The cast of Circle Theatre’s ‘Young Frankenstein.’ (Courtesy photos)

Stage Notes is a weekly aggregate post about theater, classical music and stage news, events, reviews and other pertinent information.

A peek at Circle Theatre’s Young Frankenstein

Circle Theatre continues its 41st season with its Mel Brooks comedy musical Young Frankenstein. The musical stage adaptation of the classic comedy film is directed by Joel Ferrell with music director Cody Dry. Previews begin Thursday night with opening night on Saturday.

In this “abnormal” production, Frederick Frankenstein reluctantly inherits his infamous family’s estate in Transylvania. His hunchbacked sidekick, Igor and lab assistant Inga, Frederick finds himself following in his grandfather’s corpse-raising legacy. YF is a co-production with Theatre Three.

The cast features Parker Gray as Frederick Frankenstein, Alejandro Saucedo as Igor, Leslie Marie Collins as Elizabeth Benning, Annie Cahill as Inga, Luke Longacre as The Monster, Sarah Gay as Frau Blücher, Aaron Mateo Arroyo as Inspector Kemp, Mary Gilbreath Grim as The Hermit and Paulette Cocke and Edward Escamilla as swings.

The theater provided some promo photos of the show as a sneak peek of what to expect.

WaterTower announces cast of Bridges

WaterTower Theatre’s final show of its 26th Season will be The Bridges of Madison County: In Concert. OnThursday, the company announced its cast and crew for the production which will run for one week Sept. 7-11 on the Terry Martin Main Stage at the Addison Theatre Centre.

From WaterTower:

Based on the best-selling novel and movie, The Bridges of Madison County recalls the unexpected affair of Francesca Johnson, a devoted Italian-born housewife, and Robert Kincaid, a roving National Geographic photographer. Set amidst the cornfields of Iowa in 1965, this sweeping musical romance about the roads we travel and bridges we dare to cross brings to life four sensual, heart-stirring days that will alter Francesca and Robert’s lives forever. With a soaring score by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown, and book by Pulitzer and Tony Award winner Marsha Norman, The Bridges of Madison Country is a touching and powerful story that will leave you breathless.

“When I saw the original production of The Bridges of Madison County during its final week on Broadway I knew this show belonged on WaterTower’s stage. To be able to bring this beautiful show to life with this amazing creative team, and an immensely talented local cast or actors, singers, and musicians, is simply the perfect realization of that dream” producing artistic director Shane Peterman said in a press relesase.

Peterman will direct the production joined by music director Vonda K. Bowling. This production is presented in concert with the orchestra placed on stage alongside the actors.

“I’m thrilled to finally music-direct this show after two years of waiting,” Bowling said in the release. “Actually, I’ve been saying ‘I will do this show’ since 2014 when I heard “One Second and a Million Miles” on the Broadway channel. When the song ended, I realized I wasn’t breathing. Thankfully WTT will put the orchestra center stage for this concert production, because, after all, that’s the main character of this show.”

The production will Laura Lites as Francesca Johnson and fresh off of Lyric Stage’s Cabaret as the Master of Ceremonies, Christopher J. Deaton as Robert Kincaid. The cast will also feature Aaron C. White as Richard “Bud” Johnson, Amber Marie Flores as Marian, Bryson Pope as Michael Johnson, Analyse Melendez as Carolyn Johnson, Caroline Rivera as Marge, Stan Graner as Charlie and Rachel Nicole Poole as the State Fair Singer.

The onstage orchestra led by Bowling on piano will include Elijah Evans (Violin), Eric Jones (Viola), Dennis Langevin (Guitar 1), Jesse Ramirez (Guitar 2), Brian Seo (Cello), Sara Bollinger (Bass), and Kami Lujan (Percussion). The ensemble of pit singers include Anthony J. Ortega, Hunter Hurt, Megan A. Liles, Claire Greenberg, Jéssica Webba, Tara Park, Dominic Pecikonis, Rebekah Prim, Nijel Smith and Jason Hallman.

The creative team includes Jorge Guerra for sound and Kennedy ‘Kae” Styron  for scene design.

Tickets are availalbe now here.

Reminder: Shakesepaeare Dallas has kicked off its 50th season

Shakespeare Dallas’ ‘Midsummer’ promo art. (Courtesy Shakespeare Dallas)

On Wednesday, Shakespeare Dallas opened its 50th season with previews of A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Raphael Parry. The show opens Friday. We first posted about the season here. The production runs through July 23 at the Samuell-Grand Amphitheater in repertory with The Tempest which opens June 22.

“I have set Midsummer in 1945 Athens. This is at the end of both World War II and the civil war in Greece. Moving back 80 years gives us a different perspective on young people defying their parents and running off to get married. The work of the Rustics is also more craft-based and their involvement in creating a play for Theseus’ and Hippolyta’s wedding nuptials is more earnest and quaint. The Fairy World lives in another dimension, but the mortals believe in fairies and are deeply superstitious. All of this makes for a fascinating backdrop for the production,” Parry said in a press release.

The festival has also announced a Pride Night for June 30. From Shakespeare Dallas:

Happy Pride Month to our LGBTQ+ artists, audiences, supporters, and community partners! Shakespeare Dallas is the people’s theatre. Which means we believe Shakespeare is for everyone, and everyone is always welcome.

Celebrate Pride with us on the Thursday, June 30 performance of The Tempest. Shakespeare Dallas will be offering limited-edition Pride merchandise at the Shoppe.

For more information about the season, click here.

New this week:

PNC Patio Sessions: DAMOYEE, 5:30 p.m. today at Sammons Park.

Butterfield Stage: Godspell, today-June 26.

Kitchen Dog Theater: High Five, today-June 26.

Onstage in Bedford: Leaving Iowa, today-June 26.

Circle Theatre: Young Frankenstein, today-July 23.

Theatre Three: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, today-July 3.

The Elevator Project: Griots: Celebrating a Compilation of Dallas’ Cultural Storytellers of the African Diaspora presented by Bandan Koro African Drum and Dance Ensemble, 8 p.m. Friday at Strauss Square.

Theatre Arlington Play Reading Club: American Son, Friday and Saturday.

Art Center Theatre: The Bride of Frankenstein Goes Malibu, Friday-Sunday.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra: Paul Simon Songbook, Friday-Sunday at the Meyerson.

Garland Summer Musicals: 42nd Street, Friday-June 26 at the Granville Arts Center.

Grand Prairie Arts Council: In the Heights, Friday-June 26 at Uptown Theater.

North Texas Performing Arts: Legally Blonde, Friday- June 26.

Repertory Company Theatre: Newsies, Friday-June 26.

Shakespeare Dallas: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, today (in preview), Friday-July 23 at Samuell-Grand Park.

The Cliburn: Final Round + Award Ceremony, Friday and Saturday at Bass Hall.

Plague Mask Players: Falcon Quinn and the Black Mirror staged reading, 2 p.m. Saturday at Prince of Peace Christian School.

Sammons Center for the Arts: Jazz and Java “Lend Me Your Ear,” noon, June 21.

Kitchen Dog Theater: 2022 New Works Festival, Saturday, June 22 and 25.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Jazz Series: Kirk Whalum, 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Meyerson.

On stage now:

The cast of Rover Dramawerks’ ‘Artifice.’ (Courtesy photo by Carol Rice)

Pegasus Theatre: Death is a Bad Habit! (presented in RadioVision), through June 25 at the Bath House Cultural Center.

Rover Dramawerks: Artifice, through June 25 at the Cox Playhouse, pictured.

Hip Pocket Theatre: Pinochio Commedia, through June 26.

Jubilee Theatre: If Pretty Hurts, through June 26.

Mesquite Arts Theatre: Like Kissing Moonlight, through June 26.

All About Bette: An Interlude with Bette Davis by Morgana Shaw, through June 30 at Four Day Weekend Theater. 

Stage West: Into the Breeches, through July 3.

– Rich Lopez