Last fall the hottest and most expensive theatre ticket (at $170) on Broadway was not for a three hour musical with a large cast and supporting orchestra. It was for a 90 minute revival of the play Betrayal by English playwright Harold Pinter with a three actor cast. What made the ticket such a valuable […]
Archives for April 2014
Chimes at Midnight with Stacy Keach, Week 4
We had our invited dress rehearsal of Part 2 last Sunday. For those of you who don’t know, putting on a repertory is a long and complicated process. First, you have to have a tech period and dress rehearsal of one show – we did that with Part 1 two weeks ago. Then you tech and build up to the dress rehearsal for Part 2. Now we go back to previews of Part 1, and we’ll open that show on April 15. That will run for three nights as we work out the kinks and then open Part 2 on April 18. Confused? So am I. I just show up and hit my mark. It’s one of the good things about being an actor.
Thank You for Coming – audiences as seen from the front line
For the first time in 5 years, I’m not working at a theatre box office. Before I started university, I decided I’d rather my day job be in the theatre. I ended up working for 3 different box offices. I feel like I’ve sold thousands of tickets – and I probably have. I’ve learned a lot about theatre audiences over the last five years, and I want to write down a few things so that I never forget them.
Join Folger audiences in playing (Ides of) March Madness. The game is on!
Folger Theatre is giving Shakespeare fans around the world a chance to join in on the March brackets fun with Bracket of the Bard to choose the favorite Shakespeare play. As one player put it “at least I know these teams.” Today is day 2, so over 4,000 fans of the Bard have done the […]
Brief Encounter – Coward classic from Cornwall’s Kneehigh
The story of Kneehigh Theatre’s Brief Encounter, familiar to older readers and film buffs, is about a man and a woman, respectable, middle-class English folks, each married to other people, who meet in a train station. She gets a speck in her eye. He’s a doctor and takes it out. They meet again, innocently enough, begin to get to know each other, and then fall in love. Because they are so respectably British, the conundrum of what to do about their feelings consumes both of them.
Jarrod Spector Live at 54 Below
Some artists who put together a cabaret show just pick a bunch of songs that they like to sing or that show off their talents. Others pick a theme or turn their cabaret show into an autobiography. Either way, with enough talent and a sense of taste, these shows can be thrilling – as those […]
Hansel and Gretel
Christopher Piper’s rousing welcome to the Puppet Co’s production of Hansel and Gretel opens floodgates of responses from little ones trained to sit still and be quiet. With permission to giggle and laugh out loud at the antics, everyone sits back to enjoy what awaits.
New union of theatergoers fights back on high ticket prices
In an effort to spur interest in the local performing arts scene, which has been anemic at best, and to cut ticket escalating costs, an advocacy group known as the Virtual Theatergoers Union (VIRTU) announced exciting plans for the 2014-2015 season. Starting this fall, you can “see” your favorite play or musical without actually attending […]