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03/09/2022 11:01 PMLong Wharf News: You may have missed it, but New Haven’s iconic Long Wharf Theatre has announced major changes. Beginning in the fall of 2023, the theater will no longer produce shows at the Food Terminal on Long Wharf Drive, its home for more than 60 years; instead, following what is called a “community-driven strategic planning phase,” productions will be presented throughout New Haven. Several town hall-type meetings will be held and the dates have been announced: Thursday, March 24, Saturday, April 2, and Thursday, April 7. Each is for an hour. The theater promises information on how to sign-up for the town halls soon. No information on their format has been given.
The Immigrant Experience: Dishwasher Dreams is at Hartford Stage through Sunday, March 20. The play will be performed by its author, comedian and actor Alaudin Ullah. It contrasts his pursuit of the American dream and the experience of his immigrant parents, who came from a village in Bangladesh. Each has faced struggles, including for him Hollywood’s tendency to consign southeast Asians and Muslims into stereotypical roles to that of his mother who had to adjust to the less-limited role for women. For tickets, visit HartfordStage.org.
Audiences Returning: After being shut down for more than months, everyone was worried whether audiences would return to Broadway. The answer is a qualified “maybe.” The Broadway League, the organization of producers and theater owners, releases weekly reports of attendance and ticket sales. The most recent one shows a steady increase. At the end of February, the shows on Broadway were playing at almost 90 percent capacity and reported $32.5 million in gross revenues. The attendance number may be misleading; many shows were offering discounts and there were fewer than usual number of shows playing. On the road, the tours have reported good business.
I Love Hugh Jackman: If you are wondering about the long-awaited Broadway revival of The Music Man, let me just say that any show that has Hugh Jackman singing and dancing and appearing to be having a fabulous time is worth seeing. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if I felt director Jerry Zaks made a number of wrong choices. The show by itself is delightful and the music has become part of the American songbook. It’s worth seeing. If you want to read my entire review, visit 2ontheAisle.wordpress.com.
Palace Theater Celebration: Waterbury’s Palace Theater is celebrating its 100th anniversary. The theater was originally a movie palace built by Sylvester Poli. Poli owned and ran theaters throughout the region. Only two now remain. On Saturday, March 25 at 2 p.m., the Palace will present the film Mister Wonderland, which explores his life. The documentary originally aired on PBS in 2021. By the way, Poli resided in New Haven and built several large homes there. The event is free, but reservations are required. For more information, visit PalaceTheaterCT.org.
Boston Pre-Broadway: Two shows are playing in Boston this summer before planned transfers to New York City. A Beautiful Noise, a musical about the life of singer-songwriter Neil Diamond, will play Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theater from June 21 to July 31. Sing Street was en route to Broadway in 2020. Now it will play The Huntington Theater from Aug. 26 to Oct. 2. The show was originally off-Broadway and is based on an independent film of the same name.
Karen Isaacs is an East Haven resident. To check out her reviews for New York and Connecticut shows, visit 2ontheaisle.wordpress.com. She’s a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle, New York’s Outer Critics Circle, the League of Professional Theater Women, and the American Theatre Critics Association.