Leah Coleman Arnold as Laura Jesson. Photo courtesy of Lance Payne, Jewel Box Theatre.

Noël Coward. Versatile, witty, brilliant and engaging, Noël Coward was an actor’s dream playwright.  The great movie “Brief Encounter” starring the brilliant stage actress Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard was directed by David Lean in 1945.  The screen play was based on Coward’s play “Still Life” a short play in five scenes.  Emma Rice has since adapted the stage play from the Coward’s screenplay of “Brief Encounter” and “Still Life” two of Coward’s greatest works. 

In 2010 one of Oklahoma City’s finest… Continue reading →

Brooke Howard as Mrs. Gertrude Chiltern and Cam Taylor as Senator Chiltern in “An Ideal Husband”. Photo courtesy of April Porterfield

Oscar Wilde, venerated and vilified is a playwright not to be tampered with.  Yet Kate Adams successfully tweaked “An Ideal Husband” to create a play both as elegant as Wilde intended and also particularly familiar to modern audiences.  Adams also directs the 3^rd Act Theatre presentation kicking off 2022 with engaging success.

Set in Washington D. C. “An Ideal Husband” reveals political corruption and blackmail at its most nefarious and discusses morality in public life as… Continue reading →

Inua Ellams. Photo courtesy of Oliver Holmes.

‘An Evening With an Immigrant’ by Inua Ellams, a modern renaissance man.  Ellams is a writer, a poet, a dreamer grounded in reality.  Inua Ellams was born in Nigeria in 1984.  He and his family left Nigeria when he was but 12, and they took refuge in the United Kingdom.  Ellams is the child of a Muslim father and a Christian mother.  Moderacy and reason not being appreciated by extremists, Nigeria became unlivable for the family and hence the move to the UK.  Outside of three evocative… Continue reading →

Todd Oliver with Irving. Photo courtesy of the Pollard Theatre

For anyone who has ever looked deep into the eyes of a beloved pet and wondered what they would say, if they could only talk!  Well,  the answer awaits at the Pollard Theatre this weekend.  Todd Oliver’s Most Magical Night of Your Life is being presented for two nights, Friday, January 14 and Saturday, January 15.  And this magical night will hold the answers to what your furry friends might be thinking.  Or at least, what Todd Oliver’s furry friends are thinking!  Oliver is… Continue reading →

When times are tough, Christmas is often even tougher, and the only cure for the Christmas blues is to find a song in your heart.  J. Warren Mitchell and Nicole Van Every will be doing exactly that on December 18 at the Hudiburg Chevrolet Center in Midwest City.  Painted Sky Opera Company is presenting this Christmas celebration to bring greater joy to our hearts.

The celebration called “A Painted Sky Holiday” will feature a mix of classical holiday music such as “messiah by Handel as well as traditional Christmas tunes, we all know and love.  The Painted… Continue reading →

Brian C. Stockton as Helen Bedd (left) and Morgan Brown as Inita Goodwin in “A Tuna Christmas” Photo courtesy of Derek Kenney.

Tuna, Texas is a typical small community noted for being the third smallest town in the state.  Tuna is  filled with typical and stereotypical Texans in the alternate universe created by Ed Howard, Jaston Williams and Joe Sears.  The town of Tuna first came into being in 1981 with the play “Greater Tuna”  starring the authors Jaston Williams and Joe Sears.  Last summer “Greater Tuna” was an undeniable success for Jewel Box Theatre… Continue reading →

Caitlin Cairns as Jo March with David Burkhart as her admirer, Theodore Laurence, (Laurie). Photo courtesy of April Porterfield

Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” is a story beloved by readers for over 150 years.  The story, as narrated by aspiring writer Josephine March is about the lives of the March family.  The four daughters of Mr. and Mrs. March are Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy.  Their story begins during a time of great upheaval in this country, the civil war.  Life 150 years ago is very different from now, and yes, in that respect the tale… Continue reading →

David Fletcher-Hall as William Buckingham playing the role of the angel Clarence (left) and Joshua McGowen as Jake Laurents in the role of George Bailey (right) in “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” at the Pollard Theatre in Guthrie, OK.     Photo courtesy of Jared Blount

Things have been pretty tough all around the world in the past couple of years and it is so easy to forget how wonderful life can be.  Live theatre companies have had a tough time and they are beginning to come back.  It is easy in this electronic… Continue reading →

W. Jerome Stevenson as Ebenezer Scrooge. Photo courtesy of Lyric theatre.

Ebenezer Scrooge comes to life again at Harn Homestead with W. Jerome Stevenson as the irascible miser in the role.  The show will continue to alternate the Holly and Ivy casts with Stevenson and Kaleb Michael Bruza as Mr. Bob Cratchit headlining.  There is absolutely no difference between the productions in effect, but there are subtle differences that make comparing the two casts extremely interesting. 

When the ghost of Jacob Marley appears, Scrooge reacts with the line ‘there is more of gravy about you than… Continue reading →

Elizabeth Delgado Savage in All Together Now! Kismet. Photo courtesy of Bryan Cardinale-Powell

This weekend Music Theatre International presents All Together Now! a global event celebrating local theatre all across 50 states and 40 countries with over 2,500 participants including Kismet Arts Studio & Theatre.  The program is designed for theatres as a fundraising event to reintroduce live performing arts to audiences who have suffered in front of the television for over two years! 

Live performance has something that cannot be appreciated through electronic access alone and Kismet’s production gives an outstanding concert demonstrating are showcased, including offerings… Continue reading →