Ten performances you shouldn’t miss this fall
Left to right: Tom Patterson as William Morton and Michael Bakkensen as Dr. Horace Wells in Ether Dome at Hartford Stage, beginning Sept. 11. Photo courtesy Kevin Berne Images
By Mark G. Auerbach
Special to PRIME
The fall performing arts season in western New England is an abundance of riches this year, with many premieres around and about, some old chestnuts, and some treats coming to town for the first time.
“Ether Dome”
Elizabeth Egloff’s new play, “Ether Dome,” opens the Hartford Stage season, with performances Sept.11 to Oct. 5. Directed by Michael Wilson, former Hartford Stage artistic director, it’s a co-production with Alley Theatre in Houston, La Jolla Playhouse in La Jolla, California, and The Huntington Theatre in Boston. Hartford, is the play’s East Coast premiere.
The story centers around Horace Wells, a dentist from Hartford, who, in 1846, discovered ether as an anesthetic.
This psychological thriller delves into the ensuing battle between Wells and his protégé, William Morton, over altruism and financial gain. Reviews from out of town say this production has great promise.
For tickets: 860-527-5151. or
www.hartfordstage.org.
“Evita”
The Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice blockbuster, “Evita,” opens The Bushnell’s Broadway season with performances Sept. 23 to 28. It’s a stunning portrait (somewhat fictionalized) of Eva Duarte, an “actress” who used the casting couch to work her way into the role of Argentina’s first lady. Always true to her roots, she died young and became an icon.
“Evita” began life as a concept album in 1976, and Harold Prince turned it into a stunning Broadway musical in 1979, which put Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin on the map. A revival was a hit of the 2012 Broadway season with Ricky Martin as Che. Caroline Bowman plays Eva in Hartford. Many people only know the film version of “Evita,” which starred Madonna. The stage version is operatic in scope, almost completely sung-through, and quite visionary for its time. For tickets: 860-987-5900 or
www.bushnell.org .
“Harvey”
I grew up loving the movie “Harvey,” where James Stewart played Elwood P. Dowd, the guy who had an imaginary rabbit friend. The film was based on the1944 play by Mary Chase, which won the Pulitzer Prize. Stewart also played the role on Broadway. The recent revival introduced Jim Parsons to Broadway audiences.
Locally, West Springfield’s Majestic Theatre presents “Harvey” Oct. 30 to Dec. 14. The cast includes: Dave Mason,
Cate Damon, Chris Shanahan, James Emery and Nicole Meldonian. For tickets: 413-747-7797 or
www.majestictheater.com/ .
“Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn”
Goodspeed Musicals closes its 2014 season with the world premiere of “Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn” from Sept. 19 to Nov. 30, a stage version of the 1942 movie hit which featured Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, and the song “White Christmas” – an Oscar winner for “Best Song.” Irving Berlin wrote a dozen songs for the film, including a revamped “Easter Parade.”
Goodspeed is known for sending musicals to Broadway – “Man of La Mancha,” “Annie” and “Shenandoah” got their start on the Connecticut River in East Haddam.
“Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn” also commemorates a Goodspeed milestone. It’s the swan song for Michael Price, who has led Goodspeed for decades. For tickets: 860-873-8668 or
www.goodspeed.org .
“It’s A Life: A Live Radio Play”
Shakespeare and Company adds to the nostalgia mix with the return of their popular holiday entertainment, “It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” Dec. 5 to 28. Adapted by Joe Landry from the film script, the show, done with radio sound effects and music, follows George Bailey as he journeys to discover the value of this wonderful life, guided by “angel second-class,” Clarence, who is on his own quest to earn his wings. For tickets: 413-637-3353 or
www.shakespeare.org .
“The Midtown Men”
“The Midtown Men,” four stars of Broadway’s “Jersey Boys,” are bringing their third national tour to Springfield Symphony Hall on Sept. 19. It’s a program of Sixties Hits from The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Motown, The Four Seasons, and more, as performed by “Jersey Boys” Tony Award winner Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard, and J. Robert Spencer (a Tony nominee for “Next To Normal”). For tickets: 413-788-7033 or
www.citystage.symphonyhall.com .
“Pink Martini”
“Pink Martini” makes its area debut at the University of Massachusetts Fine Arts Center on Sept. 20, a must-see event that launches their season. “Pink Martini,” a little orchestra under the direction of Thomas Lauderdale, fuses genres from classics and pops to jazz, ethnic sounds, Latin, and more. China Forbes, lead vocalist and principal songwriter for “Pink Martini,” headlines the Amherst concert. (When I first saw “Pink Martini,” National Public Radio reporter Ari Shapiro was their featured vocalist).
Preview “Pink Martini’s” music online. They released their sixth studio album, “Get Happy,” last September; in March, they released “Dream a Little Dream” with the Von Trapps. For tickets: 800-999-UMASS, 413-545-2511 or
www.fineartscenter.com .
“Poe”
The Berkshire Theatre Group has another world premiere on its season roster Oct. 2 to 26 – “Poe” – a showcase of the haunting stories of masterful wordsmith and poet, Edgar Allen Poe, written and directed by Eric Hill, former artistic director of Springfield’s StageWest. David Adkins stars as the heart and center of poetic and macabre tales of terror. The Berkshire Theatre Group, at press time, had not announced much of its fall season, but they go year-round now, mostly at The Colonial in Pittsfield, after the weather turns cold. For tickets: 413-997-4444 or
www.berkshiretheatregroup.org .
Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s opening program
Kevin Rhodes conducts The Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s season opener on Sept. 27, which showcases the members of the Orchestra in three highly vivid works, Ravel’s “Bolero,” Debussy’s “La Mer,” and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition”.
Maestro Rhodes, who made his New York City Ballet Orchestra debut last year, returns to Springfield from a summer conducting the Paris Opera, with a detour to Santa Fe, New Mexico, before preparing this program. It’s nice to see a music program that highlights the ensemble without guest artists. For tickets: 413-733-2291 or
www.springfieldsymphony.org .
“Wicked”
“Wicked,” the Broadway blockbuster, makes a return visit to The Bushnell Nov. 5 to 23. Based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, it’s a prequel to “The Wizard of Oz,” telling the story of Glinda and The Witch, before Dorothy arrived in Oz. “Wicked” has been selling out on Broadway, since its opening in 2003, and it’s a “must-see” on The Bushnell’s big stage. “Wicked” is a great introduction to musical theatre for older kids. They’ll be transfixed by the story, the opulent production, and the music. For tickets: 860-987-5900 or
www.bushnell.org .
Keep in mind…
The Hartford Symphony performs an array of classics and pops at The Bushnell, and their season opener Oct. 16 to 19, includes excerpts from Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” and Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture.” Jazz lovers will enjoy a performance of the Brubeck Brothers Quartet with the Pops on Oct. 25. For tickets and information on their season: 860-244-2999 or
www.hartfordsymphony.org .
Hartford’s TheaterWorks has a roster of off-Broadway-type plays this season. They open with “Annapurna,” which was presented by Chester Theatre Company earlier in the summer. (TheaterWorks will have a different cast), and they also have “Dancing Lessons,” the new Mark St. Germain play at Barrington Stage, which is a co-production with TheaterWorks. For tickets: 860-527-7838 or
http://theaterworkshartford.org/.
Look to area college theatre productions and community theatre offerings to enhance your fall with the arts.
Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio./
