Van Johnson News

Though SCR's admirable new production of the 1963 Broadway musical SHE LOVES ME, for the most part, still has many charming, beautifully-staged, and well-sung moments, it also somehow feels like it is slightly reigned in, as if there was a purposeful attempt to downscale some of its built-in whimsy and spirited vivaciousness---particularly in the first act where emotional expressions all seem to sit in the same middle areaa?? never tipping over to too angry or too sad or too happy or too, well, anything. Now on stage in Costa Mesa through February 22, 2020, the production---directed by the theater's own artistic director David Ivers---is genuinely entertaining, but still needs a huge shot of joy, romance, and pep to make it feel complete.

Everyone loves a good Romantic Comedy, and when people find a good one, they latch onto it. Such a RomCom was the 1937 play a?oeParfumeriea?? by Miklos Laszlo. Now, if you're not familiar with that one maybe you're more familiar with some of the films that were based on it. There was the 1940 James Stewart-Margaret Sullavan film a?oeThe Shop Around the Cornera??, or how about the 1949 Judy Garland-Van Johnson musical version a?oeIn the Good Old Summertimea??. No? Well I'm sure you remember the 1998 Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan feature a?oeYou've Got Maila??. And beyond those, the play also spawned one of the most underrated and underappreciated shows in American Musical Theatre, a?oeShe Loves Mea?? by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick with a book by Joe Masteroff, currently playing at Village Theatre. a?oeShe Loves Mea?? has been revived on Broadway since it's 1963 beginnings twice, plus a concert version in 1977, but still there are too many people who don't know the glory of this show. Well, Dear Readers, let's try and change that.

BroadwayHD dives into the new decade with a collection of awe-inspiring and bold productions this month. Leading the roster is the 1954 classic film Brigadoon, starring Cyd Charisse and Gene Kelly, which comes to the platform on January 1. Six-time Tony Award-nominated production of Red, starring Tony Nominee Alfred Molina and Harry Potter film star Alfred Enoch, will be available starting January 9. Donmar Warehouse's contemporary and innovative all-female production of Shakespeare's Henry IV makes its way to the platform on January 16, while Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny joins on January 23. Finally, one of the greatest successes of the National Ballet of Norway, the stunning ballet Hedda Gabler, will be available on January 30.

SHE LOVES ME is a rare gem in the 21st century. 

On Saturday November 9, iconic actress/singer Rita Moreno brought her one-woman show An Evening with Rita Moreno to the Broad stage in Santa Monica for one evening only. The sold out event was very exciting considering Moreno is 87 and still performing, with tremendous passion I might add. The voice is obviously not what it once was, but whose is. What is appealing to watch is how her body sways so gracefully to the rhythms, as she lovingly raises her arms and lets them move fluidly to convey the story.

IAMA Theatre Company opens its 2019-20 12th anniversary season with an award-winning play about a mother and father trying to do right by their son. Jennifer Chambers directs Sarah Utterback (Grey's Anatomy), Tim Peper (Amazon's Jean Claude Van Johnson), Sharon Lawrence (NYPD Blue, Shameless, The Ranch and much more) and Olivia Liang (One Day at a Time) in the West Coast premiere of A Kid Like Jake by Daniel Pearle. Newly revised by the playwright for this production, A Kid Like Jake opens Oct. 3 in a Pasadena Playhouse guest production at The Carrie Hamilton Theatre, where performances will continue through Nov. 3; low-priced previews began Sept. 28.

 OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced today its first foray into TV movies with three new original holiday movies set to air over three consecutive Fridays in November beginning with “One Fine Christmas” premiering November 15 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. The movie stars Rick Fox and his daughter Sasha Fox – their first time acting together.

IAMA Theatre Company opens its 2019-20 12th anniversary season with an award-winning play about a mother and father trying to do right by their son.

Porchlight Music Theatre announces the return of its popular series New Faces Sing Broadway at SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave. in Evanston and The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario Street.

If you like movies like, 'You've Got Mail,' you will like this show. SHE LOVES ME is about as sweet as a parfumerie.

There's a reason that the vast majority of parishioners to musical theatre had not seen SHE LOVES ME prior, including Aisle Say. The show, while billed as charming and seasonal with carolers singing "12 Days of Christmas", has as much gravitas as tweets from Tweeter in Chief

Ironically, Miklos Laszlo's 1937 play 'Parfumerie' was not produced in the United States until 2009. Yet that did not stop the Hungarian hit from becoming the inspiration for a whole host of American films, plays and musicals: first the 1940 film, 'The Shop Around the Corner' with James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan, then in 1949 as 'In the Good Old Summertime' with Judy Garland and Van Johnson, then in 1998 as 'You've Got Mail,' with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. It also inspired the 1964 musical by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, (the team behind 'Fiddler on the Roof').

A bonified, old fashioned musical, SHE LOVES ME, opens at Candlelight on Nov 17 through Dec 23. SHE LOVES ME is the perfect way to re-discover your Christmas spirit. Set in a shop in1930s Budapest, it is a warm romantic comedy with an endearing innocence.

She Loves Mebook by Joe Masteroffmusic by Jerry Bocklyrics by Sheldon Harnickbased on a play Parfumerie by Miklos Laszlodirected & choreographed by Cate CaplinActors Co-opDavid Schall Theatrethrough December 16 Classic plays and musicals usually hold up well if the book and music are strong and relevant. She Loves Me has its corny moments and is dated, but is so bent on love and the romantic side of life, we buy into its premise and come away entertained. Currently onstage at Actors Co-op through December 16, She Loves Me receives flawless direction from Cate Caplin and may boast a deliciously inviting ensemble of players.

On Thursday, July 12th, Hollywood maven and powerhouse, Donelle Dadigan, (Co-Founder of the Jose Iturbi Foundation/President & Founder of The Hollywood Museum, Chairman of The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce) invited a select group of VIPs for an evening of dinner and a concert at The Hollywood Bowl as the Los Angeles Philharmonic presented an evening of Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No.2 under the stars with Behzod Abduraimov on piano and conductor, Gustavo Dudamel.

Pittsburgh CLO is proud to bring Lerner and Loewe's BRIGADOON from the Scottish Highlands to the Benedum Center stage July 17 - 22. As part of its ongoing mission to celebrate musical theater, Pittsburgh CLO often revives classics, thus introducing new audiences to the masterpieces of Broadway's golden age.

The Village Players closes its 95th season with the romantic musical comedy She Loves Me book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and music by Jerry Bock.

Mozart in the Jungle is being cancelled by Amazon after four seasons, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The decision was made by new chief Jennifer Salke, who began working for Amazon a few weeks ago.

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the final production in its 2017 - 2018 season of Chicago's hit musical revue series, New Faces Sing Broadway. New Faces Sing Broadway 1975, hosted by Donica Lynn with direction by Christopher Pazdernik and music direction by David Fiorello, is Tuesday, June 5 at The Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave., Skokie at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, June 6 at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario Street, at 6:30 p.m. (The Arts Club presentation also includes a pre-show reception at 6:30 p.m. with performance at 7:30 p.m.). In tribute to the original New Faces series that ran on Broadway and on film from 1934 - 1968, Porchlight Music Theatre created the Chicago musical revue series, New Faces Sing Broadway as a showcase for the best emerging music talent now performing on Chicago stages. Each edition is a "time-machine" journey from the start to the finish of an entire musical season from the classic days of Broadway, peppered with photos and films of the era in an exciting multimedia presentation with a favorite Chicago theatre veteran like Donica Lynn hosting and introducing the next generation of music theatre artists while acting as your guide through a vintage year on the Great White Way. General admission tickets at Skokie Theatre are $22 and at The Arts Club of Chicago are $35 and are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or at the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884.

In addition to its DVD and VOD release, Dylan Reynolds' 4/20 Massacre will also now get a theatrical release in Los Angeles from 4/20.