#Capital Repertory Theatre’s On-The-Go! school touring program

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"A Friend of a Friend: Tales from The Underground Railroad" at Capital Repertory Theatre

“A Friend of a Friend: Tales from The Underground Railroad” at Capital Repertory Theatre

Public performance of the haunting local story of Solomon Northup, a free man kidnapped and sold into slavery 

ALBANY, N.Y.—Feb. 25, 2019— Capital Repertory Theatre’s spring On-The-Go! production of A Friend of a Friend: Tales from The Underground Railroad will play one public performance, 11 a.m. Saturday, March 2 at theREP.

The show, which tours schools starting Feb. 25, tells the story of…

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2018 spring theater preview

Cue the footlights

It may not be, as Shakespeare said, that "All the world's a stage," but all of Central Arkansas certainly will be this spring. From Arkansas's largest professional resident theater in the state capital to volunteer-based community shows in the suburbs, it seems like there really is something for all lovers of spectacle — both great and small — coming to the boards in spring.

Here we go again at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre: Based on the infectious music of '70s supergroup ABBA, "Mamma Mia" will be brought to life in brilliant Technicolor on The Rep's stage March 14-April 8. A smash hit that's been sold out for years on tour and the ninth-longest-running Broadway show of all time with 5,758 performances, "Mamma Mia" is irresistable. Extend those laughs with The Rep's June 6-24 production of "God of Carnage," a contemporary comedy of manners — without the manners. After two boys get into a playground fight, their affluent parents meet to provide a positive example of conflict resolution. Unfortunately for them, the resolution isn't so positive. Fortunately for us, the juvenile war of words and unexpected ferocity that result won this searingly dark comedy three Tony Awards. Check out ticket options at therep.org.

God shows up in the lineup at The Studio Theater in downtown Little Rock as well ... in a sense. "Hand to God," a five-time Tony-nominated play about a puppet ministry in the devoutly religious town of Cypress, Texas, will be produced March 8-18. Fans of the Tony Award-winning "Avenue Q" won't be surprised to learn that this show — an irreverent comedy about a possessed Christian-ministry puppet — shares one of its creators. The Studio Theater then turns its attention to the reflective, showcasing the Newbery Medal-winning "Bridge to Terabithia" in April and the modern children's classic "Tuck Everlasting" in June 14-July 1. July will bring another raucous show for the cheeky viewer when "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" graces the stage, July 12-29. You'll find tickets and showtimes at centralarkansastickets.com.

Never short on crowd-pleasing, Broadway-based entertainment, Murry's Dinner Playhouse has some well-known and beloved productions slated for the next few months. From Feb. 20 to March 17, Murry's presents "Never Too Late," a Broadway play from 1962 about a middle-aged woman about to become a parent again. Spoofing that very same time period, "Little Shop of Horrors" is next, running March 21-April 21. With music by composer Alan Menken, who wrote the likes of "Beauty and the Beast" and "Sister Act," you'll be bopping right along. From April 24-May 26, Murry's will stage "Southern Fried Nuptials," the uproarious sequel to last season's "Southern Fried Funeral," followed May 29-July 7 by "Menopause the Musical" (a parody showcasing four women at a lingerie sale with nothing in common but a black lace bra and memory loss, hot flashes and night sweats). Book the season closer in advance: "Grease" runs July 11-Aug. 25. Check out showtimes at murrysdp.com.

With so many important issues facing today's educational system, it's vital to remember our journey to this point, and The Weekend Theater's production of "Inherit the Wind" running through March 20 can do just that. A fictionalized account of the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" trial, which resulted in John T. Scopes' conviction for teaching Charles Darwin's theory of evolution to a high school science class, the story is still relevant today. The Weekend Theater continues its socially significant programming April 6-22 with Stephen Sondheim's "Assassins," a dramatization of historic assassins created from the slim biographical information available. This musical prompts us to consider the killers' motivations. The Weekend Theater concludes its 2017-18 season with "Stick Fly" on May 11-26. An African-American story confronting the ideas of race and privilege, "Stick Fly" is a profound capper to a thoughtful lineup. You'll find those showtimes at weekendtheater.org.

For a lighthearted evening of laughs, try The Main Thing at The Joint Theater in North Little Rock. "Grandpa Hasn't Moved in Days," a family farce set at a funeral, will be playing through March 24. "Orange Is the New White," a collection of original comic sketches centered around local issues and current events, will be performed March 30-June 16, and "Birthday From Hell," a comedy about a woman unhappily turning 40, will be featured June 22-Aug. 31. Check out these shows and the venue's other offerings at thejointargenta.com.

At Robinson Center Performance Hall, Celebrity Attractions will be bringing in a tapestry of big-name shows: On March 1, "The Neighborhood Barbershop: When Love Fades Live" will make its Arkansas debut with notable actress and comedian Mo'Nique. Don't let anybody put you in a corner on March 17-18, when "Dirty Dancing" will be in town. Few will want to miss "The Lion King," winner of six Tony Awards including Best Costume Design for its mind-blowing costume/puppetry hybrid, coming April 19-May 6. Feel the earth move at "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" May 29-June 3. Tickets and showtimes are at celebrityattractions.com.

Metropolitan Little Rock doesn't have dibs on all the great productions. In March, head to The Five Star Dinner Theatre in Hot Springs, where you can see "Always a Bridesmaid," a show that explores the relationship between a handful of Southern belles who promise to always be each other's bridesmaids (Saturdays, March 31-April 28). Then head to Wildwood Park for the Arts, where the Praeclara ensemble performs Sondheim's "Into the Woods," April 13-14. The rollicking gospel-inspired "Smoke on the Mountain" will be presented by the Red Curtain Theatre in Conway May 11-20. Load up the kiddos and head back to the Spa City for "James and the Giant Peach," staged June 1-10 by Pocket Community Theatre. Cross the Arkansas for Argenta Community Theater's "Big River" — the musical about America's beloved Huck Finn — July 18-28. The Royal Players produce "Anything Goes" Aug. 9-19.

Plan a monthly trip to the City of Colleges: The Lantern Theatre in Conway is showing "Steel Magnolias" Feb. 23-March 4, "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" April 20-29, and the Scottish play ("Macbeth") July 20-29.

This season, the play's the thing.

2018 spring theater preview

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Capital Repertory Theatre’s On-The-Go! Program Presents "Sleepy Hollow"

Capital Repertory Theatre’s On-The-Go! Program Presents “Sleepy Hollow”

ALBANY, N.Y.—SEPTEMBER 28, 2018—A modern take on Sleepy Hollow, the classic American ghost story, kicks off Capital Repertory Theatre’s 2018–2019 On-The-Go! in-school touring program, Oct. 9–Nov. 2.

Tickets for a single public performance, 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, $11; $9 children 17 and under, are available at the Box Office at Capital Repertory Theatre, 111 N. Pearl Street, Albany; by phone…

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Old Turtle and the Broken Truth, musical adaptation of the beloved children’s book, enjoys Capital District encore following NYC premiere

 Troy, New York August 4, 2017—Rebel Playhouse is thrilled to bring their critically acclaimed production of the musical Old Turtle and the Broken Truth to the Capital District, with a book by Catherine Bush, music and lyrics by Dax Dupuy, and based on the book by Douglas Wood. Directed and choreographed by Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake graduate Sarah Sutliff with musical direction by Dax Dupuy, Old Turtle and the Broken Truth begins performances on Friday, September 15 for a limited engagement through Sunday, September 17.  The performance schedule is Friday at 7:30 PM; Saturday at 7:30 PM; and Sunday at 2:30 PM. Performances are at The Arts Center of the Capital Region (265 River Street, Troy, NY 12180). Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Group ticketing available. To purchase tickets visit http://www.rebelplayhouse.org/old-turtle-troy-ny or call (785) 393-9119

Rebel Playhouse’s production transports audiences into the faraway world of the Old Turtle and Little One in this immersive, musical adventure. Nominated for two 2017 New York Innovative Theatre Awards (Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Choreography/Movement), this production is a family show for all ages.

In Old Turtle and the Broken Truth, a truth falls like a star from the sky and breaks into two pieces. When the villagers discover only half of the truth, it causes so many problems that Little One, a brave young girl, decides to search for the missing half. With the help of Old Turtle, and many animal friends, Little One is able to mend the broken truth and make it whole again, creating a better world for everyone. Old Turtle and the Broken Truth is powerful allegory about accepting and welcoming differences, which will resonate with children and adults alike, particularly at a time when the world is doing otherwise.

The cast features Bridgid Abrams (A Christmas Carol, Milwaukee Repertory Company); Claire Anderson (Magic School Bus Live! national tour); Charles Curtis (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Workshop Theatre); Dax Dupuy (Frosty TheatreWorks national tour); Clara Kundin (Pedro Reyes’ Doomocracy); Madeline Lovegrove (Alexander Who’s Not Not Not Not Not Not Going to Move, Two Beans Productions); Reanna Roane (Junie B. Jones in Jingle Bells Batman Smells, UNC/Greensboro); Greer Samuels (Saint Joan, The Secret Theater); Johnny Segalla (The Magic Tree House: Soars with Reading national tour); André Sguerra (Magic Tree House: A Night in New Orleans with Emerald City Theatre); Arif Silverman (Constellarium, Dixon Place); Sarah Sutliff (The Tempest, Torn Out Theater); Sarah Vishnev (Clementine TheatreWorks national tour)

Sarah Sutliff (director) is a director, choreographer, and performer. She has directed and choreographed over a dozen Jr. and full-length productions with Saratoga Children’s Theatre, the Shenendehowa Summer Adventure theater program, and the Galli Theater among others. Sarah is a resident performer for How We GLOW, a play exploring gender identities of LGBTQ+ teenagers in NYC. She co-founded Rebel Playhouse in 2016 and is proud to serve as artistic director. Here in the Capital District, she has previously performed with the Not So Common Players, Class Act Productions, the Homemade Theatre, and Debuts Theatre Co. A graduate of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake HS, she was a 2008 recipient of the SLOC Award for her performance as Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and a 2006 TANYS award winner for her performance as Nancy Twinkle in Little Mary Sunshine.

Dax Dupuy (composer, music direction) is a Brooklyn-based composer/lyricist. She has written numerous musicals and incidental scores for professional theaters throughout the country, including Barter Theatre, Greenville Little Theatre, Nebraska Shakespeare Festival, Omaha Theatre Company, and Duke City Repertory Theatre. Her musical Frosty has completed three national tours in collaboration with TheatreWorks USA, and her show Twas the Night Before Christmas will tour with them winter 2017. TheatreWorks has also commissioned her to write music and lyrics for the new musical adaptation of the best-selling children’s book series Clementine, which will tour nationally in 2018/19.

Catherine Bush (playwright) is the Playwright-in-Residence for Barter Theatre. In addition to her plays produced at Barter Theatre (The Other Side of the Mountain, The Quiltmaker, Comin’ Up A Storm, Wooden Snowflakes, The Controversial Rescue of Fatty the Pig, Where Trouble Sleeps, etc.), Catherine’s work has been seen throughout the country.

Douglas Wood (author) is the creator of 35 books for children and adults. His first book, Old Turtle, was hailed a “profound work” and an “instant classic.” Among Doug’s many honors have been the Christopher Medal, ABBY Award, International Reading Association Book of the Year, Midwest Publishers Association Book of the Year, Parent’s Choice Award, Smithsonian Notable Book Award, Barnes and Noble Star of the North, StoryTelling World Award.

Rebel Playhouse (producing company) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, educational theater company based out of Brooklyn, New York. Founded in the fall of 2016 by Executive Director Clara Kundin, Artistic Director Sarah Sutliff, and Educational Director Greer Samuels, the Rebel Playhouse is a children’s theater company committed to empowering, educating, and entertaining NYC audiences. The Rebel Playhouse produces works for children and families based on stories that break traditions and challenge normative thinking, and offers classes designed to foster creative development. In May 2017, Rebel Playhouse presented their inaugural production Old Turtle and the Broken Truth in NYC to critical acclaim, and in September 2017 they presented the world premiere of Edna The Stomper, a new musical for children, at the Chicago Fringe Festival.

Rebel Playhouse Brings “Old Turtle and the Broken Truth” to Troy Old Turtle and the Broken Truth, musical adaptation of the beloved children’s book, enjoys Capital District encore following NYC premiere…