Colin Fleming-Stumpf - Page 6

The Royale, the 2015 play by Marco Ramirez currently playing in Geva Theatre's Fielding Stage, isn't as much about boxing as it is about race, greatness, and a man who's moving faster than the world around him. It's an intimate, lyrical play, and continues Geva's recent tradition of hosting productions grown at Ithaca's Kitchen Theatre Company, another artistic gem just a couple hours down the 390.

Nothing encapsulates Native Gardens like its standout line 'Old neighbors, new neighbors.' Anyone who's ever been a new neighbor, especially in suburbia, knows the feeling of the side-eying, judgey but well-meaning older couple living next door, down the street, etc. Playwright Karen Zacaria couples that unease with sociopolitical themes and sitcom intimacy in this fun new(ish) play about the colliding of two upper-middle class worlds.

Indecent, currently playing at JCC's CenterStage Theatre, is one of the company's most ambitious productions to date because of its cultural significance, its significance in Jewish history, and the fact that this is its first time being staged in the Rochester area. And not unimportantly, it's also just a really entertaining piece of theatre.

When you think of stories that are wildly captivating, real edge-of-your-seat stuff, you probably think of heist thrillers, gangster films, warfare and the like. You recall the battle sequences of Macbeth and King Lear, or the that first rumble between the Sharks and the Jets. What you likely don't think of, is stamps. Philately, or 'the collection and study of postage stamps', is hardly the stuff of intrigue and high-drama, right? Wrong. It's unlikely that you'll find a show with more intensity than Mauritius, currently playing at Rochester's Blackfriars Theatre.

Tykes (Theatre Young Kinds Enjoy Seeing) returns to the JCC Hart Theatre for a thrilling adventure that will excite and entertain the whole family. And of course, living in the age of the constant drip-drip of superhero movies, it's one we're all familiar with. But while Superman awes and delights on the silver screen, nothing beats seeing him in person!

Rochester's Screen Plays continues what it does best with their current production of You Can't Take it With You: present Hollywood's most iconic stories in the small, intimate setting of the Multi-Use Community Cultural Center (referred to by most as 'The MuCCC'). This play, based on the Academy Award-winning 1938 romantic comedy starring Jean Arthur and Frank Capra, tells the story of what happens when two families-one prim and snobbish, the other wonderfully eccentric- collide.

The RBTL continues its 2018-2019 season with one of Broadway's most transporting musicals, equal parts soaring and beautiful and devastatingly sad. Miss Saigon has been wowing audiences for over three decades, and it's here to wow Rochesterians for just four more days.

If you see steam rising out of the top of the Auditorium Theatre over the next few days, or if East Main Street feels just a little bit hotter than usual, it's because Chicago, Broadway's longest running American musical--and certainly its sultriest-- is in town. And while you may come for the fishnets, you'll stay for the passion and intrigue that this staple of Broadway always delivers, from the opening song to the final curtain call.

If you're a child of the 1960's British Invasion, if you're an ardent fan of the Beatles/Stones/Who/etc., or if you're just one who enjoys learning about the vast annals of rock history, Rochester's JCC Center Stage Theatre has just the thing for you. For its annual Hitmakers series the JCC is currently featuring The British are Coming!, and it's a hugely fun compilation of some of the best tunes from both sides of the pond.

Geva Theatre continues its 2019 run of debuts (Brent Askari's Hard Cell opened earlier this month) with a world premiere that is witty, heartfelt, self-aware, and does a full autopsy on the dynamics of the modern father-daughter relationship. Lila Rose Kaplan's The Magician's Daughter is a masterful new work from a playwright with a unique voice, and its world premiere couldn't be timelier.

Happy New Year Rochester theatre-goers! It is now officially 2019, and with it a new year full of wonderful theatrical productions of all varieties on stages large-and-small across the 585. We're fortunate to live in a city with some of the most diverse and eclectic arts organizations in New York State, so I thought I'd take a minute to highlight some of the productions I'm most excited about in 2019. A couple caveats: #1, the typical theatre season runs September(ish)-June(ish), and most theatre companies haven't announced their 2019-2020 seasons yet, so this article really only encompasses the first half of 2019; and #2, my theatrical tastes and interests aren't necessarily representative of the wider theatre-going community, so this list may not reflect Rochester's most anticipated or talked-about shows on the horizon (notice RBTL's upcoming run of Hamilton didn't make the cut, not for lack of worthiness). That being said, enjoy, and as always your thoughts and feedback are welcome!

Fiddler on the Roof is one of the most iconic and memorable shows in the musical theatre cannon, having originated on Broadway over 50 years ago and seen scores of revivals, and a feature length film, in the intervening years. The production currently playing at Rochester's Auditorium Theatre until December 16th is a rich and powerful experience, unlike any production of Fiddler you've ever seen before.

It's that time of year again. Time for cookies and eggnog, wrapping presents and hanging mistletoe, the relentless barrage of 'Dominic the Donkey' and 'Santa, Baby'. Love them or hate them, the Christmas season is a time for traditions, and one tradition that helps nullify the dredge of office holiday parties and Eastview Mall pandemonium is one that all of us Rochesterians treasure: A Christmas Carol at Geva Theatre, which first premiered on the theatre's Wilson Mainstage in 2010.

JCC Centerstage continues its 2018-2019 season with a play as unique and ambitious as its season opener (Becoming Dr. Ruth). The Legend of Georgie McBride, a Rochester-area premiere written in 2015 by Matthew Lopez, highlights the JCC's commitment to staging unique and diverse stories, as well as featuring both well-known and lesser-known works of theatre.

Les Miserables has been an audience favorite for nearly 40 years for all the reasons you would imagine: its memorable, emotionally impactful characters; the songs that stick in your head; the epic battle sequences; and its timeless themes of forgiveness, morality, and love. The touring production currently playing at Rochester's Auditorium Theatre checks all of these boxes, providing a unique and emotional theatrical experience for audiences of all ages (as evidenced by the many school groups in attendance on opening night).