There is community theater and dance on stage in a variety of styles around the region this weekend and through the summer.
Pottsville
Two community theater productions are coming up at the Majestic Theater in Pottsville.
Performers ages 5 through 11 will stage “Finding Nemo Kids” May 15-17. It is directed by Ryleigh Marr.
“Fame: The Musical” is June 19-21. The cast includes local adults directed by Talia Lewis. The ’80s movie and television show were about students at a performing arts high school in New York City.
The theater website is majestictheater.net.
Kelly Krieger, Lou Lyons and Jacob Thomas in “Rock of Ages” at the Music Box Dinner Playhouse. (COURTESY OF THE MUSIC BOX DINNER PLAYHOUSE)
Miguel Rodriguez from Moosic as Sweeney Todd and Sammie Stella from Plains Township as Mrs. Lovett in the upcoming production of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Teen Edition.” (COURTESY OF ACT OUT THEATRE GROUP)
A rehearsal scene from “The Fall of the House of Usher.” (COURTESY OF ACTORS CIRCLE)
Mya Harrity as Taffy in Coney Island in “The Cracked Nut.”
(COURTESY OF BALLET THEATRE OF SCRANTON)
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Kelly Krieger, Lou Lyons and Jacob Thomas in “Rock of Ages” at the Music Box Dinner Playhouse. (COURTESY OF THE MUSIC BOX DINNER PLAYHOUSE)
Luzerne County
“Pillow Talk,” the enemies-to-lovers rom-com that was a Rock Hudson and Doris Day movie, opens Friday for the first of two weekends at the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre.
“Some plays are serious — ‘Pillow Talk’ is just plain fun,” Little Theatre General Manager David Parmelee said via email. “This classy comedy takes us back in time to 1959, when the game of love was played very differently.”
The couple are played by Grey Blackmore and Matthew Alexander Sarnovsky.
The Little Theatre website is ltwb.org.
The Music Box Dinner Playhouse has a live rock band and a cast of 17 for the jukebox musical of ’80s hits, “Rock of Ages,” in Swoyersville. It debuted last week and has weekend shows through May 17.
It was a Broadway show and a movie.
The famous musical featured songs including “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Here I Go Again,” “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” “The Final Countdown” and “We Built This City.”
Dinner is not offered at all shows, but there is a special Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday.
The website is musicbox.org.
In Hazleton, the Pennsylvania Theatre of Performing Arts has the musical “Urinetown,” a satirical comedy, on deck beginning May 15. It is followed by the real-life drama “The Elephant Man” in June.
PTPA is one of many theaters, amateur and professional, reviving “1776” for the country’s 250th anniversary. The musical and the movie were hits around the time of the Bicentennial. The show begins on July 3, and dinner will be offered at some shows.
The website is ptpashows.org.
Lackawanna County
Act Out Theatre Group is producing the classic Stephen Sondheim musical “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Teen Edition” for the next two weekends. Miguel Rodriguez of Moosic plays the title character. “Playing Sweeney Todd has been an honor,” he said in a media release. “He is this dark, evil man, filled with revenge that you can sympathize with in a way.”
Actors Circle is presenting a modern twist on an Edgar Allan Poe short story. “The Fall of the House of Usher” was adapted for the stage by Margo and Marnie Azzarelli. The thriller is being shown Friday through Sunday at the Providence Playhouse in Scranton.
The website is Actorscirclescranton.com.
Ballet Theatre of Scranton’s 50th Anniversary “Nutcracker” season continues with “The Cracked Nut,” an original reimagining of the holiday classic, on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Theater at North in Scranton.
It changes the main character’s name to Claire and puts her in a 1940s New York City dance hall and at Coney Island.
The website is balletscranton.org.
Diva Theater and Actors Circle are teaming up for a big production of “1776” at West Scranton Intermediate School, starting June 19. They won a $10,000 grant from America250PA to help pay for the show. A semiformal fundraising gala at the historic Tripp House in Scranton on May 16 will include performances from the show. The website is Actorscirclescranton.com.