CT Critics Circle Announces Award Nominations

For information about the awards, which will be held Monday, June 11 at Westport Country Playhouse, visit ctcritics.org/awards/

Outstanding Production – Musical
Oklahoma! – Goodspeed Musicals
Million Dollar Quartet – Seven Angels
Rags – Goodspeed Musicals
1776 – Connecticut Repertory Theatre
Fun Home – Music Theatre of Connecticut

Outstanding Production – Play
An Enemy of the People – Yale Repertory Theatre
The Diary of Anne Frank – Playhouse on Park
The Chosen – Long Wharf Theatre
Fireflies – Long Wharf Theatre
Father Comes Home from the Wars, Parts 1, 2 & 3 – Yale Repertory Theatre
The Age of Innocence – Hartford Stage

Outstanding Debut

Shannon Keegan (The Wolves) – TheaterWorks
Megan O’Callaghan (The Bridges of Madison County and Fun Home) – Music Theatre of Connecticut
Noah Kierserman (Newsies) – Connecticut Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble
Cast of Avenue Q – Playhouse on Park
Cast of The Wolves – TheaterWorks
Cast of The Chosen – Long Wharf Theatre
Cast of The Game’s Afoot – Ivoryton Playhouse

Outstanding Projections
Yana Birykova (Grounded) – Westport Country Playhouse
Luke Cantarella (Rags) – Goodspeed Musicals
Lucas Clopton & Darron Alley (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) – Hartford Stage
Wladimiro A. Woyno R. (Kiss) – Yale Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Sound
Frederick Kennedy (Native Son) – Repertory Theatre
Kate Marvin (Grounded) – Westport Country Playhouse
Fitz Patton (Appropriate) – Westport Country Playhouse
Jane Shaw (A Lesson from Aloes) – Hartford Stage
Robert Kaplowitz (Office Hour) – Long Wharf Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design
Linda Cho (Rags) – Goodspeed Musicals
Linda Cho (The Age of Innocence) – Hartford Stage
Joshua Pearson (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) – Hartford Stage
Fabian Fidel Aguilar (Romeo & Juliet) – Westport Country Playhouse
Leon Dobkowski (The Legend of Georgia McBride) – TheaterWorks

Outstanding Lighting
Ben Stanton (The Age of Innocence) – Hartford Stage
Michael Chybowski (1776) – Connecticut Repertory Theatre
Stephen Strawbridge (Native Son) – Yale Repertory Theatre
Matthew Richards (Appropriate) – Westport Country Playhouse
Yi Zhao (Father Comes Home from the Wars, Parts 1, 2 and 3) – Yale Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Set Design
Emona Stoykova (An Enemy of the People) – Yale Repertory Theatre
Alexander Dodge (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) – Hartford Stage
Andrew Boyce (Appropriate) – Westport Country Playhouse
David Lewis (The Diary of Anne Frank) – Playhouse on Park
Martin Scott Marchitto (The Fantasticks) – Ivoryton Playhouse

Outstanding Choreography
Katie Spelman (Oklahoma!) – Goodspeed Musicals
Christopher d’Amboise (Newsies) – Connecticut Repertory Theatre
Kelli Barclay (The Will Rogers Follies) – Goodspeed Musicals
Todd L. Underwood (Saturday Night Fever) – Ivoryton Playhouse

Outstanding Featured Actor – Musical
Matt Faucher (Oklahoma) – Goodspeed Musicals
Joe Callahan (Million Dollar Quartet) Ivoryton Playhouse
Sean MacLaughlin (Rags) – Goodspeed Musicals
David Garrison (The Will Rogers Follies) – Goodspeed Musicals
Cory Candelet (The Fantasticks) – Ivoryton Playhouse

Outstanding Featured Actress – Musical
Jodi Stevens (Singin’ in the Rain) – Summer Theater of New Canaan
Gizel Jimenez (Oklahoma!) – Goodspeed Musicals
Nora Fox (Saturday Night Fever) – Ivoryton Playhouse
Megan O’Callaghan (Fun Home) – Music Theatre of Connecticut
Kimberly Immanuel (The Fantasticks) – Ivoryton Playhouse

Outstanding Featured Actress – Play
Judith Ivy (Fireflies) – Long Wharf Theatre
Darrie Lawrence (The Age of Innocence) – Hartford Stage
Carly Polistina (The Crucible) – Connecticut Repertory Theatre
Sierra Boggess (The Age of Innocence) – Hartford Stage
Helen Cespedes (The Age of Innocence) – Hartford Stage

Outstanding Featured Actor – Play
James Cusati-Moyer (Kiss) – Yale Repertory Theatre
Peter Francis James (Romeo & Juliet) – Westport Country Playhouse
Tom Pecinka (Father Comes Home from the Wars, Parts 1, 2 & 3) – Yale Repertory
David Hiatt (Father Comes Home from the Wars, Parts 1, 2 & 3) – Yale Repertory
Jason Bowen (Native Son) – Yale Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Director – Musical
Terrence Mann (1776 ) – Connecticut Repertory Theatre
Jenn Thompson (Oklahoma!) – Goodspeed Musicals
Kevin Connors (Fun Home) – Music Theatre of Connecticut
Rob Ruggiero (Rags) – Goodspeed Musicals
Brian Feehan (The Fantasticks) – Ivoryton Playhouse

Outstanding Director – Play
James Bundy (An Enemy of the People) – Yale Repertory Theatre
Seret Scott (Native Son ) – Yale Repertory Theatre
Ezra Barnes (The Diary of Anne Frank) – Playhouse on Park
Eric Ort (The Wolves) – TheaterWorks
Doug Hughes (The Age of Innocence) – Hartford Stage

Outstanding Actor – Musical
Jamie LaVerdiere (1776) – Connecticut Repertory Theatre
Rhett Guter (Oklahoma!) – Goodspeed Musicals
Jim Schubin (Newsies) – Connecticut Repertory Theatre
David Pittsinger (The Fantasticks) – Ivoryton Playhouse
Michael Notardonato (Saturday Night Fever) – Ivoryton Playhouse

Outstanding Actress – Musical
Samantha Massell (Rags) – Goodspeed Musicals
Mia Pinero (West Side Story) – Ivoryton Playhouse
Juliet Lambert Pratt (The Bridges of Madison County) – Music Theatre of Connecticut
Samantha Bruce (Oklahoma!) – Goodspeed Musicals
Annabelle Fox (Singin’ in the Rain) – Summer Theatre of New Canaan

Outstanding Actor – Play
Reg Rogers (An Enemy of the People) – Yale Repertory Theatre
Jerod Haynes (Native Son) – Yale Repertory Theatre
Jamison Stern (The Legend of Georgia McBride) – TheaterWorks
Boyd Gaines (The Age of Innocence) – Hartford Stage
Daniel Chung (Office Hour) – Long Wharf Theatre

Outstanding Actress – Play
Jackie Chung (Office Hour) – Long Wharf Theatre
Isabelle Barbier (The Diary of Anne Frank) – Playhouse on Park
Mia Dillon (Seder) – Hartford Stage
Jane Alexander (Fireflies) – Long Wharf Theatre
Cecelia Riddett (The Revisionist) – Playhouse on Park

Tom Killen Award
Michael O’Flaherty

Outstanding Solo Performance

Elizabeth Stahlmann (Grounded) – Westport Country Playhouse

Special Awards
To Be Announced

CT Theater Review: The Will Rogers Follies -- Goodspeed

David M. Lutken. Photo: Diane Sobolewski

The Will Rogers Follies: A Life in Review
Book by Peter Stone
Music Composed and Arranged by Cy Coleman
Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Directed by Don Stephenson
Choreographed by Kelli Barclay
Goodspeed Opera House
Through June 21

By Lauren Yarger

What's It All About?

It's a light-hearted romp through the thoughts and musings of Will Rogers (the multi-talented David M Lutken, who delighted here in Connecticut and Off-Broadway in Woody Sez.)

This show, which offers some insight in to the entertainer's life, including his marriage to Betty Blake (Catherine Walker) opened on Broadway in 1991 and features music by Cy Coleman, Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and a book by Peter Stone. The Zigfeld Follies provide the backdrop (designed by Walt Spangler) for the story as well as costuming by Ilona Somogyi and Choreography by Kelli Barclay, who provides lots of tap dancing..

What Are the Highlights?

Lutken is always a delight. He's completely likable and entertains with his soft, comforting voice, often accompanying himself on any number of instruments. He and Walker have good rapport. Rogers quotes are projected (design by Michael Clark) and the Lighting Design by Rob Denton is superb.One number with moonlight and starlight also offers spotlights on characters and colors to help set the mood. Well done!

What Are the Lowlights?

Besides a draggy pace, the material seems dated. Even though Will comments on newspaper headlines and tell s us "nothing can hurt more than telling the truth," somehow the dialogue doesn't feel contemporary and jokes fall flat. Political digs don't rally the audience. Lutken manages to carry the show, however, sometimes chiding the audience for not getting a joke right away. Don Stephenson's staging seems to want to over compensate.

More Information:

The Will Rogers Follies plays at Goodspeed's Opera House,  6 Main Street, East Haddam, CT, through June 21. Performances are Wednesday at 2 and 7:30 pm; Thursday at 7:30 pm (with select performances at 2pm); Friday at 8 pm; Saturday at 3 and 8 pm; Sunday at 2 pm (with select performances at 6:30 pm). Tickets: goodspeed.org; 860.873.8668.

Additional casting:

David Garrison (Clem Rogers), Brooke Lacy (Ziegfeld’s Favorite), Dewey Caddell (Wiley Post),
Ben Stone-Zelman (Will Rogers Jr.), Riley Briggs (Mary Rogers), Brendan Reilly Harris (Jimmy Rogers), Nathan Horne (Freddy Rogers), James Naughton (Voice of Ziegfeld)

Ensemble: Michael Biren; Aaron Burr; Sarah Fagan; Kaitlyn Frank; Brad Frenette; Emily Jeanne Phillips; Kelly Sheehan; Karilyn Ashley Surratt; Caitlin Wilayto; Borris York; Mallory Davis;
Patrick Heffernan

Additional Credits:

Sound Designer: Jay Hilton; Music Director: Michael O’Flaherty; Assistant Music Director: William J. Thomas; Orchestrations: Dan DeLange

CT Theater Review: Love Never Dies -- The Bushnell

Meghan Picerno and Gardar Thor Cortes, Photo: Joan Marcus

Love Never Dies
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Lyrics by Glenn Slater

Additional Lyrics by Charles Hart

Choreography by Graeme Murphy AO

Directed by Simon Phillips

By Lauren Yarger

What's It All About?
The sequel to Andrew Lloyd-Webber's long running, multi-award winning Phantom of the Opera (still playing in New York after more than 30 years). It's 1907, 10 years after the tragic events in the labyrinth beneath the Paris Opera House when the Phantom (Gardar Thor Cortes) vanished. The young soprano, Chritine Daae (Meghan Picerno) was finally free of the mentor who tormented her soul with operatic compositions and she married her childhood sweetheart, Raoul, vicomte de Chagny (Christian Harmston). But all is not as it seems. The phantom escaped, thanks to his ally, Madame Giry (Karen Mason) and her daughter, Meg (Mary Michael Batterson), and has relocated to New York's Coney Island, where he blends in with a bunch of circus freaks as part of a vaudevillian circus show. 

In need of money, because an unhappy Raoul has hit hard times (after hitting the bottle pretty hard), Christine accepts an invitation from Oscar Hammerstein to sing in New York. When the couple and their young son, Gustave (Jake Heston Miller) arrive in the USA, however, they discover that the phantom has re-entered their lives. He uses threats against her son to get Christine to agree to sing his music and his attention for his old flame sets off thoughts of jealousy and revenge for Madame Giry and Meg.

What Are the Highlights?

Very strong vocals and a pleasing score from Sir Webber, even if it doesn't come close to matching the original. Still, some songs contain exquisite melodies and odd and haunting notes (the title song will create an ear worm). The stand-out performance comes from young Miller, who is about as perfect a child actor as I ever have seen. He has an angelic voice and an easy, natural way on stage. I kind of wish this story could have been all about him.

The sound (Mick Potter, design), notoriously a problem at the Bushnell, this time is perfection.

What Are the Lowlights?

The book. What a poor sequel. What a poor form of storytelling. If the first act has you feeling dissatisfied (and weak, predictable lyrics by Glenn Slater contribute to this state), the second act is min=blowingly bad. I felt like my brain exploded from all of the re-write possibilities that filled it. Any one of them would have created a more satisfying story and given characters more development. As it is, we have no idea why anyone does anything. Some action is so ridiculous (and looks so with Simon Phillip's direction) that it is laughable, including what is supposed to be a very dramatic ending. Gaston Leroux (who wrote the novel on which the original was based), we're wishing you were somehow here again.

To avoid spoilers, I don't feel I can fill in details, but if you are a fan of Phantom, which I definitely am, having seen it numerous times since it took Broadway by storm in 1988, I can't help but warn you that you probably will be disappointed. One mystery can be revealed, however: why this show has toured nationally and internationally, but never come to Broadway. The answer: because in its present state it would be massacred by the critics. Instead, the show can benefit from fans (there are more than 40 million who have seen Phantom) who will venture out to see a sequel to a favorite. Just remember. You have been warmed.

More Information:

Love Never Dies (but maybe it should. . . ) at the Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford. Performances are Wednesday, Thursday at 7:30 pm; Friday at 8 pm; Saturday at 2 and 8 pm; Sunday at 1 and 6:30 pm. Tickets; bushnell.org.

Additional casting:

Katarina Kemp (Fleck), Steven Petrovich (Gangle), Richard Koons (Squelch)

Ensemble: Chelsey Arce, Erin Chupinsky, Diana DiMarzio, Tyler Donahue, Yesy Garcia, Alyssa Giannetti, Michael Gillis, Tamar Greene, Natalia Lepore Hagan, Lauren Lukacek, Alyssa McAnany, Rachel Anne Moore, Bronson Norris Murphy, Dave Schoonover, Adam Soniak, John Swapshire IV, Kelly Swint, Lucas John Thompson, Correy West and Arthur Wise. 

The new touring production reflects an extensive re-working of the material by an Australian creative team for the original Australian premiere in 2011. New set and costume designs by Gabriela Tylesova, choreography by Graeme Murphy, lighting design by Nick Schlieper.

Elm Free Shakespeare Announces 23rd Season

Click Here for details! 

CT Theater Review: The Age of Innocence -- Hartford stage

Sierra Boggess (front), Sara Norton, Deirdre Madigan. Photo: T Charles Erickson

The Age of Innocence

By Edith Wharton
Adapted for the stage by Douglas McGrath
Directed by Doug Hughes
Harttford Stage

Through May 6

By Lauren Yarger
What's It All About?
Boyd Gaines and Sierra Bogess head an excellent production of Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence, adapted for the stage by Douglas McGrath (this is a co-production with the McCarter Theatre Center).  It's a disturbing love story set in the Victorian era, where the rules of upper-class society can be as stifling as the corsets worn by the women (lovely period costumes are designed by Linda Cho).

Gaines is an older version of himself -- Newland Archer (Andrew Veenstra), a young attorney who marries innocent May Welland (Helen Cespedes) despite his growing attraction and feelings for the exciting Countess Ellen Olenska (Boggess), who has returned to New York following a scandal with her husband, whom she has left in Europe. Society won't tolerate another scandal, but the dream about how they might be together. The story won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1921 and remains relevant in 2018 because it is more about human nature and relationships than it is about the time period. People don't live in a bubble, Newland says. Actions affect others. How do you choose between love and honor? That applies today very well.

What Are the Highlights?
A sumptuous production, meticulously directed by Doug Hughes -- even better than the 1993 film that starred Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Winona Ryder. A simple turn by a character can change the scene from the street to an apartment setting (as beautifully designed by John Lee Beatty, who manages to create a simple design that invokes the elegant and extravagant look of the time period. A pianist (Yan Li) blends into the scenery to provide accompaniment for an impromptu duet.

Cespedes mesmerizes as a dichotomy of May which is at once an innocent and naive, helpless female while at the same an intelligent woman fully capable of protecting herself. the chemistry between Bogess and Veenstra is intense and we feel their frustration and pain. Best yet is Gaines, who reflecting back on the events of his life, rounds out the character with wisdom and humor. Also making us laugh is Darrie Lawrence who plays May's grandmother and family matriarch Mrs. Manson Mingott. Quite delightful.

What Are the Lowlights?
None. Go see it.

More information:

McGrath is a personal favorite. He received a Tony Award nomination for Best Book for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, one of the best books for a "jukebox" style musical on Broadway. His first film as a writer and director was his adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma, starring Gwyneth Paltrow -- another favorite, which I think is better than the novel.

Hughes, former artistic director at Long Wharf, also is a favorite director. He won the 2005 Tony Award for Doubt and received a Tony Award nomination for the play Frozen, which is one of the most riveting productions I ever have seen. He also directed Ayad Akhtar’s Junk on Broadway this season -- look for more nominations there.

Performances of The Age of Innocence continue through May 6 at Hartford Stage, 50 Church st., Hartford, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday at 7:30 pm; Friday and Saturday at 8 pm; Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm. Tickets: www.hartfordstage.org; 860-527-5151.

Audio Described Performance— 2 pm Saturday, April 28 for patrons who are blind or have low vision — free service with admission.

Additional casting:
Deirdre Madigan, Haviland Morris, Josh Salt, Tony Ward, Nick Wyman. Haviland Morris

Sara Norton, Dan Owens, Sara Schwab, Alessandro Gian Viviano, students from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford, are cast in the Ensemble.

Additional credits:
Lighting Designer Ben Stanton; Sound Design and Original Music by Mark Bennett

CT Theater Review: The Revisionist -- Playhouse on Park

Cecelia Riddett and Carl Howell . Photo:Curt Henderson

The Revisionist
By Jesse Eisenberg

Directed by Sasha Bratt

Playhouse on Park

Through April 29

What's It All About?
The New England premiere of Jesse Eisenberg's play about family ties. David (Carl Howell) is a young book writer way past his deadline, so he shows up in Poland at the home of his 75-year-old second cousin, Maria (Cecelia Riddett), where he hopes to find some peace and quiet to revise his manuscript. Maria, who is so excited to have a visit from a family member, doesn't want to leave David alone, however. She wants to take him site seeing, to prepare big meas for him and to share family history. The old widow doesn't get many visitors, except for Zenon (Sebastian Buczyk), a friend who takes her in cab to run errands. Family is everything to Maria. Portraits cover the walls of her small flat (designed by Emily Nichols), especially since she lost most of hers in the Holocaust. But David shows little interest until one night, the two loosen up over some Vodka and some unsettling secrets find their way out of the family closet.

What Are the Highlights?
Tight direction by Sasha Bratt allows strong performances by Howel and Riddett to find their legs. The relationship between the two is dynamic and interesting to watch in its development.

What Are The Lowlights?
Eisenberg's play loses direction in the second act and we're not exactly sure where it is taking us.

More Information:
Each Sunday matinee includes a talkback with the cast and director. A special Tuesday matinee has been planned for April 24 at 2 pm. Performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm;

Friday and Saturday at 8 pm; Sunday at 2 pm through April 29 at Playhouse on Park,  244 Park Road, West Hartford. Tickets are $30-$40: www.playhouseonpark.org; 860-523-5900 x10.

CT Review: An Evening with James Mapes

An Evening With James Mapes

Fairfield Theatre Company

By Lauren Yarger

In the midst of the crazy end-of-theater-season schedule, I took a break to see a show I have been wanting to see for years: Master of the Imagination, featuring James Mapes, an actor, entertainer and showman, who recently performed a one-night-only performance of the show at Fairfield Theater Company's Stage One.

A Connecticut resident, Mapes delights with an evening of applied imagination -- what you might think of as mind reading -- rounded out with hypnosis, storytelling, humor and just a dash of magic. The show recently was performed as a fundraiser on hurricane-ravaged St. Thomas where he and his wife have a home.

A video with a welcome from Anthony Hopkins as well as island scenes shown to the tune of "Cheeseburger in Paradise" get the evening off to a fun start. Mapes states up front that he's not a  psychic. Instead, he uses suggestion and persuasion and the results are quite entertaining thanks to participation by audience members who allow Mapes to play with their subconscious minds.

In one demonstration, Mapes let's the audience in on secrets for being able to tell when a person is lying. He gives a number of $20 bills to a participant and takes one back each time the volunteer is caught in a lie. At the Fairfield show, Mapes had selected an audience member very skilled in deception and he lost one of the bills -- something that doesn't happen very often, he tells us. Roaring his hearty laugh, which brightens the performance throughout, Mapes accepted defeat while explaining how he missed -- what facial features or eye contact might have suggested truth. 

Suddenly a man walked down the aisle and up on stage. He apparently had attended a previous show hosted by Mapes years ago when the hypnotist embedded a subconscious suggestion compelling the man to follow directions should he ever hear a particular prompt. Hearing the right words in dialogue during the show in Fairfield, the man followed the suggestion came forward and stepped up on stage. He had no idea that he had done so.

An extended hypnosis and age regression demonstration fills most of the second act of the show, which runs more than two hours. At Mapes's suggestion, people fall asleep on command and are unable to remember their own names. During intermission, audience members talked with each speculating on how Mapes had done some of his "tricks." The informal atmosphere allows the audience to feel like they are enjoying an evening with a friend and questions are welcome during the show as well.

Mapes's talent isn't limited to the stage, where he has presented several version of the show including A Journey to the Imagination. He puts his more than 40 years of studying human behavior into action as a motivational speaker working with major corporations like British Airways, Sprint, IBM and others whose employees have enjoyed his "Imagine That!," "True Leadership" or "Mind Over Body" programs. He has entertained government agencies and even was flown to Saudi Arabia where he amazed a sheikh. He also works with cancer patients to minimize pain and beeding during procedures.

His book, "Quantum Leap Thinking: An Owner's Guide to the Mind," deals with how to make quick,  positive change in one's life and his latest, "Imagine That: Igniting Your Brain for Creativity and Peak Performance" shows readers how to apply imagination to productivity.

For more information, visit mastertheimagination.com; www.jamesmapes.com.

Full disclosure: Mapes's wife, Susan Granger, is a theater critic colleague.

CT Theater Review: The Legend of Georgia McBride -- TheaterWorks

Austin Thomas and Jamison Stern. Photo: Lanny Nagler.

The Legend of Georgia McBride
By Matthew Lopez
Directed by Rob Ruggiero
Choreography by Ralph Perkins

Through April 22

TheaterWorks

By Lauren Yarger
A washed-up Elvis impersonator finds himself as a drag queen performer in this play with music from The Whipping Man playwright Matthew Lopez getting a run at TheaterWorks.

Casey(Austin Thomas) and his wife, Jo (Samaria Nixon-Fleming) are trying to get by on her waitress tips and what he earns as an Elvis impersonator at Cleo's, a dive nightclub run by Eddie (J. Tucker Smith) in the Florida Panhandle. Just when they find out they are expecting, Casey finds out that Eddie is replacing him with a drag-queen act headlined by Miss Tracey Mills (Jamison Stern) and Rexy -- short for Anorexia Nervosa -- (Nik Alexander, who also doubles as the couple's landlord, Jason, who is about to evict them for not paying the rent).

Casey is given the option of bar tending to earn a few bucks, but when Rexy gets drunk and can't go on, Tracey gives Casey a quick how-to in drag queen lip syncing and a star is born. Well, it actually takes some practice and Director Rob Ruggiero expertly captures humor and growth during this sequence, and suddenly Rexy is out and Tracey and her new creation -- Georgia McBride -- are packing them in at Cleo's. There is one problem, though, Casey hasn't told Jo how he's really making a living. Is it because he is embarrassed, or because he is enjoying his new persona too much?

Part of the evening's entertainment (runt time is one hour and 45 minutes without intermission) includes a lengthy drag queen show brought to life by Choreography by Ralph Perkins and Paul Tate dePoo III's set design (it moves quickly from backstage at the club to Casey and Jo's apartment to center stage) lighted by the always excellent John Lasiter. Special kudos go to Costume Designer Leon Dobkowski and Wig Designer Mark Adam Rampmeyer, who create many looks for the guys dressing as gals.

Georgia McBride works on becoming a legend at TheaterWorks,  233 Pearl St., Hartford. The theater warns this show is for ages 14 and up. Performances are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 7:30 pm, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm. Tickets are $45-$70: theaterworkshartford.org.

Additional credit:
Assistant Director, Eric Ort; Sound Design, Ed Chapman.

Calling All Old Theater Lovers!

Centennial Memorial Temple

You are invited to an open house to see an art deco theater now available for rental in New York.

The Centennial Memorial Temple on 14th Street is a step back into the past. Built in 1929 at the Salvation Army's headquarters at 120 W. 14th St. between Sixth and Seventh avenues to honor the 100th anniversary of its founder, William Booth, this state-of-the-art performance hall was designated a New York City landmark in 2017.

The theater is available for all kinds of events including  film shoots, concerts, corporate meetings, movie screenings, fundraisers, graduations and town hall meetings. The theater seats 1,347 while Railton Hall, located under the auditorium, can host up to 100 guests and Mumford Hall, right below Railton, is available for groups of up to 220 for an intimate luncheon, corporate meeting or staff training.

CMT’s technical staff members have won Grammy Awards, worked on the Oscars, served on crews for top recording artists like Sting and the Foo Fighters, toured with Broadway shows and staffed production crews at major TV studios. All proceeds from the rental of our spaces are used to support The Salvation Army’s more than 100 programs and services in the Greater New York area, which serve more than a million at-risk adults, children, and families each year.

If you are unable to attend the open house April 10 from 10 am to noon, you may arrange a private tour. To RSVP for the open house, to arrange a tour or for more information, call 212-337-7339 or visit salvationarmyny.org/openhouse.

All proceeds from the rental of our spaces are used to support The Salvation Army’s more than 100 programs and services in the Greater New York area, which serve more than a million at-risk adults, children, and families each year.

CT Theater Review: Baskerville -- Long Wharf

Owen, Pearce, Moggridge, Livingston

Baskerville
By Ken Ludwig
Directed by Brendon Fox
Long Wharf Theatre
Through March 25

By Lauren Yarger

What's It All About?
It's Ken Ludwig's comic twist on the Sherlock Holmes (Alex Moggridge) mystery "The Hound of the Baskervilles."  Holmes and his trusty assistant, Dr. Watson (Daniel Pearce) offer their assistance to unravel a mystery around a fatal heart attack might actually be murder and a hideous, huge hound who may be the culprit. Think "The 39 Steps," with it's silly humor and gags, only not quite as engaging.

What Are the Highlights?
An able supporting cast doubling, tripling and more to bring to life numerous characters. The cast includes Kelly Hutchinson (Actress 1), Christopher Livingston (Actor 2), Brian Owen (Actor 1).

What Are the Lowlights?
It's a fun time at the theater, but the most annoying thing for me was that the actor playing Watson resembled what I expect Watson to look like and vice versa. I had to stop and re-gear my thoughts several times because I kept getting them confused.

More information:
Baskerville is elementary at Long Wharf Theatre, 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven, through March 25. longwharf.org

The creative team includes Tim Mackabee (set design), Lex Liang (costume design), Robert Wierzel (lighting design), Victoria Deiorio (sound design)