BEST BETS: APRIL 7th – APRIL 13th

Five world premieres are on this week’s Best Bets: April 7th – April 13th.

REGENCY GIRLS – The Old Globe – San Diego, CA – Now – May 4^th OPENING NIGHT April 10^th

19^th– century England is the setting for this story that sadly feels like it could take place in 2025 America.

Elinor Benton (Isabelle McCalla) is unmarried and pregnant. Not sure to whom she can turn and what she should do, she goes on a road trip with her besties (Krystina Alabado, Kate Rockwell and Ryann Redmond) in search of the woman who might just have the key to her predicament. And it’s a musical!

The creative team consists of book writers Gabrielle Allan (Veep) and Jennifer Crittenden (The Simpsons), lyricist Amanda Green (Mr. Saturday Night), composer Curtis Moore (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) and director/choreographer Josh Rhodes (2023 revival of Spamalot).

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO THE END OF THE WORLD! – South Coast Repertory – Costa Mesa, CA – Now – May 3^rd OPENING NIGHT April 11th

This timely titled play by Keiko Green is a comedy. But it isn’t just the title that is interesting here. It’s the premise that is most intriguing for how it addresses mortality, living life to its fullest and family.

Greg (Joel de la Fuente) has been diagnosed with a terminal disease. He believes that if he saves the earth, he’ll also save himself. His wife, Viv (Alysia Reiner), wants to share what is left of their time together. And the emcee, M (River Gallo), is his daughter who wants as much time as possible with her father. Did I mention this is a comedy?

The cast also features Rafael Gold, Anna LaMadrid and Sharon Omi. Zi Alikhan is the director.

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

BRAHMS, STRAVINSKY & JESSIE MONTGOMERY – New York Philharmonic – New York, NY – April 9^th – April 11^th

These three concerts open with the world premiere of Chemiluminescence by Jessie Montgomery. Any new music by her is an event not-to-be-missed. She says, “The piece represents my continued interesting in finding corollary between music and the natural world.”

The concerts also feature Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto in D with Patricia Kopatchinskaja as the soloist and Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 in C minor.

Jakur Hrůša conducts.

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

CSO x THE JOFFREY BALLET – Chicago Symphony Orchestra – Chicago, IL – April 10^th – April 13^th

The highlight of these three performances are the world premieres of two works from The Joffrey Ballet. Amy Hall Garner is the choreographer of Second Nature which is set to Coleridge-Taylor Perkinso’n’s Sinfonietta No 1. The music had its premiere in 1966.

Nicolas Blanc is the choreographer of Les Bœufoons which is set to Darius Milhaud’s Le Bœuf sur le toit which had its premiere as music for a ballet by Jean Cocteau in 1920.

Harry Bicket conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in these concerts which also include the Symphony No. 1 by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges and Haydn’s Symphony No. 45 (Farewel).

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

SMASH – Imperial Theatre – New York, NY – Now – January 4^th OPENING NIGHT APRIL 10^th

The last world premiere is the official opening of this musical based on the 2012-2013 television series that dramatized the creation of a Broadway musical about Marilyn Monroe.

Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray) wrote songs for the television series, many of which are performed in the musical, along with new material. The book was written by Rick Elice (Jersey Boys) and Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone). Susan Stroman (The Producers) directs and Joshua Bergasse, who was the choreographer for the series, is back on board as choreographer for the musical.

Ivy Lynn and Karen Cartwright are competing to play Marilyn in the musical. They are played in the musical by Robyn Hurder (so good in Moulin Rouge) and Caroline Bowman.

The company also includes Jacqueline B. Arnold, Brooks Ashmanskas, John Behlmann, Bella Coppola, Casey Garvin, Megan Kane, Nicholas Matos, Kristine Nielsen and Krysta Rodriguez.

I always found the television series a guilty pleasure. Will this be more Let Me Be Your Star or Let’s Be Bad? We’ll find out later this week when reviews break. 

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

Finally, for vinyl collectors, don’t forget that Saturday, April 12^th is Record Store Day.

That’s all for Best Bets: April 7th – April 13th. Enjoy your week and go see a show!

Main Photo: Jessie Montgomery (Photo by Jiyang Chen/Courtesy MKI Artists)