theater

One of my personal joys in theater is seeing familiar work with fresh eyes. This happens at “Guys and Dolls” offered by Opera Saratoga. The production continues through July 7.

“The Friday Afternoon Club” by actor Griffin Dunne is a memoir of growing up among larger-than-life characters in Hollywood and Manhattan. The book finds wicked humor and glimmers of light in even the most painful of circumstances.

Over the past few seasons, Park Playhouse has been earning well deserved acclaim for producing big musicals with titles that are unfamiliar to local audiences. This year, they should also earn acclaim for offering the “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” a small musical with a four-woman cast.

“Abe Lincoln in Illinois” is a 1938 play that is essentially a pre-presidency biography of Abraham Lincoln. It is, amazingly, enlightening to contemporary audiences.

In the Berkshires, it’s becoming a tradition for Barrington Stage Company to open the summer season with a big musical. This year it is the 1983 Jerry Herman musical “La Cage aux Folles”. It comes complete with spectacular costumes, exuberant dance numbers and high quality performances. It makes for a most pleasurable production.

“Beetlejuice the Musical,” which is at Proctors through Sunday has an unbelievable back story.

Growing up, some kids dream of joining a circus and traveling the country. Sadly, few follow their dream.

It’s said the best comedy draws a picture of people behaving at their worst. If that’s true, “Native Gardens” is a mural.

The production of “4,000 Miles” that is at Berkshire Theatre Group in Stockbridge MA., until Saturday is the third version of the Amy Herzog play that I’ve seen.

It’s difficult to believe that it’s is already Memorial Day Weekend. At this time of year, it should be sparse pickings in terms of theater because the fall-to-spring companies have mostly completed their seasons and few summer companies have started.