Latest news with #AChorusLine
Axios
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Axios
Summer Lyric Theatre returns for 2025 season
Tulane University's Summer Lyric Theatre is back onstage for its 58th season. The latest: This summer's production includes "A Chorus Line," "Company" and "Carousel." What they're saying: "All three of the shows, in their own way, are classics and beloved," said artistic director Leonard Raybon. If you go: The season opens with "A Chorus Line," which runs June 19 to 22. It's followed by "Company" from July 10-13, and the season concludes with "Carousel" from July 31 to Aug. 3. Get tickets. The intrigue: Raybon has helmed the summer theater series for the past three years as interim artistic director, but he took over the title permanently this year. In the interim years, he says, his focus was to hold the program steady before handing off to whoever was officially tapped for the position. But now, he's hoping to shake things up a little bit. "I am thinking about the future, how to get us to be the most financially healthy we can be so we can ... let's say, do something more experimental for a wider, more diverse audience and not always rely on the big name shows that are more likely to sell the tickets," he says.
Glasgow Times
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Legally Blonde: The Musical coming to Glasgow
Producers ROYO and Curve have announced that a brand-new Made at Curve production of Legally Blonde: The Musical will have its Scottish premiere at the King's Theatre in Glasgow. The show will run from April 6 to 11, 2026. READ NEXT: 'So so exciting': Signage appears for new pub and diner in Glasgow (Image: Image: Newsquest) Based on the novel of the same name by Amanda Browning and the iconic 2001 film of the same name starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Coolidge, the musical features a book by Heather Hach and original music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin. The musical , which will be directed by Curve's Artistic Director Nikolai Foster (Kinky Boots, The Wizard of Oz, A Chorus Line) follows Elle Woods on her transformation from 'It Girl' fashionista to legal ace at Harvard Law School, all in the name of love. Elle must prove she is more than blonde ambition, swap the changing rooms for the courtroom and learn that 'being true to yourself never goes out of style. READ NEXT: Stars of The Sopranos to headline 'must-see' show in Glasgow Curve's Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said: 'Legally Blonde is firmly established in the musical theatre repertoire as a contemporary classic and it's a pleasure to be reunited with 'Little Miss Woods' in the 2020s. "Laurence O'Keefe, Nell Benjamin and Heather Hach's electrifying musical about empowerment, equality and the folly of judging a book by its cover remains pitch perfect and as relevant as ever. "We can't wait to share the show with audiences across the UK and Europe after Elle takes over Curve early 2026." Casting and further creatives involved in the production are yet to be announced.
Toronto Star
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
‘A Strange Loop' is the greatest American musical of the decade. But does it translate for Canadian audiences at Soulpepper?
Every decade or so, the American theatre is graced with a musical that revolutionizes the art form. Works like 'Oklahoma!' (1943), 'A Chorus Line' (1975), 'Rent' (1996) and 'Hamilton' (2015), all seminal pieces of art that forced us to reconsider what a musical could be.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Alumni hope to raise hype, funds to restore historic Greer Garson Theatre at midtown
By his own admission Tom Bartos is a better actor than he is a singer or dancer, but he still has fond memories of performing in a 1990 production of A Chorus Line as a student at the College of Santa Fe. Directed by one of the members of the musical's original Broadway run, the production kicked off the 25th season at the college's Greer Garson Theatre. 'We had to extend it a couple times, I believe, because it was selling out,' Bartos recalled in a recent interview. 'It was such a joyous, celebratory time for the theater.' In the ensuing 35 years, the college changed hands and subsequently went out of business, leaving the performing arts space Bartos remembers so fondly standing empty. As city officials conduct initial efforts to bring the theater back to life at the now city-owned midtown campus on St. Michael's Drive, he and a group of alumni are working to rally support. 'Everything I have now, everything I've learned or I've been able to achieve now, is because of that theater, because of that school, and I want to try to pay it back,' said Bartos, who now works as a video editor and has an Emmy for covering the 2022 Winter Olympics. Garson_Theatre_exterior.jpg (copy) The entrance to the Greer Garson Theatre Center in July 2024. Bartos is president of the newly formed Greer Garson Performing Arts Alliance, a nonprofit made up primarily of alumni from St. Michael's College, the College of Santa Fe and the Santa Fe University of Art and Design. He said he views the organization as an advocacy group to gin up community support — and hopefully money — for a new iteration of the historic theater. The city is also taking steps to explore the theater's future. On Wednesday, the City Council approved a budget adjustment resolution to move $794,164 in lodgers tax revenue into the Arts and Culture Department's budget, $60,000 of which will go toward a feasibility study of future restoration and use of the Greer Garson as part of the redevelopment of former college campus. Arts and Culture Director Chelsey Johnson said the study will focus on the physical condition of the building and what a future management model could look like. Opened in 1965 and named after the Academy Award-winning actress Greer Garson, the theater at the College of Santa Fe was designed by Phillippe Register, who was responsible for many of the other iconic buildings on campus as well. At 32,628 square feet, the performing arts complex includes a main theater with an orchestra pit and seating for more than 500 people, a black box performance space that seats 90, and rehearsal rooms, classrooms and storage space. 020525 jw garson theatre Opened in 1965 and named after the Academy Award-winning actress Greer Garson, the theater at the College of Santa Fe was designed by Phillippe Register, who was responsible for many of the other iconic buildings on campus as well. The performing arts complex has been completely vacant since the Santa Fe University of Art and Design closed its doors in 2018 and would need significant upgrades to make it useable, Johnson said. 'It's been used by film crews as a wardrobe space, primarily, but because there's no sprinkler system in it, it's not up to code,' she said. 'So in order to be used even by them they have to have a fire safety professional on site at all times.' A request for proposals for a contractor for the study states the city ultimately seeks 'a developer and operator with the capacity and experience to rehabilitate and operate the Greer Garson Theatre' as a public theater with a range of community-focused programming, citing the Public Theater and Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City as models. The request for proposals states the city will dispose of the property in 'as-in condition.' The scope of work for the contractor includes conducting a building assessment, and creating redevelopment and operations and management strategies. Participation of city departments — including Tourism, Arts and Culture and Economic Development — and local performing arts organizations is stipulated, with LiveArts, the Santa Fe Art Institute, Creative Santa Fe and the Center for Contemporary Arts being specifically named as external stakeholders. 020525 jw garson theatre Members of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Commission get a look around the Greer Garson Theatre during a Feb. 5 tour of the midtown campus. On Wednesday, the City Council approved a budget adjustment resolution to move $794,164 in lodgers tax revenue into the Arts and Culture Department's budget, $60,000 of which will go toward a feasibility study of future restoration and use of the theater as part of the redevelopment of former college campus. The city was initially pursuing entering into an exclusive negotiated agreement with LiveArts for the redevelopment of the theater, similar to its plans for a film studio and visual arts center on the midtown campus. LiveArts was the only applicant who entered a proposal for the theater, and in March 2024 the city announced in a news release the bid was canceled after the two entities 'mutually agreed that the best path forward is for the City to redevelop the theater.' Johnson said the negotiations with LiveArts happened before she joined the city, but her understanding is that things didn't come together the way the parties hoped. 'It turned out to not be so feasible, which is, I think, partly why we're doing this actual feasibility study to really have a clear sense of what will help us to successfully redevelop and reactivate it,' she said. Metropolitan Redevelopment Agency Director Daniel Hernandez said LiveArts remains an important partner and will have a seat at the table. 'We're going to include them in this conversation,' he said. SKM_450i24040217460 Actress Greer Garson outside her namesake venue in 1975. Hernandez said honoring the heritage of buildings like the Greer Garson Theatre is crucial to development at midtown. 'They're the landmarks for the future of midtown because they hold so much memory for people,' he said. 'People want to come back to midtown specifically to see these buildings.' The request for proposals sets a four-month timeline for the work, and Johnson said her hope is for the feasibility study to be completed by this fall, after which the findings will be shared with city councilors. Hernandez said an organization has been selected to complete the work and a contract is in the process of being finalized. He said the contractor is national a firm that serves as an arts and culture consultant but which also has a background in arts-focused affordable housing. 'We're excited to bring them on board,' he said. Along with the feasibility study, Hernandez said the city is also working with alum Kelly Kuhn to host some outdoor concerts in the midtown quad this fall. Hernandez said he's excited by the interest college alumni have for the project. To date, Bartos said, the Greer Garson Performing Arts Alliance has more than 200 members, mostly alumni from the 1980s and 1990s. The colleges 'didn't really keep up with alumni relations, so we're kind of doing double duty and trying to find all these people and track them down,' Bartos said. SKM_450i24040217480 The Greer Garson Theatre under construction, circa 1965. Part of reaching out to alumni from across the country as well as building connections within the local arts scene is exploring who or what entities might be able to support the project financially, Bartos said, noting that money will play a big role in any discussions of the Greer's future. 'With film it's easier because movies can make money,' he said. '… Live theater is a little different, especially in this town, since it's more visual art focused.' However, Bartos said he's optimistic a coalition of groups will come together so the Greer can resume its place in the city's arts and culture scene. 'If there's a way to bring people back ... it doesn't need to be preserved in amber or anything,' he said. 'It's going to change, but just as long as there's life on campus, I think that'd be a great thing that the alumni could be proud of.'
The Guardian
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
The moment I knew: when he said I love you, it took me days to build up the nerve to respond
Lachlan says he first noticed me when I was working as an usher at the Eternity Playhouse theatre in Sydney before Covid, but I first remember meeting him in December 2021 when we started rehearsals for A Chorus Line together. I was instantly attracted to this handsome, talented guy. When I found out he loved the ocean, surfing and skateboarding – like me – I knew he was a triple threat twice over. These aren't the kind of interests you encounter too often working in musical theatre, so we bonded quickly. I made the first move and asked for his number. Not long after rehearsals started we were all plunged back into Covid lockdowns. My tentative Instagram chat check-ins with Lachlan soon turned into two-hour video calls every other day. By the time we were back at rehearsals, we had gotten to know each other well, but it had all been very friendly. Then Lachlan injured himself on opening night and had to pull out of the show, but we stayed in touch. The season ended and I got a role on Home and Away. We caught up for an epic paddleboard session at Cronulla beach and he bought me lunch to say congratulations on the new gig. I had no idea what all this meant. I had a huge crush on him, but he was so polite and chill I really couldn't gauge his feelings. A few weeks later I was as giddy as a schoolgirl when he called me out of the blue. It was usually me who initiated our chats. He asked me out to dinner, but I still couldn't work out what was going on. On the Thursday he called to firm up plans. He'd booked a restaurant and offered to come and pick me up. This was all new to me. I felt so spoiled. On the night I wore a denim jumpsuit; I was sweating with anticipation, just so unhinged, wondering: 'What is going on with me? This is crazy.' For the first two hours I was on the ceiling – I could not calm down. I was hella nervous yet still not convinced I was on a date. In hindsight obviously it was a bloody date, but I just hadn't experienced such a thing, so I didn't want to get my hopes up. When Lachlan paid for my meal I returned to a heightened state of excitement and confusion and had to ask him if we could just go to the beach so I could try and chill out. We headed to Maroubra, and as we took our shoes off and headed towards the water, our hands slid together. My first thought was: 'OK, we're on. This is definitely a date; you don't hold hands with your mates.' Sitting on the sand and gazing out into the ocean, I decided it was time to shoot my shot. 'I really want to kiss you,' I blurted out. Despite being emotionally bowled over by this entire rollercoaster, as Lachlan turned my chin towards him, I was instantly calmer. A few weeks later we were on the phone yet again. I was recounting some story from my day when he said: 'Oh my god, I love you!' I had no idea how to take it, so I ignored it. It took me days to build up the nerve to respond. After rehearsing saying 'I love you too' all the way to work, I finally called and delivered it to him. I have no recollection of his response because I basically hung up on him after that. Job done. It was the moment of no return. I knew I was a goner. The next few years were a mixture of long distance and long hours while Lachlan toured with Hamilton and I stayed at Home and Away. It was hard work, but a dream come true for both of us. We hung in there as a couple. At the end of last year we bought a place together in Sydney and have come full circle, working together again – this time on Guys & Dolls. We spend much less time on the phone. Angelina Thomson and Lachlan Dearing perform in Opera Australia's Guys & Dolls on Sydney Harbour until 20 April. Do you have a romantic realisation you'd like to share? From quiet domestic scenes to dramatic revelations, Guardian Australia wants to hear about the moment you knew you were in love. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian. Your contact details are helpful so we can contact you for more information. They will only be seen by the Guardian.
