Gay directors shine in spring shows

It’s about a woman who works at a West Berlin employment office all her life, whose life changes when she hears a Bob Dylan song on the radio. The cast includes Stacy Melich, Del Hamilton, and Faye Allen.

Freddie Ashley, the openly gay artistic director of Actor’s Express, is directing “Seminar” (May 15 – June 16), written by Theresa Rebeck, the creator of “Smash.” It’s the story of four writing students getting a lesson by an acerbic world-class author.

Serenbe Playhouse’s three-show season gets underway in June. Openly gay Brian Clowdus, the company’s artistic director, will helm two shows. First up is an original adaptation of the Margery Williams’ classic “The Velveteen Rabbit” adapted by Rachel Teagle.  Clowdus will also direct the musical “Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical.”

Clowdus is calling this his “season of change.”

“A rabbit becomes a real rabbit in ‘Velveteen,’ two arms negotiators in ‘A Walk in the Woods’- an American and a Russian – are at a standstill and ‘Hair” is about a revolution with sexual awakening,” he says.

‘5 Lesbians’ and more

Last year, the Weird Sisters — a group of female theater artists — staged a splendid version of “Anton In Show Business,” which featured a lesbian character. This summer, they will present “5 Lesbians Eating A Quiche” in July at the Shakespeare Tavern.

It’s set in 1956, where the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein members are having their annual quiche breakfast. Communists threaten their town and threaten to expose town secrets. It’s directed by company member Kelly Criss.

In its new home in Decatur, Onstage Atlanta takes on the mystery comedy “The 39 Steps” (May 3 – 19) with a cast including gay actor Charlie Miller, while The Buckhead Theatre is hosting a spoof of the book “Fifty Shades of Grey” called “Spank! The Fifty Shades Parody” (May 14 – 19).

Among other shows opening this spring/early summer are Pinch ‘N’ Ouch’s “The Aliens,” Stage Door Players Tony-Award winning drama “Dancing With Lughnasa” and a remount of Georgia Shakespeare’s award-winning “Metamorphoses.”

On Stage now

“Sister Act”
Through April 28 at the Fox Theatre
www.broadwayacrossamerica.com
Based on the Whoopi Goldberg film, this Broadway musical returns to Atlanta after several years with some noticeable changes.

“Hello, Dolly!”
Through April 28 at Georgia Ensemble Theatre, www.get.org
Courtenay Collins plays the title role in the first classic musical.

“Zorro”
Through May 4 at Alliance Theatre
www.alliancetheatre.org
Openly gay director Christopher Renshaw brings this flamenco musical to the stage.

“Brer Rabbit & Friends”
Through May 26 at the Center for Puppetry Arts
www.puppet.org
Gay director Spencer G. Stephens helms a version of this popular family fare.

Upcoming

“Lady Lay”
April 25 – May 19 at 7 Stages
1105 Euclid Ave., Atlanta, GA 30307
www.7stages.org

“The 39 Steps”
May 3 – 19 at Onstage Atlanta
2969 E. Ponce De Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA 30030
www.onstageatlanta.com

“Spank! The Fifty Shades Parody”
May 14 – 19 at The Buckhead Theatre
3110 Roswell Road, Atlanta, GA 30305
www.thebuckheadtheatre.com

“Seminar”
May 15 – June 16 at Actor’s Express
887 W. Marietta St., Atlanta, GA 30318
www.actorsexpress.com

“Dancing at Lughnasa”
May 17 – June 6 at Stage Door Players
5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road
Dunwoody, GA 30338
www.stagedoorplayers.net

“The Book Club Play”
May 17 – June 23 at Horizon Theatre
1083 Austin Ave. , Atlanta, GA 30307
www.horizontheatre.com

“The Velveteen Rabbit”
June 7 – 27 at Serenbe Playhouse
9110 Selborne Lane
Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268
www.serenbeplayhouse.com

“The Aliens”
June 14 – July 6 at Pinch ‘N’ Ouch Theatre
1085 Ponce de Leon Ave.
Atlanta, GA 30306
www.pnotheatre.org

“Metamorphoses”
June 21 – July 21
Georgia Shakespeare at Oglethorpe
4484 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, GA 30319
www.gashakespeare.com

“Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical”
July 25 – Aug. 11 at Serenbe Playhouse
9110 Selborne Lane
Chattahoochee Hills, GA 30268
www.serenbeplayhouse.com

“5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche”
TBD July at The Weird Sisters at Shakespeare Tavern
499 Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA 30308
www.shakespeareavern.com

 

Top photo: Gay directors Freddie Ashley and Brian Clowdus offer new shows this spring. (Publicity photos)