The lobby of ACT was packed to claustrophobic heights, filled with sparkly vamp accoutrements, homemade wings and period costumes, only some of which were actually worn by performers. Asheville Vaudeville has certainly found a new home, and their lengthy summer hiatus created a sense of anticipation that kicked off their new season and new venue with a bang.
Early in his illustrious career, Neil Simon was often criticized for the shallowness of his characters and the frivolity of his material. While these deficiencies seemed in no way to detract from audiences’ enjoyment of his plays, Simon responded by writing The Prisoner of Second Avenue, an apparently sincere effort to treat of more serious themes and more complex characters, albeit in a comic framework.
There are few greater theatre-going pleasures than coming to grips with one of the handful of theatrical masterworks any given culture manages to create.
While the theatre-going experience is, first-and-foremost, about the play, there’s certainly something to be said for ambiance. And, in the case of Dauntless Productions’ performance of Dracula, I have to recommend the play to anyone with even a passing interest in Halloween/vampires/things spooky/the Masonic temple. See this show — which runs through Saturday, Oct. 30 — if only for the experience of being in the appropriately spooky auditorium of the Masonic Temple.
The Tuesday, Oct. 26 performance is both an intimate and up-close show (only 120 seats!) and a chance for the audience to actually be on stage.
The pace is so relentless, the flashbacks are so abrupt, the sly Perry Mason-esque moments of “I just have one more little question” are so predictable, and (in the current production by Flat Rock Playhouse) the actors are just so darn good-looking, that pretty soon one begins to feel that one is in fact watching a TV drama.
One can’t help but love Scott Treadway’s rubberized face.
On this, the eve of the month of Halloween, we offer up a few not-to-missed events.
As the title character, Tim Bates has a shy and captivating smile which he doesn’t over-use, as well as a charming air of slight bewilderment that is perfect for the role.
The juke-box musical’s been a hit at theatres worldwide, and the HART audience’s palpable enthusiasm on opening night made it clear why. Holly’s music just makes you want to dance — any old way you please.
The Montford Park Players have outdone themselves with their final show of the summer season.
The Asheville-based touring theatre troupe brings its sparkling production of The Ugly Duckling to the National Theatre.
For its one hour, ten minute length, Get Your Mind Out of the Butter may well represent the best live sketch comedy available in this town.
Everyone leaves the theatre feeling like they learned something, or at least re-learned something, about the preciousness of life and friendship.
Let’s face it, in this day and age of hipster sensibility, the tortured optimism and simplicity of Denver’s lyrics and his persona are the very anti-thesis of cool.
If frivolity is what you’re after, Flat Rock Playhouse’s production delivers.
Art, theatre and rock shows: Good way to spend a weekend, right? Know of more shows that cost $5 or less? Add them in the comments field.
Parkway Playhouse world premieres the original, full-scale musical, based on the sad tale of Tom Dula.
“Dale Earnhardt is dead,” the play begins, and that’s about as deep as the NASCAR references get. Tradin’ Paint was written by Catherine Bush, the playwright-in-residence at The Barter Theatre, where a reading of Tradin’ Paint won the 2006 Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights.
The Montford Park Players perform Shakespeare’s “problem play” at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre. The show runs Friday-Sunday, 7:30 p.m. through Aug. 22.
**UPDATE: This event has been postponed until October. Check back for a confirmed date.**
Asheville Vaudeville’s BEST OF Asheville Vaudeville! Variety show and MANNA Food Bank Benefit takes place Friday, Aug. 6 at Club 828.
