Musicals: Autumnal song and dance around the Philly area
Philly-area theaters will be alive this fall with the sounds of dancing and singing of all sorts. Here are some productions to get you humming.
Philly-area theaters will be alive this fall with the sounds of dancing and singing of all sorts. Here are some productions to get you humming.
Sweeney Todd (Broadway Theatre of Pitman, through Oct. 9). Ain't it great that there's a slasher musical? Murder? Blood? Straight razors? Everybody sing! (856-384-8381, thebroadwaytheatre.org)
South Pacific (Walnut Street Theatre, through Oct. 23). You'll find it hard to wash the tunes of this Rodgers and Hammerstein gem out of your memory. (www.walnutstreettheatre.org)
Bridges of Madison County (Media Theatre, through Oct. 23). Trying not to cross the bridge of romance . . . then jumping right off it. (610-891-0100, mediatheatre.org)
A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline (Bristol Riverside Theatre, Sept 27.-Oct. 16). The story of the crossover country/rockabilly/torch songstress, with 20 of her hits. (215-785-0100, www.brtstage.org)
Working (Bristol Riverside Theatre, Nov. 1-20). Tunes from all over, organized around profiles of 26 workers, as based on Studs Terkel's book on the labor life. (215-785-0100, www.brtstage.org)
Godspell (Eagle Theatre, Nov. 4-Dec. 11). The musical about God and theater, simultaneously - this time, performed in the round. (609-704-5012, theeagletheatre.com)
The Wizard of Oz (Walnut Street Theatre, Nov. 8-Jan. 8). Based on the movie, with Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg's wondrous songs. (215-574-3550, www.walnutstreettheatre.org)
Sleeping Beauty: A Musical Panto (People's Light, Nov. 16-Jan. 15). An uproarious update of the traditional English "panto," or pantomime variety show. Silly costumes, the moon falling out of the sky, and the curse of the wicked Chanteuse! (610-644-3500, peopleslight.org).
An American in Paris (Academy of Music, Nov. 22-27). The Broadway musical based on the wondrous 1951 picture, itself a fantasia of the Gershwins' great tunes and George Gershwin's orchestral composition. You'll be singing. (215-893-1999, www.kimmelcenter.org)
A Year with Frog and Toad (Arden Theatre, Nov. 23-Jan. 29). A revival of the Barrymore-winning children's musical about a very eventful year in the life of two unlikely friends - a cheerful frog and a grumpy toad (215-922-1122, www.ardentheatre.org)
Ben Dibble (front) and Jeff Coon (back) in A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD at Arden Theatre Company. Photo by Mark Garvin.
Mamma Mia! (Merriam Theater, Dec. 27-31). The glammest of glam Broadway versions of the Abba apocalypse. Silly, tuneful, and for everyone. (215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org)