New wave of 10 plays, musicals, and premieres (Jan. 30-Feb. 1)

by Shawn Parikh

A ton of shows are opening around the metroplex this weekend, and there is definitely something for everyone: classic musicals, farce, drama, a world and regional premiere presentation, and even Shakespeare:

• A New Drama, presented by MBS Productions. Set in Shakespeare's globe theatre, a troupe of actors is preparing to perform a new drama. What they don't know is that the new play mirrors their lives. As relationships form and illicit love affairs bloom they soon discover that the play they are rehearsing will reveal their secrets. Can they overcome the inevitable conclusion of the play or will a new ending be created? Thrill at what is considered by many as the play that gave birth to modern theatre. It broke all conventions of it's time and to this day it remains one of the most passionate and exciting dramas ever written. It will leave you breathless. World premiere translation by Mark-Brian Sonna. Purchase tickets ($18-29) online or by calling 214-477-4942.
• A Feminine Ending, presented by WaterTower Theatre's Discover Series. Amanda Blue has put her music career on hold. It takes a long time to write a symphony; besides, there are other considerations. She has a full-time job. Her boyfriend is about to become famous. Her mother is planning to leave her father. And she’s re-connecting with the one that got away. A new romantic comedy, A Feminine Ending is about dreams deferred, loves lost and learning to trust a woman’s voice in a man’s world. Recommended for mature audiences. Regional premiere. Call 972-450-6232 for tickets ($20) or purchase online.
• The Bluest Eye, presented by Jubilee Theatre. Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye is a story about the tragic life of a young black girl in 1940’s Ohio. Eleven-year-old Pecola Breedlove wants nothing more than to be loved by her family and schoolmates. Instead, she faces constant ridicule and abuse. She blames her dark skin and prays for blue eyes, sure that love will follow. With rich language and bold vision, this powerful adaptation of an American classic explores the crippling toll that a legacy of racism has taken on a community, a family, and an innocent girl. Purchase tickets ($14-20) online or by calling 817-338-4411.
• Julius Caesar, presented by Level Ground Arts. Beware the Ides of March: This is a fascinating and engaging performance of the classic text with a brand new twist. There are only ten actors and literally an army of characters! There is no backstage. The actors do everything. They create the lights. They create the sound. They become the scenery. Our “Caesar” is a living, breathing theatrical experience. Come join us for a look at Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, as you have never seen it before. Tickets ($10) available at the door.
• The Seafarer, presented by Stage West. There's a whiff of the supernatural in the air, in this brilliant new play by the author of The Weir. A Christmas Eve poker game takes on higher stakes than anyone intended. "As close to perfection as any contemporary playwriting gets" -- The New York Times. Purchase tickets ($15-28) online or by calling 817-784-9378.
• Steel Magnolias, presented by Richardson Theatre Centre. This southern drama follows the stories and relationships of six women who gather regularly at a Southern beauty parlor as they bond together through their ups and downs, marriage and childbirth. Alternately comic and touching, the three years covered in the women's lives are full of witty dialogue, hilarious banter, and wrenching heartache. Call 972-699-1130 for reservations ($20-22).
• The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, presented by ONSTAGE in Bedford. Book By Larry L. King ad Peter Masterson, music and lyrics by Carol Hall. High kicking fun ensues when Miss Mona Stangly and Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd take on TV reporter Melvin P. Thorpe and his crusade to close down Texas' most famous brothel, "The Chicken Ranch". Purchase tickets ($12-15) online or by calling 817-644-6444.
• Crossing Delancey, presented by Runway Theatre. This sentimental, character-driven romantic comedy is about a New York City woman who must choose between suitors and cultures. The uncomplicated script revolves around Isabelle, a thirtysomething Jewish woman trying to find love in modern times. She is hoodwinked by her well-meaning, sharp-witted "Bubbie" into utilizing a purveyor of the ancient rite of matchmaking. Izzy is torn between her longing for Tyler, a handsome, self-centered author, and the proffered Sam, a plain-spoken, traditional pickle shop owner that would draw her back to her family's faith. Purchase tickets ($12-25) online or by calling 817-488-4842.
• Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, presented by Creative Arts Theatre & School. A teenager who works on his school's stage crew, is knocked out by a co-worker and finds himself transported back to the thrilling days of King Arthur, Queen Guenevere and the Knights and Ladies of the Round Table. Hank, who has been studying astronomy, predicts an eclipse of the sun and is hailed a great wizard. He is knighted "Sir Boss" and sets about modernizing Camelot, complete with telephones, bicycles and T-shirts. But the king's wicked half-sister plots against Camelot, planning an invasion with her own army. How "Sir Boss" overcomes the evil plot and finds his way back to Hartford, Connecticut, provides fun and excitement for everyone. Purchase tickets ($5-7) online or by calling 817-861-CATS.
• Arsenic and Old Lace, presented by Azle Arts Association’s Popcorn Players. The play, a clever combination of the farcical and the macabre, centers on two elderly sisters who are famous in their Brooklyn neighborhood for their numerous acts of charity. Unfortunately, however, their charity includes poisoning lonely old men who come to their home looking for lodging. The two women are assisted in their crimes by their mentally challenged nephew who believes he is Teddy Roosevelt and who frequently blasts a bugle and yells ‘‘charge’’ as he bounds up the stairs. Matters get complicated when a second nephew, a theater critic, discovers the murders and a third nephew appears after having just escaped from a mental institution. In his adroit mixture of comedy and mayhem, Kesselring satirizes the charitable impulse as he pokes fun at the conventions of the theater. Purchase tickets ($5-10) online or by calling 817-238-PLAY.