Jeff Davis - Page 20

Checkmate. Chess, currently playing at The Long Center, is a champion. Though the material is a problematic chaos with music by ABBA members Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus and lyrics by Tim Rice, the co-production from SommerStock Austin and The Austin Playhouse wisely sweeps the problematic points under the chess board.

While A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD is not a wildly well-known or popular show, it still is a fantastic piece. Brought to life by a talented ensemble of young actors, A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD is a whimsical child's storybook world come to life, and it will delight both kids and adults.

The character of Dolly Levi is many things, including an expert talker. It seemed fitting then that I would speak with Katy Moore who plays Miss Dolly Levi herself at The Playhouse's current production. Ms. Moore gave me plenty of insight into the beloved character and what we can expect from The Playhouse's current offering.

Today's topic of conversation is a political bloodbath with lots of swordplay and Elizabethan costumes. No, we're not talking about GAME OF THRONES. We're talking about ROSE RAGE, The Hidden Room Theatre's daring new adaptation of Shakespeare's Henry VI Trilogy.

SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER unjustly substitutes overacting for laughs, and to poor effect. While there are some strong performances that are worth seeing, this production will probably not be remembered as one of The City Theatre's strongest.

Hyde Park Theatre's current offering, Tigers Be Still, features themes of love, loss, pain, doubt, grief, and fear but uses them to create an intriguing dramatic comedy. The piece certainly strikes a balance between touching, poignant moments and gut-busting guffaws.

The Sound of Music, the final collaboration of Musical Theater Gods Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, is quite possibly their most popular and most famous; judging by the current production by Zilker Theatre Productions it's easy to see why. The Sound of Music is a classic crowd-pleaser that the entire family can enjoy and appreciate.

Jill Blackwood gives us the scoop on the ZACH's vivacious new production of XANADU plus some great information about future projects at the ZACH, including next season's production of RAGTIME and the opening of the new Topfer Theater.

Xanadu presented by the Zach Theater in Austin is two hours brimming with joy, laughter, and sequins.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® will bring a surge of circus entertainment to the Frank Erwin Center August 22-26 with their all new show, Fully ChargedSM! Megawatts of thrills will explode off the arena floor as Children Of All Ages are energized by breathtaking daredevilry, superhuman stunts and never before-seen performances.