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The Hot Wing King at the Hartford Stage - Taking the Seasonings of Love to a Whole New Degree

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  The Hot Wing King at the Hartford Stage -  Taking the Seasonings of Love to a Whole New Degree By David Pulvermacher Beauty, pain, and elegance describe more than just the chicken at Hartford Stage’s newest show, The Hot Wing King . The Pulitzer-winning show unapologetically captivates the audience with its brilliant use of comedy and dramatic conflict. The Hot Wing King weaves multiple layers of subplots to create a tapestry of storytelling that will leave you thinking about the performance for a long time to come.  The audience is invited into Dwayne’s and Cordell’s Memphis home. Cordell and his team are getting ready for the annual Hot Wing Festival. Cordell has come short the last five years in the hot wing competition and is determined to win using his secret family recipe. Nothing should get in team Cordell’s way…except for maybe family.  Cordell’s boyfriend, Dwayne, promised to be present and supportive of their competition prep work. However, Dwayne has been swept up in his n
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Million Dollar Quartet: The Show That Will Have You Smiling

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  Million Dollar Quartet: The Show That Will Have You Smiling  By David Pulvermacher Experience Broadway-quality entertainment in an intimate setting with Million Dollar Quartet at the ACT (A Contemporary Theater) of Connecticut. Directed by Hunter Foster and written by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux, it is more than just a Tony Award winning musical; it is a live concert that gets everyone on their feet.    Based on actual events, Million Dollar Quartet takes the audience back to 1956 Memphis, Tennessee when the kings of rock-n-roll came together to catch up with their manager & mentor for the holidays. Sam Phillips, owner of Sun Records, welcomes Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins back to the studio that started their careers. Phillips also introduces the men to his newest client, Jerry Lee Lewis. The men trade stories between performing takes of their most famous songs. However, each singer has an ulterior motive for returning to their roots. While enthralled by the
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Location: 36 Old Quarry Rd, Ridgefield, CT 06877, USA
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Kimberly Akimbo: The Uncomfortable Untold Truth

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  Kimberly Akimbo: The Uncomfortable Untold Truth By David Pulvermacher Bizzare, bombastic, and brilliant are three words that come to mind after reflecting on Saturday’s Production of Kimberly Akimbo . Written by David Linsay-Abbaire, Kimberly Akimbo follows the teenage life of Kimberly Lavaco. While the average teenager’s biggest worries are usually acne and their latest crush, Kim faces medical troubles beyond what most can imagine. Kimberly battles a form of progeria, a disease that ages the body faster than average. While navigating high school is daunting enough, Kim constantly struggles with living in the body of a middle-aged woman. Kimberly Akimbo is a Tony Award-winning show for best new musical.  On top of her personal health odyssey, Kimberly’s home life is a source of serious contention. From parents who run hot and cold in their own personal issues to a self-centered aunt who enjoys manipulating others for a payday, Kimberly wishes she had regular teen problems. Kim is
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Location: 222 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036, USA
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The Garbologist Sets Up Shop at Theater Works in Hartford

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  The Garbologist Sets Up Shop at Theater Works in Hartford While most people think of garbage as the waste they’d like to forget, The Garbologist works to remind you that there are at least two sides to every story. Written by Lindsay Joelle and directed by Rob Ruggiero, The Garbologist is a 90-minute show that invites the audience to join Marlowe’s first day of her glamorous new job…a garbage worker in New York City. Not the job you’d anticipate from an Ivy League graduate. To show her the ropes, Marlowe is paired up with New York’s most resented garbage man, Danny. Our leads need to learn to see eye to eye, or drive each other mad trying. This mature-themed production has compelling moments with important life lessons. However, I don’t believe that Joelle’s intentions were met. While wanting to address themes such as feeling invisible, loss, and the daily impact we each make, the writing leaves the viewer walking away with excerpts of her ideas. With great concepts, this two-pers
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Simona’s Search Finds Success at the Hartford Stage

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  Simona’s Search Finds Success at the Hartford Stage Review By David Pulvermacher Marvelous, mysterious, and methodical are just some of the praise the production of Simona's Search deserves for their performance Saturday night at the Hartford Stage. Written by Martin Zimmerman and Directed by Melia Bensussen, Simona's Search follows the life of Simona as she dedicates her life to understanding her father and the struggles he dares not tell a soul. Simona studies genetic research and its impact on inherited family trauma. Can Simona save her father from himself, or will she lose her identity as she analyzes the past? Bensussen and her company dedicate the ninety-minute performance to demanding that the audience reflect on their lives and choices. Commanding the viewer to think about life-long questions and to consider questioning our upbringing, potential trauma, and how communication impacts the ones we care for. Through the actors' portrayal of their roles, excellent w
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Location: 50 Church St, Hartford, CT 06103, USA
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The Pin-Up Girls - a New Musical at the PlayHouse on Park

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In time for the holidays, The Pin-Up Girls is the latest musical at the PlayHouse on Park in West Hartford, Connecticut. The story is written by James Hindman & Jeffery Lodin. Directed and choreographed by Darlene Zoller, the story follows Leanne and her four friends as they perform a Christmas cabaret at their local VFW hall. The Pin-Up Girls is a ninety-minute show playing through December 23rd. Performances are Tuesdays at 2 P.M, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 P.M, Fridays at 8 P.M, Saturdays at 2 and 8 P.M, and Sundays at 2 P.M Tickets range from $42.50-$55.00 and can be purchased at playhouseonpark.org. Doubling as a tribute to the men and women who served, the songs the friends sing are based on the letters written by active servicemen & women that the friends find as they clean up the old Hall. Letters ranging from the First World War to Afghanistan, Leanne and her merry band of friends sing their hearts out to the members of their local VFW. While in concept, it was
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Location: 244 Park Rd, West Hartford, CT 06119, USA
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