Courtney Symes - Page 4

Can you tell me how to get, how to get to...Avenue Q? It’s a wondrous place where puppets and humans coexist peacefully and harmoniously. Most of the time. This salacious spoof of Sesame Street opened on Broadway in 2003 and won three Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Twenty years later, its themes are still as funny and relevant as ever. Luckily, it’s playing at Rise Up Theatre Company in Rancho Cordova, so you have a chance to meet this irreverent cast of characters until May 27.

The most shocking thing about getting older is that everyone else is getting older, too. Our parents, who once seemed so strong and commanding, reverse their roles and become the dependents. How do we care for them as they once cared for us? How do we find a balance between duty to them and staying true to ourselves? These are central themes explored in Nathan Louis Jackson’s Broke-ology, now playing at the B Street Theatre.

Sacramento Theatre Company’s season of Curiosity, Intrigue, and Suspense is coming to a close with its much-anticipated portrayal of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Based on the best-selling novel by Mark Haddon and adapted for the stage by Simon Stephens, this show provides an intimate look into a small sliver of the vast world of neurodivergence. It opened on Broadway in 2014 and won five Tony Awards, including Best Play and Best Scenic Design. It is an excellent example of narrative storytelling, examining difficult relationships and everyday struggles of both the differently and typically abled by showing that we are all, ultimately, more alike than not.

Don't miss the electrifying final stop of the North American tour of Pretty Woman: The Musical in Sacramento. Based on the hit 1990 movie, this musical is full of hope, magic, and enchantment. Get ready to be swept off your feet by the dynamic cast, exhilarating choreography, and a score by rock legend Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance.

Tucked among agricultural fields and university bustle in the small town of Davis is a community staple that is treasured by locals. For 38 years, Davis Musical Theatre Company has been a fixture in the community theatre world in the Sacramento region. Its Main Stage and Young Performers’ Theatre is open to theatre lovers of all ages and skill levels, and appeals to audiences who are looking for Broadway music locally in Davis. Their current season continues with Disney’s Newsies, which is directed and choreographed by Kyle Jackson. Based on the 1992 movie, Newsies opened on Broadway in 2012 and was nominated for 8 Tony Awards, taking home wins for Best Choreography and Best Original Score.

Murder, greed, incest, tyranny…and you don’t have to go to Washington, D.C. to get it. Folsom Lake College’s production of Antigone checks all those boxes and more. Sophocles’ tragedy is as relevant today as it was in 411 BC, thanks to enduring themes that have been adapted for a modern audience.

What did our critic think of WINNIE-THE-POOH at B Street Theatre?

Award-winning choreographer Jacob Gutierrez-Montoya is bringing his special brand of philanthropy to The Sofia this weekend with A Light in the Dark, a modern dance concert inspired by the housing crisis in our region. Sponsored by The Sofia, Gutierrez-Montoya’s Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre (SCDT) has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to bring this special event to life. His goal is to highlight the important work that Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento and Saint John’s Program for Real Change are doing for our community.

Known for bringing exciting and groundbreaking new works to Sacramento, the B St. Theatre solidifies its reputation with its latest show of the season. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous sleuth and his trusty partner have undergone a complete 21st-century makeover in Kate Hamill’s modern reimagining of the classic stories. The Sherlock Holmes series first appeared in 1887 and quickly became a household name. Over one hundred years later, Hamill’s Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson: Apt 2B brings a fresh new take to stodgy Sherlock and his sidekick, Watson.

Good morning, Sacramento! Hairspray has brought the beat to town, and you do not want to miss this spectacle of bright, brash, and beautiful 60s splendor! Based on the 1988 John Waters’ movie that became a cult classic, Hairspray opened on Broadway in 2002. It garnered 13 Tony Award nominations and took home 8 wins, including Best Musical. Its staying power rests with the timeless music by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and enduring themes woven throughout the book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan.

What do Shakespeare and spring break in Florida have in common? Well, I will tell you! It is the festive new reimagining of Twelfth Night at Big Idea Theatre. Written at the turn of the 17th century, this work’s themes of mistaken identity and love triangles are enduring today but given a cleverly modern twist in this energetic adaptation.

The Passion of Christ is a story that has inspired many retellings, from major motion pictures to plays on a smaller scale. Freefall Stage brings it to life with a thoughtful and timely production of The Lower Room, which gives an original perspective not often seen in theatre. It tells the story of Jesus’ last days through the eyes of those who took care of him in life and in death – the women. Written by Pat Wooley, The Lower Room has been bringing this reimagined experience to audiences for over 40 years.

We’ve all heard of the Wright Brothers. Orville and Wilbur are introduced to us in elementary school as the first to invent the motor-operated airplane; however, there is so much more that we don’t know about these two fascinating individuals who forever changed the way that we travel. Jerry Montoya gives us a history lesson disguised in a delightfully entertaining package with his newest play, The Flying Machine: The Story of the Wright Brothers.

Sacramento Theatre Company continues its season of Curiosity, Intrigue, and Suspense with the curiously intriguing and suspenseful thriller, Wait Until Dark. Written by Frederick Knott, the play first opened on Broadway in 1966 and ran for 373 performances. It was then made into a successful 1967 film starring Audrey Hepburn.  This timeless classic is still delivering nail-biting tension over 50 years later, this time to STC’s Pollock Stage in director Natasha Hause’s brilliant rendering.

Even after 50 years, Jesus Christ Superstar is still rocking. It’s now celebrating its golden anniversary tour with a surplus of energy, talent, and, fittingly, golden glitter. It first began as a concept album in 1970 when the composers, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, were unable to get financial backing for a stage production. After the success of the album, the musical debuted on Broadway in 1971 and earned five Tony Award nominations.

2023 is already starting off on a great note, with the musically diverse The Last Wide Open charming audiences at the B Street Theatre. Playwright Audrey Cefaly tells the story of Lina and Roberto, coworkers who, in three different yet concurrent planes of existence, find love, heartbreak, and companionship in this beautiful, hilarious, and creative take on serendipity.

What did our critic think of THE TELL-TALE HEART at Markiewitz Audioworks?

The beauty and mystique of Arendelle have come to Sacramento in the North American tour of Frozen. Based on the award-winning 2013 film of the same name, Frozen opened on Broadway in 2018 with additional songs and a formidable creative team. Led by original screenwriter Jennifer Lee as the book writer and duo Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez on music and lyrics, Frozen garnered three Tony Award nominations in 2018, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score.

What did our critic think of MISSISSIPPI MOTEL AND A NAUGHTY CHRISTMAS NIGHT at Ooley Theatre?

Reindeer and aliens and elves, oh my! The B Street Theatre has kicked off the holiday season for the family with ‘Tis the Season, a rollicking romp of holiday cheer that is guaranteed to entertain kids and adults alike. Written by the B Street Company, this show is a collection of festive stories that embody the essence of this time of year.