September 21-24, 2017
A delightful romp through the dance and music of the 1930s and '40s.
A delightful romp through the dance and music of the 1930s and '40s.
Conceived by Fran Charnas
Swing's the thing in The All Night Strut! Conceived and directed by Clevelander Fran Charnas, this jumpin’ jive show premiered at Pickle Bill’s in the Flats in 1976 then moved to Playhouse Square to further efforts to save our theaters in the tradition of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well & Living Paris. From touring with the Glenn Miller Orchestra to performing with the Boston Pops, this classy, sassy musical revue has played the world over to record-breaking houses and garnered rave reviews from critics.
The All Night Strut! moves through the Depression, World War II and the post-war boom in a two-act musical celebration of the 1930s and '40s, filled with jazz, blues, bebop and American songbook standards. Weaving together the work of legendary songwriters such as Hoagy Carmichael, Frank Loesser, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Cab Calloway and the Gershwins, the story moves through time and place to highlight a slick slice of yesteryear and capture a beloved American era.
December 14-17, 2017
A holiday musical based on O. Henry's famous Christmas story
Adaptation, Music, and Lyrics by Peter Ekstrom
PETER EKSTROM was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in nearby Painesville. He wrote The Gift of the Magi for Actors Theatre of Louisville where it has been presented for many years. It has seen hundreds of productions at theaters across the country.
An adaptation of the classic O. Henry short story, told through music and lyrics, of the young couple in New York on Christmas Eve 1905, who loved each other so much that each sold his most prized possession to buy the other a Christmas present.
PETER EKSTROM was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in nearby Painesville. He wrote The Gift of the Magi for Actors Theatre of Louisville where it has been presented for many years. It has seen hundreds of productions at theaters across the country.
An adaptation of the classic O. Henry short story, told through music and lyrics, of the young couple in New York on Christmas Eve 1905, who loved each other so much that each sold his most prized possession to buy the other a Christmas present.
February 8-11, 2018
By A.R. Gurney
A unique and imaginative theatre piece, it is comprised of letters exchanged over a lifetime between two people who grew up together, went their separate ways, but continued to share confidences and an enduring love. When these two extraordinary and respected actors read the letters aloud, what is created is an evocative, touching, frequently funny but always telling pair of character studies in which what is implied is as revealing and meaningful as what is actually written down.
Starring Dorothy Silver and George Roth
May 17-20, 2018
New wrinkles in old habits!
by Dan Goggin
Nunsense A-Men! is the well-known “Nunsense” show with a big gender-bending shot of testosterone. All of the characters from Mother Superior to Sister Amnesia are played by men. Think of it as “Tootsie Takes The Veil.” Played completely straight (you should pardon the expression), this show is, to quote a critic, “no drag.” Receiving rave reviews and standing ovations subsequent productions have boasted such stars as “Laugh-In’s” Arte Johnson as Mother Superior and Olympic Champion, Greg Louganis as Sister Robert Anne. A whole new layer of comedy surfaces with lines like “The guys in the old neighborhood still can’t believe I became a nun!” To quote the New York Times: “A change of habit, boy oh, boy!”
A wooden ruler across the knuckles has never been so much fun.
A wooden ruler across the knuckles has never been so much fun.
