MONDAY, May 21

The Acclaim Awards at the Carnegie in Covington, good time, good cause (that would be Cincinnati’s not-for-profit theater scene), good food (thanks, wonderful Northern Kentucky restaurants), reasonable price ($25 general admisison, $10 theater artist tickets), and a chance to meet your theater community, passionate and interesting every one. Call the box office at 859-957-1940 to join the celebration (and find all the details at CinStages.com by clicking “acclaim”.

And – check how “Company” did in the Drama Desk Awards, ceremoiny starts at 9 p.m. tonight.

TUESDAY, May 22

Watch for Acclaim Awards coverage.

In honor of the week-long return of “Mamma Mia!” the ABBA hit musical about a wedding on a Greek island, a QUIZ!

Once you get past the guys dancing in scuba gear, have you ever wondered how many elements add up to heroine Donna’s Super Trouper costume? Feel free to sing along while we count:

1.      Main fabric
2.      Sleeve and leg frills (check those custom-made pleats!)
3.      Silver piping trim
4.      Rhinestone strip
5.      Eyelets
6.      Heavy weight zipper
7.      Belt beads (from Australia, if you were wondering. Maybe should have made this extra credit…)
8.      Belt backing and lining
9.      Perspex buckle
10.     Shoulder pads
11.     Lining
12.     Lining supports
13.     Sheer flesh souffle for front panel
14.     Silver Cord elastic for facing
15.     Thin Lycra to edge sleeve and leg frills
16.     Small star-shaped rhinestones
17.     Large star-shaped rhinestones
18.     Triangular iridescent stones
19.     Lozenge-shaped glass stones
20.     Tound iridescent stones
21.     Star-shaped earrings
22.     Silver boots
23.     Bra
24.     Rhinestone hair clips.

So here’s the quiz question: how long does it take to get into the outfit and how many people does it take?

“Mamma Mia!” plays through Sunday at the Aronoff, call the box office at 513-241-7469 for ticket info.

WEDNESDAY, May 23

Tammy Faye Bakker musical “The Big Tent” gets a concert viewing in New York. Why do we care? Cincinnati’s Kate Rockwell, a finalist on reality show “You’re the One That I Want,” plays other gal Jessica Hahn. For more information and excerpts from the score, visit www.myspace.com/tammy musical. (the concert, complete with live rock band, is free and open to the public if you’re in NYC.)

THURSDAY, May 24

This is the last day to vote in Broadway.com’s Audience Awards. Of course “Spring Awakening” owns it with a record 21 nominations BUT – you can still make your voice heard for Cincinnati. Playhouse in the Park Broadway transfer “Company” is nominated for Favorite Revival of a Musical, Favorite Ensemble Cast and Favorite Leading Actor in a Musical – Raul Esparza! Raul Esparza! Rau Esparza!

Also consider (CCM grad) Aaron Lazar for triplicate exclamation points as Favorite Featured Actor in a Musical for “Les Miz.”  Another CCM grad, Ashley Brown, is nominated with Gavin Lee for their teaming in “Mary Poppins” as Favorite Onstage Pair.

VOTE NOW in BroadwayWorld.com’s fifth annual Fans Choice Awards. There is lots and lots of Cincinnati stuff to vote for, and while it looks like “Spring Awakening” is sweeping most of its categories, star of Playhouse in the Park-born “Company” Raul Esparza is holding a narrow lead in the lead actor in a musical category. So click on and improve his margin.

Part of the fun with BroadwayWorld’s fan award is that you can keep track of votes. While you can only vote once, you can encourage your friends to do their part. Andy Blankenbuehler is up for “The Apple Tree” (his much admired “In the Heights” choreo isn’t eligible because it’s Off-Broadway, at least for now.

Many, many “Company” nominations in musical supporting categories – and of course let-this guy-be-a-star Aaron Lazar in “Les Miz.” Be sure to give Mary-Mitchell Campbell the vote she deserves for orchestration and Theresa Rebeck’s “The Scene” for new Off-Broadway play. Voting closes June 6.

FRIDAY, May 25

Loveland native Ann Randolph returns with her one-woman show “Squeeze Box” in support of Clermont County Mental Health Alliance and Mental Health Awareness Month. The whimsical and bittersweet autobiographical piece ranges from new romance with a guy who loves the accordion and camping, to life on the graveyard shift in an L.A. homeless shelter for mentally ill women.

Randolph plays the entire cast of characters and she is working on a movie version.

While she’s in town, Randolph will conduct two master classes as well as making appearances at the  Clermont County Celebration of Hope & Heroes sponsored by the Clermont County Mental Health Alliance and the Lifesavers Dinner sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

“Squeeze Box” will have one performance at 7:30 p.m. at Northern Kentucky Uuniversity’s Greaves Hall. Try the NKU box office, 859-572-5464, because show sponsors haven’t yet provided any ticket info.

SATURDAY, May 26

Take a moment to reflect on accomplishments of CCM musical theater grads. Leslie Kritzer (we adored her at CCM and when she toured through town in “Urinetown” a couple of years ago) has been singing and dancing at the edge of stardom for a couple of years.

Kritzer is, I believe, the first CCM grad to win a Clarence Derwent Award from Actors Equity, given annually to the most promsising male and female on Broadway. The first girl to win, in 1945, was Judy Holliday. Other recipients have incuded Dianne Wiest, Joan Allen, Annette Bening, Calista Flockhart, Allison Janney, Kristin Chenoweth. Not bad company to be in. Kritzer is singled out as Serena in “Legally Blonde: The Musical” (and got a better review in The New York Times than did Tony-nominated

lead actress Laura Bell Bundy.

Order Brandon Cutrell’s self-titled CD, ready at last. If you’re in New York on June 4, don’t miss his release concert at Feinstein’s (yes, that makes it a big deal in the Manhattan cabaret scene) at 8:30 p.m. Call 212-339-4095 for reservations or visit feinsteinsattheregency.com. Feinstein’s is (poshly) at the Loew’s Regency on Park Avenue.

SUNDAY, May 27

What do you mean you haven’t made your Tony Award plans yet? Ensemble Theatre hosts its sixth annual Tony Awards Live Broadcast Party starting at 6 p.m. June 10 in the East Club Room at Paul Brown Stadium. Keep busy with Broadway-themed food stations and live and silent auctions until the show starts at 8 p.m.

Tickets for the whole shebang are $150, or have cocktails, dessert and the broadcast for $35. For more information call the theater at 513-421-3555 or zip over to the alphabetical theater index on CinStages.com, click on Ensemble and find out everything you need to know.

Jackie Demaline

 

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