Upcoming Theatre Season in DE

Aisle Say recently commented on the upcoming seasons of The REP Ensemble of the UD and The Media Theatre. Local houses have some entertaining surprises.

WILMINGTON DRAMA LEAGUE
Wilmington Drama League opens September 17 with a classic penned by Lillian Hellman's “The Children's Hour”. The drama is set at an all girls boarding school. An angry student runs away and to prevent being returned fabricates a lie about the two headmistresses and a lesbian affair; destroying the women's careers, their relationship and their lives.
Following in October is one of the great dance musicals of all time, “Chicago”. Original Broadway Director/Choreographer Bob Fosse created – next to Russian ballet legend Petipa - the most celebrated and imitated dance movements of all time. New Candlelight Theatre co-founder Jody Anderson, an extremely talented choreo, is on board. One can expect multitudinous thrusting of pelvises.
764.1172 WilmingtonDramaLeague.org

NEW CANDLELIGHT DINNER THEATRE
New Candlelight commences the fall with “Little Shop of Horrors”, certainly one of the quirkiest plots of any successful Broadway show in history. It's a rock musical, but the rock is from the '60's with Motown and doo wop. A nebbish florist shop employee, Seymour, raises a man eating plant. Aisle Say suggested to the stage Director that his first wife could play the plant. Little Shop opens September 11. The show has some great tunes. 'Suddenly Seymour' is a classic.
Dr. Suess's immortal characters are front and center beginning November 6 with “Suessical The Musical”. The plot follows the adventures of Horton the elephant. Playing until December 22, this would be great family holiday entertainment.
475.2313 NewCandlelightTheatre.org

DELAWARE THEATRE COMPANY
Delaware Theatre Company starts a bit late this season with the opening of “Sylvia” on October 20. Last season DTC staged at least one show if not two with actors playing multiple parts. (saves money!) This plan is revisited with their second production, “Around The World In Eighty Days”, wherein 5 actors portray 39 characters. The pressure is on to have a boffo season.
594.1100 DelawareTheatre.org

GRAND OPERA HOUSE
In this relatively small environment, Aisle Say consistently preaches performing arts collaboration. The 2010 Annual Grand Gala on Saturday, December 4, 2010 will feature a sizzling performance by legendary progressive rock band Procol Harum and the Delaware Symphony Orchestra.
From the first time I heard the ethereal “Whiter Shade of Pale” in 1967, I considered it simply otherworldly. It transcended the hard rock of that era brought to us by Led Zepplin, The Who or The Stones. It provoked me, as a 20 year old, to find out just what a 'vestal virgin' was....and equally challenging, in this year of sexual revolution...to find one.
The tune has been judged the most played recording in UK history.
On November 18, 1971, Procol Harum created a seminal moment in pop-rock history by performing with The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Da Camera Singers at Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Widely credited as the first band to bridge the gap between modern pop-rock and the classical music world, the recording of that concert went on to sell millions of albums and opened the door for the marriage of pop music to symphony programs all over the world.
Steve Bailey, Executive Director of The Grand says “both The Grand and the Delaware Symphony Orchestra (DSO) have been seeking to present a joint event of this magnitude for the past few years. When you have the region’s best and biggest house band, you naturally want to show them off, and there could be no better vehicle than the re-creation of the music from that legendary concert by Procol Harum and The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.”
The after party at The Gold Ball Room will return local favorite Club Phred, an 8 member '60's-'70's cover band whose great show last year made the feature act, The Brian Setzer Band, appear robotic in comparison. Setzer dialed that one in. Club Phred takes no prisoners.
Call Ivy Lane for tickets, 658.7897 or ilane@grandopera.org TheGrandWilmington.org/Grand_Gala