Seaglass Chorale, under the direction of Jean Strazdes, Artistic Director, will present a tribute to Leonard Bernstein in celebration of what would have been his 100th birthday (1918- 2018). Performances will include selections from West Side Story, Wonderful Town, Candide and others.
Concerts will take place on Saturday, June 2nd, at 7:00 pm at Christ Church in Kennebunk and Sunday, June 3rd, at 3:00 pm at Wells High School in Wells.
Tickets are available through Seaglass [at] gwi [dot] net; via phone at 207.985.8747; and at Morse Hardware on Post Road in Wells. Tickets are also available at the door. Prices: $15/adult; $12/senior and student
Smokey Joe’s Cafe: The Music of Leiber and Stoller
Through June 9 at The Ogunquit Playhouse
Reviewed by Bobby Franklin
Kyle Taylor Parker, Dwayne Cooper, John Edwards, and Jelani Remy (Photo by Gary Ng)
Smokey Joe’s Cafe: The Music of Leiber and Stoller now playing at the Ogunquit Playhouse is 90 minutes of non-stop entertainment. This high energy musical revue showcasing the classic rock and roll hits of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller has a cast of ten backed up by a six person orchestra. The musicians are onstage, and sometimes take center stage, throughout the performance.
Most people are familiar with the Leiber and Stoller songbook. 38 of the songs are performed on the Playhouse stage, including a few of the lesser known works, which is an added treat as they should be better known.
If you are looking for the story behind the songs you won’t find it here. What you will find is a cast that works non stop from start to finish while all the time appearing to be having as good a time on stage as the audience is having while watching them. From the opening number to the final encore there is never a dull moment. The cast has the Ogunquit Playhouse really rocking.
The outstanding set is two levels with winding iron stairways on both sides. It has a bar and the walls are mostly red brick. There is much neon lighting. Those neon lights are put to good use during the number On Broadway. The tables and chairs are also used in many of the numbers. Scenic designer Beowulf Boritt has done a marvelous job.
Dionne D. Figgins and Dwayne Cooper (Photo by Joan Marcus)
At no time during the performance did I feel like I was simply watching a bunch of musicians belting out one song after another. Thanks to the brilliant choreography of Josh Bergasse who is also the director, each number was something unique and special. Running through just a few of them, there was Jelani Remy’s Jailhouse Rock with some acrobatic dancing that would have impressed Elvis.
Remy, along with John Edwards, Dwayne Cooper, and Kyle Taylor Parker captured the original Coasters sound on Searchin’, Young Blood, Charlie Brown, and a truly inspired and crowd pleasingly funny version of Along Came Jones. John Edwards brought the house down with his portrayal of Poor Sweet Sue who keeps falling into the clutches of Salty Sam.
Nicole Vanessa Ortiz and Alysha Umphress, along with Max Sangerman on guitar gave a solid performance on Kansas City. Ms Ortiz’s version of Hound Dog reached back to the wonderful original version by Big Mama Thornton while Dionne Figgins and Jelani Remy gave a sensual Spanish Harlem with Ms Figgins moving beautifully around the stage while being serenaded by Mr. Jelani. The touch of Spanish guitar was perfect for it.
Emma Degerstedt withJelani Remy, Shavey Brown, Dwayne Cooper, and Max Sangerman (Photo by Joan Marcus)
Emma Degerstedt on Teach Me How To Shimmy is attired in a hot pink shimmy dress that in and of itself deserves to be listed as a member of the cast. Alysha Umpress captures the melancholy mood on Pearl’s A Singer.
Max Sangerman and the rest of the male members of the cast harmonize beautifully on an a cappella version of Loving You. Alysha Umpress performs Trouble while accompanied by Yuka Tadano, giving it a jazz flavor.
For Dueling Pianos most of the orchestra was rolled out on center stage with two upright pianos back to back. With Sonny Perkins and Matt Oestreicher facing off on the keyboards it was like having Jerry Lee Lewis in stereo. This was a rip roaring number.
I have only touched on a few of the many great songs performed in this revue. There is much, much more.
Jelani Remy, Shavey Brown, John Edwards, Dwayne Cooper, and Max Sangerman (Photo by Joan Marcus)
Smokey Joe’s Cafe is really enhanced by the choreography. All of the movements on stage go perfectly with this great music. The energy pumping out on stage is impossible to resist. At times the cast members dance up and down the aisles while the entire theatre is rocking. It is something to experience.
On the evening I was there Mike Stoller was also in the audience. After the encore he took to the stage to say a few words. It was very touching as he spoke of his late partner Jerry Leiber. He told of how he would call him whenever he had news, and took this occasion to relate what he would have said to him after watching these young performers do such a fine job with the music he and Mr. Leiber created. He was deeply touched by it all.
This production of Smokey Joe’s Cafe; cast, sets, and costumes, along with director Josh Bergasse will be transferring to New York in July. I highly recommend seeing it now before it moves on. It’s been a long winter and I can think of no better way to get ready to welcome the summer than by taking a ride to beautiful Ogunquit, Maine and getting your rock and roll juices flowing with this knock out of a show.
Smokey Joe’s Cafe: The Music of Leiber and Stoller
Starring Boston’s own Scott Wahle as “Zach” and Kirsten McKinney as “Cassie”
Reagle Music Theatre kicks off the company’s spectacular 50th Anniversary Summer Season with A Chorus Line from June 7-17. The multiple Tony Award-winning musical will run for 8 performances at the Robinson Theatre, 617 Lexington St., Waltham, MA. A Chorus Line is the ultimate Broadway story, following the hopes and dreams of young performers as they bare their souls auditioning for a Broadway musical. A Chorus Line will feature a roster of regional talent featuring newsman and IRNE award winning actor of stage and screen, Scott Wahle as “Zach”, and IRNE award and Tommy Tune Award winner Kirsten McKinney as “Cassie”.
The production is backed by a full, live orchestra and includes the original Broadway costumes! Produced by Robert J. Eagle; Directed and Choreographed by Leslie Woodies (A Chorus Line, On Your Toes); Music Direction by Dan Rodriguez (In the Heights, Show Boat).
A Chorus Line is a stunning celebration of the unsung heroes of the American Musical Theater – the dancers and singers of the Broadway chorus. A Chorus Line takes the audience through the final grueling audition for a new Broadway musical while exploring the inner lives and poignant ambitions of the Broadway hopefuls competing for a spot on the stage. The show features one powerhouse number after another including “What I Did for Love,” “One,” “I Can Do That,” “At the Ballet,” “The Music and the Mirror,” and “I Hope I Get It.” A fusion of song, dance, and drama, A Chorus Line was instantly recognized as a classic winning nine Tony Awards in addition to the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The original Broadway production ran for 6,137 performances.
Reagle Music Theatre’s 50th Anniversary production of A Chorus Line features a full cast of 27 performers from Boston, New York and across the country, starring Boston’s own Scott Wahle as Zach and Kirsten McKinney as Cassie Ferguson.
Performance Schedule: Thurs, June 7th at 3:00 PM; Fri, June 8th at 7:30 PM; Sat, June 9th at 7:30 PM; Sun, June 10th at 2:00 PM; Thurs, June 14th at 3:00 PM; Fri, June 15th at 7:30; Sat, June 16th at 7:30; Sun, June 17th at 2:00 PM.
To purchase, visit www.reaglemusictheatre.org, call 781-891-5600, or visit the theater box office at 617 Lexington St, Waltham, MA, 02452. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturdays 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., with extended hours from 9:00 am to curtain on performance days.
May 18-June 16, 2018 at Huntington’s South End/Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA
The Huntington Theatre Company presents the World Premiere of Fall,which tells the true story of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Arthur Miller’s secret son Daniel, his child with third wife, Inge Morath. Born with Down syndrome, Daniel was institutionalized, and his existence was never acknowledged by his parents. Written by playwright and renowned journalist Bernard Weinraub (The Accomplices, Above the Fold), and directed by Huntington Artistic Director Peter DuBois, Fall runs May 18 – June 16, 2018 at the Huntington’s Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts.
The cast includes Josh Stamberg (Showtime’s “The Affair,” NBC’s “Parenthood,” and The Power of Duff and Female of the Species at Geffen Playhouse) as Arthur Miller. Joanne Kelly (The House of Yes at the Storefront Theatre, Proof at Red One Theatre Collective) plays Inge Morath, a photographer and Miller’s third wife. Joanna Glushak (Sullivan and Gilbert and The American Clock at the Huntington, War Paint on Broadway) plays Dr. Wise. Nolan James Tierce (Harvey at Newton Country Players), a local actor with Down syndrome, plays Daniel. John Hickok (Parade, Little Women, and Aida on Broadway) plays Broadway producer Robert Whitehead.
Arthur Miller was perhaps the most celebrated American playwright of the 20th century, with masterful plays, Death of a Salesman, All My Sons, A View from the Bridge, and The Crucible, capturing the darker side of the American Dream, the political zeitgeist of the day and, somewhat ironically, the bonds of the American family — particularly fathers and sons. His life and career was threaded through the culture of the country in the mid-20th century: he divorced his first wife to marry Marilyn Monroe; he was subpoenaed by the House Un-American Activities Committee; he won the Pulitzer Prize and numerous Tony Awards; and he spoke out against the Vietnam War. Miller was seen by many as a moral conscience for the nation.
But despite chronicling the “common man” and the American Family, Miller did not acknowledge his own son. Daniel was not mentioned in Miller’s autobiography, Timebends, or in either of his parents’ obituaries in The New York Times.Playwright and former Times reporter, Bernard Weinraub became engrossed with the Millers’ story after reading a Vanity Fair article about them in 2007. He took a journalist’s approach to translating the story for the stage, interviewing social workers and others who knew and worked with the family. Fall explores the fascinating dichotomy of Miller’s life with Morath (the couple also had a daughter, Rebecca) and the divide between their public personae and their private lives.
“Arthur Miller was one of our greatest playwrights. His best dramas dealt with fathers and sons, guilt and betrayal, and essentially, our responsibility towards each other,” says Weinraub. “He dealt with the paradoxes and tensions of our lives. What interested me here was the contradiction between the man and the artist. And the impact of his actions on his art.”
“Miller wrote many plays about the sins of a father being visited on a son, and as a writer he provided a moral compass for a generation,” says DuBois. “Bernie’s exploration of this iconic man is a story that remained with me since the first time I read the script a few years ago. I’m proud Boston audiences will be the first to see this show and discover more about a playwright they thought they knew.”
If you have enjoyed sitting in the audience at the Ogunquit Playhouse marveling at all the happens on stage, don’t miss out on the chance tossup behind the scenes. The Playhouse has announced this seasons schedule for backstage tours.
I have taken the tour and it is something you will not forget. Walking in the footsteps of such legends as Bette Davis, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Walter Matthau, and Steve McQueen I could feel the presence of these and so many other greats who have performed on the stage in Ogunquit over the past 86 years.
The guided tour will give you a chance to learn the history of the Ogunquit Playhouse which includes how it survived through the Great Depression and went on to become America’s foremost summer theatre. You will be up close to where it all happens from wig design to sets and costumes, and get to visit the dressing rooms where the stars prepare before stepping onto the stage. You’ll be surprised by some of the things you’ll see.
The tours are scheduled for the following dates: Fridays, June 22, August 3, 24, 31, and September 14, 21, and 28; Sundays, June 3, July 15, August 26, and September 16 and 30; and Mondays, June 4 and 18, and July 30. A 90 minute tour is $10.00. The abbreviated 60 minute tour is $5.00 Contact the Box Office at 207.646.5511 for more information.
I highly recommend doing this. It is a chance to step into theatre history.
The production of Allegiance currently running at the Speakeasy Stage Company in Boston shows everything they do best. In the capable hands of director Paul Daigneault, with choreography by Ilyse Robbins, and their truly amazing design team, the SpeakEasy has breathed new life into this work that has met with mixed reviews in the past. One of the critiques is still valid and I will speak to that later, but this is really a remarkable production.
The story is loosely based on actor George Takei’s experiences from when he and his family were sent to an internment camp for American citizens of Japanese background. It was a shameful episode in the history of our country. The play deals with that and also with the conflict it caused within the families sent to these camps over how to deal with the situation.
“Gotta Get In The Game” Photo: Nile Scott Studios
The story revolves around the Kimura family and how they dealt with the requirement to sign a loyalty questionnaire, specifically questions #27 and #28. Question #27 asked if the men would be willing to fight with the armed forces of the United States, while question #28 asked about their loyalties to the Emperor of Japan and if they would swear loyalty to the United States. Some agreed, believing this would help allay suspicions many had about Japanese Americans’ support of the United States, while others saw this as a violation of their rights, after all, they were American citizens and no other American citizens were being asked to fill out such questionnaires.
Grace Yoo and Sam Tanabe Photo: Nile Scott Studios
Sammy Kimura (Sam Tanabe) and his sister Kei (Grace Yoo) are at odds on this with Sammy willing to answer and also anxious to join the army and fight for his country, while Kei sees it as a violation of their rights. Their father Tatsuo refuses to answer and is taken away in handcuffs to another camp. It is all heartbreaking.
The song Gaman, Japanese for “endure with patience and dignity” leaves the question open as to how you retain your dignity under such circumstances. It is a beautiful and moving song delivered with “dignity” by Grace Yoo whose voice is lovely.
Michael Hisamoto plays Mike Masaoka who represents the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) that was highly criticized for not taking a stand against the interment. His go along to get along attitude certainly does not endear that organization with the audience.
Cast of Allegiance Photo: Nile Scott Studios
Frankie Suzuki (Tyler Simahk) who becomes a leader in the resistance movement begins seeing Kei romantically. He and Sammy are at odds as seen through the song “Resist”. Sammy sees Frankie as being disloyal for not being willing to sign up with the armed forces to fight while Frankie believes in the principle of not giving any ground in defending his rights as an American citizen. This all gives a micro treatment to the larger issues and is quite effective.
With a beautiful set and lighting that conveys much atmosphere and including Japanese lanterns hung around the theatre that dim and are blown around to great effect, this play touches many emotions. There was hardly a dry eye in the house at the end.
I have heard criticisms of thescore, but I found it beautiful and the choreography amazing. Get In The Game is a unique piece with a baseball theme that is a joy to watch. What Makes A Man sung by Sammy poses questions that are not easy to answer, especially when faced with this situation. It may seem odd when seeing a work that deals with such a dark subject, but there is much that is uplifting in this story as well.
My one quibble with Allegiance is with the many historical inaccuracies in the script. I fully understand the artistic license that is used and can understand the reasons for it, but the actual story is bleak as it is, and I fear straying too far from the truth gives those who would want to diminish what really happened ammunition to say it all as been exaggerated. That simply isn’t true. It was a terrible thing and we should see that it never happens again.
As I said at the beginning, this is the SpeakEasy at its best. Simply outstanding.
In The Legend of Georgia McBride, Casey (Jared Reinfeldt) is an Elvis impersonator whose career is hardly on the road to Vegas. Working at Cleo’s Bar on the Beach in Panama City, Florida before sparse audiences he is finding it difficult to pay the rent for the apartment he shares with his pregnant wife Jo (Jade Guerra). The landlord, Jason (Alex Pollock),has come knocking and they are on the verge of eviction.
Alex Pollack, Jade Guerra, Rick Park, Jared Reinfeldt,and Ed Peed
Eddie (Ed Peed), the owner of Cleo’s is also having trouble making ends meet and has made the decision to try out a new act comprised of two female impersonators comprised of Miss Tracy Mills (Rick Park) and Rexy (also Alex Pollock). This leaves Casey demoted to working as a bartender, his dreams of Elvis gold dashed.
Ah, but in true A Star Is Born fashion, one night Rexy shows up too drunk to perform, and with a full house waiting to be entertained, Casey is talked into taking her place. This he does reluctantly as Tracy transforms him into drag. He overcomes his awkwardness by looking at it as playing it as if he were taking on any role he might appear in in theatre.
This may all sound rather simplistic, but what unfolds is a very charming and enjoyable play with some underlying, though not terribly deep messages. With the exception of one song, all of the music is lip-synced. The scene where Casey is first dressed to perform in drag is interesting to witness. It is quite the transformation. His first number is to be Edith Piaf’s Padam, Padam. Of course, he does not know the lyrics so Tracy gives him a pointer about mouthing a certain expletive in order to fake it. There is also some fun with choosing a stage name for Casey. A couple of the many suggestions include Tequila Mockingbird and Sharia Law, before settling on Georgia McBride. The formula used for this is something you might want to try for the fun of it.
Things work out as you may expect. Casey goes on to become a big hit. Rexy returns angry at what has happened. Her speech about the struggles she and so many other gay men have dealt with over the years is filled with anger and rebellion while also quite moving without turning into a lecture. The words make an important point while not diminishing the fun taking place on the stage in Stoneham.
Ed Peed comes close to stealing the show with his excellent portrayal of the crusty bar owner Eddie who goes from awkward M.C. to being quite the ham. While not taking the drag route, we do see his transformation as well.
Jade Guerra and Jared Reinfeldt
Jade Guerra has wonderful presence playing Casey’s wife who has been kept in the dark about his new career path. It is quite the emotional roller coaster and she conveys those feelings well. Jade is also quite impressive in one of the musical numbers.
Alex Pollack’s Rexy is edgy and intense. The first instinct is to not like her, but she earns respect and understanding in the course of the play. Pollack is also wonderful as Jason, Casey’s landlord. He provides quite a few laughs.
There are many musical numbers that kept the audience in attendance the afternoon I was there more than happy. Rick Park’s Tracy as Carmen Miranda was quite the spectacle, bananas and all. The duet with two Nancy Sinatras and their boots a walking featuring Georgia and Miss Tracy was another treat.
It is unclear at the end whether or not Casey continues to see performing in drag as just a role he is playing or has found some deeper meaning from listening to Rexy, but it does make good food for thought.
The Legend of Georgia McBride is an enjoyable and mostly lighthearted work. I think you will find it worth the trip to Stoneham.
One reminder. While not gratuitous, there is some pretty salty language and adult themes that may not be suitable for younger ears.
As Seth Rozin’s Two Jews Walk Into A War…begins we see Ishaq (Joel Colodner) and Zeblyan (Jeremiah Kissel) standing over the coffin of Yakob. The three had been the only Jews still living in Kabul,Afghanistan, now with Yakob gone it is down to the two of them. You would think they would feel a common bond that would unite them in their struggle to survive and keep Judaism alive in their part of the world. It turns out Ishaq and Zeblyan hate each other. Yakob had been the peacemaker, and now with him gone the gloves have come off.
Ishaq (Joel Colodner) and Zeblyan (Jeremiah Kissel) (Photo: Andrew Brilliant / Brilliant Pictures)
The bickering begins and insults are exchanged with each trying outdo each other with how much they have suffered, how much their families have suffered, how much each other’s family is to blame for their circumstances, and just about anything else that happens to cross their minds. The exchanges are funny and fast paced. Kissel and Colodner combine great comedic timing with subtle, and not so subtle, facial expressions and hand gestures.
The two do finally begin to settle on a common goal; Keeping Judiaism alive in Kabul. They first decide that repopulating the city with Jews should be the goal, but war torn Afghanistan is not quite on most people’s lists of places to relocate to. Ishaq then comes up with the idea of converting a Muslim woman to Judaism and fathering a child by her. This poses a number of problems including the fact that there can be no conversion rite without a Torah, and the Torah from their synagogue had been stolen by the Taliban. The two now set out to produce a new one.
Ishaq and Zeblyan (Photo: Andrewn Brilliant / Brilliant Pictures)
Ishaq has memorized the words from the Five Books of Moses and will dictate them to Zeblyan who will act as scribe. In fact, Ishaq has not only memorized the words but also the punctuation leading Zeblyan to say to him “You’re a Torah Geek!” The two continue to argue, even coming to blows at one point, but make progress over time in working together to accomplish their goal.
Some of the funniest lines come when Zeblyan questions the word of God. For instance, he wants to know why it is forbidden for a man to a lie down with another man but their is no such pronouncement about a woman lying with another woman: “Could Shem have a little girl/girl thing going on here?”While funny, it does show how when looking into one’s faith questions and doubts do arise.
The play also relates much about human nature. While both men are petty and vindictive, they both struggle for a common and larger goal, never giving up on their faith. Their spite and stubbornness actually fuel their resolve and give them the strength to carry on. It is where they find their resilience.
The play is described by director Wlll LeBow as a “vaudeville” but I also see touches of Godot. In spite of their suffering and anger towards each other, Zeblyan and Ishaq never come close to giving up.
Ishaq and Zeblyan (Photo: Andrewn Brilliant / Brilliant Pictures)
Jeremiah Kissel and Joel Colodner don’t slow down for a minute in this fast moving piece that makes for a wonderful theatre experience. Two musicians off to the side of the stage playing on drums and an oud along with an excellent and perfectly lit set that recreates the interior of the only remaining synagogue in Kabul, is just the right atmosphere to enhance this fine performance.
I very much enjoyed my evening with Zeblyan and Ishaq. The New Rep has closed out their latest season on a high note.
From the story “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum
At The Lyric Stage May 18 through June 24
May 18 – June 24, 2018
Directed by Dawn M. Simmons, with musical direction by Allyssa Jones and choreography by Jean Appolon this is a soulful retelling of L. Frank Baum’s beloved The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.The Wiz combines fairy-tale glamour with street smarts to make a classic fantasy sparkle for today. The Lyric Stage directors and choreographer will bring a blast of New Orleans Creole magic to this production. Winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score, The Wiz ingeniously mixes rock, gospel, soul, and jazz, and features hits like “Ease on Down the Road,” “A Brand New Day,” and “Home.”
The cast for The Wiz:
Soneka Anderson, Elle Borders*, Brandon G. Green*, Steven Martin, Davron S. Monroe*, Yewande O. Odetoyinbo*, Juanita Pearl, Pier Lamia Porter, Carolyn Saxon*, Damon Singletary, Salome Smith, Lance-Patrick Strickland.
The Ogunquit Playhouse kicks off its 86th season with the all-new incarnation of the sizzling song and dance celebration Smokey Joe’s Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller on stage May 16 to June 9.This exuberant production of the record breaking Broadway smash hit isdirected and choreographed by Emmy Award-winner and Tony Award-nominee Josh Bergassewho will bring new life to more than 30 classic songs including“Stand by Me,” “I’m a Woman,” “Hound Dog,” “Fools Fall In Love,” “On Broadway,” “Yakety Yak,” “Pearl’s a Singer,” “Treat Me Nice,” “There Goes My Baby,” “Love Potion #9,” “Jailhouse Rock,” and “Spanish Harlem.” The all-new production heads to Stage 42 (422 West 42nd Street, NYC) following its Ogunquit run.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the original producing team to create this fantastic show,” stated Executive Artistic Director, Bradford Kenney. “It has been our honor to work with Jack Viertel who conceived Smokey Joe’sCafe with Stephen Helper and the New York producers, Richard Frankel, Tom Viertel, Steven Baruch, and Marc Routh, who have made this collaboration possible. It has also been our honor to bring this incredible creative team to Ogunquit led by Director/Choreographer Josh Bergasse and Tony Award-winning designers Beowulf Borwitt and Jeff Croiter as well as Costume Designer Alejo Vietti and Sound Designer Peter Fitzgerald.”
The original production of Smokey Joe’s Cafe: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller made history as Broadway’s longest running musical revue, earned a Grammy Award and multiple Tony Award nominations. The show celebrates the best songs of the legendary songwriting duo, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and their generation-defining songs that climbed the Billboard charts and provided hit after hit for icons like Elvis Presley, Ben E. King, The Coasters, and The Drifters.
The cast of this all-new production features Broadway and Off-Broadway veterans including, Dwayne Cooper, who appeared on Broadway in Motown and Hairspray, and the National Tours of Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Showboat, and Seussical The Musical; Emma Degerstedt who was most recently seen in the lead role in the Off-Broadway musical, Desperate Measures; John Edwards, whose credits include the Broadway production and National Tour of Jersey Boys, In the Heights at The Kennedy Center and the National Tour of Hairspray; Dionne D. Figgins, who began her career as a member of Dance Theatre of Harlem, and has been seen on Broadway in Hot Feet, Memphis, Leap of Faith, and Motown. Also joining the cast areNicole Vanessa Ortiz, who made her theatre debut as the leading lady in the Off-Broadway parody, Spamilton; Kyle Taylor Parker, who was most recently seen on NBC’s “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert,” and the original Broadway productions of Kinky Boots and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Jelani Remy, who most recently starred as “Simba” in Broadway’s The Lion King; Max Sangerman, who starred in the first National tour of The Lightning Thief, as well as Blue Man Group Off-Broadway; and Alysha Umphress, who performed on Broadway in On the Town, American Idiot, and Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, among others.
Smokey Joe’s Cafe is directed and choreographed by Joshua Bergasse and features scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Alejo Vietti, lighting design by Jeff Croiter, sound design by Peter Fitzgerald, original vocal arrangements by Chapman Roberts, andorchestrations by Steve Margoshes and Sonny Paladino. Music Supervision and new arrangements are also by Mr. Paladino.
Box Office located at 142 Main Street, Ogunquit, 207-646-5511 or online at www.ogunquitplayhouse.org
Seaglass Chorale, under the direction of Jean Strazdes, Artistic Director, will present a tribute to Leonard Bernstein in celebration of what would have been his 100th birthday (1918- 2018). Performances will include selections from West Side Story, Wonderful Town, Candide and others. 
