Mention the word ‘opera’ and likely the first image that springs to mind is a woman in a Viking hat with blond braids, wearing a breastplate, and hitting an impossibly high note that can shatter any nearby glass objects. Or perhaps it’s the 1957 Bugs Bunny cartoon “What’s Opera, Doc?” spoofing Richard Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen. And while there is such a thing as opera comedies, I find it hard to believe that any opera attendee would ever leave a performance with their sides aching from … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Classical Opera Gets the Slapstick Treatment in Avon Players’ Uproarious Production of ‘Lend Me a Tenor’
REVIEW: Give Yourself the Gift of Avon Players’ Holiday Variety Show ‘Forever Christmas’
Three years ago as I sat waiting for this show to start, I was worn out and my Christmas spirit was nearly nonexistent. I had doubts if a holiday variety show would be able to change the way I felt, but it did. And I’m happy to say this year’s production, playing until December 14 in Rochester Hills, MI, sent my spirits soaring once again! In an age where you start to wonder if anyone has anything new or relevant to say, Avon Players President John (JD) Deierlein gifts us with his original … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Life, Love, and the ‘Company’ You Keep is at the Heart of Avon Players’ Latest Production
How do you solve a problem like Bobby’s? That’s the question on the minds of his married friends and the women in his life. And what is Bobby’s problem? He’s 35 and still single (gasp!). Welcome to composer Stephen Sondheim’s Company; an eccentric look at modern love in 1970's Manhattan and the closing production of Avon Players’ diverse 2018-2019 season, running now through June 1. When Company debuted on Broadway in 1970, it earned a record-setting 14 Tony Awards® nominations, of which … [Read more...]
REVIEW: Avon Players’ ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ Inspires and Enthralls on an Epic Scale
At first blush, The Hunchback of Notre Dame seems like an odd choice for a holiday play. Especially when you consider past Avon productions such as A Christmas Story, Forever Christmas, and Miracle on 34th Street have much more overt seasonal messages. However, as the story unfolds it becomes clear that this play is absolutely perfect for this time of year with its message about kindness, love, and the need for refuge in an all too chaotic world. And if that’s not enough to sway you, then … [Read more...]
REVIEW: ‘Forever Christmas’ Sings Hope Into the Holidays
Settling into my seat at opening night of Avon Players’ holiday revue ‘Forever Christmas,’ I looked around and wondered if any of the other patrons at the packed performance felt like I did: tired. This has just been a long, strange year; a year where beloved cultural icons have been leaving us at a dizzying pace, not to mention the recent election. It just seems like 2016 has been one curve ball after another and I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m ready for it to be over. I guess I was … [Read more...]
Ring in the Holidays with Avon Players’ ‘Forever Christmas’
Enjoy the music of the season and laugh alongside your loved ones at this original variety show Avon Players celebrates the sounds and sentiment of the holiday season with the newest installment of its very own Christmas variety show, Forever Christmas, running Friday, November 25 through Saturday, December 10. Do you remember gathering with the family, freshly popped popcorn in hand, around the 19-inch color television set to watch Christmas specials from the likes of Bob Hope, Perry … [Read more...]
Get Into the Holiday Spirit with ‘Forever Christmas’
Take time out from the hustle of the holiday season with an evening of quality entertainment from Avon Players. Starting Thanksgiving weekend, the sounds of Forever Christmas will delight audiences with the sights and sounds that make the season special. Enjoy the Big, Bright Light Show in Downtown Rochester and then come check out this warm and wonderful holiday revue. Tickets are $22 for evening performances and $20 for matinees. Purchase your tickets here. Save … [Read more...]