The Rochester Broadway Theatre League opened its 2014-15 season Tuesday night with the first performance of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” The popular biblical musical, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice (their first major collaboration together), takes its inspiration from the Book of Genesis, telling the story of a […]
Auditorium Theatre
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Theater Review: RBTL’s “Once”
“The bar onstage is open. Enjoy!” With those words as a greeting, I entered the Auditorium Theatre for Tuesday night’s performance of the Tony Award-winning musical, “Once.” That cheery welcome prefaced a scene I’m not generally accustomed to seeing at that venue: the stage, dressed to look like a charming, somewhat dingy pub, was crowded […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
THEATER REVIEW: RBTL’s “War Horse”
The touring production of “War Horse,” which runs through Sunday at the Auditorium Theatre, brings one of the most distinctive Broadway events of recent years to Rochester. “War Horse” started as a popular young people’s book by Michael Morpurgo, then became a play by Nick Stafford for the National Theatre of Great Britain, which produced […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
REVIEW: RBTL’s “Ghost The Musical”
In theory, a musical based on the 1990 film “Ghost” might not seem like such a terrible idea. After 23 years, it remains a popular movie, filled with scenes that have become iconic in the time since its release (it’s impossible to hear “Unchained Melody” without it immediately conjuring up images of Patrick Swayze and […]
Posted inNews & Opinion
Bill Maher’s funny fury
Comedian and TV personality Bill Maher, who will perform at the Auditorium Theatre on Saturday, July 13, has been pushing the boundaries of comedy and political satire for more than 20 years. While many comedians have found success combining politics with humor in their stand-up routines, Maher is among the few who have managed to […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
THEATER PREVIEW: “Les Miserables”
The old adage says that misery loves company. The musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s “Les Miserables” has certainly had plenty of visitors over its nearly three-decade life span. The trials and tribulations of Jean Valjean, Fantine, Marius, and the other Revolution-era Frenchmen have pulled in audiences again and again. People are drawn in by Hugo’s […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
“Wicked”
Since opening on Broadway in 2003, “Wicked” has had smashing success, breaking box-office records and becoming one of the most beloved modern musicals. It has a large, devoted fanbase and inspires the sort of passion in people so that they are eager to see it time and time again. That at least partially explains why […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Theater Review: RBTL’s “Wicked”
Since opening on Broadway in 2003, “Wicked” has had smashing success, breaking box-office records and becoming one of the most beloved modern musicals. It has a large, devoted fanbase and inspires the sort of passion in people so that they are eager to see it time and time again. That at least partially explains why […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Theater Review: “The Book of Mormon”
It was a huge coup for the Rochester Broadway Theatre League to book a run of the Broadway smash “The Book of Mormon” during its first national tour. Local audiences have taken advantage of the opportunity, with the six-night stand of the Tony-, Grammy-, and Drama Desk-winning musical completely selling out the Auditorium Theatre, save […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Theater: RBTL details ticket-lottery policy for “Book of Mormon”
The Rochester Broadway Theatre League today announced its ticket-lottery process for the upcoming Rochester performances of the national tour of the Tony-winning musical “The Book of Mormon.” The much-anticipated show, running at Auditorium Theatre March 5-10, has been very close to sold out for months. However, 20 tickets will be available via lottery for each […]
Posted inMusic
Concert Review: Nick Finzer, The Stylistics, The Swooners
Out at Lovin’ Cup, the patrons taste their beer, they don’t just guzzle it. On Wednesday, February 13, the crowd of beer aficionados shunned the Bud and wrapped their buds around some tasty Smutty Nose treats to the solid strains of some sweet jazz. While all this tasting and testifying was going on, trombonist/composer/Rochester ex-pat […]
Posted inNews & Opinion
Mayor: city will not go all out for theater
Don’t expect the City of Rochester to swoop in with a sweet offer to convince RBTL to build its new theater in downtown Rochester. If RBTL is serious about going to Irondequoit, Mayor Tom Richards says, it’ll go with his blessing. “I’m trying to be consistent with respect to what I think the civic responsibility […]
