Save The Drama for The Stage | The RBTL 2018-19 Season
Life is about playing many roles. At the Center for Dispute Settlement, much of our work revolves around helping people when the demands of these various roles cause stress and conflict. Keeping objectivity is key to resolving most interpersonal issues. Going to the theatre is a terrific way to watch others play out ‘drama’ in their roles – and maybe provide some insight to our own lives. While Rochester has a lot of excellent stage theatre from which to choose, for now we’ll focus on the Rochester Broadway Theatre League’s exciting season. In a future blog, we’ll check out some of the other theatre venues in The Roc. But get ready. The RBTL is bringing in some big-time touring shows this season!
We may as well jump to the headliner even though it’s not the first in the line-up. “Hamilton” is on the slate! That the ticket to this show will be the hottest in town is certainly an understatement. Clearly, you’re going to have to move fast to score seats. On the upside, the show is playing for a solid three-week run, so there’s hope! “Hamilton” opens on April 23rd (Shakespeare’s birthday, appropriately) and will be up through May 12th. If fortunes are cruel and you don’t get tix to Lin- Manuel Miranda’s historical smash-hit, don’t despair. There is a lot of grea theatre to sustain you! “A Bronx Tale: The Musical” gets the new season off to an exciting start from October 16-21. The musical is an adaptation from the movie that found its fame chiefly from the cable TV and video market rather than the box office. Although it was Robert DeNiro’s directorial debut and starred the legendary star as well, it didn’t make a big splash at the box office when it was initially released twenty-five years ago (if you can believe it!) The movie itself was adapted from a one-man play written by and starring Chazz Palminteri who went on to play the gangster Sonny in the beloved film. And now it has become a Broadway hit that was also co-directed by DeNiro. Talk about coming full circle!
The Victor Hugo masterpiece “Les Misérables” is next up and is designated as the season special (it’s not included in season subscriptions). It runs from November 20 through 24. Another classic, “Fiddler On The Roof,” will open two weeks before Christmas, staging from December 11 to 16. February brings the first show of 2019 to RBTL with the musical murder mystery fan fave “Chicago” returning from February 5 through 10. Following on its heels, another stage legend with the name (former name) of a city in it: “Miss Saigon” is playing from March 5 through 10.
Late April and early May has the aforementioned “Hamilton,” but don’t sleep on June either! The 2016 smash “Waitress” is coming from June 4 through 9. The book is by Jessie Nelson, with music and lyrics by Sara Bareillies. The story about a waitress in an abusive relationship who has an affair with her gynecologist and then alights on a pie-making contest as her ticket out of this mess (makes perfect sense, right?) is based upon the 2007 film “Waitress” written by Adrienne Shelly.
All in all, a fantastic line-up. You can travel from the Bronx to Chicago to Saigon and never leave Rochester! Throw in some memorable characters from one of the founding fathers to hard-working, salt-of-the-earth fiddlers and waitresses, and RBTL has delivered in a big way! Treat yourself to some great theatre. You more than deserve it!
