Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum

A a volunteer-based community theatre whose mission is to create opportunities for community participation in theatre arts. This mission mandates inclusion and the development of diversity in the Company's artistic, volunteer, audience and donor bases. This goal is achieved through presenting plays and programs of noted artistic excellence, supporting volunteers and students with exceptional training opportunities, and allowing for the development of unique and/or original performance projects and events by Florida artists.

Where the heart of Times Square pulses with theatrical magic, this sprawling venue transforms into the African plains night after night. Picture yourself settling into one of 1,621 seats as the curtain rises on Disney's adaptation of their beloved 1994 film, complete with Elton John and Tim Rice's Grammy-winning score woven throughout the production. Julie Taymor's visionary direction and design work earned her a Tony, and her imagination practically leaps off the stage—giraffes stride majestically, birds cut through the air, and Pride Rock ascends from the floor as the music swells around you. The story follows young Simba as he grapples with growing up and accepting his place in the circle of life, drawing from African mythology and raw human emotion to create something genuinely fresh for Broadway. When you visit during winter's crisp evenings, there's something particularly enchanting about ducking into this glass-fronted building and escaping into the savanna's warmth and wonder. The modern architecture allows light to pour in from the Great White Way outside, creating an interesting contrast between the bustling city and the wild world unfolding onstage. Six Tony Awards in 1998 recognized it as the year's best new musical, and the production continues to captivate audiences with its blend of elaborate costumes, stunning puppetry, and the kind of theatrical spectacle that doesn't fade with time.

The George Gershwin Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 222 West 51st Street in midtown-Manhattan.<br> Designed in an Art Nouveau style by set designer Ralph Alswang, it is situated on the lower levels of a towering office complex built on the side of the historical Capitol Theatre. It opened as the Uris Theatre on November 28, 1972 with the musical Via Galactica starring Raul Julia. It proved to be an inauspicious start for the venue, closing after only seven performances. From 1974-76 it served as a concert hall for limited engagements by a number of legendary pop music and jazz performers. <br> It was the first theatre constructed in New York City since 1928. With a seating capacity of 1933, it presently is the largest theatre on Broadway, with the exception of the New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center and New York City Center.<br> A Theatre Hall of Fame located in the lobby is a popular gathering place for audience members pre-show and during intermission. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org" target="new">Source</a>

Now playing: Evita.<br/> Opened in 1986, the Marquis Theatre is one of the newest theatres to be built on Broadway. Located inside the Marriott Marquis Hotel, it was designed to provide maximum comfort for audiences and actors while conveying a feeling of intimacy. The venue features expansive backstage, high ceilings, state-of-the-art acoustics, wide aisles, comfortable seats, ample restrooms and parking. <br> Since its opening, the theatre has showcased a series of hit musicals including Me and My Girl, Gypsy, Man of La Mancha, The Goodbye Girl, Damn Yankees, Victor/Victoria, Peter Pan, Annie Get Your Gun and Thoroughly Modern Millie. Before or after seeing The Drowsy Chaperone, theatergoers can dine at one of the fine restaurants located throughout the hotel. <br> The Marquis has 1,611 seats and is one of The Nederlander Organization's nine Broadway theatres.

The Broadhurst Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 235 West 44th Street in midtown Manhattan. <br> It was designed by architect Herbert J. Krapp, one of the major theatre designers of the early 1900s. Built back-to-back with the Plymouth, it was meant to resemble the style of the neighboring Henry B. Herts-designed Shubert and Booth theaters, using less expensive brick and terra cotta materials on the facades. Like all of Krapp's work during this period, it features minimal ornamentation, a single balcony, wide space, and excellent sightlines. Unlike the Majestic Theatre, which has housed The Phantom of the Opera (musical) since 1988, the Broadhurst does not run parallel to the street, but rather the stage is perpendicular. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org" target="new">Source</a>

Watch Peter Brook's electrifying staging of The Suit unfold on stage—a haunting adaptation rooted in Can Themba's South African narrative about betrayal, punishment, and a marriage fractured beyond repair. A wife's infidelity. A suit left as evidence. A husband's cruel demand that she carry it everywhere, a wearable shadow of her transgression. Brook's direction weaves live musicians directly into the drama, letting hummed spirituals, African rhythms, and classical German lieder seep into every tense moment. The production captures an apartheid-era summer where wounds refused to close, and during winter months, its claustrophobic intensity hits even harder against the cold backdrop of the season. Since 1861, this Brooklyn institution has evolved from its origins as a home for the Philharmonic Society's concerts into a vital cultural hub. The original 176-194 Montague Street location in Brooklyn Heights boasted a 2,200-seat theater, a more intimate concert hall, performer spaces, and an ornate kitchen that fed the artistic community. The venue hosted everyone from Ellen Terry to Edwin Booth to Fritz Kreisler, mixing amateur and professional talent under one roof. Today, BAM continues that legacy by bringing world-class performance and cinema to the neighborhood year-round, proving Brooklyn's deep-rooted appetite for art extends far beyond a single season.

The Longacre Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 220 West 48th Street in midtown Manhattan.<br> Designed by architect Henry B. Herts, it was named for Longacre Square, the original name for Times Square. The French neo-classical building was constructed by impresario Harry Frazee, better remembered as the owner of the Boston Red Sox who, needing money for his theatrical ventures, sold Babe Ruth's contract to the New York Yankees. A curse allegedly lingers on the theater as a result, and superstitious producers avoid it for fear they'll be backing a flop, as noted by William Golden in his seminal book The Season. Despite the rumor, a large number of performers who have appeared on stage here have taken home a Tony Award for their efforts.<br> The Longacre's first show was a production of the William Hurlbut-Frances Whitehouse comedy Are You a Crook?, which opened on May 1, 1913. With the exception of its use as a television studio in the mid-1940s to early 1950s, the theatre has operated as a legitimate Broadway venue. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org" target="new">Source</a>

Playwing this winter 2013: Mamma Mia! The world-wide smash Mamma Mia! is a heartwarming and funny new musical. On the eve of a wedding, a mother and daughter are suprised by the arrival of three men, one of whom may be the girl's father. You don't have to be a fan of the supergroup ABBA, who provided the 23 hit songs for Mamma Mia! to fall in love with this unforgettable new show, that will have you dancing in the aisles!</br> The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 1634 Broadway in midtown-Manhattan. Architect William Albert Swasey converted the former American Horse Exchange into a theatre for the Shuberts when they acquired the property. The fourth New York City venue to be christened the Winter Garden, it opened on March 10, 1911 with the early Jerome Kern musical La Belle Paree. <br/> It was completely remodeled in 1922 by Herbert J. Krapp. The large stage is wider than those in most Broadway houses, and the proscenium arch is relatively low. The building is situated uniquely on its lot, with the main entrance and marquee, located on Broadway, connected to the 1530-seat Seventh Avenue auditorium via a long hallway, and the rear wall of the stage abutting 50th Street. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org" target="new">Source</a>

Since 1921, The Virginia Theatre has been a landmark in the business district of Champaign, and in the history of the region. For 75 years, the 1525 seat theatre has offered entertainment as a vaudeville house, legitimate theatre, and movie house. After over three decades as a movie house primarily, the Theatre made the return to live performances in May of 1991 with a live theatre/concert called Songs of America. The show sold out and they had to turn away 200 people. This was the first show at the theatre since the theatre was dedicated to films only. In January of 2000, the Champaign Park District joined in the efforts to save this prized landmark. After assuming control of the theatre, the Park District embarked on a massive renovation to bring the facility back to its original glory and in compliance with local safety ordinances. After renovations are complete, the Virginia Theatre will continue its tradition of quality entertainment that was sparked by such legendary performers such as Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Red Skelton, Will Rogers, W.C. Fields and the Marx Brothers.

This iconic natural amphitheater nestled in the Hollywood Hills has weathered the recent January wildfires without structural damage, though the venue has temporarily closed its doors as a precaution due to lingering air quality concerns following the Sunset Fire. Staff were safely evacuated during the emergency, and firefighters protected the grounds while the community recovers. With seating for just under 18,000 guests, this open-air venue has anchored Los Angeles' summer concert season since opening in 1922, serving as the longtime summer base for the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, established in 1991, continues to bring performances tailored to the region's musical tastes. During winter months like now, the hillside setting takes on a quieter quality, but come warmer seasons, the venue transforms into a beloved gathering place where thousands gather under the stars. Check back for updates on when performances resume and the venue reopens to the public.