It’s a busy time here at the Straz, so busy we’ve had to find creative ways to get the word out about all our shows. We want to make sure you know that Jobsite is presenting another of their bloody great Shakespeare productions. Macbeth runs Jan. 15 through Feb. 9 in the Jaeb Theater. https://youtu.be/C0WYHmP4wOQ... Continue Reading →
If the outfits worn by the actresses in The Cher Show look familiar it’s because they are recreations of the sometimes outrageous costumes the actress-singer has worn throughout her career. And if those replicas look like dead ringers for the original outfits, down to the last sequin, it’s because they were re-created by the original... Continue Reading →
For its first decade or so of existence, Detroit-based record company Motown was the American Dream in excelsis. Founder Berry Gordy nurtured his small, local business into a worldwide success. Gordy was smart, resourceful and hard-working. Most importantly, he knew white kids could dig R&B just as much as the black kids. The label’s slogan,... Continue Reading →
Jack Lemmon’s most celebrated roles occurred in film – Ensign Pulver in Mister Roberts, Felix Unger in The Odd Couple and Jerry/Daphne in Some Like It Hot. The touring Broadway musical of Some Like It Hot will be presented at the Straz Dec. 10-15. Broadway musical Some Like It Hot, sponsored by Bank of America... Continue Reading →
Ariana Grande added “proofreader’ to her list of credits recently. The actress spotted an error in the captioning of the video for “Popular,” from the upcoming film Wicked, in which she stars. The video used the word “poise” in place of the correct “ploys,” which Grande called out in the comments section. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENkfNb1I0jc&pp=ygUOcG9wdWxhciB3aWNrZWQ%3D This was more than an... Continue Reading →
The Wiz was a Broadway smash, a retelling of The Wizard of Oz with an African-American cast and P.O.V. It had a four-year run, won a shelf-full of Tonys® and introduced the world to Stephanie Mills. https://youtu.be/uR2IZ9LFyxM The film version was a dumpster fire, swapping the musical’s book for trendy psychobabble, and replacing Mills (17... Continue Reading →
Bam! Sock! Zap! Michael Uslan’s destiny was set in motion by a television show he hated. Zok! Whap! Oooof! A comic book collector since age 3 and a serious Batman fan since he was 8, Michael cringed as he watched the Caped Crusader reduced to a campy clown. Batman dispensed with the comic book’s darkness,... Continue Reading →
Cher. The sort of name that deserves its own paragraph. The original single-name superstar, she is celebrated in The Cher Show, a glitzy Broadway production that chronicles her one-of-a-kind career. (The Cher Show will be presented in Morsani Hall, Jan. 14-19). The Cher Show, which will make its appearance in Carol Morsani Hall this January.... Continue Reading →
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical will be presented at the Straz Center’s Morsani Hall Nov. 12-17. The musical draws on the children’s book, published 67 years ago on Oct. 12, and also on the 1966 animated special, which featured songs such as “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” Author Theodor “Dr.... Continue Reading →
On Sept. 29, Broadway Musicals Day will be celebrated because everything has to have a day. And why not? Broadway musicals seem more worthy of a celebration than something like National Broccoli Lovers Day or National Broccoli Haters Day, and can you imagine the bloodbath if those got scheduled on the same date? (Shudders) ... Continue Reading →
The songs and stories heard in MJ the Musical, coming to The Straz Feb. 25 - March 2, are from throughout most of Michael Jackson’s life and career. It’s set two days before the beginning of his 1992-’93 Dangerous world tour and that would not seem to be a random choice. https://youtu.be/Hxgo-Qu-ZZE By the end... Continue Reading →
For some actors, the first time’s the charm. Maleah Joi Moon won Best Actress in a Musical at the 77th Tony Awards®, joining 100 other actors who took home a Tony® for their first Broadway role. https://youtu.be/aqjVWzANA8A Maleah, who starred in Hell’s Kitchen, is in excellent company as a debut winner. Others who won Tonys®... Continue Reading →
Disney’s animated feature The Lion King had its premiere in 1994. That year, roughly 2 percent of Americans had access to the Internet. The 30th anniversary of that film’s release was celebrated in May with a pair of Hollywood Bowl concerts featuring songs from the soundtrack. In the three decades since its release, The Lion... Continue Reading →
BY CAMERON MACKINTOSH If I was to say what had happened to Les Misérables is the dream I dreamed, it would not be true – Les Mis has been a success beyond my wildest dreams. The show in 1985 that few people had booked in advance to see was coolly, if not hostilely, reviewed by... Continue Reading →
Dancers most commonly leave the profession around the age of 35. Dancer Kim Hale is 56. Do the math? There’s no math to do. Kim Hale is too old for a career as a dancer, as she’s likely been told before. Only she didn’t listen. In fact, she didn’t listen so well that she wound... Continue Reading →
A parody of Netflix’s Stranger Things isn’t just an opportunity to salute and spoof the beloved sci-fi thriller series. “It also gave us an opportunity to give fans what they might have wanted, but that didn't happen in the show,” said Nick Flatto, producer-director of Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical, playing at The Straz now... Continue Reading →
In the realm of comedy, there are icons whose brilliance transcends generations, leaving their marks on the hearts and minds of audiences worldwide. Robin Williams, the definitive master of improvisation, stands tall among these legends. From his early days in stand-up, as Mork from Ork in the TV show Mork & Mindy to his unforgettable... Continue Reading →
If the notion of a Bob Dylan musical doesn’t pass your particular sniff test, you’re in good company. Twyla Tharp’s 2006 Dylan dance-musical, The Times They Are a-Changin’, was a critical disaster that limped its way to Broadway, from which it disappeared in less than a month. “A Bob Dylan musical is a terrible idea,”... Continue Reading →
Jack Hopewell and the company of the North American Tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. Photo by Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade. Since its 1971 Broadway premiere, Jesus Christ Superstar has been a Norman Jewison-directed feature film, been staged for live television with John Legend and Alice Cooper in the cast; and been revived, reprised and performed... Continue Reading →
Roz Parks does most of her work behind the scenes at The Straz. As an employee of National Building Maintenance, a commercial cleaning and maintenance company, she has worked as a subcontractor at the performing arts center for 15 years maintaining the restrooms and common areas in Morsani Hall. She also manages a staff of... Continue Reading →