Brett Cullum - Page 2

O: A RHAPSODY IN DIVORCE does what any good play sets out to do; it makes you feel. Your heart breaks for the lead character; her struggle and journey are effective and moving. There is a lot here to savor, and it maintains the prestige of what this company routinely produces.

On January 23rd Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo brings its 50th anniversary tour to Jones Hall. The comedic ballet troupe will be delivering an evening of their “greatest hits”, and this Houston stop is courtesy of Performing Arts Houston. Broadway World writer Brett Cullum got a chance to sit down with Felix Molinero, a company member, to discuss “The Trocks” and what we can expect from this special long-awaited performance.

Andrés Cepeda is a popular Latin American singer from Colombia. He is known for his romantic use of the Bolero and the Ballada, but he mixes these styles with pop and rock traditions. He has won four Latin Grammys and is even a judge on the Colombian version of the competition reality show THE VOICE. He has been a musical star for over twenty years, and Performing Arts Houston is bringing his TENGO GANAS tour to Houston on Monday, April 22, 2024.

The show is a jukebox musical that tells the story of Tina’s career and incorporates some of her biggest hits to do so. It was created under the executive production of Tina Turner herself and her second husband, Erwin Bach. Tina Turner passed away last year, so this show is a fitting celebration of the woman who broke every single rule in music and cemented her legacy as an icon. She was simply the best, and this musical seems to know that.

Renée is coming to Houston to launch a new series at the HOBBY CENTER called BEYOND BROADWAY. It will debut on January 20th, and Renée will be a one-night-only affair to kick it all off. Upcoming performers in the series include Alan Cumming and Patti Lupone.

This show is amazing. From beginning to end. Performing the life story of Tina Turner and telling that to millions of people is just the best thing I've ever done in this world, and I'm grateful.

Yet in the end, EIGHT NOTES TO HEAVEN is just a joyous ride. I love the idea of Prince and Rick James battling it out over who had more funk and who had more soul. In truth, they were both icons who did revolutionary things

What I admire most about TUTS is their willingness to cast local Houston talent of all levels, and allowing them to work on a show with musical theater professionals from around the country. They are the soul of Houston theater in many ways, and it is lovely to see them honor that legacy with their holiday show.

What did our critic think of SENSE & SENSIBILITY at 4TH WALL THEATRE COMPANY? I have a feeling the creators of Netflix’s BRIDGERTON saw Kate Hamill’s musical update of SENSE & SENSIBILITY in 2014 and understood what they had to do to make Regency era romance work for a new generation.

There are two local musical artists who will perform, and then there'll be the drag performer Blackberri in Houston. Then I'll do my set, and support Noise for Now. In Houston, it's the Heights Theater to buy tickets. We want people to come, enjoy a great uplifting insight into what is happening with education in Houston and how people can get involved and be hands-on in changing the narrative and really stopping things from descending into the point of no return. I think that's the most important thing.

But one thing I promise you, you have never seen it done like this before. And you probably won’t ever get another chance to see something quite this inventive in any given year of Houston theater. This is a thrill to witness, and unlike anything out there. It manages to be THE BLAIR WITCH of stage stories, something you almost can’t explain fully.

There is a distinct charm to GEORGIANA AND KITTY that makes the audience feel like they are invited for Christmas at Pemberly. You get a true sense these actors are welcoming you to their world, and it’s a place that is joyously cozy for the holidays.

THE TURN OF THE SCREW is an idea that I've been interested in presenting theatrically for quite some time. And I think it is actually very relevant right now, because we're having these huge cultural conversations about truth and alternate versions of truth. And how people create their own truth and the limits of their own truth.

Some of the things that were important in Laura's work were the foundations of her book - honesty, integrity, and doing the right thing when given the opportunity. Those never changed for my family. They still exist today. So telling stories that still have that foundation in them. The time period that my parents were brought up and brought their children into, and now in my lifetime as well held on to those values. I want that to be presented in these books as well.

I fell in love with it back in 2014 when I first had it in my hand. And I wanted to produce for a long period of time. Ultimately, because it's that element of surprise that I love most about theater, SWITZERLAND is all about surprise.

I was expecting a thriller along the lines of MISERY, but in the end the psychological aspects of SWITZERLAND are such that make it a chiller instead. Kenn McLaughlin, Sally Edmundson, and Ian James make a great team to bring it to life.

You are never going to see a more definitive version of this show in Houston, and CATASTROPHIC is the company to bring it to you.

They have a mix of genders, races, and experience levels to work with. The result is what community theater is all about, a perfect blend of people coming together for a common cause. You can feel their love of the piece and each other radiating from the stage. This is why people adore and do community theater.

Callina is always a smart actress, and she mines this mythical lady for something more than simple madness. No, she finds a way to make her choices as an ultimate strategist even if she is a woman scorned. She is torn at every step of the way by the evilness of her plan, yet she knows if the wrongs are to be given to justice it all has to happen. We believe every second of her conflict, and we mourn with her when the final moments arrive.

The thing about FAR EAST is the emotional stakes are never high. Unlike MADAME BUTTERFLY where we are faced with a scorned woman and an illegitimate child, here we never see the soldier’s Japanese lover. And contrasted with FROM HERE TO ETERNITY where an affair is consummated on a wildly active beach, the soldier and his captain’s wife merely brush against each other almost politely rather than passionately.