QUALITY HILL TO FEATURE STREISAND FAVORITES (AND JUDY AND LIZA, TOO) — Quality Hill Playhouse continues its season dedicated to film music with “Judy Barbra Liza,” a salute to three of the most dynamic performers to have graced the silver screen. The original cabaret revue featuring the signature songs of Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand and Liza Minnelli opens May 29.
Lauren Braton, Christina Burton and Ashley Pankow star in the tribute. Their performances will not be imitations of these iconic performers. {mprestriction ids="1,3"}Rather, the show is a celebration of these superstars’ contributions to cinema and pop culture as experienced through songs they made famous, including “Over the Rainbow,” “Get Happy,” “The Man That Got Away,” “You Made Me Love You,” “Evergreen,” “Happy Days are Here Again,” “People,” “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” “Cabaret” and “Theme from New York, New York.”
Producing Artistic Director J. Kent Barnhart conceived and arranged the show and directs; he also performs as emcee, vocalist and pianist. “Judy Barbra Liza” runs through June 28 at Quality Hill Playhouse. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.QualityHillPlayhouse.com or call 816-421-1700.
MTKC PRESENTS ‘THE WEDDING SINGER’ — Two Jewish students have roles in the Music Theatre Kansas City (formerly Music Theatre for Young People) production of “The Wedding Singer.” This production features MTKC’s graduating seniors before they head off in the fall to various colleges to pursue their dreams. Jacob Flekier, a Blue Valley North graduate planning to study acting at Webster Conservatory, will play George. The part of Julia will be played by another BVN grad Paris Naster, who is planning to study musical theater at Point Park University.
“The Wedding Singer,” made popular by the Adam Sandler film, is set in 1985 with Robbie Hart, a rock-star wannabe and New Jersey’s favorite wedding singer. When his own fiancé leaves him at the altar, Robbie turns every other wedding into sheer disaster, that’s until he meets Julia who wins his affection. But Julia is about to marry a Wall Street shark. Unless Robbie can pull off the performance of a decade, the girl of his dreams will be gone forever.
MTKC is a professional program committed to bringing quality musical theatre and preparatory training to the Kansas City community. Numerous MTKC alumni are performing professionally across the country and around the world including on Broadway and in London’s West End.
The musical will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 29 and 30, and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 31, at Union Station’s City Stage. Tickets for MTKC’s production of “The Wedding Singer” are on sale now through the Central Ticket Office, 816-235-6222. For more information, visit www.mtkc.org or call 913-341-8156.
ALLEGED KANSAS CITY JCC SHOOTER TO REPRESENT HIMSELF AT TRIAL (JTA) — Last week the Missouri man charged with murdering three people at two Jewish sites in Overland Park a year ago fired his lawyers and announced he will represent himself at his trial. Judge Thomas Kelly Ryan approved his request.
Frazier Glenn Cross Jr., also known as Frazier Glenn Miller, told the Associated Press last month that he plans to plead guilty in the case but wants to use his sentencing hearing to voice his anti-Semitic beliefs without being impeded.
Miller is charged with capital murder in the April 13, 2014, shootings, which killed William Lewis Corporon, a retired physician, and his 14-year-old grandson, Reat Griffin Underwood in the parking lot at the Jewish Community Campus and Terri LaManno outside Village Shalom. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the case. None of the victims were Jewish. The trial is expected to begin in mid-August.{/mprestriction}
