Hannah-Jo Weisberg

Jukebox musicals contain a story, wrapped around a series of pre-written songs. Think 'Mama Mia,' 'Jersey Boys,' 'Buddy-The Buddy Holly Story,' 'On Your Feet,' and the present Broadway hit, 'Escape to Margaritaville.'

Great Lakes Theater (GLT), Cleveland's Classic Company, concludes its 2018-19 season with Off Broadway's groovy retro-hit revue, Beehive - The '60s Musical. The production will be performed in the company's intimate home at the Hanna Theatre, Playhouse Square, May 4-20, 2018. Victoria Bussert directs. Beehive - The '60s Musical was created by Larry Gallagher.

I'm always cautiously optimistic in seeing a regional production of Jonathan Larson's Rent as I am a Renthead of MANY years. The thing to remember, obviously, is art has different interpretations. It is interesting to see the different elucidations of the choreography, the varied choices the actors make, the Director's vision, et cetera. I can proudly say that The Gateway Playhouse's incarnation of the Tony and Pulitzer winner, which is kicking off a very busy Summer season for the darling Bellport venue, does not disappoint.

RENT, Jonathan Larson's famed rock opera that changed the course of a generation, opens at The Gateway in Bellport Village on Wednesday, May 17 and runs through June 3.

The Cleveland POPS Orchestra with conductor Carl Topilow will salute the Academy Awards for Music at Severance Hall tonight, February 6, 2015.

The Cleveland POPS Orchestra with conductor Carl Topilow will salute the Academy Awards for Music at Severance Hall on Friday February 6, 2015. The first half of the two-hour concert starts at 8:00 p.m. and will feature musical selections representing each of the eight decades in which songs and original scores for movies have been recognized by the Academy. The audience will experience, in order of decade, music from The Wizard of Oz (30's), Sea Hawk (40's), Ben Hur (50's) The Graduate (60's), The Godfather (70's), Amadeus (80's), Titanc (90's), and Lord of the Rings (00's). The second hour of the evening will feature a wide selection of songs and scores that were in contention for, but did not win the coveted golden statue - including Chicago, Mamma Mia, Jersey Boys, Les Miserables, West Side Story, West Side Story, My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins, and more.

The Cleveland POPS Orchestra with conductor Carl Topilow will salute the Academy Awards for Music at Severance Hall on Friday, February 6, 2015.

When high school senior Hannah Jo Weisberg became president of Prime Stage Theatre's Teen Board, she didn't have to think twice about the focus of the group's annual charity service project.