After a long pandemic intermission, the theatre season is getting back into swing, and as of today, October 1st, the Carbonell Awards’ eligibility period has officially begun as well. But, after four theatres withdrew from the awards and 11 more signed an open letter calling some of their practices into questions, they aren’t quite back to business as usual. After discussions with a special committee of theatre professionals, several changes were made, which were first announced publicly at a Town Hall about two weeks ago.
Not every actor gets to clash sword-to-sword with Zorro; perform all the works of William Shakespeare within a single stage production; endure torture at the hands of a dystopian ecosphere’s evil dictator or create the character of a vain, pompous steward in a Shakespearean comedy while, at the same time, directing the show.
Jeff Kiltie, president of the Carbonell Awards, recently announced R. Kent Chambers-Wilson, a long-time Carbonell judge, has been promoted to the position of Carbonell Coordinator for the 2021-2022 theater season.
Freddy Mercury, the flamboyant front man for one of rock music’s most influential groups, Queen, died 30 years ago. But his notable accomplishments and musical achievements are still celebrated and enjoyed three decades after his passing.
The last production the Main Street Players will offer in their current space before moving to a new location across the street later this year starts its provocations with its title. And Shakespeare is a White Supremacist, the new play by Andrew Watring that will be playing there through October 17th, definitely is taking them out on a high note.
Winston Churchill is arguably the most significant figure of the 20th century and British actor and playwright David Payne’s one-man show, “Churchill,” celebrates not only his accomplishments, but the man himself. The show will play four performances at Delray Beach Playhouse and Mizner Park Cultural Center on Oct. 2 and 3, respectively.
Seeing as “mastodon undertaking” isn’t exactly common parlance, “mammoth undertaking” is probably the term I should use to describe the unique ambitions of Theatre Lab’s current production.
It’s much like the penultimate scene in a sci-fi movie. At just the moment you think you’ve beaten the coronavirus and are on the verge of getting back to some semblance of a normal life, a new strain emerges to pull you back down into the thick of the fight.
Avery Sommers has long served the world of theater with her booming voice and talent she presents on the stage. Starting in the original cast of Platinum (1978), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (1978) where she replaced Nell Carter after stepping down from her role, she moved on to do a national tour with Chicago as Matron “Mama” Morton (1997) lasting eighteen months.
