In the Wings

All things theatrical

Forrest among arts award winners

Congratulations to ArtsRock’s co-founder, Elliott Forrest, named one of this year’s Rockland County Executive Arts Award recipients. Read story here.

Spotlight’s ‘Spelling Bee’

Don’t forget Spotlight Theatre Productions’ “THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE” is coming up at the Schoolhouse Theatre, 3 Owens Road in Croton Falls. It plays 2 weekends: 8 p.m., April 8, 9, 15 and 16; 2 p.m., April 10, 16 and 17. $18, $15 seniors and children under… Read More →

In a Friel moment? Consider “Molly”

If you haven’t seen “Dancing at Lughnasa” at Croton Falls’ Schoolhouse Theater, you’ve just got two weekends to see an achingly beautiful memory play by Brian Friel. (Read my review here.) If you have seen “Lughansa,” but can’t get your fill of wonderful Friel characters, consider getting to Irish Rep… Read More →

What not to do at a show…

Dear fellow theatergoers at WONDERLAND last night: Three things to think about before your next excursion to the theater: 1) bringing an infant to a Broadway show is not a good idea, particularly one with a bad cough who cries through the first act. 2) if you feel the need… Read More →

Swap Shop: A slide for “Grease”?

Got a note from Valhalla’s producer Paula Soricelli who is looking for a straight plastic slide for their production of “Grease!” Anyone have one to spare? If so, reach out to Paula at PSoricelli@valhallaschools.org.

Theater review: “Renovations” has potential

In real-estate parlance, Andrew Gerle’s play, “Renovations” — in its world premiere at White Plains Performing Arts Center through April 3 — has good bones. Based on John Marchese’s book “Renovations: A Father and Son Rebuild a House and Rediscover Each Other,” it treads the universal ground of fathers and… Read More →

RIP, George Trautwein

So sorry to learn this morning of the passing of George Trautwein, a teacher, musical director and friend, longtime partner of Irvington stalwart and visionary Michael C. Penta. George was patient, soft-spoken and just a lovely man. Rest in peace, dear friend.

This weekend, Gurney at Fort Hill

Stewart Hanges, a stalwart at Greenville Community Theater, this weekend directs Fort Hill Players’ production of A.R. Gurney’s “The Cocktail Hour.” It’s classic Gurney, about a son who comes home to his father’s ritual cocktail hour to get the family’s permission to produce a brutal play he has written, titled… Read More →

Audition: ‘Zombie Prom’ at Little Radicals…

Little Radicals Theatrics—a unique theater group for those 16 to 30—is having open auditions for its spring production, “Zombie Prom.” Here’s director Mike Mirra’s pitch about the musical: “What’s a pretty senior like Toffee to do when her rebel-without-a-cause boyfriend Jonny (whose name is noticeably spelled without the ‘h’) dies… Read More →

Axial gets all SoHo lounge for spring gala

If the folks at Axial Theatre get it right, you might take your seat in an Episcopal Church in Pleasantville but soon be swept away to a swanky SoHo lounge. Axial’s spring gala fund-raiser, at 7 p.m. April 2, will be an evening of food, fun and song, with a… Read More →

Baldwin: From ’30 Rock’ to Rockland

It seems like Alec Baldwin is everywhere these days. Monday night, it was Broadway, as the Roundabout Theatre Company gave him the Jason Robards Award for Theatrical Excellence. Tuesday night, it was TV, Baldwin back on the NBC hit “30 Rock” as Jack Donaghy. Tonight, it’s the radio, hosting “The… Read More →

Andrew Gerle, a man in demand

Tonight’s first preview of the world premiere of “Renovations” at White Plains Performing Arts Center marks the latest chapter in what’s shaping up to be a busy spring — and quite a tidy career — for composer and playwright Andrew Gerle. Last month, Gerle became the first composer ever to… Read More →

Alec Baldwin: From ’30 Rock’ to Nyack

It seems like Alec Baldwin is everywhere these days. Monday night, it was Broadway, as the Roundabout Theatre Company gave him the Jason Robards Award for Theatrical Excellence. Tonight, it’s TV, with Baldwin back on the hit NBC show “30 Rock” as Jack Donaghy, and radio, hosting “The New York… Read More →

Croton’s Andreas to grace Irvington stage

People who take the time to examine their lives like to talk about their personal journey, how they got where they are. Broadway veteran Christine Andreas’ journey — and that of her husband, composer Martin Silvestri — is set to music. On April 3, Silvestri and Andreas (who grew up… Read More →

Theater review: A breathtaking ‘Lughnasa’

Brian Friel’s achingly lyrical memory play, “Dancing at Lughnasa” is set in that fateful August when the Mundy family of Ballybeg, Ireland, is enjoying, unwittingly, their last precious moments together. At the Schoolhouse Theater in Croton Falls, director Pamela Moller Kareman has assembled a bumper crop of talent for this… Read More →

R.I.P., Dr. MacGuffie

So sorry to learn yesterday of the death of Rockland County’s legendary physician, Dr. “Bobby” MacGuffie (inset, in a Journal News file photo), whom I profiled in Sunday’s paper. Before we chatted a couple of weeks ago, in what must have been one of her final interviews, I read the… Read More →

Stepinac changes dates, prices for ‘Beauty’

Got a note from Keith Sunderland at Stepinac that they’ve shifted some of the performances and the ticket prices for “Beauty and the Beast.” Dates: May 6, 7 13, 14 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday matinee, May 14 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets: $18 for adults; $13 for seniors and children under… Read More →

The high-school-musical director’s view…

Dozens of high school musicals are waiting in the wings across the Lower Hudson Valley, ready to create lifelong memories over the next nine weekends. From “Grease!” to “A Chorus Line,” “Guys & Dolls” to “The Drowsy Chaperone,” the musicals are the culmination of months of rehearsal, set and costume… Read More →

What do the kids (and one other director) say?

To find out what kids had to say about their high-school musicals, we created an In the Wings Facebook page and invited kids (and teachers) to leave comments to questions posted there. If you want to post your thoughts, feel free and I’ll update this page… Jocks have their tournaments,... Read More →