8 February 2023
Within looking ahead to the coming season in local theater, one particular must remember that, in the theatre world, the “year” is nearly halfway done. For most performing-arts groups, a season usually follows the school year, along with shows opening immediately after Labour Day and finishing up simply in time for Memorial Day time. Where shows are planned, and how they might complement or even conflict with other choices, are usually matters that arts commanders contend with on a regular basis. A nonseason show in the summer, especially with a lot of children in the cast, accompanied by a name-brand property along with plenty of marquee appeal to start the season proper is almost definitely a guarantee of plentiful box-office revenue, which in turn can help finance lesser-known or riskier development choices in the leaner a few months of winter and planting season. Here’s what some of the larger organizations in the Midlands have concocted for your viewing pleasure: Class Theatre continues to enjoy a innovative renaissance, and will take advantage of the new partnership with Columbia College by presenting The Chorus Line in Mar, with participation from university dance students and teachers. The 1976 Pulitzer Reward winner in Drama arranged a record at the time with its 15-year run in New York plus won nine Tony Honours. Songs from composer Marvin Hamlisch such as “One” plus “What I Did For Love” accompany the cutthroat frustration of dancers at a Broadway audition, with their anxieties being a metaphor for human lifetime. The musical will operate March 17-April 1 .
To-d0-list
Its season closes along with Hundred Days, running Might 5-20. Described as a “folk-punk” musical, the show explores taking risks and residing life to its maximum. This production marks a positive return to the spotlight for Movie director Chad Henderson following their departure as the executive movie director of Trustus Theatre within 2021, and his first Class show since 2014’s Younger Frankenstein. Chapin Theatre Firm may be an all-volunteer neighborhood organization in a town associated with less than 2, 000 inhabitants, but they’ve taken movie theater seriously for decades, actively prospecting artists from across the Midlands to participate, staging the big-budget summer musical each year at the Harbison Theatre with Midlands Technical College, frequently hosting premieres of unique plays by local writers and recently purchasing plus renovating a new performance area, which will debut with March’s Death by Design, the spoof of British sketching room mysteries. That will operate March 10-12, 16-19 plus 23-26. The 2023 period follows the calendar year, plus includes 37 Postcards, The disney produtcions Descendants: The Musical (based on the popular TV film series), the premiere associated with Lou Clyde’s original gal-pal-com Stilt Girl and a phase adaptation of It’s A Fantastic Life, just in time for that Christmas holidays.
Music Functions
Town Theatre continues the focus on traditional, family-friendly amusement, with March’s The Through the night Strut!, a revue offering numbers from greats from the 1930s and ’40s such as George Gershwin, Cab Calloway, Glenn Miller and Fight it out Ellington. That runs Mar 10-26. This is followed in-may by Grease, the legendary tribute to 1950s dancing, trends and sensibilities — not to mention summer lovin’ — that ran for 8 years on Broadway. That will musical is at Town Might 12-28. Trustus Theatre similarly stays true to its objective — and its season sub-title of “(Un) Familiar” — with a line-up of game titles that are as critically recognized as they may be mostly unfamiliar to all but the most serious of theater devotees. March’s musical The Mad Types explores the choices one can make in life and the paths not really taken (runs Feb. 24-March 18), while April’s Pulitzer-winning Fairview confronts differing points of views on race, and problems society to do better. That certain runs April 28-May thirteen. Lexington‘s Village Square Theater continues a season associated with big-name, high-profile titles, which includes a scaled-down-for-children production associated with Roald Dahl’s Matilda the particular Musical in February (runs Feb. 3-19), and a phase adaptation of The Lion, the particular Witch, and the Wardrobe within March (runs March 17-26). VST’s season concludes along with Mel Brooks’ musical version of his film, Youthful Frankenstein, which is guaranteed to provide tons of Transylvania mania plus rolls in ze existe. (runs May 4-21)
Songs Features
Columbia Children’s Theater will present its regular mixture of professional theater for younger audiences with productions associated with youngsters’ favorites such as Akeelah and the Bee in Feb (runs Feb. 18-19) plus Pinkalicious in April (runs April 22), but will likely continue a full roster associated with challenging plays featuring youthful actors, including Puffs and he or she Kills Monsters, both in Mar. The University of Southern Carolina’s theater department will certainly continue to showcase the level of its undergraduate acting system, backed by the technical skills and wizardry of graduate student design students. USC’s close Lab Theatre will sponsor a festival of 10-minute plays in February, then a production of The Lighting in the campus’ new overall performance space on Catawba Road in March (runs 03 16-19). April brings the particular multiple Tony-winning musical Springtime Awakening to Drayton Corridor (runs April 7-14), because struggles with repressed libido and teen angst enjoy out, set to a jarring alt-rock score from Duncan Sheik.