The Local Theatre Scene: Shows I Would Like to See

I’ve never understood how anyone can think Greensboro is boring. In addition to all the sports stuff- that I do not follow- we have an excellent and diverse performing arts scene. Our biggest problem, personally, is finding the time to attend all the things we would like to see.

There are so many different theatre companies in the Triad. They each seem to have their niche and we are blessed with that kind of diversity in theatrical options. Then we also have so many excellent College and University Theatre Departments.

I have had very enjoyable evenings at the Theatre over the past year at Triad Stage, The  Broach Theatre, Paper Lantern Theatre Company, Bennett College Theatre, NC A&T Theatre, UNC-G Theatre, GTCC Theatre and several others.

My main concern is that some of them keep doing the same shows over and over or shows that other companies have done.  I understand there is a segment of the local audience who will go see “Steel Magnolias” and “Driving Miss Daisy” over and over.  But I think even they must have had enough by now!  Some shows have just been done too much.  There are other options.

There are so many wonderful plays out there, I just hate to see our local talent and audiences limited to the same old war horses…

With that in mind, I thought I would list some of the shows I have seen in New York and other places that I would love to see done locally. These are shows that I think would appeal to the local theatre-goers.  I also hope they would not be too technically demanding for one or more of our Triad based companies to take on.  These may not all be great plays, but they were plays and musicals I greatly enjoyed.

I guess I would call most of these “audience pleasers”.  Others are just plain good plays that ought to be seen locally.

Who knows?  Maybe someone will actually decide to do one of them.  And if they do, I would go to see it.  And bring friends…

Again, these are just the suggestions that come to the top of my head.  I’m sure I’ll think of more to add later.

1. “The Exact Center of the Universe”- we saw this Off Broadway several years ago with Frances Sternhagen.  I immediately turned to Steve and said:  “I wish someone would do this in Greensboro with Betsy Brown.  She would be wonderful!”  It would also appeal to the “Driving Miss Daisy” and “Steel Magnolias” crowd.  It’s about an older Southern woman and her son in the 1950’s and 1960’s.  Here is a link to a review that tells you more:  http://www.curtainup.com/exactcen.html
2. “The Lady With All the Answers”- We just saw this Off Broadway last December with Judith Ivey playing Ann Landers.  It’s one character, set in her living room.  It’s a marvelous, funny play.
3. “Dinah Was”-  This is one I really don’t understand why it hasn’t been done here.  It’s about Dinah Washington and her life and career.  It opens with her sitting in the lobby of the Sahara Hotel  in Las Vegas in the 1960’s.  She is sitting in the lobby in her slip and a fur coat with a bottle of champagne and mad as hell because they hired her to perform but won’t let her stay in the hotel because she is black.  Lillias White played Dinah Washington and was amazing.  Adriane Lenox almost stole the show as the hotel maid who brings down the house at the end.  This could be done here on a small stage with a very small orchestra.  I wish someone would do it–if they can find the right actresses.
4. “The Life”-This was Cy Coleman, the composer of “Sweet Charity”‘s, last show on Broadway.  It is a great show.  I think people are afraid to do it because it is a large cast and is about hookers, pimps and hustlers in New York in the early 1970’s.  But it’s a great show.  Entertaining and with a lot of heart.  Here is a clip of this one:
5. “Orson’s Shadow”- I posted about this one recently.  Again, I saw this Off Broadway.  Basically, it’s the story of Orson Wells, Laurence Olivier, Vivian Leigh and Joan Plowright working on a theatrical project together.  Ms Plowright was Olivier’s wife after Miss Leigh and their affair is in the early stages in this play.  It’s a great backstage story about theatre and theatrical egos.  You can find my previous post using the Search Feature on the Blog.  I can’t seem to get links to work…
6. “The Dazzle”- This Off Broadway show was about Homer and Langley Collyer, the original hoarders.  I loved it.  Here is a link to a review that tells you more: http://www.curtainup.com/dazzle.html
7. “The Temperamentals”– Another Off Broadway Play I posted about recently.  There is a large Gay and well-educated audience here that I think would embrace this play.  Use the Search feature on this blog for “Temperamentals” and you can see my previous post and some scenes.
8. “Last Fall”- We just saw this in June on Broadway at the Helen Hayes Theatre.  Search the Blog with “Next Fall” to see my detailed thoughts in my earlier post.  Here are a couple of clips with a little more information
9. “Dying City”- By Christopher Shinn.  I saw this at Lincoln Center and thought it was one of the best new plays I had seen in a while.  It’s about a woman who’s husband dies in Iraq who is visited by his identical twin brother about a year later.  It was an amazingly well written and moving play.
10. “August:  Osage County”- by Tracy Letts.  I loved this family comedy/drama when we saw it on Broadway a couple of years ago. When the daughter screamed at the Mother at the formal dinner table and said:  “Eat the f#@king fish, bitch”  I turned to Steve and said “These are my people.”  Again, this is a large cast, but I think it would be a crowd pleaser.  It was a big hit on Broadway and they are working on the movie now.  Here is an advertisement and a story about the show:    

Just some thoughts…I’m sure others have some suggestions to add.