ALL ABOARD THE MUSICAL BUS “PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT”

MEET THE STARS OF "PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT"

If you’re familiar with Tarzan,the King of the Jungle, that fact will in no way prepare you for  your acquaintance with “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.”  It’s not just because the leafy jungle is wildly different from the dry, sandy desert.  Tarzan is known for his incredibly macho strength while Priscilla is an inanimate object, a bus.  If you’re open minded and seeking musical adventures, then Priscilla is a colorful, zany, lively, upbeat, engaging and unconventional option courtesy of the Downtown Cabaret Theatre in Bridgeport weekends until Sunday, May 20th.

Based on adult movie hit of 1994, the current iteration is credited to Stephen Elliott and Allan Scott for book, married to a hit parade of fabulous songs like “It’s Raining Men,”  “What’s Love got to Do with It?,” “I Love the Nightlife,” “True Colors,” “I Will Survive" and “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” among many others.

This musical centers on a trio of drag queens, men who enjoy dressing as women, Tick (Jason Parry), Bernadette (Lance Anthony) and Adam (Tim Rinaldi) who are journeying across Australia to perform a gig at a casino for Tick’s estranged wife Marion (Lisa DeAngelis).  Tick’s ulterior motive is to reconnect with his eight year old son Benji (Alex Rosenberg/RJ Vercellone) who doesn’t know his dad or how he earns a living.

On their trek across the Outback, the three encounter Aborigines who welcome them, a group of homophobic men who greet them with violence, a gaggle of tourists who applaud them and a mechanical problem with the bus that strands them.  A friendly mechanic named Bob (Eric Dino)  rescues them and joins them on their journey, while his wife Cynthia (Bonnie Gregson) shows off a popping good time on the dance floor.

Along the way, a trio of Divas (Jessica Paige Braun, Leondra Smith-West, Alexis Willoughby) act like a Greek chorus and belt out most of the two dozen hit tunes.  The fashion parade of rainbow costumes is courtesy of Jessica Camarero, with Eli Newsom as musical director and producing Artistic Director and Christy McIntosh-Newsom directing this whole feathers and frills extravaganza.

For tickets ($33), call the Downtown Cabaret Theatre, 263 Golden 0Hill Street, Bridgeport at 203-576-1636 or online at ticket@mycabaret.org.  Performances are Friday at 7:30 p.m, Saturday at 5 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m.

Hop aboard Priscilla for a wild ride with three drag queens as tour guides who are busy driving home a message of tolerance and acceptance of homosexuals as well as a plea for love, understanding and friendship.

LOOKING FOR LOVE IN ALL THE RIGHT & WRONG PLACES: “LOVE QUEST”

LINDA PURL AS KATE AND SUSAN SLOTOROFF AS MEGAN
 Once upon a time, marriages were arranged, usually by two sets of parents, often without the prospective parties meeting before they arrived at the altar.  Thankfully, times have changed. There are still blind dates, set up by helpful friends, but the commitment is brief and not for a lifetime. Now there are one minute encounters called speed dating, where a bell is rung after sixty seconds of short conversation. Online dating sites are also popular and account for many long lasting relationships.

Ivoryton Playhouse is happy to introduce you to the world premiere of a comedy dealing with the more modern institutions of connecting socially in the relationship challenged “Love Quest” by Mary Maquire and Steven McGraw, until Sunday, May 13. Based on Mary McGraw’s actual experiences, the play explores the realities of entering a foreign world without preparation and the surprises and dangers that lurk at the end of the wine bottle and the exaggerations and lies that abound.

Linda Purl’s Kate has not dated in thirty years,. The necessity of venturing into this unknown universe is occasioned by her husband running off with a younger woman, a much younger woman. At sixty, she is encouraged by her daughter Megan (Susan Slotoroff) who is the mentor and guiding force for her mom.

Needing to advance in the fashion world forces Jes Bedwinek’s Brook to search out “eye candy” to please her publicist.  Her assistant Bove (Mike Mihm) helps Brook navigate the choices at her disposal online. At thirty-five, she is not finding this world a kind and welcoming place.  Will either woman succeed in her quest for companionship, much less love?  Are there any normal males out there to be found?  Are there enough Krispy Kreme donuts to make the search palatable?  The men of the moment are played by Joe Candelora and Josh Powell.  The use of video projections enhances the roller coaster action. Jacqueline Hubbard keeps the pace light and frothy, as well as anxiety ridden, depending on the scenario of the moment.

For tickets ($50, seniors $45, students $22, children $17), call the Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main Street, Ivoryton at 860- 767-7318 or online at www.ivorytonplayhouse.org.  Performances are 2 p.m. matinees on Wednesday and Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.

Sit back and enjoy the adventures of two brave women as they tentatively dip their toes into the frantic and fun worlds of online dating and witness the humorous and confusing experiences that engenders.  There’s always a donut as a consolation prize.

ALL GOD’S CHILDREN GOT “CROWNS” AT LONG WHARF

THE STARS OF "CROWNS"    PHOTO BY T. CHARLES ERICKSON

Queens and princesses are not the only ladies to wear crowns.  For members of the Red Hat Society, a chapeau in some shade of crimson is mandatory.  A tradition also exists among African-American women from the South to be fashionably attired for church by donning the appropriately festooned hat.  Worn like a badge of honor, these hats make these women queens as they rise and shine to praise the Lord and sing with glory.  To be caught up in their jubilation, look no further than Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven’s joyous celebration of spirit that is Regina Taylor’s gospel experience “Crowns.” Ms. Taylor also directs this special musical gem.

Until Sunday, May 13, we are welcomed into this unique congregation of women who know how to commune directly and poignantly with God and are willing to sing his praises every Sunday in church.  Whether it’s through gospel, spirituals, jazz, blues and even hip-hop, these women become queens in their own world, wearing distinctive and distinguished hats that express their personalities.  It is not unheard of to own over one hundred of these ornaments for the head and to strut proudly and a little defiantly unto the Lord.

Come make the acquaintance of some of these remarkable women who resemble peacocks with pride, led by Mother Shaw, a wise Shari Addison, who with her cohorts Jeanette (Rebecca E. Covington), Velma (Latice Crawford), Wanda (Stephanie Pope) and Mabel (Danielle K. Thomas) and one token male (Lawrence Clayton) as the preacher man to help rescue Mother Shaw’s granddaughter Yolanda, a conflicted Gabrielle Beckford. Yolanda has just witnessed her brother’s death in Brooklyn, and her mother has sent her South to heal and get away from the shooting scene.

Seeking sanctuary at her grandmother’s home, she is guided and indoctrinated into a new sisterhood with these spirited women, one she is reluctant to accept. Dressed like a fashion parade, courtesy of Emilio Sosa,  with the incredible musical help of Jaret Landon and David Pleasant, these feisty and snappy styled ladies surround Yolanda with caring and concern and love, encouraging her to join their sacred society and abandon her baseball cap for a real chapeau.

For tickets ($35.50-91.50), call Long Wharf Theatre, 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven at 203-787-4282 or online at www.longwharf.org. Performances are Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 p.m., Thursday to Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.  Additional shows are Sunday April 29 at 7 p.m., April 28, May 5 and 12 at 3 p.m. and May 2 and 9 at 2 p.m.

Whether you put on a pill box or a derby, a baseball cap or a turban, a chapeau or a tiara, you’ll enjoy the jubilation of the church ladies as they celebrate laughter, life and love.

HARTFORD STAGE USHERS IN AN ELEGANT “AGE OF INNOCENCE”

THE WOMEN IN QUESTION: HELEN CESPEDES' MAY & SIERRA BOGGESS' COUNTESS

Known as the Gilded Age, it was a sophisticated time when the upper class society ruled in all its prim and proper protocol.  Some might term it stilted and too prescribed by strict dictates of behavior to be enjoyable.  But the end of the 19th century was marked by more than women’s bustles and men’s morning coats.  To gain an introduction to these special decades from 1870’s to the 1900’s, look no further than Edith Wharton’s revealing “The Age of Innocence” being beautiful displayed at the Hartford Stage until Sunday, May 6.

Boyd Gaines is eloquent as an older and wiser version of himself, a principled young attorney Newland Archer, who reflects back on his life and his choices and serves as the story’s narrator.  He now has the perspective of maturity to determine if he should have acted differently on matters of the heart, society be damned.

Andrew Veenstra is the eager and enthusiastic Newland whose life is laid out for him as a long stately path. Newly engaged to May Welland, a conservative, shy and lovely Helen Cespedes, he is set on a charmed existence.  What happens, therefore, when May’s flamboyant cousin the Countess Ellen Olenska arrives from Europe cloaked in a swirl of scandal.  Newland is immediately intrigued and fascinated by this exotic creature, brought to life by Sierra Boggess.  Conflicted, Newland agonizes over his duty to May and the longings of his heart.

“The Age of Innocence”has been adapted for the stage by Douglas McGrath, in association with The McCarter Theatre Center. John Lee Beatty has designed an elegant set, with distinct period costumes fashioned by Linda Cho, under the cultured direction of Doug Hughes. 

For tickets ($25 and up), call the Hartford Stage, 50 Church Street, Hartford at 860-527-5151 or online at www.hartfordstage.org. Performances are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Enter the rarified world of the privileged elite of New York society where manners and morals trump marriage and matters of the heart.

PANTOCHINO WANTS YOU TO BRING A SOUP SPOON TO THE WEDDING

RAELEEN MAUTNER AS NONI CIMINO IN “ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP”     

PHOTO BY JULIA GERACE

Every family wants the best for its members  Whether it’s a baptism or a bris, a bar mitzvah or a betrothal, the celebration must be memorable.  What happens, however, when the Italian clan of Antoneliis clashes head first with the Jewish mishpacah of Levis, both wanting a wedding at the premier location, the Casa Monticello in Framingham, Massachusetts, on the same day?

You’ve heard of the Hatfields and the McCoys? Well, they can move over and let Mary Cimino Antonelli, a feisty Shelley Marsh Poggio, go ten rounds with Valerie Solli’s determined Miriam Silverstein Levi for who gets the coveted ballroom for the nuptials.  You can clearly put the blame on Tony Panatone, a suave fast talking Jimmy Johansmeyer, for double booking the important sought after date, time and place.

Consider yourself formally invited to “Italian Wedding Soup,” an original musical courtesy of Bert Bernardi for book, music by Justin Rugg and 1980’s costumes by Jimmy Johansmeyer, a Pantochino Production at the Milford Center for the Arts, 40 Railroad Avenue  South,  Milford weekends until Sunday, May 6.

Bernadette Antonelli, a perky Mary Mannix, is getting married, even though her groom is currently AWOL. Michael Levi, a supportive Justin Rugg, is also awaiting his bride-to-be Maureen, to tie the matrimonial knot.  The papas Alonzo (Steven Azzaro) and Saul (George Spelvin) are reluctantly exercising their checkbooks, while grandmas Noni (Raeleen Mautner) and Esther (Pat Covino) are baking cookies and testing the party menu.

While the tempers flair and each family tries to win the top billing, the caterer’s manager Helen, an accommodating Maria Berte, tries to satisfy all the requests for tablecloths and centerpieces and keep the natives calm. Will they be able to resolve the conflict?  Will anyone get married on the fateful day?  How can the pot of wedding soup be the unlikely solution to the conflict? Others in the cast include Brianna Jackson, Emily Kopstein and Hannah Duffy. Bert Bernardi is the sturdy director who will be sure that “all’s well that ends well.”

For tickets ($28 at the door. $25 online), go online to www.pantochino.com.  Performances are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.and Sunday at 2 p.m. The show is cabaret style so bring goodies to share at your table.


Remember the Great Give on May 1 and 2 to benefit all the good works that Pantochino Productions provides. To vote, go to TheGreatGive.org. Banks America is providing matching grants to participating arts organizations.

No matter whether you sit on the bride’s side or the groom’s side, you’re sure to have a fun and tasty time at “Italian Wedding Soup.” 

MTC IS OPENING THE DOOR TO “FUN HOME”

Left to Right: (top) Abigail Root, Megan O’Callaghan, Anthony Crouchelli, Greg Roderick, Raissa Katona Bennett and (bottom) Ari Frimmer, Amy Griffin, Caitlyn Kops, and Jonah Frimmer 
      

Not everyone is lucky enough to be born into "The Brady Bunch” or “The Partridge Family.” Some of us, like graphic writer Alison Bechdel, find ourselves in a complicated situation that may take half a lifetime to unravel for understanding.  To enter Alison’s unusual world, the Music Theatre of Connecticut in Norwalk is offering an intriguing opportunity until Sunday, May 6 and you need to be present for the startling revelations,.

Here we meet Alison at three ages, vulnerability and questioning at only ten with Caitlin Kops, Middle Alison at nineteen in college with Megan O’Callaghan and finally at forty-three with the perspective of adulthood with Amy Griffin.  Each Alison is wonderfully moving as each searchs for understanding, trying to determine her place in a complicated family scenario.  Some of her confusion is revealed while she is in college when she realizes she is a lesbian, as she blossoms in her relationship to Joan (Abby Root). Opening that closet door ultimately helps her when she discovers her dad Bruce, a conflicted Greg Roderick, is also gay.  Bruce is often violent, suffers from depression and has a destructive predilection for young boys, all of whom are portrayed by Anthony Crouchelli..

When her dad commits suicide, Alison's search for answers intensifies. She turns to her mother Helen, a silently suffering Raissa Katona Bennett, for understanding. Her mom oversees the raising of Alison and her two younger brothers Christian (Jonah Frimmer) and John (Ari Frimmer) while her dad teaches high school, restores old houses and runs a funeral home.  Not every child plays hide-and-seek among coffins. For Alison, growing up in a small Pennsylvania town raises more questions than it answers. Trying to understand her father and his secret life, in the midst her own growing sexuality, leads her to write her feelings in a series of journals.  Now, with the advantage of hindsight as an adult, she starts to “remember” the clues from the past that impact the present.

This multiple Tony Award winning Best Musical by Lisa Kron for book and lyrics and Jeanine Tesori for music was created from Bechdel’s graphic novel. Director Kevin Connors calls the distinctly different work “ground breaking.” As a cartoonist, Alsion examines the world in a series of quirky art drawings as she becomes a detective probing her past to open the mysteries of her childhood.  The biggest query becomes who is her dad and what role did she play in his death, if any?

For tickets ($30-55), call Music Theatre of CT, 509 Westport Avenue, Norwalk (behind Nine West Shoes) at 203-454-3883 or online at www.musictheatreofct.com.  Performances are Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. 

For wonderfully affective theater, let Alison Bechdel literally and figurative draw you into her world as she examines her distinctive unique family through wide open adult eyes.

YOU’LL LOVE “AS YOU LIKE IT” AT UCONN

BRALEY DEGENHARDT AS CELIA AND ALEX CAMPBELL AS ROSALIND
PHOTO BY GERRY GOODSTEIN

Are you an outdoor person? Are you fearless and daring?  Do you like adventure and are you a sucker for a good love story complete with complications?  Is Will Shakespeare one of your favorite playwrights? If you answered yes to all of the above, the Connecticut Repertory Theatre at the University of Connecticut has the perfect vehicle for your entertainment pleasure, but only until Sunday, April 29 at the Jorgensen Theatre, so hop right on it.

The merry woods of Arden Forest are welcoming you to forgo caution and run straight in for an amazing experience.  No need to pack camping equipment because everything is already there waiting for you to partake.  Here’s the deal.  Two pretty and sweet cousins Rosalind, an outstandingly gifted Alex Campbell, and Celia, a devoted Braley Degenhardt, find themselves unjustly banished to the forest by a mean spirited Duke Frederick (Jonathan Croy), Celia’s unreasonable papa.  He has already sent Rosalind’s father, his brother, off to ‘Arden after taking his estates and unfairly punishing him.  The court jester Touchstone, a versatile Nikolai Fernandez, accompanies them on their quest.

Once in the forest of Arden, Rosalind disguises herself as a lad Ganymede for protection. In that guise, she rediscovers a comely dude Orlando, a manly Nick Nudler, a youth she fell in love with while in Frederick’s court when he fought and defeated the Duke’s favorite fighter Charles (Anthony Giovino).  Not recognizing her, Orlando uses Ganymede  to practice on with his poems of love for Rosalind, which he prints on every tree. Meanwhile Touchstone gets giddy with the shepherd girl Audrey (Gillian Rae Pardi), she of the adorable lambs and goats, the maiden Phebe (Sierra Kane) is actively pursued by Silvius (Sebastian Nagpal) and even Celia finds romance in the unlikely arms of Oliver (Bryan Mittelstadt), Orlando’s not-so-nice brother.

Thanks to director Kristin Wold, the production is stuffed with imaginative and musical touches that make the Bard’s comedy especially memorable. For tickets ($31-35, student $10), call 860-486-2113 or go online at wwwcrt.uconn.edu. Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

In the pastoral pleasure fields of Arden Forest, you’re sure to discover the madness of love in all its varied complexions as traitors and teasers and poets and fools roam freely in merriment and mayhem that is sure to delight.

A STORY WITHIN A STORY IN “THE REVISIONIST” AT PLAYHOUSE ON PARK

CECILIA RIDDETT'S MARIA AND CARL HOWELL'S DAVID
PHOTO BY CURT HENDERSON

If you earn your living composing poetry, penning prose or dispensing literature, experiencing a writer’s block can be a crippling concern.  If your muse is gone and you’ve hit the wall, you might be desperate enough to try anything to coax the words back.  If you are a young American man named David, you might pack a bag, hop a plane and seek the inspiration of a complete change of scenery in the company of a relative even if you haven’t see her in decades,  That is what desperation can feel like.

West Hartford’s Playhouse on Park is encouraging you to climb into David’s head as you watch Jesse Eisenberg’s unusual journey “The Revisionist,” the New England premiere of a puzzling drama being offered until Sunday, April 29.  Carl Howell’s David has a deadline to meet and he’s already six weeks late.  He has rejected a cabin in the woods and writing retreats as possible solutions to his dilemma.  He must revise a science fiction book he has written, “Mindreader,” that comments on society and the real world. An escape , at a cousin’s small apartment in Poland, seems  to be the answer he seeks.

Cecilia Riddett’s Maria is ready to welcome David with open arms.  A little sprite of a woman, she craves family and can’t wait to spoil him with a roasted chicken dinner (he’s a vegetarian), a tour of the city (he’s too busy) and stories about all the family portraits that grace her walls (he knows none of their shared relatives).

To say David is ungrateful, selfish and rude and unappreciative of her efforts is an understatement, yet Maria cheerfully keeps trying.  She even invites her friend Zenon (Sebastian Buczyk) to come and help her in her desire to make David feel loved.  For a lady who holds family so dear, Maria finds it hard to understand David’s apathy.  She is delighted he has “come to bring blood back into the house,” and she is even kind to the telemarketers who continually call on the phone,

Sasha Bratt directs this intriguing encounter that reveals who the true revisionist is in the stories being told.  For tickets ($25-40), call Playhouse on Park, 244 Park Road, West Hartford at 860-623-5900 ext 10 or online at www.PlayhouseOnPark.org.  Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Upcoming events include a Play Reading on Tuesday, April 24 ($10),  the 19th Annual Mayor’s Charity Ball on Saturday, May 12, a cool kids musical “Polkadots” May 12-20, a Comedy Night on Saturday, May 19 ($15) and a Young Professionals Night Out onThursday, June 28 from 6-7 p.m. ($20) during the running of “In the Heights” (June 13-July 29). 

You may find yourself revising the whole meaning of your family members after a visit with David and Maria and Zenon.  A stiff glass of vodka may help.

TIME IS TICKING FOR THE LEONARDO CHALLENGE APRIL 26

    

                SUSAN CLINARD'S INTERNAL CALENDAR
   

DELARI JOHNSTON AND KEITH MURRAY'S THE TIME WARP CREW

Alice in Wonderland’s friend the White Rabbit  was often heard muttering “I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date.” In this case, the date in question is Thursday, April 26 and the time to arrive is 5:30 p.m.  The occasion is the 24th Annual Leonardo Challenge which this year is the intriguing query “Capturing Time.”

Time is an elusive quantity, but how would our world and our lives operate without it? We wear watches, we wake to alarm clocks, we measure moments and minutes practically 24/7, we refer to the sun and the moon to distinguish day from night.  We even manipulate sunlight and darkness twice a year with Daylight Saving Time.

The Eli Whitney Museum and Workshops, 915 Whitney Avenue, Hamden is encouraging one hundred artists from across the country to explore the fascinating dimensions of time in a myriad of creative ways by designing a piece of jewelry, a mobile, a toy, a painting, an article of clothing, a chair or table, all to honor that greatest of inventors Leonardo da Vinci and, at the same time, raise valuable funds for children’s scholarships and year round educational activities to hopefully produce the inventive and spirited minds of the future.

According to Sally Hill, the museum’s Associate Director and designer of each year’s invitation and exhibit displays,  "We realized early on, that artists almost always 'solved' the Challenge in their own 'language.'Painters painted, sculptors worked 3 dimensionally, photographers used their cameras...etc.This theme of time, it's tricky. It's just gigantic if you try to look at it in general. But if you  think of it in terms of how you personally experience time, we hoped it would be manageable. And people will come up with all kinds of things you'd might not consider –  perhaps ever – in your own experience.''

She has already received a few entries to this year’s program,  a sublime piece from Susn Clinard, Internal Calendar and four Dolls from the Rocky Horror Show, The Time Warp, a pure joyous piece contributed by Delari Johnston and Keith Murray.  According to Sally Hill, these two pieces accurately describe the whimsical nature of the evening.  Sally, herself always submits a lamp and another contribution to the event, one she usually collaborates with another artist to complete.

While single tickets are $75, categories exist for more generous supporters from Galileo at $250 to the Doctor at $5000, each with appropriate incentives to participate.  For more information, call the museum at 203-777-1833 or go online at www,eliwhitney,.org.

Culinary delights will be courtesy of Doug Coffin’s Kitchen and the Big Green Truck Pizza, the delicious cheeses from the fromagerie Caseas, the old world creations of Whole G’s artisan bakers, the organic fare of Small Kitchen, Big Taste, and the libations from Caseus’s Blackhog Brewery and Koffee and special Koffee cocktails.

These can all be enjoyed while you explore all the timeless creations by the artists that you can bid on and, hopefully, taken home.  All the entries will be on display for the public for two weeks after the fundraising party.

Tick Tock. Tick Tock.

CT GAY MEN’S CHORUS MUSICALLY SALUTES MEN AND BOYS

It’s not just Rice Krispies that snap, crackle and pop. The Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus has the same grooves, sparkle and sizzle and its upcoming spring concert is no exception. The Theater of the CoOp located in the Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School at 177 College Street in New Haven will be the exuberant site of its latest and greatest, a tribute to the iconic and favorite boy bands of recent momentum and memory.

On Saturday, April 28 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 29 at 4 p.m., this delightful guy group will salute “Oh Boy!: The Best of the Boy Bands.” Whether you swoon over The Five Satins or The Jackson Five, Boys ii Men or The Back Street Boys, NSYNC or One Direction, The Jonas Brothers or The Beatles, the CGMC’s dance card is sure to be filled with some if not all of your greatest hits.

According to Artistic Director Greg McMahan, “Our boy band theme has allowed us to explore an incredible variety of musical genres - a gorgeous, heartbreaking ballad one minute followed by an infectious pop song that you grew up with  that you can’t get out of your head!  I know our audiences will gasp with delight to hear their favorites being recreated live on stage by our performers.  I mean, what other chance do you get to hear a Monkees favorite on the same bill with one of Ricky Martin’s megabits?  There’s definitely something for everyone!”

For tickets ($25-30), call the CGMC at 203-777-2923 or online at www.ctgmc.org.

Imagine a three or five member boy band magically expand in volume to a chorus of 30 members strong as these guys croon their hearts and souls out to bring you pleasure. With the moves and the music and the male mojo, this creative reunion of the best of the best is sure to be “one sweet day” with “no strings attached” that will go “step by step” to guarantee “they’ll make it beautiful."

OPERA THEATER OF CT PRESENTS LOVE TRIANGLE

The stage is set for murder, fueled by jealousy and infidelity, in a dramatic opera narrated by a clown.  Opera Theater of Connecticut will present Ruggero Leoncavallo’s “I Pagliacci,” originally performed in Milan in 1892.  Now set in the Little Italy section of a large American city, it will be 

filled with passion and problems of the heart at the Andrews Memorial Theater, 54 East Main Street, Clinton on Friday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 21 at 3 p.m.

Opera Theater of CT is now expanding its programming to the spring.  Kyle Swann will conduct with Jill Brunelle on piano. Sung in Italian with English supertitles projected overhead, prepared by Artistic Director Alan Mann, Mann will also offer a special half hour Opera Talk before each performance at 60 minutes before curtain that is sure to enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the piece.

Daniel Juarez, tenor, will play the jealous husband Canio who suspects his wife Nedda, performed by soprano Rachele Schmiege, of being unfaithful to him.  Luke Scott will sing the role of Tonio, a baritone, the clown an unsuccessful lover who seeks revenge and plots murder while Silvio will be Nedda’s consummate love interest in the hands of Zachary Johnson, baritone. Tenor Jorge Prego takes the role of Beppe, the manager of this group of clowns.

Come and be caught up in the intrigue of the traveling group of performers  and the real life traumas that weave themselves in their theatrical stories.  For tickets ($30, under 18 $10 and $5 for the Opera Talk), call Opera Theater of CT at 860-669-8999 or fax the office at 860-669-6616 or go online and complete the ticket order form at www. operatheaterofct.org and fax it in to the office.

Let yourself enjoy this commanding work that features a dynamic “verismo” repertoire, with pieces like the Bell Chorus, the melodic Intermezzo and the moving “Vesti la giubba” or “Laugh, Clown, Laugh.” 

LINGERIE ON DISPLAY IN “NANA’S NAUGHTY KNICKERS”

LORI FELDMAN,  KAREN GAGLIARDI AND ASHLEY AYALA

Very few things are as private as your underwear.  What you put on under your clothes is basically your business.  But to senior citizen Sylvia Charles her business is getting to the bottom of things, from your knickers to your knockers, in silk or feathers, satin or lace, and she is proud to be so intimately involved in your life.  This feisty and innovative lady doesn’t want to play bridge or take a walk in the park.  Now widowed, she wants to raise a few eyebrows and a few bucks and have a little frisky fun in the process.

To make Sylvia’s acquaintance, head over to the Connecticut Cabaret Theatre in Berlin for an intimate introduction to Katherine DiSavino’s comic “Nana’s Naughty Knickers” playing weekends  until Saturday, May 5th.  Lori Feldman’s innovative Sylvia has managed to keep her enterprising activities private, away from the prying eyes of her best friend Vera, a nosy but hard of hearing Karen Gagliardi, her good friend Police Officer Tom, a helpful Josh Luszczak, and her landlord Mr Schmidt, an interferring Dave Wall who would like nothing better than to find a good cause to evict her

 from her rent controlled apartment.

Everything is under control and working well until the arrival of her granddaughter Bridget, a questioning Ashley Ayala, who gets quickly suspicious of her nana’s unusual activities. As a law school student, Bridget quickly suspects that Nana is hiding a big secret, one that is kinky as well asillegal and she wants it to stop.  When the UPS men, Chase Fish and Russell Fish, start delivering packages of sex objects and a model Heather, a scantily clad Melissa Pelletier, arrives at the door, Bridget realizes she must act quickly before Officer Tom hauls Nana off to jail for tax evasion and Mr Schmidt discovers the perfect excuse to evict her for breaking her lease.

Luckily the arrival of Nana’s best customer Claire, a commanding Linda Kelly, arrives in the knick of time to save the day.  Kris McMurray has a lot of fun frolicking among the intimate apparel to great comic relief.  For tickets ($30), call the CT Cabaret  Theatre, 31 Webster Square Road, Berlin at 860-829-1248 or online at www.ctcabaretct.com.  Performances are Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m., with doors opening at 7:15 p.m. Bring goodies to share at your table or plan to buy them at the concession stand onsite.

Wear your fancy inner wear and your red or pink boas so you’ll feet right at home at Nana’s  ingenious take on the old fashioned Tupperware parties of old.  

SEVEN ANGELS THEATRE OFFERING UP “SECOND CHANCE”

MARINA RE'S VIOLET FLIRTS WITH PAUL D'AMATO''S JACK IN "SECOND CHANCE"

Parents spend a lifetime helping to guide and nourish their offspring from new born baby to fully grown adults.  They never stop caring and insinuating their advice, whether welcomed or not.  What happens, however, when the bassinet is turned and the child becomes the keeper of the reins, the one who wants and needs to call the shots, when the parent is in need of help.  How resistant or accepting will the parent be to receiving advice from the child.  If the parent is a cantankerous and opinionated Jack Korman, the ruler of his own destiny for seventy seven years, he will be resentful of any guidance his son Larry has to offer.

To witness the contretemps that blossom between the two men, mosey on over to the Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury to see whose side you’ll take in Mike Vogel’s comedy “Second Chance” until Sunday, April 29.  Larry feels his dad needs to make changes in his living arrangements.  After living for fifty years in the same apartment and being widowed for some time, Jack is set in his ways.  He lives for the Yankees and resents Larry interfering in his life style.  Paul D’Amato’s Jack has no desire to change any thing, especially not to move into an assisted living facility.  Jack Lafferty’s Larry is equally determined that his dad will change his residence and tricks him into agreeing to try out the new facility for a week.

Enter Marina Re’s Violet a spunky and sassy Welcoming Committee who literally sweeps Jack onto the dance floor and agreeing to move over in bed.  With a ratio of 4 to 1, Jack is quickly in hot demand, much to the dismay of Warren Kelley’s Chet who deeply resents the new competition. Amanda Kristin Nichols’ Malka is a young nurse in the building who also has unique services to offer the newly arrived resident.  Soon Jack is ready to admit he might have been wrong about relocating but lots of complications arise to make this a rocky road of decisions. Russell Treyz directs this foray into retirement life that ventures onto rough seas before it can level off into smooth sailing.

For tickets ($42-58), call Seven Angels Theatre, 1 Plank Road, Waterbury at 203-757-4676 or online at www.sevenangelstheatre.org.  Performances are Thursday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Watch how a feeding frenzy of women setting their sights on newcomer Jack help him adjust to his new surroundings and make his transition to retirement life all the easier and more fun.  Soon Jack is hitting his own homeruns, without any help from his beloved Yankees.

“THE CAPITOL STEPS:” PARADING POLITICAL PUNS WITH APLOMB

What a year to be a comedian who delights in dishing out zingers on the political arena. The material is all there for the taking. They’re the Capitol Steps and politics, with heapings of parody and satire, are easily the name of their “I can top that” game. Whether you’re a Democrat, a Republican, an independent, Green Party person, Tea Party candidate or otherwise affiliated, the Capitol Steps are bound to crunch a few of your sensitive toes as they sling their bipartisan barbs on the icons of Washington, D. C., those hard working and hard playing leaders of our country. And they sing and dance all their satire.

These entertainers know of what and whom they speak, for they began as former Congressional staffers who have gone legit by entering the world of show business. For one night only they will be the official speakers of the house at the Warner Theatre in Torrington. This command performance will take place on Saturday, April 21 at 8 p.m. The troupe brags about putting the MOCK in Democracy.  Hillary and Bill are still fair game as are Vladimir Putin, Rex Tillerson, Mike Pence and, of course, The Donald and all his clan and legion of lawyers.

With savagery and wit, these talented troupers will take today’s headlines and tweets and cast a new and slightly jaundiced eye on those happenings. Their highly successful stint began in the early 1980’s when three staffers for Senator Charles Percy needed to take center stage at a Congressional Christmas party. They took the stage then and haven’t yielded the floor to this day. Talk about filibustering power for a purpose. This year’s show is titled “Orange is The New Black” and encourages you to examine the Obama years as they are overshadowed by the Trump White House and Mar-A-Lago. 

The original trio, Elaina Newport, Bill Strauss and Jim Aidala, began writing the material  for the ever changing scene. Newport often shows up to lead the band and is responsible for writing 95% of the humor, according to another cast member and original home town boy Michael Thornton who grew up in Windsor. Thornton considers himself a rogue classical musician turned jazz singer who now “enjoys thinking on my feet which provides a wonderful opportunity to combine topical humor with music that keeps my job interesting and fresh.”

For tickets ($31-51) call the Warner, 68 Main Street,Torrington at 860-489-7180 or go online to www.warnertheatre.org. 

With a campaign slogan that states Lampoon through Laughter, you are encouraged to poke fun at the follies in our nation’s headquarters.Cast your vote for the former and current politicians who are sure to please the crowds when the Capitol Steps march into our Connecticut political arena. Come laugh, hoot and make merry over Washington’s latest schenigans and scandals.

A LOT OF “FANTASTICK" THEATER ABOUNDS THIS WEEK

THE  CAST OF "THE WIZARD OF OZ" AT THE BUSHNELL APRIL 6-8

First up is a suggestion to follow the yellow brick road with that intrepid teen Dorothy, her frisky dog Toto and her newly acquired pals the Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin Man as they skip into the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts for a short sojourn.  From Friday, April 6 to Sunday, April 8, you’ll have the unique opportunity to travel to the Emerald City and make the acquaintance of the great Wizard of Oz.

Be prepared for adventures galore with the Wicked Witch of the West, Glinda the Good Witch, flying monkeys and a host of obstacles that Dorothy and friends must encounter and overcome on their quest. This production is a new, reimagined and enhanced version of the original 1939 classic movie and one that you and the whole family won’t want to miss.  

For tickets ($22.50-103.50). call the Bushnell, 166 Capitol Avenue, Hartford at 860-987-5900 or online at www.bushnell.org.  Performances are Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Join Dorothy as she leaves the safety of Kansas and the comfort of Aunt Em to venture into unknown territory with her ruby red slippers firmly on her feet.

A timeless classic of musical lore, “The Fantasticks” by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones is swinging into the Ivoryton Playhouse to celebrate young love until Sunday, April 8.  Enjoyed in over 82 countries worldwide, this universal tale tells the story of two parents who try to manipulate the emotions of their children with unexpected and largely unwelcome results.   Reverse physchology can backfire.

This longest running musical centers on teenagers Matt (Ryan Bloomquist) and Luisa (Kimberly Immanuel) who are kept separate and forbidden to converse by their interfering mothers Hucklebee (Patricia Schuman) and Bellomy (Carly Callahan) who secretly want them to fall in love.  By creating an imaginary feud between these neighbors and erecting a wall (Cory Candelet) to divide them, the two parents hope to magically bring them together.

Narrating the action and playing a major role in the plot is the mysteriously gallant El Gallo, embodied by David Pittsinger who  takes on the role of a bandit, so Matt can rescue his princess Luisa and prove his love.  When El Gallo is unveiled as part of a plot to deceive and impress Luisa, the pair of lovers, much like Romeo and Juliet, face the harsh realities of their mothers’ machinations.  Matt rides off to the big city and encounters a bevy of difficulties, while Luisa fancies herself in love with El Gallo.  A pair of cohorts of El Gallo’s arrive, Will Clark’s Mortimer and R. Bruce Connelly’s Henry, to advance the plot with comic complications, playing pirates and Indians and other characters..

Throughout the tale, the glorious music like “Try to Remember, “ “Soon It’s Gonna Rain,” “Round and Round” and the parents’ lament “Plant a Radish” are delightful.  Directed and choreographed by Brian Feehan with a magical hand, the music is conducted by Jill Brunelle.  For tickets ($50, seniors $45, students $22 and children $17), call the Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main Street, Ivoryton at 860-767-7318 or online at www.ivorytonplayhouse.org.  Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., with matinees Wednesday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Come see sixteen year old Luisa have her illusions about love shattered but, ultimately, restored so she can marry her prince Matt.  All the while she learns the valuable lesson that “without a hurt the heart is hollow.”

For a distinct change of pace consider venturing to Old Saybrook. Legends swirl around the meteoric career of a rock and roll singer who rose to stardom in a mysterious galaxy and then crashed to earth unceremoniously in an airplane disaster. The rise of Buddy Holly from Lubbock, Texas was spectacular and worthy of note.  His musical style lives on even if he doesn’t.  In tribute to the star, the Katharine Hepburn Center for the Performing Arts will proudly present Johnny Rogers in “Buddy and Beyond” on Saturday, April 14 at 8 p.m. at their unique Old Saybrook theater.

With the endorsement of Buddy’s own brother, Larry, Johnny Rogers has created the perfect platform to acknowledge this beloved star who shone too brightly and burned out too quickly.  Buddy, born Charles Hardin Holley, on September 7, 1936 died February 3, 1959, but his influence lives on, inspiring the likes of Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and Elton John.  Rolling Stones Magazine has ranked him #13 in its list of “100 Greatest Artists.”

With original songs like “That’ll Be the Day,” “Peggy Sue,” “It’s So Easy,” “Heartbeat,” “Raining in My Heart” and “Oh, Boy,” Buddy Holly led rock and roll through the 1950’s.  With his trademark heavy black framed glasses, he created a new sound that combined country, western, rockabilly, rock and roll and pop.  With Johnny Rogers on guitar, the music of Ritchie Valens, the Big Bopper, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ricky Nelson, Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley could also come to life.

Having wowed audiences in England, Germany, the Netherlands and all over the United States, from coast to coast, now it’s Connecticut’s turn to go back in time with this sterling performer and revisit the great hits of the 1950’s. 1960’s and 1970’s.  For tickets ($35-38), call The Kate, 300 Main Street, Old Saybrook at 877-503-1286 or online at http://www.katharinehepburntheater.org/events-tickets/.

Let Johnny Rogers literally set the stage at The Kate on fire as he inhabits the skin and style of Buddy Holly and friends and illuminates them all.

Whether you want to accompany Dorothy, Matt and Luisa or Buddy Holly, we are sure to have an excellent and exciting time in the theater. Enjoy the musical adventure.