Theater review: ‘Shrek, The Musical’ at the Woodlawn Theatre

shrekpics — Morgan Clyde as Fiona, Alejandro Pesina as Donkey and Joshua Goldberg as Shrek in the Woodlawn Theatre’s production of ‘Shrek, The Musical.’ Photo: Woodlawn Theatre, used with permission.

The hot summer months are here and those looking for an indoor activity to enjoy with the family might want to consider a night at the theater. Now playing at the Woodlawn Theatre is ‘Shrek, The Musical,’ the family friendly tale of the loveable green ogre based on the hit DreamWorks animated movie. It runs until Sunday July 30 with show times on Friday and Saturday at 7:30p.m. and Sunday at 3p.m. Tickets range from $18 to $29 and are available online. This highly entertaining show brings the beloved characters from the movie to life onstage for a musical about an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess.

The story begins with Shrek’s parents throwing him out on his seventh birthday to fend for himself, “Big Bright Beautiful World,” while warning him that his life will not be easy because of his looks. Years later, Shrek is living in a swamp, alone and bitter but content with his solitary life. That is, until the quiet is interrupted by a group of fairy tale characters, including Pinocchio, The Three Bears, Peter Pan, the Ugly Duckling and many more. They have been thrown out of the Kingdom of Duloc by the evil Lord Farquaad just for being different. Shrek agrees to travel to see Lord Farquaad to convince him to let them come back so he can have his swamp back. Along the way he rescues a talkative donkey from some of Farquaad’s guards and in return for his kindness, he offers Shrek his friendship, “Don’t Let Me Go” and ends up tagging along for the rest of the journey. Once there, he is given the task of rescuing Princess Fiona who is trapped in a castle. In return, Lord Farquuad promises to give Shrek the deed to the swamp.

While the cast of ‘Shrek, The Musical’ is bigger than in most shows, they all work in synch to make this an enjoyable show. Joshua Goldberg, as Shrek, has good chemistry with Morgan Clyde who plays Fiona and they complement each other on stage. Alejandro Pesina’s spot on comedic timing makes him the perfect choice for playing the funny and sometimes irreverent Donkey. Joshua Buce’s hilarious portrayal of Lord Farquaad makes this production a must-see. Show highlights include Shrek and Donkey’s “Travel Song” when their friendship evolves and “Freak Song” when the ensemble accepts who they are and agree to fight together against their tormentors. Some of the humor is off-color but it still appeals to audiences of all ages with its themes of friendship and acceptance.

‘Hairspray’ at The Playhouse San Antonio

hairspraypic17 — Kass Ortiz stars as Tracy Turnblad in The Playhouse San Antonio’s production of ‘Hairspray’ opening this week. Photo: Daniel D Baumer, used with permission.

Opening at The Playhouse San Antonio this week is the local production of the Tony Award-winning musical ‘Hairspray.’ This wildly popular musical opens on Friday July 7 and will run until Sunday August 6 in the Russell Hill Rogers Theater. It is the story of Tracy Turnblad, whose innocent desire to dance on a television show ends up shaking up her hometown of Baltimore. The book was written by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music is by Mark Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Mark Shaiman. Show times are Friday and Saturday at 8p.m. and Sunday at 3p.m. Tickets are available online and are $42 for general adult, $23 for military with valid ID, $23 for seniors aged 60 and up, $15 for students with valid ID and $12 for children aged 12 and under. Discounts are available for groups of ten or more. (The Playhouse San Antonio, 2017)

‘Hairspray’ is set in 1962 where Tracy Turnblad, a plus size teenager with a passion for singing and dancing, dreams of her chance to dance on the local dance television show. When she finally wins a spot on The Corny Collins Show, she becomes an overnight celebrity and meets a wide variety of characters. They band together to challenge the status quo which leads to social change when they campaign for the show’s integration. Amid singing and dancing, ‘Hairspray’ tackles such topics as racism, segregation and finding love despite weight and color differences. Omar Leos is the director and it stars Kass Ortiz as Tracy Turnblad, David Nanny as Edna Turnblad, Brendan Brady as Corny Collins, Emily Cleveland as Penny Pingleton and Cade Thomas as Link Larkin.

The Playhouse San Antonio
Russell Hill Rogers Theater
800 W Ashby Place
San Antonio, TX 78212
(210) 733-725

‘Burning Patience’ at The Classic Theatre of San Antonio

burningpatiencepic — Hector Machado as Pablo Neruda in ‘Burning Patience’ opening Thursday at The Classic Theatre of San Antonio. Photo by Siggi Ragnar, used with permission.

Opening this week at The Classic Theatre of San Antonio is ‘Burning Patience.’ Teatro Farolito is bringing the premiere of this love story to San Antonio audiences as part of the Classic Presents series. It opens on Thursday July 6 and runs until Sunday July 16, 2017. This stage adaptation of the 1985 novel by Antonio Skármeta tells the story of Mario Jiménez, a fictional postman in revolution-era Chile who befriends the real-life poet Pablo Neruda. It was adapted to the screen in the 1994 film Il Postino: The Postman. (The Classic Theatre of San Antonio, 2017)

In ‘Burning Patience,’ Mario is the postman of Isla Negra, a small Chilean fishing village where almost everyone is illiterate except for Latin America’s greatest poet Pablo Neruda. Neruda not only lived through World War II, but he also lost his friend and fellow poet, Federico García Lorca, during the Spanish Civil War. In Chile, there is a dance in which wives, daughters and mothers of thousands of “missing” dance with photographs of loved ones pinned to their clothing. Skármeta’s ‘Burning Patience’ is such a dance. In the absence of marked graves, art is the closest thing to a memorial that the missing in Chile may ever have.

There will be only eight performances with show times on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8p.m. and Sunday at 3p.m. at The Classic Theatre of San Antonio. General admission tickets are $20 and are available online. There will be no late seating at any performance. It is directed by José Rubén De León and stars Hector Machado, Marisa Varela, Amanda Ireta-Goode and Juan Calderon.

The Classic Theatre of San Antonio
1924 Fredericksburg Rd.
San Antonio, TX 78201
(210) 589-8450

Artpace’s Summer Artists-in-Residence Exhibitions

artpacepic — Artpace’s Summer 2017 International Artists-in-Residence Exhibitions will be on display from July 13 through September 3, 2017. Photo: Sandra Cruz

Artpace recently announced the opening of the Summer 2017 International Artist-in-Residence Exhibitions. These residencies feature artists Christie Blizard from San Antonio, Texas, Rolando López from Aguascalientes, Mexico and Kang Seung Lee from Los Angeles, California. The opening reception is set for Thursday July 13 from 6p.m. to 9p.m. and will include talks between the artists and curator Yoshua Okón beginning at 7p.m. This event is free and open to the public. The exhibitions will be on display from Thursday July 13 through Sunday September 3, 2017. (Artpace, 2017)

Christie Blizard – she works with a variety of media that merge painting, poetry and performance. Recent venues include the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, TX, the School of Visual Arts in New York, NY and the Lawndale Art Center in Houston, TX.

Rolando Lopez – his work generates relevant questions about the meaning of modernity and capitalism. He is interested in the relationships that occur between the economic field and the culture, particularly in the socio-cultural strategies that have developed throughout history for the development of what is considered art.

Kang Seung Lee – he is a multidisciplinary artist who was born in South Korea and now lives and works in Los Angeles. He has had solo exhibitions at Commonwealth and Council in Los Angeles, CA, Centro Cultural Border in Mexico City and group exhibitions at LAXART in Los Angeles, CA.

Texas Open Call is Artpace’s primary resource for identifying artists who are interested and eligible for participation in Artpace’s artist programs including the International Artist-in-Residence program, Hudson Showroom, Main Space, special projects, Chalk It Up and more. It will be live from July 1 through August 31 and the fee to apply is $15 or free for Artpace members.

Artpace is a contemporary art space located in downtown San Antonio created to support artists with residences, exhibitions and educational programs to foster the creative process. Since it opened in 1995 Artpace has housed more than 200 artists through the International Artist-in-Residence program. Every year the program hosts three residencies that include a Texas-based artist, one national artist and one international artist who are each chosen by a guest curator. After an eight-week residency, the artists have their exhibits on site for two months. The purpose of these residencies is to give artists every opportunity to grow by giving them the resources they need.

Artpace
445 North Main Avenue
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 212-490

Broadway Sings The Playhouse at the Empire Theater

playhousebroadway17 — Broadway Sings The Playhouse at the Empire Theater on Saturday August 26, 2017. Photo design: Jeremy Whittington, used with permission.

On Saturday August 26, The Playhouse San Antonio is hosting an evening of music at the Empire Theater as part of ‘Broadway Sings The Playhouse.’ Some of Broadway’s biggest stars will be singing from The Playhouse’s upcoming season as part of the New Gala and Founders Awards/Preview Show. The night will consist of dinner, drinks, Broadway songs and a special After-Glow Party at Hotel Valencia for guests who attend the dinner. Tickets for the dinner and awards ceremony and the season showcase afterwards are available online. (The Playhouse San Antonio, 2017)

Dinner will be from 6p.m. to 7:30p.m. courtesy of Absolutely Delicious Catering & Events. The Playhouse’s Annual Founder’s Awards will include artists singing selections from their favorite Broadway credits. At 8p.m. guests will be able to hear Broadway guests sing songs from the upcoming season including The Hunchback of Notre Dame, All Is Calm, Assassins, If/Then, The Bridges of Madison County and Mamma Mia! The lineup includes: Tommaso Antico (Jersey Boys, Hairspray, Altar Boyz, Cabaret), Sarah Uriarte Berry (Drama Desk Nominee- The Light In the Piazza, Beauty and the Beast, Next to Normal, Les Miserables ), Charl Brown (2013 Tony Nominee-Motown, Jersey Boys, Sister Act, Hair), Crystal Kellogg (Finding Neverland, School of Rock, Kinky Boots, Pajama Game), Carrie St. Louis (Wicked, Rock of Ages, Something Good), Kate Rockwell (Bring it On- The Musical, Legally Blonde, Rock of Ages, Hair) and Christeena Riggs (Les Miserables, Wicked, Cinderella, Jane Erye).

Empire Theater
226 N St Mary’s St
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 226-5700

Cover 3 special anniversary promotion

cover3pic — Cover 3 is having a promotion on Wednesday June 28 to celebrate their 4th anniversary. Photo: Cover 3, used with permission.

Four years ago, Cover 3 opened their San Antonio location and to celebrate this anniversary, they are running a special day long promotion tomorrow, Wednesday, June 28. Cover 3 in San Antonio will offer $4 Frozen ‘Ritas and $4 Chipotle Ranch Fried Pickles all day long. (Cover 3, 2017)

Cover 3
1806 N Loop 1604 W
San Antonio, TX 78248
(210) 479-9700

Traditional beer-stein holding competitions at Krause’s Café

krausebeerpic — Krause’s Café is hosting traditional beer stein-holding competitions. Photo: Krause’s Café, used with permission.

Krause’s Café & Biergarten in New Braunfels has been hosting traditional beer stein-holding competitions every Friday this month. Officially called Masskrugstemmen competitions, they are Bavarian strongman/strongwoman tests that have their roots in Germany where participants hold a liter of German beer by the handle, straight out in front of their bodies for as long as they can. The last person still holding his or her liter of beer correctly wins. The Krause’s Masskrugstemmen competitions are sponsored and sanctioned by Hofbrau beer. Anyone can enter and contestants get to keep the liter stein. Entrance fee is $20. The winner of each weekly round will be offered the opportunity to return for the grand finale on Friday July 14 to compete for a chance to go to Las Vegas to participate in the Masskrugstemmen at the Hofbrauhas Vegas. (Krause’s Café & Biergarten, 2017)

Krause’s Café is a New Braunfels historic restaurant that opened in 1938 and ran successfully until 1995. Recently it reopened and while keeping true to the original traditions it now has a ‘biergarten,’ live music and more. The menu reflects its German heritage and South Texas flavors while offering over 70 beers that include local, regional and international options as well as cocktails and wines on tap.

Krause’s Café & Biergarten
186 S Castell Ave
New Braunfels, TX 78130
(830) 625-2807

New book release: ‘Camino Island’ by John Grisham

John Grisham is an American author, attorney, politician and activist best known for his best-selling legal thrillers. He has written short stories, non-fiction books and stand-alone novels that have been published worldwide in more than 42 languages. His past works include “The Firm,” “A Time to Kill” and “The Client” which have been adapted into popular feature films. “Camino Island,” his most recent novel, was released this month and tells the story of a young woman who goes undercover in the literary world.

According to Amazon, in “Camino Island,” a gang of thieves break into a secure vault below Princeton University’s Firestone Library. They manage to escape with an extensive loot that has been insured for twenty-five million dollars. Bruce Cable lives in the sleepy resort town of Santa Rosa on Camino Island in Florida. He owns the local bookstore but makes most of his money in the black market dealing in stolen books and manuscripts. Mercer Mann, a young novelist, is hired by an elegant, mysterious woman to go undercover and infiltrate Bruce Cable’s circle of literary friends to get close to him and learn his secrets. Everything goes according to plan until Mercer gets too close and learns too much.

‘Shrek, The Musical’ at the Woodlawn Theatre

The next production at the Woodlawn Theatre is ‘Shrek, The Musical.’ It opens on Friday June 30 and runs until Sunday July 30, 2017. This family friendly musical is based on the Oscar® winning DreamWorks Animation film and contains music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire. It stars Morgan Clyde as Princess Fiona, Alejandro Pesina as Donkey and Joshua Goldberg as Shrek and has Mark McCarver as director, Alonzo Corona as choreographer and Darrin Newhardt as musical director. Show times are Friday and Saturday at 7:30p.m. and Sunday at 3p.m. Tickets are now on sale online or by calling the box office at (210) 267-8388. Prices are $18 for students and children, $24 for seniors and military and $29 for adults. There is a $3 service fee for tickets. Groups of ten or more receive a 20% discount. (Woodlawn Theatre, 2017)

‘Shrek, The Musical’ brings the beloved characters from the movie to life onstage for a musical about an unlikely hero who finds himself on a life-changing journey alongside a wisecracking Donkey and a feisty princess. Other characters include a short-tempered bad guy, a cookie with an attitude and over a dozen other fairy tale characters who were exiled from the Kingdom of Duloc by the evil Lord Farquaad for being different. Shrek decides to travel to see Farquaad and try to regain his swamp after he was chased out of his parent’s house to live on his own.

On July 8, the cast of Shrek, The Musical will perform musical favorites from 9a.m to 11a.m. at Whole Foods Market located at The Vineyards at 18403 Blanco Rd. During the July 22 performance, the Woodlawn Theatre will host an ASL (American Sign Language) night.

Woodlawn Theatre
1920 Fredericksburg Rd
San Antonio, TX 78201
(210) 267-8388

Drag Brunch at Paramour kicks off Pride Week

paramourbar — Paramour kicks off Pride Week with another Drag Brunch this Sunday June 25, 2017. Photo: Paramour, used with permission.

In honor of Pride Month, this Sunday June 25 from 11a.m. to 4p.m. Paramour is presenting its eighth drag brunch along with a Pride San Antonio kick-off party. Pride San Antonio highlights the city’s LGBTQ community and Paramour is proudly hosting a celebration of this diversity. Guests are invited to this very colorful edition of Drag Brunch that serves as a kick-off to Pride Week. Costumes are encouraged but not required. Event host will be Kristi Waters, show director and hostess of Babio’s Eat Drink Dance and winner of Most Original at 2016 San Antonio Burlesque Festival. It will feature theme-inspired cocktails, breakfast pastries and breakfast tacos. The event is free and open to the public with drinks and food for purchase. Guests have an option to make a reservation in the main lounge with the purchase of mimosa champagne service. (Paramour, 2017)

Paramour
102 9^th St, Suite 400
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 340-9880

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