TAKE A MAGICAL FLYING ADVENTURE AT THE BUSHNELL WITH "PETER PAN"

What child can’t wait to grow up, to stretch their abilities to adulthood, to age through puberty to reach new milestones to achievements? Well, if you look long and hard enough, one reluctant child does come to mind, one who has no desire to leave the fun of childhood or ambition to grow up: Peter Pan.

Put on your magic flying shoes, sprinkle yourself with fairy dust and take off for the wondrous world called Neverland, where a select group of boys choose not to grow up. Come meet and share an adventurous visit with that eternal youth, Peter Pan, who professes to dislike grown ups so much he vows never to be one.

The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford has assembled a truly superb production of J. M. Barrie‘s almost seventy year old classic tale “Peter Pan The Musical” set to delight children and adults alike from Tuesday to Sunday, until February 9. You are guaranteed to love everyone from Tinker Bell and the Darling children, Tiger Lily and her Indian tribe, Peter and his band of Lost Boys, ostriches and crocodiles, and all the residents of the island of Neverland except for the crochety and controlling devil of a ship captain, Captain Hook.

When Peter Pan, the exceptional and talented Jonah Barricklo and his luminous pal Tinker Bell fly through the bedroom window of the Darling children, Wendy (Hawa Kamara), Michael (Camden Kwok) and John (Levi Chrisopulos), all their lives are changed forever. Peter persuades them to join him and he flies with his new friends to Neverland to meet the Lost Boys. There Wendy becomes “mother,” telling bedtime stories and sewing socks and pockets. On this island, they encounter a tribe of friendly Indians led by Tiger Lily (Bailey Frankenberg) and a band of mean spirited pirates, including the ever smiling Smee (Kurt Perry) led by Captain Hook (Cody Garcia).

Both Tinker Bell and Peter prove their courage, as the young audience gets to decide that fairies really exist by shouting and clapping their belief. Lonny Price directs and Lorin Latarro choreographs this charming story of one boy who defied the ordinary rules of childhood, with wonderful songs like “I’m Flying,” “I Gotta Crow,” “I Won’t Grow Up.” and “Neverland.” This new adaptation is by Larissa Fasthorse.

For tickets ($36-174) call The Bushnell, 166 Capital Avenue, Hartford, at 860-987-5900 or online at bushnell.org. Performances are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 1 p.m.and 6:30 p.m.

Every dance from the tango to the tarantella to the waltz are deliciously lively and the songs composed by Carolyn Leigh, Morris Charlap, Betty Comden and Jule Styne are tempting you for some sing-along fun. As always, the scenery including projections are great and the clever costumes are colorfully creative.

Take a child by the hand and fly off on a magical adventure, where crocodiles tell time and big fluffy sheep dogs serve as nursemaids and innocence abounds as we all think of lovely things.

JOURNEY TO "EDEN" TO DISCOVER A PERSONAL MONARCHY AT YALE REP UNTIL SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8

What happens when a monarch considers himself king of his realm with all the rights and privilegesof his domain. He commands and controls all those in his immediate country, issuing what he needs done, everything in his purview, everyone bowing to his needs and wants. This dictator rules the roost and no one questions his authority. Disobedience is forbidded and severely punished. How impossible would it be to survive under this reign of terror? Would you simply obey or would you eventually rebel? What if this man were your father and you were terrified to question his authority?

Let the Yale Repertory Theatre introduce you to the titular hero of Steve Carter’s play set in 1927, “Eden,” in the San Juan Hill section of Manhattan where Mr. Joseph Barton, a steel shouldered Russell G. Jones, rules his family with an iron fist, brooking no dissent, allowing no deviation from his control. Joseph’s wife Florie, Christina Acosta Robinson, and their four children Agnes, Alicia Pilgrim, Annetta, Lauren F, Walker, Nimrod, Juice Machines and Solomon, Prentiss Patrick-Carter, obey their patriarch without question and have been doing so since birth. Joseph is a proud Black Carribbean from the islands who considers American Blacks inferior and beneath him. The father is the supreme head of the family and all must accept his rules and obey his authority. When a neighbor Eustace, Chandra Hall-Broomfield, has the gall to shower affection on his daughter Annetta, Jospeh explodes with anger. Only Eustace’s Aunt Lizzie, Heather Alicia Simms, has the gumption to encourage him to seize his dreams.

Joseph is a believer in the philosophy of Marcus Garvey, a Back to Africa advocate who considered Black Americans inferior racially to Blacks from the West Indians. Therefore, Eustace was unsuitable for Annetta. Annetta wants love and freedom and rebels causing a rift in the family solidarity that causes the members to choose sides. Can Joseph hold tight to the reins or will he lose control forever? Will the next generation win the battle? Brandon J. Dirden directs this powerful family drama with a firm hand.

For tickets ($15-65), call the Yale Rep, 1120 Chapel Street, New Haven at 203-432-1234 or online at www.yalerep.org. Performances are Tuesday-Saturday at 2 pm and Saturday at 2 pm.

Will Joseph carry out his threat to kill Eustace if he comes near Annetta? Will Eustace seize her love even if his life is at risk? Will Florie have the courage to defy her husband for the first time and defend her daughter so she will have the love she never had herself?

"THE TIN WOMAN" REVEALS THE MAGICAL AND MIRACULOUS GIFT OF LIFE

What can be more central to life than your heart? This vital organ works 24/7/365 to pump blood through your body, delivering oxygen and nutrients to the heart and carrying away waste products. The right side of your heart receives blood and pumps it on to the lungs where it is freshly oxygenated and rid of carbon dioxide. It then returns to the heart and is pumped to the rest of the body.

In 1967 the first operation in the country of a heart transplant occurred. The operation is no longer an experimental procedure and today is the third most common transplant operation in the country. Organs that can be donated also include kidneys and livers (both cadaver and living), lungs, pancreas, eye corneas, intestines, skin, bone and tissue or donation of the body to medical schools for education. Donations only occur when you are declared brain dead and you cannot be resuscitated. Only three people of any age out of 1000 are suitable of this life saving gift, a profound gift, to save the life of a stranger. Thousands die waiting.

For playwright Sean Grennan, the idea for this touching story grew out of a true incident. In this emotionally poignant tale “The ’Tin Woman," one is reminded of "The Wizard of Oz” when the tin man desires the gift of a heart above all else. Here Joy, portrayed by a passionate Maggie Anne Gillette receives a second chance at life. The Kate in Old Saybrook will be unveiling her story, courtesy of the Saybrook Stage Company, from Thursday, January 23 at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, January 24 and 25 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, January 26 at 2 p.m.

Director Terri Corigliano was searching for a new, contemporary relatable play with a real meaningful story and was taken by Joy's journey from near death to restored life. Terri loved the balance of drama and comedy, its heartwarming strength and great message of love and courage. What more generous gift can one family give another person than in the midst of their own tragedy to create life with a selfless present.

After Joy receives a new heart from Jack’s donor family, she feels a compelling desire to connect with them to express her gratitude. Normally the two parts of a new whole have no direct contact in the circle. The recipient is encouraged to send a letter -anonymously- to the donor’s kin. How emotionally tender can the giving family be? Will they welcome the transplant's entrance, especially if they are still actively grieving? Will Joy’s presence be an intrusion or an act of healing? The remainder of this talented cast includes Terri Corigliano, Mary Corigliano, Mark Gilchrist, Abby Malczcon, James Van Nostrand and Charles Rusciano.

According to the director Terri Coligliano, “THE TIN WOMAN reminds us that we are all connected to each other and if we embrace that connection, we can make the most of our time on earth and appreciate every moment we have with the ones we love. It brings a message of life and hope to the audience. It’s wonderful when live theater can inspire an audience to learn more about something as important as organ donation. Anyone can be an organ donor. It's incredible that we all have the power to save someone else’s life through this miracle of modern medicine!”

For tickets ($15-25), call the Kate, 300 Main Street, Old Saybrook at 860- 510-0453 or online at www.thekate.org.

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How can one possibly put a price tag on the gift of life? Experience, with Joy, what that second chance can truly mean.

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OPEN THE SACRED SCRIPT TO "GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL!" AND LAUGH

Have you ever stayed up nights pondering the life and fate of one Johannes Gutenberg? You know or may not know, he’s the guy who invented the printing press and produced the first copy of the Bible. This all happened way, way back in 1454 and, according to records, only 180 copies were engraved and stamped, with color added by the purchasers. Just 49 remain of this first large-format typographic book printed in Mainz, Germany, with just 42 lines on a page. Moveable type in Korea accounts for the first printed book nearly a century before.

I have always maintained one can write a musical on any topic, from giant ships that hit icebergs to people who successfully and/or fail to assassinate presidents, from ears of corn that like to be shucked to green skinned ogres who live in a swamp. Nothing is beyond immortalization. So why not a musical about Johannes Gutenberg, a literary marvel living and working in 1454?

Thanks to the Ty and Tay Theatre at Cabaret on Main, 597 Main Street, East Haven, from Friday, January 26 at 7 p.m. for four performances to Sunday, January 26 at 2 p.m., you are comically invited to the theatre’s debut performance (as in first ever), to the mostly imaginative journey to the world of Johannes Gutenberg, without benefit of Wikipedia or Google or any historical documents of “Gutenberg! The Musical!” Originally written in 2005 by Scott Brown and Anthony King, it centers on Bud Davenport and Doug Simon who deliberately and determinately want to create a play about this guy named Gutenberg who is the only one in his depressing German town named Schlimmer who can read. One night this inventive lad decides to turn his wine press into a printing press and Bud and Doug find themselves off and running making stuff up, from A to Z, to create a highly fictional version that may or may not have a page or fact of truth.

Bud and Doug want to become producers on Broadway and set about “selling” their concept to any one with money enough to fund it. They stretch their talent and their truth, overlooking the facts as minor in significance. With a limited amount of talent, the pair are forced to play all the cast, using a series of hats with their characters’ names on them and switch the caps like Dr. Seuss’s story about Bartholomew’s 500 hats.

Aiding Gutenberg is his less than brainy but beautiful assistant Helvetica (note the pun on a printing type) and Monk, the villain of the piece, who is determined to foil Johannes in his quest by distorting the Bible verses and destroying the printing press. The new theaters founders Tyler Gay (Ty) and Devont’e Campbell (Tay) will star as Bud and Doug in this musical spoof, singing all the songs and enthusiastically playing all the parts. Their hope and dream is to persuade the producers to fund their crazy project straight to stardom.

These new founders Tay and Ty who have been acting for years are, incredibly, still teenagers in high school and are each working on second playa, “Seussical the Musical” and "The Addams Family.” Fortuitously Ty’s father has aided with financial advice and his mom has experience fashioning dozens of caps. Hats off to Phyllis the amazing pianist and Patrick for artwork.

For tickets ($20 adults, $18 students and seniors)go online at cabaret-on-main.com.

A hearty Bravo and Hats Off to Tay and Ty for their exciting new adventure, and hope they break a leg or three along the way.

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COME MEET THE QUIRKY AND UNUSUAL "THE ADDAMS FAMILY" AT WATERBURY'S PALACE THEATER

Cartoonist Charles Addams is known for his weird and wild sense of humor. One wonders who and what his own creepy family might be hiding in its closet if it is anything like his creative mind has imagined in the third iteration of "The Addams Family.” Give thanks to the Waterbury's Palace Theater, from Friday, January 17 to Saturday, January 18 for three performances as you have been cordially and comically invited to a special meet-the-family dinner This musical treat was written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elise, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and with direction and choreography by Antoinette DiPletropole.

The princess of the family, Wednesday, who presides under a crown of darkness, has a new beau, one who knows nothing about her unusual and cemetery-stained history. She has arranged a dinner for his straight laced and incredibly normal folks and has warned her father Gomez not to tell her mother Morticia anything about the proposed meeting.

Can Gomez keep a secret from his beloved wife for the first time? Will the two families learn to break bread together and bless the bread and the new union? Will the weirdness and the commonest blend or backfire?

The Broadway National Tour will be arriving early at the Palace on January 6 for preparation or "teching,” to rehearse the show, for lighting, sound, scenery and cast run throughs. The Waterbury audience will be the first to view the initial product before it travels to the rest of the country.

Can a responsible and respectable young gentleman, Lucas, from a far distance from dysfunctional be able to reconcile his differences from a clan that embraces the macabre and oh-so-different? Is Wednesday doomed to be disappointed in love, much like Juliet was with her Romeo?

For tickets ($47-87, save 25% on 8 pm tickets with code KOOKY until January 10), call the Palace, 100 East Main Street, Waterbury at 203-346-2000 or online at palacetheaterct.org. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Saturday matinee at 2 p.m.

Let this maniacal musical thrill your heartstrings as you root for true love to triumph against tremendous odds.