Richard Roland News

Hot Summer Nights | Theatre Raleigh's Urinetown is the latest resident of Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts's A. J. Fletcher Opera Theater. The 2001 musical comedy, written by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis, takes place during a decades-long drought which has caused water to be a precious commodity. The strain on resources leads to a world in which private toilets are no more, and the public must pay to use the restroom. Narrated by a policeman named Officer Lockstock, along with pigtailed Little Sally, Urinetown follows Bobby Strong, a public amenity employee who dares to ask, 'what if the law is wrong?' Seeing the plight of those around him as they struggle to come up with the funds to use the pay-per-pee toilets, Bobby starts a revolution by letting customers in for free and standing up to greedy businessman Caldwell B. Cladwell. During his journey, he meets the woman of his dreams, who happens to be Cladwell's daughter, Hope. Filled with playful musical theater references, political schemes, and plenty of heart, Urinetown is a success for Hot Summer Nights | Theatre Raleigh.

One of the most uproariously funny musicals in recent years, Urinetown is the next installment for red-hot Theatre Raleigh. The show runs today, August 6- 11 at Fletcher Opera Theater at the Duke Energy Center and is part of the Hot Summer Nights Series.

One of the most uproariously funny musicals in recent years, Urinetown is the next installment for red-hot Theatre Raleigh. The show runs Wednesday, August 6- 11 at Fletcher Opera Theater at the Duke Energy Center and is part of the Hot Summer Nights Series.

Two sets of parents talking about an incident on the playground. On the surface, it doesn't seem like a particularly enticing plot for a play. However, the particular parents in Hot Summer Nights | Theatre Raleigh's God of Carnage turn this conversation into real drama. The plot starts out simple enough: on the playground, Henry won't let Benjamin join his gang, so Benjamin hits Henry with a stick, knocking out two of his teeth (incisors, as his mother would be quick to point out). When Benjamin's parents, Alan and Annette Raleigh (played by Derrick Ivey and Julie Fishell), arrive at the home of Henry's parents, Veronica and Michael Novak (played by Dana Marks and Michael Tourek), things get complicated. The conversation includes topics of culpability, reparation, and parenting philosophy. To further complicate the matter, Alan is constantly answering his cell phone to discuss business matters, Annette and Veronica both battle extreme nausea, Michael's mother keeps calling, the Novaks are dealing with the recent demise of their daughter's pet hamster, and ultimately, everyone turns to liquor to ameliorate their woes.

You may need to remind yourself to mind your manners when Theatre Raleigh presents God of Carnage. The show opens tonight, June 19th and runs through Sunday, June 30th at Kennedy Theater at the Duke Energy Center.

You may need to remind yourself to mind your manners when Theatre Raleigh presents God of Carnage. The show opens on Wednesday, June 19th and runs through Sunday, June 30th at Kennedy Theater at the Duke Energy Center.

On the heels of the successful run of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Theatre Raleigh gets ready for the next engagement of their popular Hot Summer Nights Series with I Do! I Do! This is the touching story of two soul mates navigating the perils of life, set to the strains of a tuneful, charming score. The show opens tonight, May 29 and runs through Sunday, June 9at Kennedy Theater at the Duke Energy Center. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

On the heels of the successful run of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Theatre Raleigh gets ready for the next engagement of their popular Hot Summer Nights Series with I Do! I Do! This is the touching story of two soul mates navigating the perils of life, set to the strains of a tuneful, charming score. The show opens tonight, May 29 and runs through Sunday, June 9at Kennedy Theater at the Duke Energy Center.

On the heels of the successful run of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Theatre Raleigh gets ready for the next engagement of their popular Hot Summer Nights Series with I Do! I Do! This is the touching story of two soul mates navigating the perils of life, set to the strains of a tuneful, charming score. The show opens on Wednesday, May 29 and runs through Sunday, June 9at Kennedy Theater at the Duke Energy Center.

Triple platinum recording artist Aaron Carter will be performing his final week as Matt in The Fantasticks. His last performance will be on Sunday Feb. 17, 2013 at 7:30 PM. Carter is leaving the production to do a national tour.

The NH Theater Awards celebrated another successful season of Youth, Community and Professional theater across the state with their yearly awards ceremony.

George Dvorsky, who most recently starred in the critically acclaimed revival of CLOSER THAN EVER at the York Theater has joined the cast of The Fantasticks in the role of the narrator El Gallo, as of yesterday, January 21. He replaces actor Richard Roland.

The nominations are out for the 11th Annual New Hampshire Theatre Awards. Like Broadway has the Tony Awards, NH has the NHTA's. Those awards will be handed out on Saturday January 26th at the Stockbridge Theatre on the campus of Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire. The award ceremony begins at 7pm.

Beloved television, stage, and film actor, John Davidson, will continue his love affair with the world's longest running musical The Fantasticks today, December 1, 2012. Davidson returns this time in the role of Bellomy, the quirky loveable father to Luisa, which marks his third role in The Fantasticks.

Beloved television, stage, and film actor, John Davidson, will continue his love affair with the world's longest running musical The Fantasticks on December 1, 2012. Davidson returns this time in the role of Bellomy, the quirky loveable father to Luisa, which marks his third role in The Fantasticks.

Bernice Bobs Her Mullet: A New Musical Comedy with book, music and lyrics by Joe Major will be performed once again at an exclusive, New York City reading before an invited audience of industry professionals on Friday, November 2nd at 2:00pm. Slated to perform the musical's revamped script and score are Andrew Call (American Idiot, Glory Days), Kathy Fitzgerald (9 to 5, The Producers) and Joe Aaron Reid (Ghost, NBC's "Smash"), as well as Devon Buchanan, KC Comeaux, Natalie Hiatt, Dana Mierlak and Kassie Carroll as the show's title character, Bernice.

Souvenir is, in some ways, unassuming and small, but in the ways that count, it is big.

Did you ever wonder what would have happened if Sesame Street grew up with us and continued teaching us important life lessons even as adults? Wonder no more -Avenue Q has made its way to downtown Raleigh with Hot Summer Nights | Theatre Raleigh.

iTunes has released today the original off-Broadway cast recording of John Dempsey & Dana P. Rowe's production of Zombie Prom. Zombie Prom has music by Dana P. Rowe, book and lyrics by John Dempsey, based on a story by Dempsey and Hugh M. Murphy. Directed by Philip William McKinley, Orchestrations by Michael Gibson with musical direction by Darren R. Cohen.

This week, Hot Summer Nights | Theatre Raleigh brings us the Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q, which tells the story of several puppets and humans on a quest for meaning and purpose while trying to make ends meet in New York City. I had the pleasure of sitting down with the director, Richard Roland, and also the women in the cast. I asked them about the process of putting together the show, handling puppets and humans at the same time, and why Avenue Q resonates with audiences, even a decade after its premiere on Broadway.