Today, in the year 2007, “Grease” still continues to entertain the audience. It has the same magic as it had three decades ago. No one could have predicted that the five-hour show, which was opened in Chicago in 1972, could break all records and continue to be shown for decades! However, when “Grease” was shown outside Chicago, it was reduced to two hours.

The noteworthy thing about “Grease” is that it started with amateur actors and a simple garage background. Later, when the movie “Grease” was made, it starred the much adored John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. What mattered was not the star cast, but the acting skills shown by the actors, the fine direction given by Jacobs and Casey, the amazing choreography given by Patricia Birch, the superb lighting and sound arrangement, and the fabulous costumes designed by the creative team of “Grease”.

The show was enough to rock Broadway and attract theatre fans like honey bees. People were eager to know the story of two rebellious teens who fall in love at high school. The two characters are opposite. One is flirtatious while the other is virtuous. When the two meet, the love story takes an unexpected turn.

The music of “Grease” is the biggest attraction. Even a person who does not want to call himself or herself a music buff will take notice. Some of the hit songs that have made the world go crazy are: ‘Greased Lightinin’, ‘Summer Nights’, ‘Could Do’, ‘Beauty School Dropout’, ‘You’re the One That I Want’, ‘Hopelessly Devoted to You’, ‘We Go Together’, and ‘Sandy’.

The good news for “Grease” fans is that a new revival of this show is in the making. The direction and choreography is provided by Kathleen Marshall. This new production promises to create frenzy among audience. If “Grease” has the magic, then the new “Grease” will have the seduction!

If you are a trendy individual who believes to keep pace with the changing world, then you won’t miss this Broadway musical that has won seven Tony Awards! “Grease” is unique. “Grease” is a love story. It has the music that you have always wanted to hear. “Grease” is a complete family entertainer.

Go alone or go with your family; bring your lover along, or a bunch of buddies; whatever, but do not miss this exceptional teen love story that harbors a rocking party. If you want to join the party, you will have to act fast and dial a number for booking the tickets. You can also log online.

However, with a fabulous music and lyrics given by Stephen Schwartz and musical staging done by Wayne Cilento, “Wicked” wouldn’t have been better! The story is based on Gregory Maguire’s best selling novel. The story talks about the life of two girls, who meet in Oz before the entry of Dorothy.

One of them has an emerald green skin with smart and fiery looks. She is largely misunderstood. The other one is pretty, highly ambitious, and popular. Wicked follows the two young women, who are completely different from each other. One of them becomes the Wicked Witch of the West, while the other turns into Glinda, the Good witch. The story has many new as well as familiar characters to watch out for.

The show stars Julia Murney in the role of Elphaba; Kendra Kassehaum plays the role of Glinda, the good witch; Lenny Wolpe can be seen as The Wizard; Sebastian Arcelus plays the role of Fiyero; Jane Houdyshelll performs beautifully as Madame Morrible; Cristy Candler is Nessarose; Logan Lipton can be seen as Boq; and Steven Skybell is Doctor Dillamond in the story. The entire star cast has displayed a remarkable performance, thus, contributing to its phenomenal success.

This show is prohibited for children below 4 years of age. Although, the show is free of sexual depictions, there are a few adult themes that might not be appropriate for children. The show runs for 2 hours and 45 minutes, yet, you never feel bored a single second. In fact, you hardly remember to glance at your watch! As the mystery of the two witches unfolds, you are spell bound by the picturization and action happening on stage. The most interesting part of the story is when they show how the two girls turn into completely different witches!

The entire Land of Oz comes to life on the stage! You are gripped by the charisma of each character and can hardly escape! If you want to experience the thrill of spending time with witches, then book your tickets fast through phone or internet. The best place to watch “Wicked” is from the front row seats! How close you are to the magical land, the land where there is good as well as evil magic, where the witches are fiery, ambitious, beautiful, and popular!

There is something in “Wicked” that draws audience like bees to honey. Has the director cast a magic spell on the show or did the wizard of Oz come to life during the making of the show? Perhaps, it’s just the coming together of highly talented and creative artists that have made history on Broadway!

No wonder, this Disney tryout sold 95,000 seats in Denver and won the hearts of a huge audience in New York. Based on the animated movie of the same name, produced in 1989, this Disney musical is all set to splash the stage of Broadway with sheer excitement.

The songs of “The Little Mermaid” are going to make you sway on your seats. “Kiss the Girl”, “Part of Your World”, and “Under the Sea” are among the best compositions. The last one has grabbed an Academy Award for the title of The Best Original Song! Its lyrics have been penned down by Alan Menke, who has 8 Academy Awards to his credit, and Howard Ashman, who is known by every soul, fond of music! You will also come across some touching lines given by Menken and Glenn Slater.

Francesca Zambello has directed this Disney musical, which is her debut production for Broadway. The star cast has Sierra Bogges and Sean Palmer playing the lead roles of Ariel and Prince Eric, respectively. Besides this, King Triton is played by Norm Lewis; Jetsam is in real life Derrrick Baskin; Urusla is actually Sherie Rene Scott. The roles of Chef Louis and Grimsby have been played by John Treacy Egan and Jonathan Freeman, respectively.

“The Little Mermaid” team already held the world premiere at the Denver Center, in the month of July, 2007. The show was opened on Broadway in August this year and continued till 9th September. If you missed watching the gorgeous Ariel with her gritty ambitions of exploring the world outside the ocean, you have another chance. The show will begin its previews in November this year, at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, and open officially on the 6th of the following month.

So, if you have still not booked tickets for the show, it’s time you pick up your phone. Dial a number and the ticketing services will arrange for the tickets of your choice show. You can even order the tickets online. However, there is a risk of returning empty-handed or not getting enough tickets, if you attempt to try your luck at the box office. There is a maddening rush already at the windows!

This Disney musical promises to provide complete family entertainment. It’s not just a children’s entertainment stuff. Both the young and old will have a good time watching the musical and humming along the tunes of the splendid songs. “The Little Mermaid” is a must-see!

“The Little Mermaid”, which had its world premiere in July 2007 at the Denver Center, is about to create a wave at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in November this year. For Francesca Zambello, the director of this show, this is an exciting time of her career, as this Disney musical is her debut Broadway production.

“The Little Mermaid” features some prestigious people working behind the scenes, to create a magical outcome. The fine dance moves displayed by Ariel and her friends down in the ocean are the brainchild of choreographer Stephen Mear, who has an Olivier Award to his credit. The striking lighting arrangement that creates an almost real underwater feel is the product of lighting designer Natasha Katz’s creativity. She has a Tony Award to her credit. The book for the musical has been written by Doug Wright, who boasts of winning a Tony Award and Pulitzer Award. The famous “I Am My Own Wife” is also the work of Wright.

The other cast includes Norm Lewis as King Triton, Derrrick Baskin playing the role of Jetsam, Sherie Rene Scott in the character of Urusla, John Treacy Egan playing Chef Louis, and Jonathan Freeman as Grimsby. The costumes have been designed by Tatiana Noginova and the sets have been designed by George Tsypin.

Although, the critics have had their say with regards to the design and direction of this musical, it fails to dampen the spirit of the audience, who is impressed by the storyline, picturization, and fine tunes featured in the musical.

The melodious songs like “Part of Your World”, “Under the Sea”, and “Kiss the Girl” have managed to settle deep in the hearts of the audience. The song “Under the Sea” has already been awarded as the Best Original Song by the Academy Award jury. It has been created by Alan Menken and the eminent Howard Ashman. Alan Menken has been presented with the Academy Award eight times! The musical also features some splendid compositions by Menken and Glenn Slater.

“The Little Mermaid” promises to entertain you like no other show. Come with your family or your friends. You will have a blasting experience of watching the sea creatures come to life on stage! And the mermaid simply can’t help but steal your heart with her beauty, brains, and her melodious voice. The theatre fans have already made a beeline at the box office. If you delay further, you will lose the chance of getting the front row seats, which will make your underwater experience even better.

London in the eighties there is nothing quite like going to London to see a musical, the excitement of that childhood trip I remember well. Early mornings here in Liverpool and the anticipation of the Pullman train journey down to Euston station in London when my father had to go on business.

My mother, sister and I were promised a trip shopping in London coupled with a musical. A sense of anticipation grew as the day went on, arriving at the Cumberland hotel while mother adorned in here fur coat discussed what seats were available for which shows. I guess it was about 1982 and a host of Andrew Lloyd Webber productions were being staged in the West End, Starlight Express, Sunset Boulevard, The Phantom of the Opera coupled with the rock musical Time or Mutiny on the Bounty. How times have changed.

Then little girls wore long dresses and ladies in cocktail dresses whilst the men wore black tie and evening jackets a really sense of occasion and like all young children my sister and I simply loved getting dresses up.

Finally the moment arrived seated in the centre circle waiting for the curtain to raise my sister on my left with mum and dad seated to my right , opera glasses in hand star struck waiting for the orchestra to play that first note. It mattered not which musical or even which theatre just those stage lights and that compelling tune that fills the theatre. On this occasion it happened to Sunset Boulevard and the curtained began to raise.

I knew from the very first time I watched my first musical that I would be a life long theatre goer and would dream of one day performing upon that stage. The music filled my head and my heart and the show began. There is no experience quiet like it and the glamour of the eighties theatre nights were there for everyone too see.

Before you knew where we were it was the interval, as the ladies and gentlemen flowed into the bar there was a silver tray with the name Warwick upon it our order already for us at the bar in the theatre, refreshments for all . Cigarettes and cigars lit the room filled with chatter of the performances while the air filled with the smell of cigars.

Five minutes ten minutes who knows soon we were seated back in our velvet seats again waiting for the final encounter. I will never forget the performance of an aged Hollywood star trying to deal with the end of the silent era a wonderful story moving and yet enlightening. The music seemed timeless and the experience will forever stick in my memory, ever show as memorable as the last ever performance unique.

Finally the audience raised the roof with applause standing clapping endlessness as the performers re-entered the stage to take there curtain call louder and louder the theatre rang with applause. Peering over the centre circle to take one last look at the stage I can remember that feeling a slight tear in my eye produced by happiness and a slight yawn as it was way past my bedtime. A family experience that once taken you would never forget.

As I lay in my bed that night I can remember seeing the lights and hearing the music melodically soothing me to sleep.

All electronics, from computers to alarm clocks, are prohibitively expensive when the first come on the market, but they become more affordable as time goes on. Home theatre audio systems have been no different. What was once a luxury item that only people like Donald Trump could afford is now something that tens of thousands of Americans have in their homes. The market has been, and continues to be, flooded with new and cheaper audio systems, especially those of the HTiB, or Home Theatre in a Box, variety. But again, as with all electronics, you get what you pay for, and not all of these systems are created equal. When selecting a home theatre audio system, there are several factors that need to be balanced, including quality, price, and size.

If you’re in college, don’t have a lot of disposable income, but simply must have a home theatre audio system, chances are you’re going to end up with a budget-priced HTiB. These systems, which usually feature small satellite speakers and subwoofers, have an inclination toward spotty sound quality and lack sheer oomph. To quote Napster in The Italian Job, a budget-priced HTiB will never be “loud enough to blow women’s clothes off.” But while Napster might disapprove, such systems have their upsides. They are, as mentioned, affordable for the average individual, and they also tend to have the advantages of being compact and comparatively easy to assemble.

Or perhaps you own a downtown loft in a high rise somewhere and you want a theatre audio system that coordinates with such an ambiance. Some HTiB manufactures offer systems that feature style and are overtly sleek in appearance. A home theatre audio system that goes this route will often have very petite satellite speakers, or perhaps “tallboys,” which are very slender but as much as sixty inches tall. The advantage of a style-centric HTiB, in addition to its elegant appearance, will probably include lots of features and simplicity of set up. The disadvantages? Such a system will probably have limited bass output and limited connectivity options.

Some manufactures are now offering component packages, which are built around separate components. These systems, while forfeiting the traditional HTiB advantage of compactness, usually have the benefits of solid build quality and variety of features. However, as mentioned, such a home theatre audio system will probably be fairly large and clunky, which won’t work if you need to fit it into your studio apartment.

Finally, if you want to go cutting-edge, there are wireless HTiB systems that utilize the very latest in audio technology. These are great if you can afford them, since they save space while maintaining high quality. But as mentioned, they can be extremely expensive and in some cases, you’re better off buying separate components.

Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull

To Antonin Artuad, theatre was not a matter of life and death, it was hell of lot more important than that. He wanted theatre to return to what it once was in primitive societies – pure magic – an event where a catharsis of the audience would take place. This catharsis that he spoke so passionately about was not to be fleeting, it was not to be the type of catharsis that would move the audience for just the rest of the evening, only to be forgotten about with the cold realities of the morning, rather it was to be a catharsis that was to change civilisation, entirely and forever. Artaud was rallying against traditional French theatre – the stock process of proposing a problem at the beginning of a play and providing a solution to this problem by the end of the play. He envisioned a theatre characterised by freedom, mystery and surrealism and he observed the roots of this type theatre in the work of Mallarme, Maeterlinck and Alfred Jarry. He was overwhelmed by a performance of Balinese theatre which he witnessed at the Colonial Exposition in Paris in 1931, it cemented his belief that a dramatic presentation should be an act of initiation during which the spectator will be awed and even terrified, even heightening to such a degree that they may even lose their reason. During this induced frenzy the spectator will be able to take onboard a complete new set of truths, revelations into the true nature of society. Artaud sought theatre to disturb the mind and open the subconscious, driving people back to their primitive nature. His method of achieving this goal was to base theatre in the arenas of danger and cruelty. He thought that words should act as an incantation and actors should become something akin to shaman summoning life themes that are beyond human.

Theatre of the Oppressed