DSM is looking for our first official Kid Critic!
Kids have an extra special way of being brutally honest, which is why they make great critics!
We’re looking for DFW’s most promising, Broadway-loving junior journalist to become the first official DSM Kid Critic for our 2016 Season. If your child is passionate about Broadway musicals, we want to hear what they think!
Please review the requirements and submit an application below!
Application deadline: Sunday, September 27th at 11:59pm.
Requirements:
Some of the shows in our season have age recommendations that exceed the Kid Critic age requirements listed above. If you are not comfortable with your child seeing any of the shows in our 2016 season, we need to know in advance. Please indicate which shows you would prefer to skip in the parental consent section of your application
Age Recommendations for our 2016 Season:
For show descriptions, please visit www.dallassummermusicals.org.
Become the first official DSM Kid Critic! CLICK HERE TO APPLY.
Hello DSM Fans!
We are excited to be presenting one of the most magical, thrilling and mystifying shows to hit Broadway THE ILLUSIONISTS – Witness The Impossible at the Music Hall thru April 19. This mind-blowing spectacular showcases the jaw-dropping talents of seven of the most incredible illusionists on earth. Check out some sneak peeks below and what the DFW Metroplex has to say about it.
PERFORMANCES & INTERVIEWS:
WFAA8 ABC Good Morning Texas – Interview and performance with Adam Trent “The Futurist”
The Dallas Morning News Top Theater Picks – Interview with Kevin James “The Inventor” and Andrew Basso “The Escapologist”
CW33 News FIX – Interview with Kevin James “The Inventor” and Andrew Basso “The Escapologist”
KDFW FOX4 Good Day Dallas – Interview with Jeff Hobson “The Trickster”
WFAA8 ABC Daybreak – Interview with Andrew Basso “The Escapologist”
(Spanish) KXTX Telemundo39 Acceso Total – Interview with Andrew Basso “the Escapologist”
Stage Talk – Interview with Jeff Hobson “The Trickster”
Selig Film News – Interview with Jeff Hobson “The Trickster”
ARTICLES & FEATURES:
The Flash List – Interview with Dan Sperry “The Anti-Conjurer”
Uptown Latino – (In Spanish) Interview with Andrew Basso “The Escapologist”
Selig Film News – Interview with Dan Sperry “The Anti-Conjurer”
The Dallas Morning News Asian Column – Feature of Yu Ho-Jin “The Manipulator”
Broadway World – THE ILLUSIONISTS Feature
AXS – THE ILLUSIONISTS Feature
The Dallas Socials – THE ILLUSIONISTS Feature
Digital Mom – THE ILLUSIONISTS Feature
REVIEWS:
The Dallas Morning News – Review
Dallas Voice – Review
North Dallas Gazette – Review
The Column – Review
TheaterJones – Review
Selig Film News – Review
The Clubhouse Podcast – Special Edition Review (22:40 in length)
Red Carpet Crash – Review
Real Posh Mom – Review
Irish Film Critic – Review
Vanna Collins – Review
THE ILLUSIONISTS is on stage NOW thru Sunday, April 19 at the Music Hall at Fair Park. Click here for details and tickets.
Don’t miss out on the magic and keep checking back for more content!
– Cisco
Hello DSM Fans!
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s THE KING AND I is on stage now at the Music Hall thru this Sunday, April 5th only! We are so thrilled with the overwhelming response to this show that we wanted to share with you what people are saying! Also, we’ve included some additional links to give you a sneak peek of the show and inside info with interviews and performances! Enjoy!
Articles/Features
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0IzUqsonMw]
Click here for photos with the cast from on stage, behind the scenes, and around Dallas!
CW33 – NEWSFIX behind the scenes look at THE KING AND I production and a mention of the DSM Academy Dance Workshop – Click here.
Lia Chang feature article of THE KING AND I – Click here.
The Dallas Socials featured article of THE KING AND I – Click here.
Digital Mom featured article of THE KING AND I – Click here.
Seniorific News featured article of THE KING AND I – Click here.
Denton Record Cronical featured story on Parker and Madison (The Kings Children) – Click here.
Helene In Between featured article of THE KING AND I – Click here.
Interviews/Performances
WFAA8 ABC – Good Morning Texas: Rachel York (Anna) performs “Getting To Know You” – Click here.
WFAA8 ABC – Midday News: Alan Ariano (The King) gets interviewed by Ron Corning – Click here.
The Dallas Morning News – Top Theater Picks Yoonjeong Seong (Tuptim) and Devin Ilaw (Lun Tha) perform “We Kiss in a Shadow.” – Click here.
The Dallas Morning News Asian Column – Interview with Stephanie Lo (Eliza) cast of THE KING AND I – Click here.
SeligFilmNews interview with Rumi Oyama (Angel George/Dance Captain) – Click here.
TheaterJones interview with Glenn Casale, Director of THE KING AND I – Click here.
AXS interview with Devin Ilaw (LunTha) – Click here.
Broadway World interviews Rachel York (Anna) – Click here.
(In Spanish) HOYDallas show review and interview with Sam Tanabe – Click here.
SeligFilmNews interview with Yoonjeong Seong (Tuptim) – Click here.
Reviews
Fort Worth Star-Telegram review – Click here.
The Dallas Morning News review of THE KING AND I – Click here.
Dallas Voice review of THE KING AND I – Click here.
TheaterJones review of THE KING AND I – Click here.
SeligFilmNews review of THE KING AND I – Click here.
Real Posh Mom’s THE KING AND I review – Click here.
Vanna Collins THE KING AND I review – Click here.
A special edition of “The Clubhouse Podcast” reviewing this musical that is 24 minutes and 11 seconds in length. The review is on i-Tunes of course but can be listened to on Quicktime by clicking here.
MilkAndCuddles review of THE KING AND I – Click here.
IrishFilmCritic review of THE KING AND I – Click here.
EDGEDallas review of THE KING AND I – Click here.
Red Carpet Crash Musical Review: ‘The King And I’ Is A Well Performed Classic
BrandonDoesDallas review of THE KING AND I – Click here.
THE KING AND I is on stage NOW thru Sunday at the Music Hall at Fair Park. Click here for details and tickets.
We hope you enjoy the show!
-DSM Amanda
Hello DSM Fans!
A Christmas Story The Musical is on stage now at the Music Hall thru this Sunday, December 14th only! We are so thrilled with the overwhelming response to this show that we wanted to share with you what people are saying! Also, we’ve included some additional links to give you a sneak peek of the show, inside info with interviews and performances, and even some information about the audition process for both Ralphie and the local child performers in the show! We will continue to update this, so check back for even more fun facts and info!
About The Show
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlN7uSaW6WY]
Article on BroadwayWorld.com About The Show: Click here.
Auditions
Part 1 of Ralphie Auditions: http://vimeo.com/106282595
Part 2 of Ralphie Auditions: http://vimeo.com/106285106
About Local Child Auditions:
Article by Nancy Churnin – Click here.
About Local Child Audition Winners:
CW33 Interview with the winners – Click here.
Article by Nancy Churnin – Click here.
Article by The Flash List – Click here.
Features
“A Christmas Story and Usher top best weekend events in Dallas” – Click here to read this feature article by Culture Map Dallas.
Culture Map 10 Dallas Christmas Productions: Click here to see the listing.
“Where to Celebrate Christmas 2014 In Dallas” on D Magazine – Click here to see listing.
Interviews and Performances
CW33 – NewsFix (Peyton Nicholson and Grace Moore) – Click here for interview.
FOX4 – Good Day Dallas (Susannah Jones) – Click here for performance and interview.
KTXD47 – The Broadcast (Susannah Jones) – Click here for performance and interview.
WFAA8 – Midday News (Christopher Swan) – Click here for interview.
Reviews
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEFNR5Jv_Wc]
Review by Christian Alexander Fashion – Click here to read.
Review by Mark Lowry in the Fort Worth Star Telegram – Click here to read.
Review on The Column – Click here to read.
Review by Nancy Churnin in The Dallas Morning News – Click here to read.
Review on The Flash List – Click here to read.
Review on Selig Film News – Click here to read.
Review on Edge Dallas.com – Click here to read.
Review on Theater Jones.com – Click here to read.
Review on Red Carpet Crash – Click here to read.
“The Clubhouse Podcast”
We will continue to update this, so check back for even more fun facts and info! A Christmas Story The Musical is on stage NOW thru Sunday at the Music Hall at Fair Park. Click here for details and tickets.
We hope you’ll spend this Holiday Season with us!
-DSM Amanda
Hello DSM fans!
This is your go to post for all things NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT! Check out our inside look into the show with behind the scenes footage! Also, check out the great interviews with the cast, reviews from the critics, and articles about the show. We’ll be updating this frequently, so check back later for more!
INTERVIEWS & PERFORMANCES
Behind the Scenes of Nice Work If You Can Get It – News Feature on CW33 NewsFix:
http://cw33.com/2014/09/04/behind-the-scenes-nice-work-musical-launches-in-dallas/
Performance by Mariah MacFarlane (Billie Bendix) singing “Someone to Watch Over Me” on KTXD – The Broadcast TV:
http://www.ktxdtv.com/story/26451712/nice-work-if-you-can-get-it?clienttype=generic&mobilecgbypass
Alex Enterline (Jimmy Winter) performing “Nice Work If You Can Get It” on Good Morning Texas (WFAA):
http://tinyurl.com/kzgam8c
Interview with ensemble member and Highland Park native Carl DeForrest Hendin on WFAA – Midday News 8:
http://www.wfaa.com/story/entertainment/2014/09/03/nice-work-if-you-can-get-it-broadway-dallas-musical/15023673/
Highland Park alum Carl DeForrest Hendin talks ‘Nice Work If You Can Get It’ with Nancy Churnin from The Dallas Morning News:
http://artsblog.dallasnews.com/2014/09/highland-park-alum-carl-deforrest-hendin-talks-nice-work-if-you-can-get-it.html/
REVIEWS
Here’s what the Dallas audience had to say about the show on Opening Night:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbEL-xUK-wU?rel=0]
“Theater review: ‘Nice Work If You Can Get It’ will brighten your life” by Nancy Churnin with The Dallas Morning News:
http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/columnists/nancy-churnin/20140905-theater-review-nice-work-if-you-can-get-it-will-brighten-your-life.ece
“You Can Get It: The tour of the newish Gershwin show Nice Work If You Can Get It launches in Dallas, and delights all the way.” by Cheryl Callon with TheaterJones:
http://www.theaterjones.com/ntx/reviews/20140907122318/2014-09-07/Dallas-Summer-Musicals/Nice-Work-If-You-Can-Get-It
“Nice Work if You Can Get It Kicks off the Dust and Bursts with Sass” by Lindsey Wilson with D Magazine:
http://frontrow.dmagazine.com/2014/09/nice-work-if-you-can-get-it-kicks-off-the-dust-and-bursts-with-sass/
“Nice Work If You Can Get It” by Gary Murray with Selig Film News:
http://seligfilmnews.com/nice-work-can-get/#.VAhbwcwqCjI.gmail
“Theater Review: “Nice Work If You Can Get It” Is Top-Notch Entertainment” by James McDonald with Red Carpet Crash:
http://redcarpetcrash.com/theater-review-nice-work-if-you-can-get-it-is-top-notch-entertainment/
Review from The Flash List:
http://www.theflashlist.com/assets/venue/us/tx/neast/dallas/arts/perform/org/dallassummermusicals/2014/niceworkifyoucangetit/fp/dallas.html
“Nice Work If You Can Get It kicks off national tour in Dallas” by Lea Ann Stundins from Mommys Wish List:
http://mommyswishlist.blogspot.com/2014/09/nice-work-if-you-can-get-it-kicks-off.html
The Clubhouse Podcast:
Podcast Listen: http://podcasts.theclubhousepodcast.com/Podcasts/Season_5/iTunes_Exclusive_Episode_Nice_Work_If_You_Can_Get_It.mp3
Rob’s Review – http://www.theclubhousepodcast.com/#!news/nws1/F38570EA-0277-42AC-A509-B3EA49B47659/rob-reviews-%22nice-work-if-you-can-get-it%22
Chad’s Review – http://www.theclubhousepodcast.com/#!news/nws1/C299CE45-1AE3-4A29-B3A2-4FC14DA72686/chad-reviews-%22nice-work-if-you-can-get-it%22
Don’s Review – http://www.theclubhousepodcast.com/#!news/nws1/5355E2FA-C685-4987-918E-AE1CE2419DEF/don-reviews-%22nice-work-if-you-can-get-it%22
Review by John Strange with Selig Film News:
http://seligfilmnews.com/nice-work-can-get-review-john-strange/#.VA3_FNh0zb0
Quick Review by Elizabeth Ygartua with People Newspapers:
http://www.parkcitiespeople.com/2014/09/05/dallas-summer-musicals-is-doing-nice-work/
“See what’s so “Delishious” about Nice Work If You Can Get It at DSM!!” by Vanna Collins:
http://www.vannacollins.com/#!See-whats-so-Delishious-about-Nice-Work-If-You-Can-Get-It-at-DSM/c112t/CE1BC020-80BF-4201-9953-DFEC6C1888A2
Review by Richard Blake with The Column:
http://thecolumnawards.org/columnonline/review/09-12-2014_NICE-WORK-IF-YOU-CAN-GET-IT/
INSIDE LOOK, ARTICLES & FEATURES
Sneak Peek at Scenes from the show:
http://youtu.be/ljUopZ4CPS0
Playbill.com Article – PHOTO CALL: “Sweet and Lowdown”; A First Look at the National Tour of Tony-Winning Nice Work If You Can Get It:
http://playbill.com/news/article/photo-call-sweet-and-lowdown-a-first-look-at-the-national-tour-of-tony-winn
Nancy Churnin with The Dallas Morning News: Top 5 Theater Picks:
http://artsblog.dallasnews.com/2014/09/nancy-churnins-top-5-theater-picks-buyer-cellar-nice-work-fiddler-more.html/
Nancy Churnin with The Dallas Morning News Feature Article – “Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall happy about ‘Nice Work’”
http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/columnists/nancy-churnin/20140906-tony-award-winner-kathleen-marshall-happy-about-nice-work.ece
Nancy Churnin with The Dallas Morning News Feature Article – “Highland Park HS pitcher taps in ‘Nice Work’ at DSM”:
http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/columnists/nancy-churnin/20140829-highland-park-hs-pitcher-taps-in-nice-work-at-dsm.ece
Keep checking back for more exciting videos, photos, and more!
NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT is on stage now thru September 14th at the Music Hall at Fair Park, then will be at Bass Performance Hall September 16-21! Tickets on sale now – go to http://www.dallassummermusicals.org/nicework.html for tickets and details!
See you at the theater!
-DSM Amanda
Hello DSM fans!
This is your go to post for all things EVITA THE MUSICAL! Check out our inside look into the show with behind the scenes footage! Also, check out the great interviews with the cast, reviews from the critics, and articles about the show. We’ll be updating this frequently, so check back later for more!
INTERVIEWS, & PERFORMANCES
Josh Young (Che in EVITA) performed the National Anthem at the Texas Rangers game on Monday, April 14th. Click here to see it! (Please note, the beginning was accidentally cut off from the video.)
Krystina Alabado (Mistress in EVITA) performed “Another Suitcase in Another Hall” on The Broadcast TV. Click here for the performance.
Interview with Alison Mahoney (Ensemble in EVITA) on CW33 Nightcap. Click here for the interview.
Katerina Papacostas (Evita u/s in EVITA) performed “Buenos Aires” on WFAA Good Morning Texas on Thursday, April 17th. Click here for performance.
Alison Mahoney (Ensemble in EVITA) on StageTalk.net. Click here for interview.
Josh Young interview on WFAA Midday News. Click here for interview.
REVIEWS
Check out our Opening Night Interviews with the Dallas audience!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd6LJz7NmI0?rel=0]
“Impeccable ‘Evita’ national tour is a stunning success in Dallas” by Nancy Churnin, The Dallas Morning News – Click here for full review.
“Evita” by John Garcia, The Column – Click here for full review.
“Theater Review: ‘Evita'” by Mark Lowry with Fort Worth Star Telegram – Click here for review.
“Nothing to Cry About” by David Novinski with TheaterJones.com – Click here for review.
“EVITA-THE MUSICAL” by Gary Murray with Selig Film News – Click here for review.
“Evita – Dallas Summer Musicals Review and Interview with Krystina Alabado” by Gadi Elkon – Click here for review and interview.
“Musical Theater Review: EVITA” by Sherri Tilley with The Flash List – Click here for review.
“Evita: The Broadway Musical Now In Dallas At Dallas Summer Musicals” by Vanna Collins – Click here for the review.
“Evita” by Drew Jackson, EDGE Dallas – Click here for review.
INSIDE LOOK, ARTICLES & FEATURES
Q&A with Josh Young on TheaterJones with Cathy O’Neal – Click here for interview!
“Tony nominee Josh Young is playing Che a new way” by Nancy Churnin, The Dallas Morning News – Click here for the full article.
Check out our photo album full of behind the scenes pics of the cast around Dallas!
Spiritual Leader of the Nation: Eva ‘Evita’ Perón of Argentina – Click here for the DSM blog post.
EVITA and Argentine History – Click here for the DSM blog post.
Things to Know About The Revival of EVITA – Click here for the DSM blog post.
EVITA – A Historical Background for Characters – Click here for the DSM blog post.
A Timeline of Events: EVITA and Eva Perón – Click here for the DSM blog post.
Keep checking back for more exciting videos, photos, and more!
EVITA is on stage now thru April 27th at the Music Hall at Fair Park! Tickets start at $15 – go to www.dallassummermusicals.org/shows_evita.shtm for tickets and details!
See you at the theater!
-DSM Amanda
Hello DSM fans and fellow Ozians!
This is your go to post for all things THE WIZARD OF OZ! Check out our inside look into the show with behind the scenes footage! Also, check out the great interviews with the cast, reviews from the critics, and articles about the show.
Inside Look Videos and Photos
For photos of the cast around Dallas, special events, inside look, and more, click here!
Click here to see a sneak peek of the show!
“Nigel The Rescue Dog is the Ultimate Toto in ‘The Wizard of Oz'” by Nancy Churnin with The Dallas Morning News – Click here for article.
“‘Wizard of Oz’ Star Knows There’s No Place Like Home.” by Nancy Churnin with The Dallas Morning News – Click here for article.
Interviews and Performances
Interview with David A. Rogers, the show’s conductor and a Dallas native by TheaterJones.com – Click here for full interview.
Danielle Wade (Dorothy) performs “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” on WFAA Good Morning Texas – Click here for performance.
Interview with David A. Rogers, the show’s conductor and a Dallas native by CBS 11’s Teresa Frosini – Click here for full interview.
Jacquelyn Piro Donovan (The Wicked Witch of the West) performs “Red Shoe Blues” on FOX4 Good Day – Click here for performance.
Interview with Danielle Wade (Dorothy) on The Broadcast TV with Amy Kushnir – Click here for interview.
Interview with Danielle Wade (Dorothy) on StageTalk.net – Click here for interview.
Reviews
Click here to see what the Dallas audience had to say about Opening Night!
“A spectacular ‘Wizard’ with a gentle heart at Dallas Summer Musicals” by Nancy Churnin with The Dallas Morning News – Click here for review.
“No Place Like Home” by Cheryl Callon with TheaterJones.com – Click here for review.
“Musical Theatre Review: The Wizard of Oz” by Sherri Tilley with The Flash List – Click here for review.
“‘The Wizard of Oz’ Is A Musical Joy to Behold” by James McDonald with Red Carpet Crash – Click here for review.
“‘The Wizard of Oz-The Musical'” by Gary Murray with Selig Film News – Click here for review.
The Wizard of Oz was on stage at the Music Hall at Fair Park March 18-30, 2014.
-DSM Amanda
Hello DSM and WE WILL ROCK YOU fans!
This is your go to post for all things WE WILL ROCK YOU! Check out our inside look into the show with behind the scenes footage! Also, check out the great interviews with the cast, reviews from the critics, and articles about the show. We’ll be adding more as the show continues, so keep checking back here!
Inside Look Videos and Photos
Ruby Lewis Photo Exclusive on Playbill.com – http://www.playbill.com/news/article/186790-PHOTO-EXCLUSIVE-Scaramouche-Scaramouche-On-the-Road-With-We-Will-Rock-You-Leading-Lady-Ruby-Lewis?tsrc=hph
Sneak Peek Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak0lKa8h5FA
The Cast of WE WILL ROCK YOU in Dallas Photo Album – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152388497178465.1073741841.23412623464&type=3
Interviews and Performances
Interview with Ruby Lewis by Nancy Churnin with The Dallas Morning News – http://artsblog.dallasnews.com/2014/03/we-will-rock-you-star-ruby-lewis-talks-about-rocking-the-music-hall-at-fair-park.html/
The Broadcast TV Performance with Brian Justin Crum and Ruby Lewis – http://www.ktxdtv.com/story/24892146/we-will-rock-you
Interview with Ryan Knowles for StageTalk.net – http://www.prophotography.com/stage/WWRY/index.html
Performance on Good Morning Texas with with Brian Justin Crum and Ruby Lewis – http://www.wfaa.com/good-morning-texas/We-Will-Rock-You-cast-rocks-the-GMT-stage-248856711.html
Interview with Erika Peck by Gadi Elkon – http://gadielkon.com/2014/03/will-rock-dallas-summer-musicals-interview-erika-peck-oz/#.Ux9zx7Q_wik
Interview with P.J. Griffith by TheaterJones – http://www.theaterjones.com/ntx/features/20140303103358/2014-03-04/QA-PJ-Griffith
Reviews
Opening Night Video – http://youtu.be/Z1EVcHW5Opg
Kory with CBS Radio – KVIL – http://kvil.cbslocal.com/2014/03/10/korys-review-we-will-rock-you-dallas-summer-musicals/
John Garcia with The Column Online – http://thecolumnawards.org/columnonline/review/03-05-2014_WE-WILL-ROCK-YOU/
Thor Christensen with The Dallas Morning News – http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/arts/headlines/20140305-review-jukebox-musical-we-will-rock-you-nails-queens-camp-and-swagger-in-dallas-premiere.ece
Punch Saw with Fort Worth Star Telegram – http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/03/05/5623985/stage-review-we-will-rock-you.html
Gary Murray with Selig Film News – http://seligfilmnews.com/2014/03/will-rock/#.Ux9zs7Q_wik
Shari Goldstein Stern with White Rock Lake Weekly – http://whiterocklakeweekly.com/view/full_story/24703341/article-THEATER-Queen-s-music-transforms-DSM-s-rockin–stage
Dallas Voice – http://www.dallasvoice.com/consciences-queen-10169104.html
Keep checking back for more videos, articles, and much much more!
-DSM Amanda
Hello DSM and The Little Mermaid fans!
This is your go to post for all things The Little Mermaid! Check out our inside look into the show with behind the scenes footage! Also, check out the great interviews with the cast, reviews from the critics, and articles about the show. We’ll be adding more as the show continues, so keep checking back here!
INSIDE LOOK VIDEOS & PHOTOS
Montage – http://youtu.be/nbHaUjQEvHY
Colleen Coyle from WFAA learns to “swim”! – http://www.wfaa.com/video/featured-videos/Colleen-dives-into-The-Little-Mermaid-245998311.html
Teresa Frosini from CBS learns to “swim” – http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/02/17/disneys-little-mermaid-opens-at-music-hall/
The Flash List: All about flying and interviews with Paul Rubin and Glenn Casale – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX4r2xHd3dQ
Production Photos from the Dallas Cast – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152359552678465.1073741839.23412623464&type=3
Behind the Scenes Interview photos – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152352782563465.1073741837.23412623464&type=3
Twitter Takeover by cast member Jessica Wockenfuss – https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152357203713465.1073741838.23412623464&type=3
Special Appearance by Liz McCartney and Steve Blanchard – https://madmimi.com/mimio/f7f484/preview
INTERVIEWS AND PERFORMANCES
Bleeckie Streetie, the puppet interview with Chelsea Morgan Stock – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g611L5xMTx4
Good Morning Texas – http://www.wfaa.com/good-morning-texas/Disneys-The-Little-Mermaid-The-Musical-star-performs-246005741.html
Midday WFAA – http://www.wfaa.com/entertainment/Star-of-Little-Mermaid-talks-about-coming-to-Dallas-stage-246034401.html
KTXD – http://www.ktxdtv.com/story/24763104/the-little-mermaid
Selig Film News – http://gadielkon.com/2014/02/little-mermaid-review-and-interview-with-alan-mingo-jr/#.UwtUBnTnbIU
Stage Talk Interviews with Chelsea Morgan Stock and Paul Rubin – http://www.prophotography.com/stage/lm/index.html
Bobbie Wygant – http://www.nbcdfw.com/video/#!/entertainment/the-scene/Dallas-Little-Mermaid-Features-Show-Stopping-Flying/247286031
Midday WFAA Cooking Segment – http://www.wfaa.com/home/Recipe-jambalaya-247286701.html
REVIEWS
Opening Night Reviews from the Dallas Audience – http://youtu.be/lAYagJ6Zs3Y
The Dallas Morning News, Nancy Churnin – http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/columnists/nancy-churnin/20140219-disneys-little-mermaid-swims-into-kids-hearts-at-dallas-summer-musicals.ece
The Column, John Garcia – http://thecolumnawards.org/columnonline/review/02-20-2014_DISNEYS-THE-LITTLE-MERMAID/
Oh So Cynthia – http://www.ohsocynthia.com/2014/02/dsms-little-mermaid-is-no-damsel-in.html
The Nerds Wife – http://thenerdswife.com/2014/02/little-mermaid-dallas-summer-musicals.html
Mommys Wish List – http://mommyswishlist.blogspot.com/2014/02/disneys-little-mermaid-lights-up-dallas.html
Momma DJane – http://mommadjane.com/disneys-mermaid-musical-dallas
The Flash List – http://www.theflashlist.com/assets/venue/us/tx/neast/dallas/arts/perform/org/dallassummermusicals/2014/thelittlemermaid/fp/dallas.html
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Mark Lowry – http://www.dfw.com/2014/02/21/870587/stage-review-the-little-mermaid.html
D Magazine, Lindsey Wilson – http://frontrow.dmagazine.com/2014/02/theater-review-does-little-mermaid-recall-disneys-broadway-glory/
Selig Film News – http://seligfilmnews.com/2014/02/little-mermaid-musical/#.UwzH6rT6RI1
Vanna Collins – http://www.vannacollins.com/#!The-Little-Mermaid-is-at-Dallas-Summer-Musicals-until-March-2nd/c112t/FF234B1D-5254-4455-9441-CB9C4EFFE955
Red Carpet Crash – http://www.redcarpetcrash.com/interview-little-mermaid-star-chelsea-morgan-brings-ariel-life-dallas-summer-musicals/
ARTICLES
The Dallas Morning News, Nancy Churnin – http://www.dallasnews.com/entertainment/family-fun/20140213-disneys-new-little-mermaid-should-get-on-swimmingly-in-dallas.ece?nclick_check=1
Culture Map – http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/arts/02-12-14-little-mermaid-music-hall-fair-park-flying-swimming-magic/
The Flash List – http://theflashlist.com/dallas/events/2014/02/arts/usa-texas-dallas-music-hall-at-fair-park-dallas-summer-musicals-disneys-the-little-mermaid.html
Keep checking back for more videos, articles, and much much more!
-DSM Amanda
Maybe it’s the Christmas Spirit, nostalgia, or just pure entertainment, but WHITE CHRISTMAS is a HUGE hit here in Dallas!
I wanted to share with you a few of the reviews we’ve received from DFW locals, a couple of TV performances, and our Red Carpet Interviews video from Opening Night, 12/17! Check out the links/video below. I’ll be adding more as they come in, so check back for updates!
REVIEWS
Click here for the review by John Garcia with The Column Online.
Click here for the review by TheaterJones.
Click here for the review by Red Carpet Crash.
Click here for the review by Lawson Taitte with The Dallas Morning News.
Click here for the review by the KVIL Radio Reporter.
TV PERFORMANCES
WFAA 8 – Good Morning Texas Performance: Meredith Patterson & Trista Moldovan singing “Sisters”
Click here to see the video.
KTXD 47– The Broadcast Performance: Tony Lawson & Craig Blake singing “Happy Holidays”
Click here to see the video.
RED CARPET INTERVIEW
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYxVY1UuxHg&w=640&h=360]
I hope you have a Merry Christmas!
-DSM Amanda
Well, it’s not shocking, but Dallas is in love with Disney’s THE LION KING! Be it nostalgia, the costumes, or even the Hamlet-like story, THE LION KING has proven to be a hit in what ever city they visit! And I’ll be honest, I’m right there with all of you – I love this show. Plain and simple.
I wanted to share with you a few of the reviews we’ve received from DFW locals, an interview between an adorable puppet, Bleeckie Streetie, and the 4 young kids in the cast and our Red Carpet Interviews video from Opening Night, 10/4! Check out the links/video below. I’ll be adding more as they come in, so check back for updates!
REVIEWS
Click here for the review by Lawson Taitte with The Dallas Morning News.
Click here for the review by John Garcia with The Column Online.
Click here for the review by Lindsey Wilson with D Magazine.
INTERVIEWS
Bleeckie Streetie interviews the 2 Young Simbas and the 2 Young Nalas
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bZ3SSLIeqs&w=640&h=480]
Fun with Fiona – Special Feature on Fox 4 News
Colleen Coyle looks behind the scenes at ‘The Lion King’
Click here to see the video.
Teresa Frosini with CBS 11 features The Lion King
Click here to see the video.
RED CARPET INTERVIEW
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkt-WdPS97c&w=640&h=360]
I hope you have a great weekend!
-DSM Amanda
Hey DSM and FLASHDANCE fans!
Dallas is showing the love for FLASHDANCE! Check out all of these great interviews, reviews, and videos below! More to come, so check back soon!
VIDEOS/INTERVIEWS/PHOTOS
Ron chats with the stars of Flashdance: Click here for the video.
Teresa Frosini from CBS 11 stopped by the Music Hall! Click here for the video.
Colleen Coyle goes all out for Flashdance: Click here for the preview photos. Video coming soon!
DeQuina, Kelly, and Haley from the Flashdance cast cat with D The Broadcast: Click here for the video.
Fox 4 Performance: Click here for the video.
REVIEWS
The Flash List: Click here for review.
John Garcia’s The Column: Click here for review.
EDGEDallas: Click here for review.
Oh So Cynthia: Click here for review.
TheaterJones: Click here for review.
The Dallas Morning News: Click here for review.
The Herald Democrat: Click here for review.
White Rock Weekly: Click here for review.
More interviews and videos to come!
Saw something that we didn’t mention? Let us know!
Hope you can make it to see FLASHDANCE – now on stage through Sunday evening!
-DSM Amanda
Hey DSM and MARY POPPINS fans!
Dallas is showing the love for MARY POPPINS! Check out all of these great interviews, reviews, and videos below! More to come, so check back soon!
VIDEOS
NEW VIDEO: Ron Corning Becomes Bert
WFAA – Bert and Mary perform on Good Morning Texas
CBS 11’s Teresa Frosini Becomes Mary Poppins
Red Carpet Interviews – Opening Night
More videos to come!
REVIEWS
Reviewed by Sten-Erik Armitage, Associate Critic for John Garcia’s THE COLUMN – click here for the review
“Theater Review: “Mary Poppins” Is (Almost) Practically Perfect!” on Red Carpet Crash – click here for the review
“Mary Poppins at Fair Park: Practically Perfect” By Keri Mitchell – click here for the review
INTERVIEWS
“Diabetes doesn’t slow down Dallas-bound ‘Mary Poppins’ star Madeline Trumble” by Nancy Churnin – click here for the interview
“Mary Poppins Interview with Karen Murphy” by Gadi Elkon with Pearl Snap Discount – click here for the interview
More interviews to come!
Saw something that we didn’t mention? Let us know!
Hope you can make it to see MARY POPPINS – now on stage through Saturday evening!
-DSM Amanda
By LAWSON TAITTE / The Dallas Morning News ltaitte@dallasnews.com
They’ve turned lots of old movies into musicals. Xanadu sets the record for improvement; it’s the best musical from the worst film.
The 1980 Olivia Newton-John stinkeroo did produce a lot of hits by Electric Light Orchestra’s Jeff Lynneand the star’s favorite songwriter, John Farrar. Two seasons ago, a stage version opened on Broadway with a new book by comic playwright Douglas Carter Beane (who penned Give It Up! for the Dallas Theater Center earlier this year). It was a surprise hit with critics and audiences alike. The national tour hit the Dallas Summer Musicals on Tuesday with an explosive bang.
This company belongs to the growing number of tours that actually play better on the road than they did on the Great White Way. Many Broadway producers seem to feel they must cast names recognizable to New York audiences, and that’s a limited pool of talent. You can’t really call many of these performers stars in the old sense, and the shows surely aren’t tailored to them. Fortunately for us out here in the sticks, the producers feel free to use less-familiar faces, sometimes much more able in their roles, on tour.
Thus, the gorgeous Anika Larsen, as the muse Clio who falls in love with a California painter, really looks like a goddess and sounds like one, too. As the clueless artist, Danny, Max von Essen is funnier and more consistent in his Valley Boy accent (and a more secure singer) than his Broadway predecessor.
The superiority in this production continues pretty much all the way down the line. Natasha Yvette Williams and Annie Golden are especially delicious as the comic villains. As the aging owner of the building Danny wants to turn into a roller derby, Larry Williamsturns a dreary role into a lovable one.
Xanadu played in the smallest house on Broadway, but it feels liberated, rather than dwarfed, in the immensity of Fair Park Music Hall. The audience catches all of Beane’s well-crafted in-jokes. This is one self-reflective musical that doesn’t take itself too seriously, or seriously at all.
Thanks to Christopher Ashley’s witty direction and Dan Knechtges’ inventive choreography, Xanadu might just be the best time you have at a musical this season.
PLAN YOUR LIFE: Through April 18 at Fair Park Music Hall. Runs 100 mins. $15 to $71. Ticketmaster at 214-631-2787, www.ticketmaster.com
To see the review on The Dallas Morning News’ website, follow this link: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/ent/stories/DN-xanadu08_0408gd.State.Edition1.41785f7.html
If I could, I would try to explain exactly how much people we’re blown out of the water by MARY POPPINS… then I though, “why not simply let the people themselves tell everyone?”
“Mary Poppins was a great experience. The set and special effects were unbelievable. The cast was outstanding. It was an unforgettable experience.”
“This being my first time to see the stage musical, I was unsure what to expect. The story was unique! The sets were amazing! The acting, dancing, and singing were phenomenal! I truly felt transported to another world!”
“Mary Poppins was an unforgettable experience. The performance was well polished, enchanting, and deserving of a standing ovation! I enjoyed every moment!”
“Took my daughter for a birthday gift. It was amazing, wonderful and magical all wrapped up in one. Ashley Brown was beyond good as Mary Poppins. My daughter and I haven’t stopped singing the songs since we stood up to go home!!”
“Quite possibly the best musical I have seen in my life, and I have seen quite a few! The costumes, sets and special effects drew me right in, and the voices were consistently beautiful, even the children’s voices. Altogether a wonderful evening’s entertainment.”
“This was a truly magical production! We’ve seen many great musicals over the years — this was one of our absolute favorites. If you have children (or even if you don’t), do not miss this show. Absolutely magical.”
“The whole production of Mary Poppins was outstanding. My husband and I had seats way over on the right side of the theater but could still enjoy everything.All the preformers had wonderful voices, and the children were excepttional. I would love to see it again. It was fun, fun , fun”
“I heard Mary Poppins was coming to DSM and it’s my mother’s favorite movie! I bought the tickets and surprised her with the show. The story line was a bit different from the movie but moved along well. All the important songs were there and sung beautifully! Great, gorgeous cast! ”
“Amazing sets and dancing!”
“We were blown away by the quality and creativity in every area–singing, acting, choreography, lighting, stage and props, costumes, backdrops, special effects…..each area was a delight in its own. After many, many musicals, this was simple the best.”
“WOW! Great show with outstanding sets and acting! The singing was beautiful!”
“This was a wonderfully orchestrated event with talent that surpasses most that I have seen in the past. Mary Poppins has an amazing resemblance to Julie Andrews vocally. This is a wonderful event for children and adults alike.”
“Slightly different than the movie – and in a very good way. The house opens up like a doll-house – awesome. The choreography for Supercalif…. and Step in Time was delightful. Mary Poppins and Bert are amazing performers and so well supported by the rest of the cast. And, i think i was present with the most participatory Dallas audience ever. They clapped along, sang, sighed, and it was all wonderful.”
“Wonderful musical. Took 5 yr old grandson, maybe a little too young, but by the time it was over, he was captivated and loved it. Casting is perfect, those kids amazing. Such a fun, and uplifting story about the importance of family.”
“It was Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The special effects were stunning.”
“Must see! Wonderful acting and singing! Amazing sets, costumes and lighting. Funny! And some great special tricks! Seen it twice, would go again if I could!”
“Took the whole family and everyone loved it. They did a great job of doing all the favorite songs from the movie, and they also added new elements that made it exciting and fresh.”
“Absolutely amazing! We thoroughly enjoyed every single minute!”
“I picked this play due to the fact that my wife loves Disney cartoons. I also did like Mary Poppins growing up as a kid. It was a great play from start to finish. I am still trying to figure out how they got all those items in her bag.”
“The singing and dancing was great. There were two favorite moments, the items that she pulled out of her bag and the end where she went up through the crowd and up through the whole in the ceiling. GREAT EXIT!!!!!.”
“The tickets were purchased for daughter, granddaughters and great granddaughter and was a hit. The ages ranged from 4year old to 50 years old and a wonderful time was had by all. ”
“I took my husband, my son (6months old), my two daughters 3 1/2 yrs., and 2 yrs. old, and it was an absolute THRILL for all of us!!! We are all fans of the movie, but were excited to see them in person. What a wonderful job. The entire experience was great, the ushers were wonderful, the vendors, everyone! Thank you for a wonderful experience. WE will be back next year for sure!!!”
“Mary Poppins was the most fun I have had in a long time. What a fun event to go see with family and friends of all ages. I am ready to go see it again!”
“The whole cast and crew did an amazing job of bringing one of my favorite musicals to the stage. As a former actor and techie, I was left questioning myself how some of the technical tricks were done. Regardless, this show–even on stage is full of mystery and magic. GREAT JOB TO EVERYONE.”
“Don’t miss this fabulous musical. It was wonderful. Can’t wait for Little House on the Prairie with Melissa Gilbert playing Ma coming next May.”
“We’ve seen several shows this season at the DSM, but this by far was the best! It was truly magical!”
“Starting with very comfortable seats to outstanding sound and fantastic performances by each of the cast member this show is certainly a can’t miss!”
“The show was amazing, I loved all the music and new spin on the movie scenes. Mary Poppins is a must see for anyone who loves musicals.”
“I wasn’t sure what to expect when I booked our tickets. Knew the Disney Movie and all the songs – and went for an evening of entertainment. What we got was so much more! Songs. Dancing. Glorious voices. Sets that knocked my socks off and dazzled me with every set change and special effects. The entire evening was magic! Disney is the master of production.”
“This was one of the best performances I’ve ever been too. The talent of the performers and special effects were top notch. It’s a great family event that deserves to be seen by the masses. I would recomend it to anyone and everyone. If you’ve seen Disney’s Mary Poppins, you must see this musical. It will take you more in depth into the world of Mary Poppins. It is a must see!”
“This was a great show. I had read so much about Mary flying over the audience, but nothing was said about the tap dance around the room by the Sweep. That was absolutely amazing. How did you do it. I am so grateful for the 4 for $99 special which enabled me to purchase tickets. My granddaughter, daughter-in-law, and myself really enjoyed it. Thank you!”
12:06 AM CDT on Wednesday, July 22, 2009
By LAWSON TAITTE / The Dallas Morning Newsltaitte@dallasnews.com
You may not come out of Legally Blonde humming the tunes, but this show will leave you as pumped as a two-hour cardiac workout.
The stage adaptation of the popular movie, a modest hit on Broadway, arrived at the Dallas Summer Musicals on Tuesday. It keeps up a breathless pace as heroine Elle Woods, the seemingly shallow blond bombshell who follows an ex-boyfriend to Harvard Law School, discovers a whole new perspective on life.
Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin, who rewrote their Sarah, Plain and Tall for the Dallas Theater Center this spring, tell the story mostly in song. Their lyrics, as cute and clever as Elle herself, are worthy successors to those of their great Broadway predecessors. They give us good tunes, too, but the incessant melodic patterns seldom relax and luxuriate. They just keep percolating like a triple shot of espresso.
The real mover of this theatrical whirlwind, though, is director-choreographer Jerry Mitchell. Over the last decade, he has established himself as one of the American theater’s great storytellers through movement. Like the score, the dancing seldom settles into a stand-alone number, at least before intermission. Throughout the musical someone onstage is stepping, shimmying or gyrating in ways that move the plot along. The second act finally gives us some release with production numbers based on exercise videos, sexy poses and, of all things, Irish step dancing.
As Elle, Becky Gulsvig looks a lot like the film’s Reese Witherspoon. She sounds even more like Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth. (Those with strong negative reactions to squeaks and other high pitches may find themselves at risk.) Gregg Barnes’ costumes expand the boundaries of pink, mauve, hot pink and not-quite-crimson. Gulsvig wears them smashingly.
For those who crave a bit of old-fashioned fun from their musical comedies, preferably with a smidgeon of uplift and optimism, with a bevy of shapely young bodies to boot, Legally Blonde is guilty as charged.
PLAN YOUR LIFE Through Aug. 2 at Fair Park Music Hall. Runs 160 mins. $15 to $85. Ticketmaster at 214-631-2787, http://www.ticketmaster.com/.
Trackback to original review post on dallasnews.com
11:55 PM CDT on Tuesday, July 7, 2009
By LAWSON TAITTE / The Dallas Morning Newsltaitte@dallasnews.com
A Chorus Line is a unique musical, a perfect musical. I’m not sure, in retrospect, it’s one of the great musicals.
The tour based on the recent New York revival arrived at Fair Park Music Hall on Tuesday. It has restored the show’s vivid energy and sharp characterizations, and it makes nearly as good a case for the piece as possible. To paraphrase one of Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban’s songs, it scores dance 10, acting 10, singing maybe a six.
At one point the longest running show in Broadway history, A Chorus Line grew out of workshop-style discussions organized by director-choreographer Michael Bennett. He asked professional dancers, gypsies from Broadway chorus lines, to talk about their lives. Then he, with librettists James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, made a show out of their stories.
The musical, without an intermission, is built around a day of auditions. It also takes its shape from the process of putting together a big production number, from the first rudimentary steps to the high-strutting, show-stopping climax.
The personalities of the individual characters are indelible, but over the years productions have tended to blur or exaggerate them. Bob Avian and Baayork Lee, both part of the original process in 1974 and ’75, have whipped things back into shape beautifully.
Emily Fletcher, for instance, nails Sheila’s aggressive sensuality without making her too hard, and Bryan Knowlton, as Paul in the first week of the current run, keeps his dignity while making his sometimes shocking self-revelations.
I’ve never seen a completely satisfactory Cassie. Robyn Hurder at least dances the role better than most. Part of the problem is inherent: The starring role in this musical is that of a woman who keeps insisting she doesn’t have star power or star pretensions.
Hamlisch’s tunes retain their hummability, albeit in very ’70s fashion. Kleban’s lyrics tell the dancers’ stories with considerable wit. Most of all, Bennett knew how to build a dance number.
Still, a nagging little voice keeps telling me that a really great musical should have characters who interact with each other and should be about something other than getting a job, even if the people do their jobs for love.
PLAN YOUR LIFE Through July 19 at Fair Park Music Hall. 130 mins. $15 to $85. Ticketmaster at 214-631-2787, http://www.ticketmaster.com/.
12:36 AM CDT on Wednesday, June 24, 2009
By LAWSON TAITTE / The Dallas Morning News
mailto:Newsltaitte@dallasnews.com
Cute kids. A quartet of hilarious villains. A whole pack of trained dogs. A production number with a samba that sizzles. What more could a family musical possibly need?
How about a magical car that floats, flies and makes people ask it nicely if they want a ride?
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang chugged, sailed and soared into Fair Park Music Hall for the Dallas Summer Musicals on Tuesday. This road version more than lives up to the standard the Broadway version set in 2005. Largely overlooked in a bumper year for musicals, it struck me as the best Broadway family show since The Lion King. This tour, adapted and directed by Ray Roderick, sacrifices a bit of grandeur but gains in comic spontaneity.
Ian Fleming, an unlikely children’s writer, shows his hand as the original storyteller in various ways: There are spies, though they’re played for laughs. And recall that James Bond’s cars always had tricks up their sleeves, just like the title vehicle here.
Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman’s songs are almost as infectious as the ones they created for Mary Poppins. And, frankly, the plot in this show is more appealing. The father, hapless inventor Caractacus Potts (Steve Wilson), has boundless affection for his children (Jeremy Lipton and Camille Mancuso at Tuesday’s performance). They all look after the grandfather (Dick Decareau), and the kids know before the dad does that there’s chemistry brewing with a motorcycle-driving heiress (Kelly McCormick).
None of the performers are household names, but they’re all solid pros and often more aptly cast than their Broadway counterparts. Dirk Lumbard is delightfully oily as the taller of the bumbling spies, and Scott Cote is his even dumber sidekick. As the evil baron and baroness, George Dvorsky and Elizabeth Ward Land are silly and sinister at the same time. Oliver Wadsworth may be entirely too sinister for younger children as the hideously creepy Childcatcher, although the happy ending defuses most of the terror.
You don’t have to be a kid to have a truly scrumptious time at Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. But feel free to bring a couple of tykes along if you think you’ll feel conspicuous without them.
PLAN YOUR LIFE Through July 5 at Fair Park Music Hall. Runs 150 mins. $12 to $71. Ticketmaster at 214-631-2787, http://www.ticketmaster.com/.
10:15 AM CDT on Thursday, May 21, 2009
By LAWSON TAITTE / The Dallas Morning Newsltaitte@dallasnews.com
Nobody finds it odd when a violinist or pianist is still playing a favorite concerto at the end of a 40-year career. So why be surprised that Topol is still playing Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof?
The Israeli actor had racked up a number of stage performances even before he made the 1971 movie. Now the total is around 2,500. In what is billed as his final tour, he arrived in Dallas for a one-week run at the Dallas Summer Musicals on Monday.
The performer still has what the role requires. That sonorous bass-baritone peals magnificently through the low notes. The stately, if world-weary, bearing and the soulful countenance, blazing eyes clearly visible in the back rows of the huge theater, give Topol, 73, a patriarchal aura. He could as easily be playing Moses or Rasputin – if it weren’t for all the droll bits of low humor he tosses off so nonchalantly.
It must be said that spontaneity is not a factor here. Every mournful growl at a bit of bad news, every joyful roll of the eyes, appears calculated and polished to the nth degree. Naturalism also goes out the window in favor of this delicately calculated theatrical flair.
Many old-fashioned masters of comic shtick destroy their material by sending it up. Not Topol. No shred of cynicism or self-indulgence gets in the way of Fiddler’s emotional journey. Before empty-nest syndrome had a name, this great musical explored the agonies of letting go – and the star plays them for all they are worth.
The current tour has selling points beyond its leading man. Susan Cella as Golde and Mary Stout as Yente are also masters of the broad comic style. Among the lovely daughters, Jamie Davis’ Hodel stands out for her soaring voice. Steve Gilliam’s storybook set invests the village of Anatevka with a quaint charm.
Best of all, director-choreographer Sammy Dallas Bayes has reproduced Jerome Robbins’ exuberant first-act dances with fiery precision. An important secret of Fiddler’s success is the sheer animal energy that drives these sequences. They keep this tale of loss and aging young and vital.
As young and vital as its septuagenarian star.
By LAWSON TAITTE / The Dallas Morning News
12:00 AM CDT on Wednesday, May 6, 2009
A little distance brings things into focus: Rent is incomparably the greatest Broadway musical in, say, the last 30 years, and the farewell tour that the Dallas Summer Musicals brought to Fair Park Music Hall on Tuesday is probably your last chance to see it in pristine shape, as good as when in opened in New York 13 years ago.
The back story, of course, is so sad and perfect it seems made up. The young genius who wrote Rent, Jonathan Larson, died of an aneurysm right before the triumphant first performance. His transposition of the story of La Boheme to downtown Manhattan won every prize going, and this tangled skein of sex and romance (straight, gay and bi) in which half the characters are trying to live with AIDS won a whole new generation of fans to the theater.
From the screeches that greeted the first two actors onstage Tuesday, you’d think all those fans were in attendance to greet the show’s original stars. Anthony Rapp, as detached filmmaker Mark, looks just like he did in 1996; if anything, his timing and diction are sharper and his performance more engaged. Adam Pascal, playing alienated songwriter Roger, looks leaner and meaner, neither inappropriate to the character; his singing voice has taken on a rasping rocker’s edge that works well, too.
Original director Michael Greif has knit the rest of the cast into a tight ensemble. Amazingly, you can hear almost every word in this often intractable space. Former American Idol contestant Lexi Lawson eases her way uncomfortably through Mimi’s precarious dance on the fire escape, but her voice and her onstage presence are both gorgeous. Nicolette Hart makes a hilarious Maureen, and Michael McElroy brings his sonorous voice and vast stage experience to Tom Collins. Unfortunately, Justin Johnston doesn’t have that seraphic aura you ideally want in the role of Angel, but he dies magnificently.
Ultimately, it’s Larson’s tingling melodies and handcrafted lyrics (and his skill at building large forms out of both) that make Rent so special. Its frankness about sex and drugs means it’s not for everyone. Still, if you are curious or perhaps already know the score, but have never seen the show (or have only seen the dispiriting 2005 screen version), you owe yourself a trip to the Music Hall.
PLAN YOUR LIFE Through Sunday at Fair Park Music Hall. Runs 165 mins. $15 to $85.
Buy tickets here: http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/vf0c6y?camefrom=DSM_WEB_RENT_BLOG