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Theater


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Published: Sep 15, 2010

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Two companies are producing Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn's Tony-winning, family-friendly musical: Theatre Horizon in Norristown and Broad Street's Philadelphia Theatre Co (PTC). Horizon's back-to-school version boasts Barrymore Award-winner Jennie Eisenhower and a terrific young cast including Steve Pacek and Alex Keiper in this high-energy, audience-participation romp. Centre Theater's intimate venue trumps the larger, more staid Suzanne Roberts Theatre for Spelling Bee, but PTC's co-production with the Papermill Playhouse should be first-rate, too.

Theatre Horizon, through Oct. 3, 208 DeKalb St., Norristown, 610-283-2230, theatrehorizon.org; PTC, Nov. 12-Dec. 12, 480 S. Broad St., 215-985-0420, philadelphiatheatrecompany.org.

An American Tragedy

Hedgerow Theatre reaches into its illustrious past for novelist Theodore Dreiser's drama about greed, ambition and romance, An American Tragedy, which premièred at Hedgerow 75 years ago. Director Penelope Reed's revival results from a partnership with the Wharton Esherick Museum (woodworking craftsman Esherick, 1887-1970, lived in Paoli and designed for Hedgerow) and UPenn, where Esherick will be celebrated as part of a symposium in October.

Sept. 22-Oct. 10, Hedgerow Theatre, 64 Rose Valley Road, Media, 610-565-4211, hedgerowtheatre.org.

Macbeth

Don't expect Artistic Director Blanka Zizka's Macbeth to be anything like your mama's Shakespeare. The Wilma's first-ever Bardic play promises to be an apocalyptic tour-de-force, set in the ruins of a crumbling modern civilization (designed by the incomparable Mimi Lien) and inspired by Berlin's fall at World War II's end. Broadway veteran C.J. Wilson plays the title role, and Jacqueline Antaramian (9 Parts of Desire, Scorched) is his ambitious Lady.

Sept. 29-Nov. 7, Wilma Theater, 265 S. Broad St., 215-546-7824, wilmatheater.org.

Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom

While Brat Productions' adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie seems the obvious Halloween choice, Azuka Theatre (nominated for two Barrymore Awards for last fall's The Long Christmas Ride Home) offers a fresh alternative with Jennifer Haley's acclaimed shocker about suburban teens addicted to an online horror game and sucked into a Twilight Zone-ish blurring of fantasy and reality. Sure, check out Carrie (already made into three films and a flop musical), but go be scared by a story you don't already know.

Oct. 14-31, Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre, 2111 Sansom St., 215-733-0255, azukatheatre.org.

The Early Bird

Director Tom Reing's Inis Nua specializes in discovering plays from "across the pond," and begins this season with the American première of Leo Butler's drama about a couple cracked apart when they confront parents' darkest fear: their child's sudden disappearance.

Oct. 26-Nov. 7, Amaryllis at the Adrienne, 2030 Sansom St., 215-454-9776, inisnuatheatre.org.

Rent

Expect a fresh new staging of the oft-seen Jonathan Larson musical when 11th Hour Theatre Co. joins with Drexel's Mandell Professionals in Residence program in the young award-winning company's biggest production yet. Barrymore-winner Michael Philip O'Brien (Avenue X) plays Roger, and Steve Pacek, three-time Barrymore nominee, is Mark.

Nov. 5-21, Mandell Theater, Drexel University, 3300 Chestnut St., 267-987-9865, 11thhourtheatrecompany.org.

The Laramie Residency

The Tectonic Theatre Project and writer-director Moises Kaufman made history when its actors visited Laramie, Wyo., in 1998 to interview the friends, family, fellow citizens and killers of Matthew Shepard, victim of a brutal hate crime, and created the often-produced Laramie Project. A decade later, they returned and discovered a new story, about how we construct our own history, and created The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later. Tectonic presents two performances of each play with post-show chats.

Nov. 11-13, Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 3680 Walnut St., 215-898-3900, annenbergcenter.org.