Category Archives: Uncategorized

Jul 15

The Theory of Everything Explained: “Supergravity and the Eleventh Dimension”

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Photo Credit: Paul Cantillon, LIDEC Photo

Presented by Vagabond Theatre Group
By Heather Houston
Directed by James Peter Sotis

July 11 – 20, 2013
The Factory Theatre
Boston, MA
Vagabond Theatre Group Facebook Page

Review by Kitty Drexel

(Boston) Einstein’s Law of Thermodynamics states that “energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another.” This quote from a beloved theoretical physicist describes the natural state of constant flux in the world around us. This quote is often bastardized by Religion* to explain the existence of God, a Super-creator from whence all the energy of life flows. God must exist, they paraphrase, because the energy to create the universe must have come from somewhere… It must have come from God! Ladies and Gentlemen, God and Science can sit at the same table but this isn’t the room they sit in. Continue reading →

Jul 15

But still, like terrible comments on unmoderated blogs, I’ll rise: PAPER CITY PHOENIX

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Photo Credit: Boston Actors Theater

Presented by Boston Actors Theater
By Walt McGough
Directed by Melanie Garber

July 12-27
Boston Playwrights’ Theatre
Boston, MA
Boston Actors Theater Facebook Page

Review by Noe Kamelamela

(Boston) For the past nine years, Boston Actor’s Theater has made every effort to involve community in choosing and putting on performances that have distinct flavor.  Their latest production of local playwright Walt McGough’s salute to The Connected Era is an homage to the Internet and how we, as users, understand and relate to it. Continue reading →

Jul 03

New England Theatre Geek Wants to Play with You! (You Heard Me)

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keep-calm-and-admiral-your-kittypants-75In an effort to serve the community Queen Geek, Kitty Drexel, is starting a creative coterie for Cambridge-area artists. Starting in September 2013, a monthly meeting will be held in order that artists may play with their respective art in a safe environment for the purpose of practice, performance and constructive critique. Artists of all stripes can email Kitty at blognetheatregeek at gmail dot com for more information.

Mission Statement:
Admiral Kittypants: Full, Frontal Artistry is a creative community experiment that gives performers the opportunity to play with their art in a safe space before performing it on the stage. If it’s in moderate taste* and you want feedback, we can provide a constructive audience.

Mark your calendars for September 2013.
The meeting will occur on a Sunday between 2:30PM and 5:30PM. Those interested in attending should email the Queen for an RSVP.

Piano/Accompanist Needed:
Admiral Kittypants is looking for an electric piano and/or an experienced accompanist to join Admiral Kittypants: Full, Frontal Artistry as an artist and critique cohort. We are looking for one, the other or (preferably) both. Interested parties should contact  blognetheatregeek at gmail dot com with summer/fall Sunday availability, and hourly rate.

Please put “Full, Frontal Piano” in the subject line. Leads are welcome and encouraged.

More information about “Admiral Kittypants” can be found on Facebook.

Logo/Mascot by the marvelous Kezi

Logo/Mascot by the marvelous Kezi

*Moderate Taste: Some, but not full, nudity; light cursing; no actual violence but stage combat and references to violence are ok; sexism, racism, and other -isms without warrant are strongly discouraged – potentially with a baseball bat.

Jul 03

Sexy is as Sexy Does: THE TEASEDAY CLUB

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Tuesday, July 9 at 7:30PM
The  Teaseday Club Facebook Page

The Teaseday Club meets the second Tuesday of every month at The Davis Square Theater and tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the box office.

Join us for some of Boston’s funniest comedians, sexiest burlesque dancers, and weirdest, wildest, and most wonderful performers of all stripes!

SCHEDULED TO PERFORM (so far) ON July 9:
Sari Kalin‘s Porch-i-oke!
Belly Dance from Zehara Nachash!
The song stylings of Queen Geek, Kitty Drexel!
Burlesque from Vikki Likkerish!
The circus cutie Miz Fonda-Feeling!
Boston’s ‘Queen of the Fans’ MISS Mina Murray!

More info and tickets at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/408615!
The patriotic Peril S. Curves!

 

Jun 15

Effervescent Emptiness: CHICAGO

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(center) Angie Schworer as Roxie and Rick Pessagno as Billy Flynn give the press the scoop in CHICAGO at Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston June 13-23, 617 Lexington Street, Waltham. (Photo: Herb Philpott)

presented by Reagle Music Theatre

book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse
music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb
Directed and choreographed by Gerry McIntyre

Robinson Theater
617 Lexington St
Waltham, MA
June 13th – 23rd, 2013
Reagle Music Theatre Facebook Page

Review by Craig Idlebrook

(Waltham) Personally, I’ve had a hard time with plays that take on the rollicking 20’s. It’s rare to come across a script that strikes the right balance between the era’s bubbly exuberance and its tragically-wasted potential. Anything Goes was written too close to the source material to really make sense anymore. Guys and Dolls is more coherent, but still stubbornly devoid of subtext. And Cabaret (1931 is close enough) is built to pull audiences slowly from a dream to a nightmare, but too often productions can’t pull off the joy and the dread at the same time. Maybe I’m just allergic to flappers. Continue reading →

Jun 14

R.I.P. Joan Parker, Philanthropist/Muse/Activist

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Obituary: In Memory of Joan Parker

Photo credit: Bay Windows

An article from Bay Windows written by Deborah Peeples, President of Greater Boston PFLAG chapter follows below.

People may recall Ms. Parker as a champion of LGBTQ rights. Some may remember her gallant aerial descent to the stage in the 2010 Theater Offensive fundraising event “ClimACTS: Under A Big Top.” She was a miracle to those who needed her. Joan Parker, you are missed.

Joan Parker flying 30 feet up in the air at our 2010 “ClimACTS under a Big Top. Photo credit: The Theater Offensive

From Bay Windows:
“Obituary: In Memory of Joan Parker” by Deborah Peeples, President of Greater Boston PFLAG

I am writing to share the sad news that Joan Parker, one of our distinguished members of the Greater Boston Parents Families and Friends (Greater Boston PFLAG) Advisory Board, passed away yesterday.  Joan was an educator and community activist and philanthropist. She and her late husband, the acclaimed novelist Robert Parker, epitomized the ideal PFLAG parents. Proud and supportive of their two gay sons, Joan and Robert modeled the kind of behavior PFLAG seeks to promote with all parents: unqualified love and acceptance of their LGBT children.  And they took that love and support to its highest form by becoming activists  — committing themselves to making the world safe and inclusive for all.

For decades, Joan was active in a wide range of community service and arts organizations, including the American Repertory Theater, Community Servings, Theater Offensive, The Boston Children’s Theater and, fortunately for us, Greater Boston PFLAG.  Joan was also a moving force behind “Shared Heart”, a traveling exhibit of black-and-white photos of LGBT teens that was narrated by the featured youth.

Joan and Robert joined the Greater Boston PFLAG’s Advisory Board in June 2008, and together with Chad and Anne Gifford, served as Honorary Co-Chairs of our April 2008 and 2009 Pride and Passion fundraisers. At the April 2010 fundraiser, Greater Boston PFLAG honored Joan with its Cornerstone of Equality Award. Joan then went on to Co-Chair three successive Pride and Passion fundraising events. Each of these galas was more successful than the one before by all measures, including increasing the amount of funds raised to support of our bullying prevention and family acceptance programs. Beyond that, through her work on our fundraising events, Joan was instrumental in boosting public awareness of our lifesaving, life-changing mission. She became an active member of our Speaker’s Bureau and participated in our workplace based education programs for parents and allies.  She gave generously of her time, passion and expertise and was a brilliant “organizational development consultant”. She frequently opened her Cambridge home for countless meetings and parties for supporters and friends of the organization- in some respects, her Ash Street residence became a second home office for Greater Boston PFLAG.

My predecessor Stan Griffith, our Executive Director Pam Garramone and I will always cherish Joan’s warm friendship and her steady wise counsel. She was our guru and mentor. We are grateful to Joan Parker for all that she did to make the world a better place for all kids and their families.

Greater Boston PFLAG extends our deepest sympathies to Joan’s sons David and Daniel and to their families during this difficult time. The family has requested that memorial gifts be made in lieu of flowers to one or more of the organizations with which their mother was active, including Greater Boston PFLAG.  Those who would like to make a memorial gift in Joan Parker’s honor should consult our website at: http://www.gbpflag.org or call 781-891-5966.

 

Jun 13

Boston Globe: Geek Reviewer Snuggles Neil Gaiman

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Charlie Mahoney for The Boston Globe. "Gillian Daniels poses with author Neil Gaiman prior to his reading at the Multicultural Arts Center."

Charlie Mahoney for The Boston Globe. “Gillian Daniels poses with author Neil Gaiman prior to his reading at the Multicultural Arts Center.”  (added by the Queen Geek: Aren’t they cute?)

Please see this Boston Globe article if you are a fan of our Geek, Gillian Daniels. The same also applies if you are a fan of Neil Gaiman.

From the article, “Neil Gaiman turns tweets into ‘Calendar of Tales,’” by Mark Shanahan and Meredith Goldstein:
English author Neil Gaiman this week released a collection of short stories and illustrations that was crowd-sourced using not money but the inspiration and wisdom of his 1.8 million Twitter followers.

…

The author best known for his comic book series, “The Sandman,” and the novels “Stardust” and “Coraline,” told us he was approached by Blackberry about partnering on a social-media project. His idea was to tweet questions to his fans, select 12 responses, and then write 12 stories — each based on a month of the year. The finished product, called “A Calendar of Tales,” is available online at http://acalendaroftales.com/.

Awesome-sauce!

 

 

Jun 02

It’s Been Real: REAL REALISM

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presented by Sleeping Weazel
written by Charlotte Meehan directed by Vanessa Gilbert
May 31–June 1 and June 6–June 8, 2013
Boston, MA
Sleeping Weasel Facebook Page
Review by Nicola McEldowney
(Boston) Seeing a new or unfamiliar play always gets your imagination rolling in new ways. That’s the beauty of the experience, almost regardless of the play. But Charlotte Meehan’s Real Realism – playing at the Factory Theatre this weekend and next – is so rich in its unpredictability that it takes your imagination on a joyride. Continue reading →
May 30

AISLE SIX at the NYC Fringe, PortFringe and San Diego Fringe!

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From Geek Reviewer, Nicola:

My musical, AISLE SIX, has been selected for three theatre festivals this summer: the New York International Fringe Festival (aka FringeNYC). This is very exciting but equally expensive. People have been incredibly generous in donating their time, talents and services, but I’m still trying to raise $3,600 to defray costs. If you can give even a little, please do. Just $10 will go an incredibly long way, and I’ll be most grateful. Plus, there are perks involved! 🙂 Check it out. And THANK YOU! – Nicola

Other Ways You Can Help

Even if you can’t contribute financially (and WHAT KIND OF UNFEELING MONSTER ARE YOU??!!! I SUPPOSE YOU’D HAVE ME BELIEVE YOU HAVE TO PAY “BILLS” OR SOMETHING?!?!), I humbly ask that you…

– Spread the word about Aisle Six and this campaign via social media

– Make some noise* in any other way possible!

* …about this, I mean.

That’s all, folks. Thank you, thank you, thank you. And remember: we’re all in this together at the Super Duper Store.

May 29

Open Theatre Project presents Acting Out Against Violence: an evening of Art, Performances, Silent Auctions, Community & more to benefit the One Fund.

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[BRIGHTON, MA] – On June 23, 2013 Open Theatre Project will be hosting an artistic celebration of community strength involving over 30 different artists, businesses & community members throughout the Greater Boston Area. We will be gathering at The Green Briar starting at 5PM with food, drinks & celebration to show our support and stand #BostonStrong together! The performance will start at 7PM & include: Original Scenes, Poetry, Monologues, Comedians, Music, Movement, and more with a community celebration after the performance!

Tickets for the evening are $15 and can be purchased directly attheopentheatre.com/actingout