by Clark Groome Back in 1949 when Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific” opened on Broadway, musicals were almost always called “musical comedies.” While much of this magnificent show is very funny, it is anything but a traditional musical comedy. “South Pacific” is set during World War II on a remote island. Its plot involves war […]
Read More >by Clark Groome While there were always some of Johnny Cash’s songs that I really liked — most notably “A Boy Named Sue,” “I Walked the Line” and “Folsom Prison Blues” — I was never a great fan. At least not until I saw “Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash” at People’s Light and […]
Read More >by Clark Groome At the beginning of Lucas Hnath’s sharp and incisive “Hillary and Clinton,” now at the Suzanne Roberts Theater, 480 S. Broad St., until June 26, Alice M. Gatling walks onto the stage and tells the audience that it’s possible, maybe even likely, that in all the billions of solar systems there are […]
Read More >by Clark Groome When the musical adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s “The Secret Garden” opened on Broadway in 1991. I found it confusing, dark and probably inappropriate for some of the children in the audience. It was also clear that author Marsha Norman had added some elements to Burnett’s original, which added to the show’s […]
Read More >by Clark Groome There’s so much to enjoy in the Act II production of Cole Porter’s “Kiss Me, Kate” in Ambler that I almost regret reporting that the show has significant weaknesses; “almost regret reporting,” but here we go: Tops among the positives is Porter’s magnificent score, which includes “Why Can’t You Behave?” “Wundebar,” “So […]
Read More >by Clark Groome When the great country singer Patsy Cline made her debut on “The Arthur Godfrey Show” in 1956, she was almost immediately a sensation. One of Godfrey’s viewers, Louise Seger from Houston, fell in love with her singing. When Cline came to Houston to perform, Seger met her, and they formed a close […]
Read More >by Clark Groome Two plays that capture historic periods, one in the 15th century and one in 1969, opened this past week. Both are receiving interesting productions. Two Trains Running August Wilson wrote 10 plays chronicling the 20th century black experience. Set one per decade, they are in total a stunning exploration about what it […]
Read More >by Clark Groome A strong, independent Jewish lady and her wily black chauffeur form the core of the delicious “Driving Miss Daisy,” Alfred Uhry’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play that can be seen at Ambler’s Act II Playhouse through March 26. “Driving Miss Daisy” explores the 25-year period during which Hoke Coleburn (Brian Anthony Wilson) is chauffeur […]
Read More >by Clark Groome Two comedies of very different quality made up my week at the theatre. Here are my reactions to the shows at Act II and People’s Light: “Fox on the Fairway” Two competing high-toned country clubs, Crouching Squirrel and Quail Valley, are playing their annual golf tournament. The competition and relationships between and […]
Read More >by Clark Groome People either loved or hated Frank Rizzo, the Philadelphia cop who became police chief and, from 1972-1980, mayor of the city he loved but often traumatized. He was a no-nonsense enforcer who let his own views about who’s who and what’s what get in the way of actually looking objectively at the […]
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