Best Bets: May 12th – May 18th

This week’s Best Bets: May 12^th – May 18^th highlight three plays, one opera and the world premiere of a cello concerto. Two of this week’s offerings can be seen in the comfort of your home and/or a theater near you.

Here are my Best Bets: May 12^th – May 18^th:

THE ANTIQUITIES  – Goodman Theatre – Chicago, IL – Now – June 1^st

Anyone who saw playwright Jordan Harrison’s Marjorie Prime knows what a terrific writer he is. His new play, The Antiquities, began its life at Playwrights Horizon in a co-production with the Vineyard Theatre and The Goodman Theatre.

Set in 2240, The Antiquities takes place in a post-human museum where the concept of man’s existence is being explored by the curators who think of humans as “a transitional species.” As they explore 12 exhibits spanning centuries, we get to, perhaps, have an idea of our lives in a world where technology is taking an ever-increasing role in our day-to-day existence.

David Cromer and Caitlin Sullivan direct and ensemble cast of nine actors who take on 45 different roles.

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

RAVEL & ADOLPHE – Los Angeles Philharmonic – Los Angeles, CA – May 16^th – May 18^th

Ludovic Morlot conducts the Los Angeles Philharmonic in the world premiere performance of Chrysalis, a cello concerto by Julia Adolphe. Seth Parker Woods is the soloist. She’s a terrific composer and he’s a powerful musician. The combination should be exciting.

Opening the concert is Granados’ Tres Danzas españolas. Chrysalis follows.

The second half is all Ravel: Pavane for a Dead Princess; Rapsodie espagnole and Boléro. I’ll be honest, I was never a fan of Boléro finding its endless repetitions boring. Then I saw the LA Phil perform it and was mesmerized. To see Boléro is to completely understand the power of orchestration. Ravel’s genius is truly on full display in live performance.

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

WE ARE GATHERED – Arena Stage – Washington, D.C. – May 16^th – June 15^th

Playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney is best known for the screenplay for the Oscar-winning film Moonlight. I first became aware of him when I saw his terrific play Choir Boy.

We Are Gathered is having its world premiere at Arena Stage. It explores the relationship between W. Tre (Kyle Beltran) and Free (Nic Ash). What began as a search for sex has become something filled the possibilities of being a life-long partnership. Or is it far less than that? Can they navigate those questions and a secret that could define the direction they will take?

Kent Gash directs. The cast also includes Jade Jones and Kevin Mambo.

I’m betting on McCraney to have written another powerful and emotional play.

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

YELLOW FACE – Great Performances/PBS – May 16^th (check local listings)

Though David Henry Hwang’s Yellow Face had its premiere 18 years ago at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, last year’s New York production was its first time on Broadway.

Yellow Face tells the story of a playwright, DHH (Daniel Dae Kim) who, inspired by the casting of a white actor in the role of The Engineer in the musical Miss Saigon, writes a play called Face Value to explore the injustice of that casting.

When it comes time for his play, Face Value, to be produced, he casts Marcus G. Dahlman (Ryan Eggold) in the lead role. He believes Dahlman to be part Asian, but it turns out he is white. DHH and the newly named Marcus Gee get away with deceiving the public, but their play is a total flop. What happens to them both landed this production a Tony nomination for Best Revival of a Play and nominations for Daniel Dae Kim and Francis Jue (who plays DHH’s father).

If you’re looking for a comedy with something on its mind, you’ll want to see Yellow Face. You can check local listings or go to PBS.com to stream the play.

SALOME– Met Opera/Met Opera Live in HD – New York, NY/Cinemas worldwide – May 17^th

If you’re in New York you can catch this production of Richard Strauss’s Salome in person. If you’re not you can catch it as part of Met Opera Live in HD.

Elza van den Heever sings the role of Salome, the woman who orders that Jochanaan (Peter Mattei) be beheaded for not kissing her. The opera is based on Oscar Wilde’s play and is performed in German. It is a one-act opera that runs 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Gerhard Siegel sings the role of Salome’s stepfather, King Herod. Michelle De Young sings the role of his wife Herodias. Piotr Buszewski rounds out the cast as Narraboth.

This Claus Guth production is new and Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts.

For tickets and more information to see Salome at the Met Opera (May 17^th – May 24^th), please go HERE. For theater listings and tickets to watch the Met Live in HD simulcast, please go HERE.

Those are my Best Bets: May 12^th – May 18^th. Enjoy your week! Go see a show!

Main Photo: Andrew Garman, Ryan Spahn and Layan Elwazani in The Antiquities (Photo by Hugo Hentoff/Courtesy Goodman Theatre)