Results tagged “jenniferchilds”

Cherry Bomb, the title of 1812 Productions' current production is intentionally self-descriptive: the show chronicles the very real Vaudeville career of the Cherry sisters—who, in every performance, bombed. And yet for a while, these teetotaling, uppity Midwesterners sold out some of America's largest theatres. People came from miles away to see just how bad the Cherry Sisters could be. And the answer was: pretty damned bad. Clearly, this story had great potential for the kind of comic fodder that 1812 thrives on—potential that Jennifer Childs (book and lyrics) and James Sugg (music) were well aware of.

I've said it once, and I'll say it again: Phillyist's own Don Montrey is a funny, funny guy. I'm saying it now because Don also happened to be the head writer on 1812 Productions' This Is the Week That Is: The Election Special which itself is largely a funny, funny show.

Once in a while, you'll hear the Philadelphia Theatre Company criticized for "playing it safe"—choosing plays or casting actors that will fill seats, and sacrificing quality in the process. I will neither agree nor disagree with that statement, but I will pose this question: if PTC always plays it safe, how can you explain The Happiness Lecture?

This review is cheating.

The Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia's December On Stage listings make note of four productions of A Christmas Carol (one of which, admittedly, I loved), plus productions of A Christmas Story, Christmas City Follies, Comet, the Fifth Reindeer, The Eight: Reindeer Monologues, The Holiday Goose - A Musical, Holiday Show at the Swing Club, The Nutcracker, O'Henry Christmas, The Santaland Diaries, Tiny Tim's Christmas, and Winter Musicale 2007. In short, the season is saturated...

This is my first review of an 1812 Productions play, but I've long been interested in the company. They are, after all, Philadelphia's only all-comedy theatre company. And as much as I love high-brow, intellectual, Great Works of Theatre™, sometimes, I just want to laugh.

We haven't gotten around to telling you about the Philadelphia New Play Festival yet (that post is forthcoming), but on Friday, I had the opportunity to see one of the featured plays (most of them open before the festival officially begins), The Arden's .