons reluctantly learned.

With all new music by composer Drew Jansen who wrote the music and lyrics for the past Church Basement Ladies installments and script by sketch comedy writer, Greta Grosch, who also penned the sequel and the Christmas version, A Mighty Fortress Is Our Basement continues to be inspired by the writings of author/humorists Janet Martin and Suzann Nelson, including the best-seller Growing Up Lutheran.

Audiences from coast to coast have fallen in love with these residents of the church basement, and all agree that each new installment gets better and better. What’s more, you do not have to have seen past installments in order to know what’s going on!

Dutch Apple is excited to have Curt Wollan, the Artistic Director of the Plymouth Playhouse in Minneapolis, return to his role as director. His company, Troupe America Inc., has produced all five installments of Church Basement Ladies there. Wollan has produced and directed over 200 national tours including The Odd Couple with M.A.S.H stars Jamie Farr and William Christopher. Last season, Wollan had the honor of directing Dolly Parton in her family memoir musical, My People. Working alongside Wollan will be choreographer Samantha Hewes Cramer whose work was recently seen at Dutch Apple in the beautiful West Side Story and previously in Crazy For You.

Church Basement Ladies: A Mighty Fortress is Our Basement will be at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre September 24 through November 7, 2015. Ticket prices range from $49 to $56 for meal and show with a special rate for groups of 16 or more. A limited number of show-only seats are available for $34. Call 717-898-1900 to make a reservation or order your tickets online at DutchApple.com.

4 Reasons Why You Should Go See 'Once' at Hershey Theatre

When I first saw the musical Once a few years ago on Broadway, it quickly joined my "Top 5" list of all-time favorite musicals. Seeing Once at Hershey Theatre only reaffirmed my love for this show. There's a reason (actually quite a few reasons) why this show won eight (EIGHT!!!) Tony Awards. While I could easily list 20 great things about Once, here are four of the main reasons why I fell in love this show (and why I think you will too!):

1. The story
"Guy" (played by Stuart Ward) is a musician from Dublin who is just about to call it quits, when "Girl" (played by Dani de Waal) unexpectedly comes along and inspires him to keep on going. She has faith in his music, and he has faith in her. While it may sound like the classic tale of boy meets girl, this love story takes some unexpected turns. Even the ending can be interpreted as happy or unhappy, depending on how you look at it.

2. The music
With the setting of the show in Ireland, much of the music has more of a folk sound to it as opposed to the typical show tune style found in many musicals. With a simply beautiful and at times haunting score, it's easy to see why Once won a Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album in 2013. Adding to the beautiful music is the fact that the actors are also the musicians. The song "Gold" is one of my favorite songs from a musical ever, and it proves how talented the whole ensemble really is. The first performance of the song at the end of Act One is one that I could watch over and over, but equally good is the A capella reprise in Act Two. "Falling Slowly" is another favorite of mine from the show and really showcases the musical talent of Ward and deWall.  

3. The humor
The first time I saw Once, I was caught completely off guard by how genuinely funny it is. Seeing it again, I found myself laughing just as much as I did the first time. While the story is ultimately a complicated love story, funny moments are sprinkled throughout the whole show at just the right moments.

4. The pre-show experience

I absolutely love when musicals do creative things to enhance the audience's experience, which is maybe one of the reasons why I was so quick to fall in love this show. Much of the show takes place in a bar, which happens to be open to the audience upon arriving to the theatre. Simply walk up on stage to purchase a glass of wine, bottle of beer, or even just a water. How cool is that?! You can't take pictures or touch anything, but just being up on the stage and seeing the set up close is an amazing and unique experience. There are a few other surprises that I won't give away, but I'll offer the following tip: If you're up for the full experience, try to be on the stage about five minutes before the start of the show.

With a genuine story told through top-notch performing, beautiful music, and unexpected humor, Once is easily one of the best musicals to come to Hershey Theatre. There's no reason why every seat in the house shouldn't be filled for the next few days!

Once plays at Hershey Theatre through September 20. For more information and tickets, please visit www.hersheytheatre.com.

Who Am I?

I first saw Cats when I was about 6 years old, and do you know what I remember about my first time seeing it? I remember that the white cat was my favorite, and I remember that at intermission Old Deuteronomy stayed on stage and signed Playbills. I distinctly remember my mom gently nudging me out of my seat, telling me to take my Playbill up on stage and give it to Old Deuteronomy. I was nervous as heck and had no idea why my mom wanted me to do this crazy thing, but I did it anyway, and now I have a signed Playbill and an incredible memory to go along with it.

Musical theatre has always been a part of my life, but over the past decade or so things have changed for me. Theatre has gone from being a part of my life to being my passion, bordering on an obsession. I've gone from enjoying musical theatre to feeling a need to be a part of it.

My biggest struggle over the past few years has been trying to figure out where I fit in with the crazy and unpredictable world that is theatre. I know that I'm not an actor. I don't feel qualified to be a director. And while producing is definitely a long-term goal of mine, it's not really where I feel that I fit right now. I know that I want to be involved in the creative development side of musicals, but I'm not a writer or composer. So who am I?

I've done so much research into different theatre jobs that I feel qualified to teach a course on the subject. But with all the different jobs there are in theatre, I can't say that I've found one that really fits me. Dramaturg is the closest actual theatre "job" that sort-of-kind-of-in-a-way-maybe fits who I am, but it still doesn't feel completely right.

After all this research, I finally realized why I can't find a job that fits me. It's because it doesn't exist. At least not yet.

I'm not sure why I remember the white cat from Cats, but I definitely know why I remember going on stage with Old Deuteronomy. It's because it was a little something extra that made me feel connected to the show. And this is what I want to do for musicals. I want to create that connection between the audience and the show.

There is definitely a place for this kind of service in theatre, especially in today's world where everyone wants to feel connected to everything. In fact, there are already plenty of musicals making these kinds of connections, and it's paying off big time for them. Shows like Once, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and Hamilton are all using various forms of audience engagement, but the thing is, the ideas all come from different places. A director might come up with an idea; the writer might come up with an idea; an ad agency might come up with an idea. But in all my research I couldn't find any kind of job that specifically specializes in this. So I decided to create one!

While a quick Google search of "audience engagement in theatre" produces some intriguing results, including some people who are in the same boat as I am, it only proves that this is just the beginning for this new trend. I've decided to seize this opportunity to create the perfect theatre job for me. So please say hello to the new audience engagement specialist for musicals!

As an audience engagement specialist, I will be helping musicals find creative ways to connect with their audiences. While it's currently a very limited market, it's also a quickly growing market, making now the perfect time to throw myself into it. More and more musicals are starting to navigate the world of audience engagement, and I want to be there to help them. It's a perfect combination of my lifelong theatre passion, my 15 years of marketing experience, and several years of theatre production experience, and I can't wait to get started! As a matter of fact, I've already gotten started on a few things, which leads me to some changes that will be taking place with Row L Seat 1.

For starters, I'll be shifting the focus of Row L Seat 1 to focusing exclusively on audience engagement. In just a few days, when you go to www.RowLSeat1.com, you'll see a very different website. The new website will reflect these changes and the updated focus of Row L Seat 1. I'll also be updating the Row L Seat 1 Facebook and Twitter sites to reflect this new focus as well.

So what does all this mean for Row L Seat 1 in the Central PA area? Don't worry - it's not going anywhere anytime soon! I still love supporting theatre in this area, and I'm happy to help promote the amazing theatres and actors we have however I can. Row L Seat 1 started as a blog, and I plan to keep the Row L Seat 1 blog active by continuing to publish news, events, and reviews related to theatre in Harrisburg and the surrounding area. The website that you're on right now will remain unchanged and dedicated exclusively to Central PA theatre. The only difference is that from now on the link to get here will be www.RowLSeat1.blogspot.com. I also created a brand new Facebook page specifically for the blog, which you can find (and like!) at www.facebook.com/theatrekim. I'll be blogging under the pseudonym "Theatre Kim," which is were the Facebook page name came from.

The reason for these changes is simply because I now have two very different focuses. Most people who are interested in Central PA theatre probably don't have an interest in my audience engagement services, and vice versa.

I realize that the coming weeks might cause a little bit of confusion as this transition to break Row L Seat 1 into two very different focuses occurs. I promise it's for the better, and I also promise to try to make the transition as seamless as possible. As always, thanks to everyone who reads or follows Row L Seat 1, either the "old" one or the "new" one, or better yet both. Your support means so much to me, and I look forward to sharing my new adventures with you soon!