There’s only one more chance to see Richard III – this Sunday at 3pm. Here’s my Friday 5 on why you should cancel any Sunday Funday plans you’ve already made and get tickets.

Lynn Robert Berg as Richard III in Great Lakes Theater’s production; all photos by Roger Mastroianni

Lynn Robert Berg’s Richard: When I recapped Great Lakes Theater’s other ongoing show Sweeney Todd, I noted that you need a leading actor who can portray a sympathetic monster. To some extent, the same goes for Richard III.

It’s essential that the actor can capture Richard’s physical and mental deformities. His body twisted by severe scoliosis; his mind twisted by a desire to rule at all costs. However, the actor also needs to play up Richard’s charm and pious guise so that the other characters believably bend to his will.

Lynn Robert Berg, Great Lakes Theater’s Richard III, even manages to charm those of us who know better. With a sly wink to the audience, I found myself momentarily endeared to him. Then, of course, he turned around and ruthlessly ordered two young children murdered.

The Intrigue: Although Richard masterminded his destructive rise to the throne, he didn’t accomplish it on his own. His reign came at the end of England’s long War of the Roses and many of the characters already had a lot of blood on their hands.

I think it makes me a bad person, but I took a little glee in watching them throw each other under the proverbial bus in exchange for land and political security. Tom Ford’s Hastings, M.A. Taylor’s Rivers, and David McCann’s Stanley were enjoyable to watch (for as long as they lasted), but David Anthony Smith really stood out. Smith – who always brings charm to the stage (even as Othello‘s deplorable Iago) – was cast perfectly as Richard’s sneaky, smiling conspirator, the Duke of Buckingham.

Lynn Robert Berg and Laura Welsh Berg as Richard III and Queen Anne

The Women of Richard III: While the men of Richard III were busy plotting, the ladies were stealing the show. Three women in particular – Laurie Birmingham, Sara M. Bruner, and Laura Welsh Berg. Birmingham and Bruner’s Queens Margaret and Elizabeth were no angels; however, their grief over losing their husbands and children tore at my heart and Birmingham’s subsequent call for revenge had me cowering in my seat.

I also found Berg’s arc of hating, falling for and eventually regretting to marry Richard riveting. There is one scene early in the show where her beratement of Richard is so fiery – I almost thought she was going to slit his throat and end the play in Act I. What made that scene even better is the fact that the pair are real-life husband and wife. I can only imagine rehearsing that argument must have been some serious fun.

Repertory Theatre: Richard III is running simultaneously with Sweeney Todd. While Richard is (slightly) less gory, the violence and machinations of the two shows sync very well. It’s also a treat to see Ford go from playing the calculated Sweeney Todd to the bumbling Hastings in Richard III. You can read my review of Sweeney Todd here, which has three performances left (one tonight and two shows on Saturday).

The Discount: Save $10 off Richard III and Sweeney Todd tickets by using promo code “PR6.” It’s good for any A Level ticket. Even without the discount, you can get a great value on the $15 Historic Box seats and $20 Lounge and Bar Seats. Visit www.greatlakestheater.org or call 216.241.6000 to purchase.

Everyone is playing at something in Richard III and that’s one thing I love about it and many of Shakespeare’s other tragedies.

I am partial to Shakespeare’s tragedies over his comedies. I love the drama, the scheming, the destruction. Especially when Great Lakes Theater does it. They find a way to make Shakespeare’s most wicked characters entertaining to watch. Don’t be surprised or ashamed if you find yourself rooting for Richard during the show. The only thing you’ll feel sorry about is if you miss your chance to see it.

Disclosure: Poise in Parma received two tickets to see the show and I joined her at the performance. However, the opinions shared here are 100% my own.

Attendees at Great Lakes Theater’s Social Media Night: @FrankZupan, @TLColson, @KaseyCrabtree, @MaryLeeS, @KTOinCLE, @HungryinCLE, @WearingMascara, @BalletinCleve, @RCoristin05, @ADHicken (me!) and @SOS_jr

Between our anniversary and Jump Back Ball, Scott and I decided to make a mini Cleveland vacation out of last weekend. So we extended our stay at the PlayhouseSquare Wyndham to include both Friday and Saturday nights.

While Scott’s ideal vacation plan was to take a night off to relax in the hotel, mine was an evening out at the theatre for Great Lakes Theater’s Social Media Night.

I’ve been a longtime fan of Great Lakes Theater since I started blogging 3 years ago. (You’ll find links to a few of my favorite GLT experiences at the end of this post.) But it had been about a year or so since I’d been back.

Great Lakes Theater’s Blithe Spirit: Actor Eric Damon Smith (as Charles) attempts in vain to introduce his current wife, Maggie Kettering (right, as Ruth), to the ghost of his deceased first wife, Shanara Gabrielle (left, as Elvira).

Last Friday’s performance of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit was the perfect reunion.

Written in the 1940s during the height of the London blitz, Blithe Spirit is a glittering, witty escapist comedy about – of all things – death.

When novelist Charles Condomine (modeled very much after Coward’s larger-than-life personality) hosts a seance, things get a little strange.

Charles suddenly finds himself face to face with his deceased wife Elvira. A spirited woman in life, she’s even more so in death – much to the chagrin of his current wife Ruth.

Actor Jodi Dominick proves there are no small roles with her deceptively hilarious portrayal of Edith, the Condomine’s maid in Great Lakes Theater’s Blithe Spirit

Both the script and the actors’ performances radiated with British charm and banter.

The humorous high-brow manners of Ruth, Charles and their cocktail party guests are at their funniest when contrasted against the riotous medium Madame Arcati or the sparkling Elvira. I loved seeing how a proper facade would crumble quickly in their presence.

In particular, Laurie Birmingham’s unrestrained portrayal of the eccentric, hula-dancing Arcati steals your attention whenever she’s on stage.

Laurie Birmingham (center) steals the scene with her bombastic, madcap portrayal of Madame Arcati in Great Lakes Theater’s Blithe Spirit

A trip to Great Lakes Theater always promises more than just a show. With pre- and post-show programming like Salon Thursdays and Nightcap Saturdays, there is always a good reason to get to the beautiful Hanna Theatre ninety minutes early. And after the curtain closes, you can stick around to grab a drink at the bar inside the theatre.

Given the characters’ penchant for well-mannered gatherings, Blithe Spirit’s Social Media Night featured two ingredients for a successful cocktail party: proper etiquette and a proper cocktail.

Coward loved his martinis. In Woody Allen’s Manhattan, one of the characters jokes “I feel like we’re in a Noel Coward play. Someone should be making martinis.”

So before Blithe Spirit, we were treated to a martini demonstration and tasting. A fan of both gin and olives, the dirty martini I got was a nice treat.

Noel Coward loved his martinis, so it was fitting to have a martini demo and tasting at Great Lakes Theater’s Blithe Spirit Social Media Night

This was followed by a presentation from Cleveland School of Etiquette‘s Colleen Harding on how to navigate a modern cocktail party.

My favorite tips from the evening included why you should avoid stemless wine glasses (the body heat from your hand will raise the temperature of your white wine) and always use your left-hand to carry your drink (a wet right hand makes for a bad handshake).

Coward was once asked how he expected to be remembered. His response: “By my charm.” I think the audience for Blithe Spirit will think the same of Great Lakes Theater.

The spirited Colleen Harding from Cleveland School of Etiquette

Blithe Spirit runs until March 10. You can save $10 on most tickets by using discount code NEO. Purchase Blithe Spirit tickets here.

In conjunction with their Spring shows, Great Lakes Theater is currently also hosting its free outreach tour. An imagined prequel to Much Ado About Nothing, David Hansen’s Double Heart envisions the early courtship of Shakespeare’s Beatrice and Benedict.

The free annual outreach tour is playing at different Cleveland locations now through March 6. After enjoying last year’s Poirot outreach tour, I’d definitely recommend catching it. Plus, who doesn’t love free theatre?

Great Lakes Theater’s free touring production of Double Heart by Cleveland playwright David Hansen now-3/6

Great Lakes’ mainstage season concludes later this Spring with Much Ado About Nothing (March 29-April 14) and Guys and Dolls (May 1-June 30).

Want to read more about Great Lakes Theater? Check out these posts:

• The Art of Engagement: Great Lakes Theater
• John Lithgow, Teller of Tales
• No Offending Shadows: Midsummer Night’s Dream and Bat Boy
• Othello: Great Lakes Theater Returns with a Vengeance
• An Ideal Husband: An Ideal Complement to Othello
• Two Gentlemen of Verona and Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)

Disclosure: I was invited to attend Social Media Night and blog about my experience in exchange for a complimentary ticket to the show.  Opinions expressed here are my own. All production photos by Roger Mastroianni, provided by Great Lakes Theater.

Celebrate the start of the 2012-2013 theatre season with Cleveland Public Theatre on Sept. 8

Cleveland theatre fans, rejoice! The summer break is over and many of our local theatres are ready to premiere their new seasons. A few quick bits of note:

• Great Lakes Theater jumpstarts their 51st year with the Shakespearean epic Winter’s Tale and a 60s-inspired, music-infused adaptation of Moliere’s The Imaginary Invalid.

• Football and theatre enthusiasts alike will love Cleveland Playhouse‘s Lombardi.

• Single tickets for PlayhouseSquare’s Broadway series are finally on sale (check out my rundown on the season’s shows).

• The thought-provoking, but comedic Milk Milk Lemonade is currently playing through Sept. 8 at the often-off-the-wall, boundary-pushing convergence continuum.

• Beck Center for the Arts mounts the first locally produced run of Xanadu.

• And community auditions for Near West Theatre‘s November production of Children of Eden just wrapped (they’re still seeking volunteers for backstage crew and front-of-house work — call 216-961-9750 if interested).

If you want to keep up-to-date on what’s onstage, Cleveland.com’s theatre page and BroadwayWorld Cleveland are my favorite sites to bookmark.

CPT’s Pandemonium features dozens of local theatre, dance, visual and performance artists

Cleveland Public Theatre, in particular, knows this time of year is one to celebrate. So before they roll out their 2012-2013 shows in October, they’re throwing their 10th annual Pandemonium bash on September 8.

At Pandemonium: House of Dreams, CPT invites you to “choose your own adventure” with an extravaganza that features dozens of local theatre, dance, visual and performance artists and fabulous food and drink.

At Pandemonium, performances will pop up (or drop in) in the most-unexpected places

Check-in starts at 7pm, where guests will receive a performance schedule for the night. From there the evening is up to you as innovative performances will be popping up in surprise spots throughout CPT’s campus:

• Dance performances will feature Verb ballets, Inlet Dance Theatre, Wind and Sand Dance Company, Double-Edge Dance, Kevin Marr, Antaeus Dance and MorrisonDance.

• Live music by We the People, Queue Up, Last Call Cleveland, and Bobby Williams.

• Stand-up comedy by Ramon Rivas’ Accidental Comedy Feast.

• Original work by CPT’s The Dark Room, Eric Schmiedl, Holly Holsinger, Greg Vovos, Opera Per Tutti, Theater Ninjas and dozens more.

• Wandering performances by Talespinners Children’s Theatre, Ray McNeice, Robin VanLear, and Mark Zust.

• Cabaret Acts featuring Paul Hoffman and Alison Garrigan.

• Original performances by Raymond Bobgan.

• And installations by Jeon Francis and mother/daughter team Faye & Joan Hargate.

Meanwhile, chefs from BonBon Bake Shop, Latitude 41 N, Luxe Kitchen and Lounge, Root Café, Touch Food Truck and XYZ Grill and Tavern will be cooking up an outdoor feast. Treats from Sweet Moses and tastings from AMP 150, Players, Light Bistro, Fat Cats, Vento La Trattoria and Tartine will also be available.

The evening culminates with music and dancing til midnight.

Pandemonium supports CPT’s mission of developing new, adventurous works and education programs that speak to contemporary issues and empower positive change in the community

Tickets can be purchased in advance for $135 ($75 of which is tax-deductible) and valet parking, unlimited food, drinks and entertainment are included – so indulge yourself as much as you’d like with no regrets (at least til the next morning )!

Purchase Pandemonium tickets online or call 216.631.2727 x 212.

Still need convincing? Catch a glimpse of last year’s Pandemonium experience then go get your tickets:

Pandemonium 2011 from Ted Sikora on Vimeo.

Photo Credits and Disclosure: Photos credited to Steve Wagner. Graphic provided by Cleveland Public Theatre.  A guest and I were invited to attend Pandemonium in exchange for sharing about it on my blog.