Friday, September 5, 2008

Closing weekend for these 5 theater productions (Sept. 5-7)

By Shawn Parikh

As with any weekend, some great theater productions are ending so try and go to the theatre while you can:

A Streetcar Named Desire

• Zanna, Don’t!, presented by Uptown Players. Nominee for Best Off-Broadway Musical, Zanna, Don't! is a musical fairy tale about a matchmaking teen who turns relationships upside-down, challenges our point of view and changes the world forever. This is not your average American high school. With a high-octane score that runs the gamut from funk and R&B, to classical musical theatre and touching ballads, Zanna, Don't! takes you on a wild ride! Purchase tickets ($25-30) online or by calling 214-219-2718.
• A Streetcar Named Desire, presented by Contemporary Theatre of Dallas. A Streetcar Named Desire, which opened on Broadway in 1947, won a Tony Award (for lead actress Jessica Tandy) and the Pulitzer Prize, and was made into an unforgettable film in 1951, tells the story of Blanche DuBois, a delusion-prone alcoholic who flees her scandalous past and lost ancestral plantation to seek refuge with her sister Stella in working-class New Orleans. But Blanche’s feminine wiles are no match for the cunning and brutality of her brother-in-law Stanley Kowalski, who won’t let Blanche’s secrets stay buried back in Mississippi. Purchase tickets ($10-32) online or by calling 214-828-0094.
• Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me, presented by ICT Theatre on Edge & Level Ground Arts. The story follows 3 unlikely friends, kidnapped and imprisoned by a nameless group of terrorist, as they fight to survive in less than desirable conditions. Adam, the American psychologist, Edward, the Irish Journalist, and Michael, the English university professor each bring their own national biases and prejudices along with their humor and strength into the tiny space that has become their home. Through the stories and lives of each other, they come to see the strengths and weaknesses in each man. The men learn to stand together against a common enemy and to stand on their own against the world. This look at human nature at its most desperate, glows with the hope, laughter and tears that help these 3 men to survive one more day. For reservations ($8), call 972-594-6104.
• I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, presented by Greater Lewisville Community Theatre. This celebration of the mating game takes on the truths and myths behind that contemporary conundrum known as “the relationship”. Four actors take on the lives of over forty characters as they face the trials and tribulations of dealing with dating, romance, marriage, infidelity and in-laws. Scholarship fundraiser show. Call 972-221-SHOW for reservations ($15).
• The Crash At Crush, presented by Shane-Arts. When it came to dreaming big, Willie Crush was the best. Hired to sell tickets on the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad (the KATY), this friend of PT Barnum knew that railroad wrecks drew crowds in minutes. Think about how many would come if they knew in advance! Why not stage a train wreck? This historical event attracted young Scott Joplin who decided to write his first ragtime song, "The Great Crush Collision March" to commemorate the event and tells the tale about how the whole world took notice of the small town between Dallas and Waco. Willie Crush wanted Katherine to notice most of all, and he had the support of nearly everyone involved - except for one Katy railroad hand who swore the boilers would burst and there'd be "...dead people all over the place", but the confident Willie Crush was unstoppable. This show is suitable for the entire family. World premiere. Purchase tickets ($20-25) online or by calling 877-238-5596.

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