Gerry Goodstein News

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) stages its second Studio Theatre production of the 2018-19 season with "If We Were Birds" by Erin Shields. Helene Kvale will direct. Performances will be held in the Studio Theatre from March 28-April 7, 2019. For tickets and information, please visit crt.uconn.edu or call (860) 486-2113.

n today's world, entertainment is all about personalization, customization, and influence. From television shows that allow you to choose the direction of the plot (e.g., BLACK MIRROR: BANDERSNATCH) to the numerous on demand books, podcasts, and films that are ready whenever the mood strikes, audiences today are used to having choices. But what about the theatre? How often does the gathered crowd have the opportunity to impact the outcome of the story unfolding in front of them? Well, with Connecticut Repertory Theatre's latest production THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, Rupert Holmes' Tony Award winning musical, that happens every performance - making for a wild, wacky, and wonderful experience for everyone.

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) begins the second half of the 2018-19 season with Rupert Holmes' Tony Award-winning musical, "The Mystery of Edwin Drood." Paul Mullins will direct the interactive musical mystery. Performances will be held in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre February 28th - March 10th. For tickets and information, please visit crt.uconn.edu or call (860) 486-2113.

Theatre for a New Audience is currently staging the world premiere of About Alice, a new play by Calvin Trillin, inspired by his 2007 memoir of the same name. The production, directed by Leonard Foglia, plays January 8-February 3, 2019 at Polonsky Shakespeare Center.

Phoenix Theatre Ensemble, a nonprofit theatre company now in its 15th season, announces a unique-and unpredictable--evening of readings of new commissioned short plays about Charles Dickens on Saturday, December 15 at Downtown Arts, 70 E 4th Street, NYC. The world-premiere plays will be read impromptu by a group of assembled actors whose roles will be determined, regardless of age or gender, by drawing names out of a hat. Actors will be given their script and 5 minutes of prep time.

When the holiday season comes around it often brings with it staples of holiday theater - from Ebenezer Scrooge learning how to care for something other than money, Charlie Brown hearing from his friend Linus the true meaning of Christmas, or the Grinch increasing the size of his heart, theatergoers often are limited to old favorites for the season. That is why it is refreshing that the Connecticut Repertory Theater at UConn chose this year to offer a lesser known, yet equally poignant holiday tale with its current production of Paula Vogel's A CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS: AN AMERICAN MUSICAL CELEBRATION. The production offers a set of stories that many may not have heard before with familiar (and not so familiar) music by Daryl Waters.  

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) continues its 2018-19 season with Paula Vogel's "A Civil War Christmas: An American Musical Celebration." Elizabeth VanDyke will direct. Performances will be held in the Harriet S. Jorgenson Theatre from November 29th - December 9th, 2018. For tickets and information please visit crt.uconn.edu or call (860) 486-2113.

Pushcart Players announces the 45th Season of touring theater for young audiences, bringing performances to schools, theaters, production venues, and community centers throughout the United States. In Pushcart's 5th decade of stirring up serious fun, the repertoire is an exceptional mix of musical productions exploring American history, self-discovery, classical music, teaching tolerance, and holiday celebrations.

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) opens its 2018-19 season with Frank Galati's award-winning adaptation of John Steinbeck's, "The Grapes of Wrath." Gary English will direct.

The orchestra begins to play a quiet, foreboding melody as the cast takes the stage inviting the audience to "Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd", soon with a signature factory whistle the man himself, malicious, glaring and exuding an air of evil appears center stage. Thus begins what, for many, is an unlikely favorite musical, Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's SWEENEY TODD. And, thus also begins Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT)'s current production of the hit musical. From that point on, though, all bets are off as the next 2 hours are filled with a performance that is fresh, exciting,  and downright chilling, and is certainly something not to be missed.

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) opens the second show of the 2018 Nutmeg Summer Series: "Sweeney Todd" a Tony-Award-winning tale of love, murder and revenge set against the backdrop of 19th century London. Peter Flynn directs. The cast includes Broadway stars Terrence Mann, Liz Larsen, Andrea Burns, and Ed Dixon. Check out the cast in action below!

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) announces the casting for the first production of the 2018 Nutmeg Summer Series: "Disaster!", the hilarious new musical straight from Broadway. CRT welcomes the co-writing team of the show, as Jack Plotnick will direct and three-time Emmy Award nominee and SiriusXM Broadway host Seth Rudetsky will reprise the role he originated on Broadway (Ted Schneider). "Disaster!"runs June 7 through June 16.  Subscriptions and single tickets are on sale now.  A full performance schedule is available at crt.uconn.edu or 860-486-2113. 

ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE (EST) presents the World Premiere of BUMP, written by Chiara Atik and directed by Claudia Weill. Part of the EST/Sloan Science & Technology Project, BUMP opens May 17, for a limited run through June 3, 2018.

Queensborough Performing Arts Center in Bayside, NY will present Pushcart Players in "Stone Soup and other Stories" on Monday, May 14th at 10:00 and 11:45 am. Pushcart is the Emmy-nominated educational theater for families, now in its 44th year of bringing something special to every young audience.

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) ends its 2017-18 season with William Shakespeare's "As You Like It". Kristin Wold will direct. Performances will be held in the Harriet S. Jorgenson Theatre from April 19th through April 29th, 2018. For tickets and information please visit crt.uconn.edu or call (860) 486-2113.

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) stages it's second Studio Theatre production of the 2017-18 season with "She Kills Monsters" by Qui Nguyen. Madeline Sayet will direct. Performances will be held in the Studio Theatre from March 22-31, 2018. For tickets and information, please visit crt.uconn.edu or call (860) 486-2113.

The extraordinary is turned ordinary when the need to be heard, to believe in the right of happiness, overcomes what reason dictates one should do to achieve it; reason becomes as much of an ally as it is a weapon. What is so beautiful about Sondheim's Assassins is not only how the root of such an evil deed is understood as something so human, but this 'American Musical Comedy' is nothing short of brilliant - especially when presented by Brooklyn Heights' own Theater 2020.

Theatre for a New Audience (TFANA; Jeffrey Horowitz, Founding Artistic Director) announces the full cast and creative team for William Shakespeare's tragicomedy The Winter's Tale, directed by OBIE Award-winner Arin Arbus. The production plays March 13-April 15, 2018, at Polonsky Shakespeare Center (262 Ashland Place), TFANA's home in the Brooklyn Cultural District.

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) begins the second half of the 2017-18 season with the Tony Award-winning classic, "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller. Paul Mullins will direct. Performances will be held in the Nafe Katter Theatre from February 22nd through March 4th, 2018. For tickets and information, please visit crt.uconn.edu or call (860) 486-2113.