The American Repertory Theatre
‘Pericles’ runs May 10 June 17 at the Loeb Drama Center. ‘Sound of a Voice’ runs May 24 June 28 at the Loeb Drama Center.
Theatergoers can usually count on The American Repertory Theatre for several things: hiring world-renowned artists (that few other companies can get), creating extremely stylized productions (that all tend to look the same) and reviving random plays (that no one else will produce). True to form, this spring A.R.T. will present Shakespeare’s ‘Pericles’ in repertory with Philip Glass and David Henry Hwang’s ‘Sound of a Voice.’ But in all seriousness, these are two shows you won’t want to miss.
One of the last plays Shakespeare wrote, ‘Pericles’ is rarely produced today. A romance that blends comedy and tragedy, the play traces the life of Pericles, Prince of Tyre, on his voyage around the Mediterranean in search of a wife. Andrei Serban directs the A.R.T. production. The cast includes A.R.T. Company actors Thomas Derrah, Jeremy Geidt, Will LeBow, Karen MacDonald and Remo Airaldi. Robert Sella, who appeared on Broadway as the Emcee in ‘Cabaret’ and Clifford in ‘Sideman,’ joins the Company as Pericles. A.R.T. advises patrons that this play ‘deals with mature subject matter including sexuality, incest, and prostitution. The production contains nudity and is appropriate for audiences aged 16 and older.’
Directed by A.R.T.’s Artistic Director Robert Woodruff, with text by Tony award-winning ‘M. Butterfly’ playwright David Henry Hwang and music by celebrated musician Philip Glass, the world premier of ‘The Sound of a Voice’ will surely be one of the most desired theatre tickets in Boston this spring. The show explores how people who have lived in solitude are able to achieve love and intimacy. The cast includes Janice Felty, Suzan Hanson, Eugene Perry and Herbert Perry, all of whom have previously worked with Glass.
Tickets may be purchased over the phone at (617) 547-8300, online at www.amrep.org or at the ART box office, located in the Loeb Drama Center at 64 Brattle Street. Student rush tickets are available for $12 in cash, in person at the box office, 30 minutes prior to each performance.
The Huntington Theatre Company
‘Springtime for Henry’ runs May 16 June 15 on the Huntington mainstage. ‘Cookin’ at the Cookery’ runs June 20 29 on the Huntington mainstage.
Surprise, surprise, Robert Sean Leonard isn’t making an appearance at the Huntington Theatre Company this spring. (Keep in mind that we got our fill of Hollywood celebrity this season with John C. Rielly in ‘Marty’ and last season with Andrea Martin in ‘Betty’s Summer Vacation.’) Even without Leonard, the Huntington’s upcoming productions of ‘Springtime for Henry’ and the recently added ‘Cookin’ at the Cookery’ will definitely be worth catching.
Set in 30s-era London, Ben Levy’s comedy ‘Springtime for Henry’ follows playboy Henry Dewlip as he attempts to reform his rakish ways, all in the name of love. The play premiered on Broadway in 1931 under the direction of Arthur Sircom, an actor who performed in what is now the Boston University Theatre. Nicholas Martin directs the Huntington’s production. The cast will feature Christopher Fitzgerald, who was last seen in the Huntington’s production of ‘Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme’ and Jessica Stone, who was previously seen wagging around a severed penis in the Huntington’s production of ‘Betty’s Summer Vacation,’ as the romantic leads.
Written and directed by Marion J. Caffey, the musical ‘Cookin’ at the Cookery’ celebrates the life of notorious jazz and blues singer Alberta Hunter, whose career spanned seven decades and two continents. Inspired by Hunter, Caffey wrote this musical biography as a tribute to her in 1997.
Tickets can be purchased over the phone at (617) 266-0800, online at www.huntingtontheatre.org or in person at the Huntington Theatre box office, located at 264 Huntington Avenue, diagonally across from Symphony Hall. Student rush tickets are available for $14 in cash starting two hours before each performance.
BU School of Theatre Arts
‘Hay Fever’ runs April 30 May 4 on the BU Theatre, Mainstage. ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ runs April 30 May 3 on the BU Theatre, Studio 210.
One of Noel Coward’s comedies of bad manners, ‘Hay Fever,’ follows the eccentric Bliss family as they surprise their weekend visitors with their dramatic games. The Huntington Theatre Company’s Artistic Associate Scott Edmiston directs the School of Theatre Arts’ production. The production will feature CFA students along with guest artists Richard Snee and Boston University alumna Paula Plum.
Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ captures the fall of a Southern family. While Big Daddy confronts the end of his life, his family bickers over the inheritance. Graduate student Clay Hopper directs this production, which features College of Fine Arts students.
To purchase tickets contact the Huntington Theatre box office at (617) 266-0800. Members of the BU community receive one free ticket per BU ID at the door, day of performance, subject to availability.
SpeakEasy Stage Company
‘Bat Boy: The Musical’ runs through May 25 at the Boston Center for the Arts.
SpeakEasy Stage Company hit gold last October when it staged the Boston premiere of ‘Bat Boy: The Musical.’ The Company remounted the show this past January and this spring SpeakEasy is giving Boston one more chance to see the witty and hilarious production that recently received five Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE) awards. This show is definitely a must-see.
Based on an article that appeared in the ‘Weekly World News’ tabloid newspaper, ‘Bat Boy: The Musical’ chronicles the half-bat, half-boy’s attempt to fit in and find love in a small West Virginia town. Written by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming with music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe, the show features, among others, Emerson College Graduate Miguel Cervantes as Bat Boy and College of Fine Arts Sophomore Sara Chase as Bat Boy’s romantic interest (both on and off the stage).
Call the Boston Center for the Arts box office at (617) 426-ARTS to purchase tickets. $15 student rush tickets are available beginning one hour prior to curtain, but these tickets are subject to availability. For more information, visit SpeakEasy’s website at www.speakeasystage.com.
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