The land of Oz in “The Wiz” smacks of Motown, where Dorothy and the gang fill the air with some serious sassy soul and hip-hop choreography.
“The Wiz” is a modern take on the classic “The Wizard of Oz” story and opens at 7 tonight at Lincoln Theatre in Mount Vernon.
The rhythm and blues flavor of this show includes such songs as “Ease on Down the Road,” “You Can’t Win” and “Believe in Yourself” and provides that stomping Motown backdrop to this urban-inspired production about a girl who tries to find her way back home.
The large cast of 38 youth from ages 7 to 18 along with seven adults includes Falon Sierra as Dorothy, Ria Peth-Vanderpool as Evillene, Lindsay Bowen as Glinda and a host of young performers as Munchkins, Crows, Winkies, Monkeys and Quadlings.
Charlie Smalls’ and William F. Brown’s adaptation originally starred Stephanie Mills when it first opened on Broadway and won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Musical Score. A screen version of the musical starred Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
A special “pay what you can” performance Thursday is designed to help those on low and fixed incomes, seniors, students and large families. All seating is festival.
“A Christmas Carol”: Theatre Arts Guild’s production of Charles Dickens’ beloved classic will come alive with special effects by ZFX Flying and music by the “Starry Night Chamber Orchestra.”
“A Christmas Carol” opens tonight and runs through Nov. 30 at McIntyre Hall in Mount Vernon.
This year, Brian Young returns as Ebenezer Scrooge. Those at Theatre Arts Guild say Young brings talent and enthusiasm to Dickens’ tale of passion, humor and whimsy.
“A Christmas Carol” tells the tale of miserly Scrooge as he discovers the true meaning of the holiday on a trip through Christmases past, present and future. The story is set in 19th century London and bursts with song and dance. The production is directed by Sharyn Peterson and produced by Ellen Palmer and Bruce Vilders.
“Cinderella”: When you think about it, Cinderella’s tale of unwarranted oppression by some mean stepsisters can be a downer. But this Seattle Musical Theatre production of the Rodgers &Hammerstein version is presented with a touch of hilarity — and a happy ending — while still being true to the original fairy tale.
The show opens tonight with a run through Nov. 30 at Magnuson Park in Seattle and is presented by Seattle Musical Theatre, formerly known as Civic Light Opera.
Cinderella’s plight against her tyrants and her ultimate reward of love, freedom and a new life remain in this version, originally presented on television in 1957 starring Julie Andrews. Now adapted for the stage, the production is done with humor but still can melt hearts when the slipper goes on.
Paula Poundstone: She’s known as a stand-up comic, NPR regular and Emmy Award winner but did you know that Paula Poundstone also is a bookworm?
You’ll learn this and more while you are laughing out loud during her headline performance Saturday at The Moore Theatre in Seattle.
Poundstone is known for her spontaneous wit and her candid interactions with her audience. She’s also a popular panelist for National Public Radio’s “Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” In her spare time, she’s a voracious reader (especially to her three kids) and loves to visit the library. She’s big on books, reading and writing them, now working on her second book for Random House.
Her first, “There’s Nothing In This Book That I Meant To Say,” with a forward by her friend, Mary Tyler Moore, is out in paperback after a year of successful hard-cover sales. She’s also the national spokesperson for Friends of Libraries USA, a citizens group that helps raise money for summer reading programs for kids.
“The Forgotten Carols”: The touring holiday musical lands this week in Everett with master storyteller, musician and author Michael McLean.
The 2008 tour kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Everett Civic Auditorium on Colby Avenue.
“The Forgotten Carols” is about a nurse who is too practical to be bothered by Christmas until a patient walks her through the untold carols of the more “forgotten” characters in the Christmas story. It’s then that the young nurse finds the true meaning of Christmas.
“The Illusion”: Students at Everett Community College’s drama department are going medieval with their version of the play “The Illusion.”
There are six performances scheduled beginning Thursday at EvCC’s Baker Hall.
The drama is about a father in search of the son he banished 15 years earlier. The father consults a magician, who shows him three different visions of his son. These wind up as the predominant images in the story, Tony Kushner’s adaptation of Pierre Corneille’s 17th century “L’Illusion Comique” or “Theatrical Illusion.”
The all-student cast includes Nick Oshie, Alex DeRoest, David DeLashmit, Noah Riordan, Laura Olson, Chrissy Kayatta, Dylan Olson, Kevin VanBenthuysen, Collin Schreiber, Geoff Kuth and Vashawn Basnight.
EvCC theater instructor Beth Peterson directs. The stage manager is Angie Leonard, and the assistant stage manager is Dustin Comstock.
Admission is by donation. The play includes mature subject matter and is not recommended for children.
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