Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre on a roll
“I love working with a theme,” Ron Celona, artistic director of the Coachella Valley Repertory Theatre, said at the Atrium in Rancho Mirage. Heading into his fifth season, the lineup focuses on “The American Melting Pot,” a look at four cultures by prominent playwrights.Last season highlighted works by Terrence McNally with great success. “Master Class put us... READ MORE
Sunday in the Park connects all the dots
About 130 years ago, Parisian painter Georges Seurat had a talent and personal vision that led to the Neo-Impressionism movement. In recent years, American composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim has used his vision and talents to refresh and stretch the boundaries of musical theater.Those two premises come together in Sondheim’s musical Sunday in the Park with George, the glorious... READ MORE
Premieres & old favorites on local stages
Howard County theatre aficionados have the luxury of having easy access to a number of top-flight theatre companies right in their backyards, meaning there no need to travel to New York or Washington, D.C. to indulge their passion.Here are some of the highlights of the new theater season that starts in September.Rep StageFor more than two decades, Rep Stage has been performing challenging... READ MORE
Lyric Theatre season celebrates 120 years
On the evening of October 31, 1894, maestro Emil Paur led the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the prelude to “Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg.” It was the opening number of the gala concert celebrating Baltimore’s new “Music Hall.” The evening featured Nellie Melba’s rendition of Handel’s “Sweet Bird” aria.On that night, no one could have... READ MORE
Lure of Del Mar includes deals for seniors
A great way to beat the heat and have a good time doing it is to take in thoroughbred racing at seaside Del Mar race track.Famous for its slogans “Where the turf meets the surf” as well as “Cool as ever,” the track is at the San Diego fairgrounds, 20 miles north of downtown San Diego.Today, the track remains a gracious reminder of an elegant, bygone era when Del... READ MORE
Irish play’s spooky atmospherics veil its plot
I am a fan of Irish playwright (and actor and director) Conor McPherson, especially fond of his plays Shining City, The Weir, and The Seafarer. In that body of work, he explores contemporary angst by conjuring up ghosts, literal and ephemeral. His sharply fashioned dialogue is a study in depth, but crafted in naturalistic rhythms.It has been a few years since McPherson has graced our... READ MORE
