Melissa Giordano - Page 16

Aye, Matees! It is so exciting to see the world premiere of a show. I had this opportunity with the opening of Treasure Island, A Musical Adventure at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson, Long Island. This original two-act musical, based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, has a book by Sherman Yellen, Music by Gary William Friedman, and lyrics by Will Holt -- all Tony nominees. Now playing through October 27th, this beautiful up-and-coming production, directed by Jeffrey Sanzel, is in fantastic shape thus far.

Neil Simon's Tony nominated classic, Sweet Charity, is the quintessential tale of a young woman trying to find love and running into the wrong guys in the process. We've all been there. Now playing through October 28th at the beautiful John W. Engeman Theatre in Northport, Long Island, this production proves that a timely tale never truly gets old.

The ongoing Broadway concert series at Northport's stunning John W. Engeman Theatre is truly an event not to be missed. Broadway's best come together for a night of songs and stories about their careers.

Long Island's Creative Ministries Performing Arts Center (CM PAC), now in its 25th year, will be presenting Madison Square Garden's version of A Christmas Carol come December. As a former employee (MANY years ago) of the theatre that merged with CM PAC, I was thrilled when director Tim Pappalardo asked me to watch the process of putting this show together. I'll be attending casting, a read through, going to Tech, and opening night with the many CM vets expected to be in this production.

You simply can not go wrong with Ira Levin's Tony-nominated hit play Deathtrap. BroadHollow Theatre Company's production, running through September 2nd, boasts a wonderful cast that has you jumping in your seat one moment and laughing the next.

The world premiere of Big Maybelle: Soul Of The Blues, featuring the incredible Tony Award winner Lillias White, is off to a great start at the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor. Now playing through September 2, this tells the story of the American jazz singer as she rises to the top and her heart wrenching fall from glory.

At Creative Ministries Performing Arts Center (CM PAC) in Oakdale, director Patrick Grossman wonderfully replicated the Tony nominated Broadway production of 9 TO 5. Now playing through August 26th, this adorable musical hilariously shows the journey of three women who've had enough of their overbearing boss.

BroadHollow Theatre Company brings the most fashionable law student to Long Island with their showing of the Tony nominated musical, Legally Blonde. Now playing through August 5th at their East Islip location, director Jessy Waller wonderfully replicated the Broadway production that closed in 2008.

We've all been there with the ups and downs of relationships. I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change hilariously pokes fun at the good, the bad, and the ugly from dating to weddings to dealing with kids and in-laws and everything in between.

One of the best things about Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Hermans' La Cage' Aux Folles is that it is a fun show. I was even asked if I had a feather boa to bring with me. Sadly I did not, but that made me more excited to see this Tony winning musical. This incarnation, directed by Noel Ruiz, features a wonderful cast and is showing at CM PAC in Oakdale, Long Island, through July 29th.

Attending the ongoing concert series at the John W. Engeman Theatre of Northport, Long Island is always a treat. During their dark week between shows, host and producer Stephen DeAngelis rounds up Broadway's best for an evening of song and stories from their careers. This time the fantastic line up included Daniel Jenkins, Adriane Lenox, Mark Jacoby, Dee Hoty, and Alton Fitzgerald White.

It is easy to see why Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewes' My Fair Lady has been called "the perfect musical". The music is beautiful, the story is heartwarming, and when you have a cast like the one at Bellports' Gateway Playhouse, you're in for a special treat.

And the best of Long Island theatre this summer is...

The Pulitzer and Tony award winning musical, Next To Normal, by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitts, is a force to be reckoned with. For its Long Island premier, now playing through June 23rd, Jeffrey Sanzel's incarnation of this dark, rock musical at Theatre Three provides the audience with an honest and heartbreaking glimpse into a family dealing with many varied emotions.

At the Jeanne Rimsky Theatre at Landmark on Main Street in Port Washington, Christine Ebersole joked that the theme of the evening was 'death of cabaret'. It was hard to believe her as the Tony winner fantastically entertained the audience, choosing selections spanning her career on the stage as well as familiar favorites.

It is truly gratifying to experience a quintessential musical like Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein's Tony-winning, Showboat -- especially when it has a great cast like CM PAC's current production. Initially presented in 1927, this Noel Ruiz directed production has performances through May 20th. The story follows the lives of the patrons of the Cotton Blossom, a Mississippi River performance boat over a span of nearly fifty years as they endure the trials of everlasting love and racial prejudice.

The BroadHollow Theatre Company certainly put forth a noble effort in their production of the Tony Award winning Damn Yankees. However, this Jessey Waller directed incarnation, now playing at BayWay in East Islip through May 6th, didn't quite hit the ball out of the park.

With Rick Lyon at the helm, it is no surprise that the production of the Tony Award winning Avenue Q at the Smithtown Performing Arts Center is a fantastic one. Mr. Lyon was part of the original Broadway cast and is the designer and creator of the famous puppets in all of the Avenue Q incarnations.

Play Dates, the latest by Sam Wolfson of Jewtopia fame, is a hilariously adorable play that speaks to everyone about a topic all too familiar: relationships. Making its Long Island premier at Theatre Three in Port Jefferson through May 5th, this production has a wonderful cast that will have you leaving the theatre laughing.

The entertainment does not stop when the John W. Engeman Theater of Northport, Long Island is in between shows. For their ongoing concert series this past weekend, the diverse cast included Matthew Hydzik (West Side Story), Anastacia McCleskey (Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert), Clifton Oliver (The Lion King, In The Heights), Catherine Porter (Next To Normal), and Melissa Van Der Schyff (Bonnie and Clyde).