Tag: Comedy

KSKA: Friday, May 12 at 2:45pm Playwright Neil Simon is a master of comedic writing and so even California Suite, a play that debuted in 1976, is just as funny and relevant to today as it ever was. Valley Performing Arts is currently running this classic play of four different stories all connected by one space: The Beverly Hills Hotel suite 203-204. Director Matt Firmin drops by Stage Talk this week to let us know how he approached the show, how he worked with his actors and how he made a few updates. California Suite runs through May 28th. LISTEN HERE

KSKA: Friday, April 21 at 2:45pm In 1980, Robert Pond, candidate for Master of Arts degree in Theatre Arts at Portland State University presented his thesis: The History of Community Theatre in Anchorage, Alaska 1946-1976. Today, as he is preparing that thesis for a book, he drops by Stage Talk to chat about his personal recollections and experiences from his long career of producing theatre. Bob is one of the most recognized figures in Anchorage theatre and currently is one of the co-founders of RKP Productions which is planning on producing two Menotti operas later this year. LISTEN HERE

KSKA: Friday, March 31 at 2:45pm Julie Kramer's stage adaptation of Rona Jaffee's ground breaking novel The Best of Everything follows the lives of five women working for a Manhattan publishing firm in the early 1950s and is currently being performed at Anchorage Community Theatre (until April 9th.) Uncannily timely today, this play examines the lives of these women trying to make it in the business world while balancing personal lives and relationships. This week Director Krista Schwarting and actors Kimberly Allely and R. Scott Cantrell drop by the studio to talk about the play on Stage Talk. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Friday, March 10 at 2:45pm Cyrano's Theatre Company is presenting Noel Coward's classic Comedy of Manners, Private Lives about a divorced couple, now on honeymoons with their new spouses, who meet and discover that they are still attracted to each other. Director Teresa Pond and actors Frank Delaney and Stefanie Suydam drop by Stage Talk this week to talk about how this play is still as "fantastically funny" as it was back when it was first produced in 1930. Private Lives runs March 10 through April 2 at Cyrano's Theatre Company. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Friday, February 24 at 2:45pm. Pre-Moth Radio Hour, This American Life and even Alaska's own Arctic Entries, author Studs Terkel took tape recorder in hand to interview real people doing real jobs across the country and then published a book about the people he met. Later, renowned composer Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin) collaborated with several other composers and song writers (James Taylor, Craig Carnelia, etc.) to bring that book to the stage in the form of the musical Working which is being presented by the University of Alaska Anchorage Department of Theatre and Dance. In their last weekend (Feb 24-26), Director Nova Cunningham and two of the actors from the show, Jacob Marforth and Jordan Crenshaw drop by Stage Talk this week to give us some background on all of these remarkable people. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Friday, February 17 at 2:45pm Valley Performing Arts is presenting Ken Ludwig's popular farce, Lend Me a Tenor February 17th-March 5th at their theatre in Wasilla. Dropping by the studio this week to talk about it are Actor Todd Broste and Actor and Director Kelly Lee Williams. Listen to Stage Talk to hear how Williams, as Director, has made some very interesting choices to solve one of the more challenging aspects of the play and also how Broste considers his character to be one of the most fun ones he's ever played. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Friday, January 27 at 2:45pm Unlike many of the area performing arts groups whose seasons go from fall to spring, Cyrano's Theatre Company's season runs from January through December. This week on Stage Talk Producing Artistic Director Teresa K. Pond drops by to give us a preview of what's in store.

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KSKA: Friday, January 13 at 2:45pm The Anchorage Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Conductor/Maestro Randy Fleischer, brings back its annual collaboration between music and film as it performs the original soundtracks to two of Charlie Chaplin's more popular films, The Kid and The Idle Class while the films are shown. Fleischer and Education Coordinator Susan Windgrove-Reed come by Stage Talk today to give some background on Chaplin and how Fleischer works to combine the music with the films during the showings. Both films, along with the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra perform Saturday at 8pm in the Atwood Concert Hall. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Friday, December 16 at 2:45pm UAA Department of Music and Anchorage Opera have teamed up again under the leadership of Associate Professor Mari Hahn to present two one-act operas, Savitri by Gustav Holst and Dr. Miracle by Georges Bizet, both performing Friday, 12/16 through Sunday 12/18 in the UAA Fine Arts Building Recital Hall. Hahn, who rewrote both librettos and who directed both productions brings two of the performers, Linda Porter and Zaide Manzano to Stage Talk today. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Friday, December 9 at 2:45pm TBA Theatre's holiday offering this year is the stage adaptation of the classic film about Santa Clause (a.k.a. Kris Kringle) being put on trial, Miracle on 34th Street. Join actors Morgan Mitchell and Ivan Taylor as they drop by Stage Talk this week to tell us all about it. Miracle on 34th Street opens December 9th and runs through the 18th at Alaska Pacific University's Grant Hall Theatre. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Friday, December 2 at 2:45pm Cyrano's Theatre Company is bringing back two favorites for its holiday offerings this year: Pinkalicious the Musical written by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann (based on their picture book by the same name) with music and lyrics by John Gregor and Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and then some) by Michael Carlton, Jim Fitzgerald and John K. Alvarez. Teresa Pond, who directed both plays (as well as the New York premier of Pinkalicious) joins actors Sarah Baird and Austin Roach this week on Stage Talk. Both plays perform through December 18th.

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KSKA: Friday, November 11 at 2:45pm Allison Gregory's "meta-theatre" play Not Medea mixes modern motherhood with the Greek myth of Medea and tosses in some audience participation as well. And, as part the National New Play Network Rolling World Premier, Perseverance Theatre brings it to life this week at the Sydney Laurence Theatre (playing November 11-20). Director Tom Robenolt, Actor Shelly Virginia and Anchorage Perseverance Theatre General Manager Josh Lowman drop by the studio this week to tell us all about it. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Friday, November 4 at 2:45pm The University of Alaska Anchorage Department of Theatre and Dance brings to life a play about a lot of people getting killed in Agatha Christie's classic murder mystery, And Then There Were None. Now in their second (and last) week of performance, Director Dr. Brian Cook along with actors LisaMarie Castro and Isaac Kumpula drop by the studio this week to talk about the play as well as the educational benefits Ms. Castro has received by using the play as the focus of her senior project. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Friday, October 21 at 2:45pm Cyrano's Theatre Company is presenting Calendar Girls based on the film of the same name by Tim Firth, opening October 21 and running through November 20. Join three of the "girls" today on Stage Talk and they talk about friendship, struggle and an ingenious way of raising money. Based on a true story. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Friday, September 30 at 2:45pm Perseverance Theatre of Juneau opens their Anchorage season with Peter and the Starcatcher, a play by Rick Elice with music by Wayne Barker based on the book by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson running September 30th through October 16 in the Sydney Laurence Theatre. Director Teresa Pond, actor Sylvia Kwan and PT's Anchorage General Manager Josh Lowman drop by Stage Talk this week to talk about this "prequel" to the story of Peter Pan. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Friday, August 26 at 2:45pm Anchorage Opera is celebrating its 55th anniversary with something old, something new and something... well, extravagant! Join Reed Smith, AO's General Director and Judy Berry, AO's Marketing and Development Director this week on Stage Talk as they sing the praises of the upcoming season. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Friday, August 19 at 2:45p.m. Lot's coming up this year over at the University of Alaska Anchorage Department of Theatre and Dance so Assistant Professors Dr. Brian Cook and Ty Hewitt drop by Stage Talk to tell us all about it. The university produces a full slate of theatre, dance and student produced shows throughout the year. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Friday, August 12 at 2:45pm. Perseverance Theatre is bringing six productions to Anchorage this year along with a few surprises. Josh Lowman, Anchorage General Manager drops by Stage Talk to chat about all that is going on. Peter and the Starcatcher opens the season on September 30th. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Friday, August 5 at 2:45pm Valley Performing Arts is kicking off it's forty-first season as it began it's first with Mary Chase's popular heart-warming play Harvey. But then they dive into a wide variety of dramas, comedies, murder mysteries, farces and musicals. Executive Director Garry Forrester drops by the studio this week to give us the run down on their exciting line-up for the coming season. LISTEN NOW

KSKA: Friday, July 22 at 2:45pm Cyrano's Theatre Company is presenting Shakespeare's tale of love and honor, Antony and Cleopatra July 22 through August 14. This week on Stage Talk actors Mark Robokoff and Shanette Harper, who play the tragic lovers, come by along with director J. David Dahl to talk about the show. LISTEN NOW