{"id":20774,"date":"2020-03-12T09:02:37","date_gmt":"2020-03-12T13:02:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=20774"},"modified":"2020-03-12T09:02:40","modified_gmt":"2020-03-12T13:02:40","slug":"on-stage-the-play-that-goes-wrong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/?p=20774","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: The Play That Goes Wrong"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Play That Goes Wrong<\/p><\/div>\n

Thursdays are traditionally party nights — \u201canticipating the weekend\u201d wild nights. Tonight, you can get wild with theater or with music.<\/p>\n

If you want to get wild with an evening of laughter, plan a trip to The Playhouse on Rodney Square (10th and Market streets, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-888-0200, www. duponttheatre.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Now through March 15, the elegant theater in downtown Wilmington is presenting a theatrical production that leaves people laughing in the aisles \u2013 \u201cThe Play That Goes Wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Co-written by Mischief Theatre company members Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, \u201cThe Play That Goes Wrong\u201d is a riotous comedy about the theatre. The play introduces The \u2018Cornley University Drama Society\u2019 who are attempting to put on a 1920s\u2019 murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong\u2026does, as the accident-prone thespians battle on against all odds to get to their final curtain call.<\/p>\n

The National Tour has a local connection. One of the show\u2019s major roles \u2013 Robert — is played by West Chester University grad Michael Thatcher.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went to West Chester University from 2006-2012,\u201d said Thatcher, during a recent phone interview from a tour stop in Elmira, New York.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was a music major studying voice. I started in music education but always had a love of theater. I did at least one production a year there. So, I pursued a Masters in acting in 2014 at the University of Houston.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thatcher\u2019s professional resume includes shows on Broadway (\u201cThe Play That Goes Wrong\u201d), \u201cJulius Caesar,\u201d \u201cThe Time Machine\u201d) and National Tours (\u201cThe Play That Goes Wrong,\u201d \u201cGuys and Dolls\u201d).<\/p>\n

\u201cThis leg of the National Tour started in September,\u201d said Thatcher. \u201cI joined the company in August 2018. I auditioned in May 2018. I had seen it on Broadway and thought it was absolutely hysterical.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Broadway production of \u201cThe Play That Goes Wrong\u201d opened at the Lyceum Theatre on April 2, 2017 and by its closing on January 6, 2019 played 27 previews and 745 performances, making it the second longest running show in the history of the Lyceum Theatre. \u201cThe Play That Goes Wrong\u201d received a Tony Award\u00ae for Best Set Design, Broadway.com<\/a>\u2019s Audience Choice Award for Best Play, and the Theater Fans Choice Award for Best Play.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Play That Goes Wrong\u201d is produced on tour by Kevin McCollum, J.J. Abrams and Kenny Wax, Stage Presence Ltd., Catherine Schreiber, Ken Davenport, Double Gemini Productions \/ deRoy- Brunish, Damian Arnold \/ TC Beech, Greenleaf Productions \/ Bard-Roth, Martian Entertainment \/ Jack Lane \/ John Yonover, and Lucas McMahon.<\/p>\n

It is a remarkable rags-to-riches story for a play which started its life at a London fringe venue with only four paying members of the public at the first performance, and has gone on to play to an audience of over two million people around the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt started as a skit in a bar in England and it grew from there,\u201d said Thatcher, a graduate of Manheim Township High School in Lancaster County. \u201cJ.J. Abrams saw it in London\u2019s West End and brought it to Broadway. It\u2019s still running on Broadway.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not stupid. It\u2019s smartly done. For the actors in it, it\u2019s not a comedy \u2013 it\u2019s a tragedy. The play-within-a-play is a murder mystery. It\u2019s set in the current time and the location is generic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before the play starts the audience see the backstage staff doing last-minute adjustments to the set, including trying to mend a broken mantelpiece and find a dog that has run off.<\/p>\n

The fictitious Cornley University has received a substantial bequest and is putting on a performance of \u201cThe Murder at Haversham Manor\u201d — a 1920s murder mystery play, similar to \u201cThe Mousetrap,\u201d which has the right number of parts for the members. The script was written by the fictitious Susie H.K. Brideswell.<\/p>\n

During the performance, a play within a play, a plethora of disasters befall the cast, including doors sticking, props falling from the walls, and floors collapsing. Cast members are seen misplacing props, forgetting lines (in one scene, an actor repeats an earlier line of dialogue and causes the dialogue sequence triggered by that line to be repeated, ever more frenetically, several times), missing cues, breaking character, having to drink white spirit instead of whisky, mispronouncing words, stepping on fingers, being hidden in a grandfather clock, and being manhandled off stage, with one cast member being knocked unconscious and her replacement (and the group technician) refusing to yield when she returns. The climax is a tribute to a scene in Buster Keaton’s film \u201cSteamboat Bill, Jr.\u201d (1928), when virtually the whole of the remaining set collapses.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe cast is made up of 12 actors \u2013 eight on stage and four understudies with ensemble parts,\u201d said Thatcher. \u201cAnything that can go wrong does go wrong. Everybody\u2019s goal is to just get to the end.<\/p>\n

\u201cTell anyone that is going to the show to make sure they get there early because things start going wrong before the show even starts.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cThe Play That Goes Wrong\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/5b-rxKlaz-4<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Performances at The Playhouse on Rodney Square are scheduled for March 12 at 7:30 p.m., March 13 and 14 at 2 and 8 p.m. and March 15 at 2 p.m. Ticket prices range from $40-$80.<\/p>\n

Area music fans can enjoy a truly wild night on March 12 when World Caf\u00e9 Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1400, www.worldcafelive.com<\/a>) hosts a concert by William Wild.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

William Wild<\/p><\/div>\n

William Wild is the moniker of Garrett Sale, a 28-year-old singer\/songwriter from Knoxville, Tennessee. He is currently on tour in support of William Wild\u2019s sophomore album \u201cPush Ups\u201d \u2013 the project\u2019s major label debut which will be released on March 20 via Sony Music Masterworks.<\/p>\n

Sale has lived in Knoxville a long time and has been making music a long time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been in Knoxville my whole life,\u201d said Sale, during a phone interview last week from his home in Knoxville.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy first memory of playing music was when I was in third grade. I came home and my dad had bought a guitar for me from an infomercial. 20 years later, I still have that guitar and use it with high-strung Nashville tuning.<\/p>\n

\u201cI began making music more seriously at the end of high school and into college. I started making my first record my junior year in college.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sale was a business management major at the University of Tennessee. He was telling the truth when he said that he\u2019s been in Knoxville his whole life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI released my self-titled album in 2014,\u201d said Sale. \u201cI just started playing locally. I sold out a lot of shows at The Square Room in Knoxville. Then, I started to hit the Chapel Hill area and Nashville. In 2016, I released my \u2018Steady Now\u2019 EP.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sale then embarked on the making of \u201cPush Ups.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drawing from a period of life marred by existential crisis and the sensationalized perception that often coincides with hallucinogenic exploration, \u201cPush Ups\u201d is a momentous step forward from the artist\u2019s previous work.<\/p>\n

Diverging from his previous work in an expansive way, the resulting full-length is both as intimate and personal for Sale as it is dynamic and progressive for his career as William Wild.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up religious in a culturally strong evangelical setting,\u201d said Sale. \u201cComing to the end of the period, I experimented with LSD and then mushrooms. One LSD experience in 2017 was a high dive freak-out that shaped the coming year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe album is called \u2018Push Ups\u2019 because, at the end of the trip, I did push ups. The record is really formed by that experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was dealing with the demystification of my dream and the death of who I thought I was. It was different.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaking the record, I had to force myself to finish it. I recorded it here in Knoxville. I have my own studio and a recording studio business on the side.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sale writes and records all of William Wild\u2019s music. For live shows, he goes solo at times and other times performs with a band.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe band line-up is pretty much a revolving door,\u201d said Sale. \u201cRecently, I\u2019ve had the same group of guys for a year now. I\u2019ve always yearned for a more permanent band.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe show in Philadelphia will be a band show. The set list is almost exclusively \u2018Push Ups\u2019 songs except for one old song and one newer song that hasn\u2019t been released yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for William Wild \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/JB0FnHhnrmA<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at World Caf\u00e9 Live, which also features City of the Sun, will start at 9 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $15.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at World Caf\u00e9 Live are Shing02 & The Chee-Hoos: A Tribute to Nujabes on March 12, An Evening with Trace Bundy on March 13, \u201cEchoes, The American Pink Floyd\u201d on March 14, Christine Havrilla & Gypsy Fuzz Birthday Show on March 14 and Barleyjuice on March 17.<\/p>\n

\u201cWild\u201d is also a description of fans\u2019 behavior whenever the Beatles played a show \u2013 or even stood on their hotel room balcony.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Rain<\/p><\/div>\n

Theater and music \u2013 and a sense of wildness past — come together when the music of the Beatles is celebrated in a stage show titled \u201cRAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now through March 15, the Kimmel Center\u2019s Broadway Philadelphia series is presenting \u201cRAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles\u201d at the Merriam Theater (250 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, 215-893-1999, www.kimmelcenter.org<\/a>).<\/p>\n

RAIN\u2019s current production is \u201cRAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles — The Best of Abbey Road Performed Live.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is a glut of tribute bands on the entertainment scene offering their interpretations of music by bands from the past such as Pink Floyd or the Grateful Dead and, at times, even current acts such as Bruce Springsteen or U2.<\/p>\n

Tribute bands and rock singer impersonators are omnipresent and come in all shapes and sizes. Their most favorite targets are Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. Some are worth listening to. Some are pretty bogus. Some range from downright laughable to pitiful.<\/p>\n

But there are a few that take their mission a lot more seriously than others \u2014 especially one particular Beatles tribute band.<\/p>\n

On February 7, 1964, the Beatles stepped off a plane from England and put their feet on American soil for the first time. It was a truly historic moment in the history of rock music.<\/p>\n

On February 7, 2004, exactly 40 years later to the minute, \u201cRAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles\u201d walked off the Concorde in Seattle to a group of over 7,000 screaming fans and performed live all of the songs the Beatles played on their three consecutive Ed Sullivan appearances in 1964.<\/p>\n

Obviously, RAIN is the real deal.<\/p>\n

The group\u2019s award-winning live Beatles show \u201cRAIN \u2014 A Tribute to the Beatles,\u201d formerly known as \u201cThe Beatles Experience,\u201d features performances by the look-a-like, sound-a-like band that has been paying homage to the Beatles for more than 40 years.<\/p>\n

RAIN performs the full range of The Beatles\u2019 discography live onstage, including the most complex and challenging songs that The Beatles themselves recorded in the studio but never performed for an audience.<\/p>\n

Additionally, there are updated sets that include brand new LED, High-Definition screens and multimedia content, as well as new Beatles songs not previously performed by RAIN.<\/p>\n

The group features Steve Landes (John Lennon), Paul Curatolo (Paul McCartney), Alastar McNeil (George Harrison), Aaron Chiazza (Ringo Starr), and Chris Smallwood (keyboards, percussion). Landes has been in the band since 1998 while the others joined in the last decade.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my sixth tour with RAIN,\u201d said McNeil, during a phone interview Monday from a tour stop in Worcester, Massachusetts.<\/p>\n

Alastar was born and raised on the island of Oahu in Hawaii and grew up surrounded by musicians who played ukulele and guitar. These instruments would play a pivotal role in his life as he became an ukulele luthier and eventually changed careers to fulfill the dream of being a full-time musician.<\/p>\n

McNeil and his wife Miwa (herself a kiho\u2019alu or Hawaiian slack key guitarist) have played with the iconic band Kupaina for years. McNeil also has earned a solid reputation for his instrumentation and adaptability playing with Honolulu bands doing everything from Irish to reggae, funk to classic rock and even a local Beatles tribute.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was in a Beatles tribute band 10 years ago in Hawaii called Day in the Life,\u201d said McNeil. \u201cThrough co-incidence, I met some people from RAIN. I auditioned by video and then flew out to join the group. It took me at least one tour to get used to the weather.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe tour about six months a year. We do three solid months in springtime. Last year, we also do a two-month summer tour. In my off months, I go back home and jump into local bands.\u201d<\/p>\n

On one of its recent tours, RAIN played the Beatles\u2019 classic \u201cSgt. Pepper\u2019s Lonely Hearts Club Band\u201d album in its entirety. On this tour, the band is doing the same with another Fab Four classic LP.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are paying tribute to \u2018Abbey Road\u2019 on this tour,\u201d said McNeil. \u201cAnd we\u2019re still doing the best of \u2018Sgt. Pepper\u2019s Lonely Hearts Club Band.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have more than 40 Beatles songs in our repertoire. We\u2019re constantly reworking the show and moving stuff around.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith a RAIN show, not only are you getting the music, you\u2019re getting to see an incredible video show. It\u2019s nostalgic \u2013 even for people who weren\u2019t alive back then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for \u201cRAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles\u201d — https:\/\/youtu.be\/8ItDCk0YHXs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Performances of \u201cRAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles\u201d are scheduled for March 13 at 7:30 p.m., March 14 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and March 15 at 1 and 6:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

Ticket prices range from $39-$124.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Monika Herzig<\/p><\/div>\n

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) is presenting Monika Herzig\u2019s SHEroes on March 13, Beyond The Pale on March 14, and Open Mic with guest host Butch Zito on March 15.<\/p>\n

The Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com<\/a>) will host Ernie Tokay on March 13, and Cliff Hillis & the Forward Thinkers on March 14.<\/p>\n

Chaplin\u2019s (66 North Main Street, Spring City, 610-792-4110,\u00a0http:\/\/chaplinslive.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The Ardmore Music Hall (23 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, 610-649-8389,\u00a0www.ardmoremusic.com<\/a>) will host Mondo Cozmo on March 12, Eric Gales with special guest Danielle Nicole on March 13, KRS-One on March 14, Noah Reid with special guest Matthew Barber on March 15 and Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah on March 18.<\/p>\n

Living Room at 35 East (35 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, https:\/\/thelivingroomat35east.com<\/a>) will hosty Meghan Cary and Roger Street Friedman on March 13 and The Naked Sun on March 14.<\/p>\n

118 North (118 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne, www.118northwayne.com<\/a>) presents Galway Guild on March 12, Kuf Knotz and Christine Elise on March 13, Steal Your Peach on March 14, Under the Oak on March 15 and Mick\u2019s Company on March 17.<\/p>\n

The Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/a>) presents Graham Nash on March 13.<\/p>\n

The Locks at Sona (4417 Main Street, Manayunk, 484- 273-0481, sonapub.com<\/a>) will have The Mastersons with special guest Bonnie Whitmore on March 13, Don McCloskey with special guest Kate Yaeger on March 14 and Keith Harkin on March 15.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times Thursdays are traditionally party nights — \u201canticipating the weekend\u201d wild nights. Tonight, you can get wild with theater or with music. If you want to get wild with an evening of laughter, plan a trip to The Playhouse on Rodney Square (10th and Market streets, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-888-0200, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20776,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4357],"tags":[3162,8708,522,8707,8709],"class_list":["post-20774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-featured","tag-monika-herzig","tag-rain","tag-the-play-that-goes-wrong","tag-william-wild"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20774"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20774\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20775,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20774\/revisions\/20775"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20776"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/downingtowntimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}