A Comedy of Tenors
The Wiz
“This exciting remount of The Wiz pays homage to Geoffrey Holder, the show’s original director and choreographer,” says co-director Sheri Williams-Pannell. An Afrocentric esthetic predominates our design and informs the choreography of my co-director, Ameenah Kaplan.” The latter, according to Williams-Pannell, is “a sought-after choreographer and percussionist with auspicious credits, including ‘Dancing with the Stars’ and Blue Man Group.”
The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical (as it was officially known) debuted in October 1974 in Maryland, made its way to Broadway the following year and went on to win seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. First Stage originally conceived its “Theatre for Young Audiences” take on The Wiz eight years ago; it is that version which Williams-Pannell and Kaplan co-direct in a production that stars Cynthia Cobb, Raven Dockery, DiMonte Henning, James Carrington and others. Two alternating casts of First Stage young performers also take to the stage.
Feb. 23-March 25 at the Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater, 929 N. Water St. For tickets, call 414-273-7206 or visit firststage.org.
Stupid F**king Bird
No, we have not suddenly become overly censorious; that is the name of playwright and theater director Aaron Posner’s 2013 adaptation (read: irreverent retelling) of Anton Chekhov’s 1895 play, The Seagull. The latter dramatizes the artistic and romantic conflicts that take place among an interesting assortment of characters. Or, as UW-Milwaukee’s Peck School of the Arts summarizes Posner’s humorous send-up: “An aspiring young director rampages against the archaic productions of the past, and a beautiful young actress wrestles an aging Hollywood star for the affections of a renowned novelist.”
Madison-born Aaron Posner, co-founder of the Arden Theatre Company in Philadelphia, has directed more than 250 theatrical productions across the U.S. and has won numerous awards for his work. Stupid F**king Bird has been produced by theater companies and universities around the country. Its success has prompted Posner to also pen modern versions of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya (as Life Sucks) and The Three Sisters (as No Sisters). (John Jahn)
Feb. 28-March 4 at Kenilworth 508 Theatre, 1925 E. Kenilworth Place. For tickets, call 414-229-4308 or visit uwm.edu/arts/box-office.
MORE-TO-DO
A Comedy of Tenors
The sequel to Lend Me a Tenor, Ken Ludwig’s A Comedy of Tenors involves super-sized voices and concomitantly super-sized egos in full voice and on full display as a desperate concert coordinator struggles to bring them harmoniously together. “One hotel suite, four tenors, two wives, three girlfriends and a soccer stadium filled with screaming fans. What could possibly go wrong?” Racine Theatre Guild asks. Obviously, plenty. Feb. 23-March 11 at the Racine Theatre Guild, 2519 Northwestern Ave, Racine. For tickets, call 262-633-4218 or visit racinetheatre.org/production/a-comedy-of-tenors.
