Best Bets: August 25th – August 31st

Today, August 25th, would have been my mother’s 96th birthday. So I dedicate Best Bets: August 25th – August 31st to her.

OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL – Ashland, OR – Now – October 26^th

This immensely popular festival has been up and running this season. There is still time to catch several of their most interesting shows this year:

Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest runs through October 25^th

Shakespeare’s As You Like It runs through October 25^th and Julius Caesar runs through October 26th and The Merry Wives of Windsor runs through October 12^th.

Octavio Solis’ Quixote Nuevo runs through October 24^th

Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s musical Into the Woods runs through October 11^th.

Karen Zacarías’ adaptation of Shane runs through October 25th.

For tickets and more information for each show, click on the title. For overall information, please go HERE.

WE COME TO COLLECT: A FLIRTATION, WITH CAPITALISM – The Flea – New York, NY – August 26^th – September 27^th

Jenn Kidwell, who co-wrote and starred in Underground Railroad Game, which received the 2017 Obie Award for Best New American Theatre Work is back with this play having its world premiere this week.

Kidwell stars in the show and is joined by ASL artist Brandon Kazen-Maddox. Kidwell also directs with Adam Lazarus as co-director.

So what is the show? Well…let me let the press release give you a sliver of insight:  it “debunks the alluring tale of American economic might weaving stand-up comedy, performance art, and the carnivalesque.”

I’m intrigued. How about you?

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

DC JAZZ FEST – Multiple Venues – Washington, DC – August 27^th – August 31^st

This Labor Day jazz festival in Washington, D.C. has been running for over 16 years. This year they have quite an impressive line-up that includes Eric Byrd Trio, Ron Carter, Emmet Cohen Trio, Keyon Harrold, Lalah Hathaway, The Jazzmeia Horn Quartet, Langston Hughes II, Branford Marsalis Quartet, Marcus Miller, Cécile McLorin Salvant, John Scofield Trio, Jahari Stampley Family Trio (his second album, What a Time, comes out on August 29^th – you won’t want to miss his performance), Sun Ra Arkestra, Matthew Whitaker and more.

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL: THE SONGS OF AHRENS AND FLAHERTY – Barrington Stage Company – Pittsfield, MA – August 28^th– August 30^th

Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty are the songwriting team behind the musicals Anastasia, Dessa Rose, The Glorious Ones, A Man of No Importance, My Favorite Year, Once on This Island, Ragtime (soon to get a new Broadway production at Lincoln Center), Rocky and more.

Their work is being celebrated in this world premiere revue conceived and directed by Jason Danieley.  His four-person cast features Elizabeth A. Davis, Paula Gaudier, Alan H. Green and Nathan Salstone. There are new orchestrations and arrangements by Sam Davis (check out his album Love on a Summer Afternoon which I think is brilliant. Danieley sings Brief Candle on that album).

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

THINGS WITH FRIENDS – American Blues Theater – Chicago, IL – August 29^th – October 5^th

There are two things that make this play immediately interesting. The first is the description of it being “a full-bodied Twilight Zone blend with notes of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”

The second is that it is written by Kristoffer Diaz. He was a Putlizer Prize finalist for his play The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity – a play I loved. 

Things with Friends takes place in Manhattan. A couple is having a dinner party. All things seem set to go. The George Washington Bridge has collapsed into the Hudson River. I don’t know if that happens during the party, before it it starts. 

But I do know that in addition to the couple – Adele (Audrey Billings) and Burt (Casey Campbell) – there are three, possible four other characters:  Vy (Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel), Joony (Maya Lou Hlava), Chabby (Jon Hudson Odom) and NYC (Nate Santana.) That last one is sure intriguing, isn’t it?

Dexter Bullard directs. Things with Friends runs 90 minutes with no intermission and contains adult subject matter.

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

That’s all for Best Bets: August 25th – August 31st.

Enjoy your week and go see a show!

Main Photo: Album art from Jahari Stampley’s What a Time