The cast is ideal, the direction is thoughtful and the costumes are absolutely fabulous but what in the hell kind of cleaning products were being freebased when the playfinding committee scheduled this pointless obscurity to appear on Theatre Memphis' Lohrey Stage?

I want to recommend The Piano Lesson at the Hattiloo because it's one of my favorite pieces by August Wilson and it features one of my favorite Memphis actors TC Sharpe. That said I've heard from the source that when early runs of the show exceeded three hours deep cuts were made in the script. I appreciate the impulse to keep shows at 3-hours or less but I'm going to have to see what came out before I can wholeheartedly endorse. That said, this company does its best work when it takes on challenging material and given their track record fewer things seem more promising than The Piano Lesson The Hattiloo

Jersey Boys lives up to its hype and Pippin at the new Playhouse on the Square is a must see.

Also Noel Coward's Fallen Angels opens this weekend at Theatre Memphis. It's a play that Coward himself described as ''extremely slight" and it will be interesting to see if a comedy about the possible fallout of premarital flings holds up 80-years later.

As proud as I am of Playhouse on the Square for defying conventional wisdom and building an extraordinary new theater in the heart of Midtown I've got to make a confession. I'm no great fan of the show that's been chosen to open the new space. I understand why Playhouse's Executive Producer Jackie Nichols has described Pippin as "the right play at the right time." Its themes mesh perfectly with the theater's mission and the anti-war sentiments expressed in the first act are consistent with a company that has roots in the 1960's and the balls to open Hair in the aftermath of 9/11. It's also technically ideal, perfect for showing off the new theaters capabilities but minimal enough to give the technical staff some breathing room as they transition into the new space. So I'm not going to complain. Well, not much.

Sister Myotis has a few things to say about Satanic messages in pop music. And speaking of Sister Myotis it seems that Memphis' queen of Evangeletainment has made quite an impression on Flyer columnist John Branston.

Yesterday I sat down for some barbecue and conversation with Joseph Leo Bwarie, Matt Bailey, Steve Gouveia, and Ryan Jesse, the actors playing Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in Jersey Boys.

Part II of Eating RIbs with the Jersey Boys is below the fold...

Let's speak truth here. Before Jersey Boys came along if you stumbled across a bunch of palookas shooting pool in a sports pub you could bet the Devil your head they weren't talking about their favorite Broadway musical. Then along comes this show about Franky Valli and the Four Seasons, four mooks from the tough side of town who struggle and yearn and harmonize their asses off all the way to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Badda-bing, badda-boom everything changes over night.

So what makes Jersey Boys such a hit with the boys who hate musicals? Maybe it's got something to do with the absence of show tunes. On the other hand, if you like Mid-Century American pop it's hard not to be taken in by spot on covers of Four Seasons hits like “Big Girls Don't Cry” and “Walk Like a Man” or by the uncanny replication of The Angels singing “My Boyfriend's Back” like it was 1963 all over again. Mix all that solid gold bubblegum with a compelling story about bad ass gangsters, fast girls, amazing cars and bowling and you've got the recipe for Jersey Boys. The cherry on top of this big banana split: Joe Pesci—yes THAT Joe Pesci— emerges as a pivotal character. What's not to love?

Click here for a page full of great production shots from Pippin. I'll have a review and some video up tomorrow.

J&K Self rising Cabaret is back on stage tonight as are Pippin, Jersey Boys and Trouble in Mind. Germantown Community Theater is closed as is Theatre Memphis. Opera Memphis' production of Orpheus at the Clark Opera Memphis Center is closed.

You know the old saying, "The show must go on?" Apparently that's not the case and considering how Memphians respond to ice and snow that's probably a good thing.

From Opera Memphis:

Due to inclement weather, Opera Memphis’ Friday January 29 performance of ORPHEUS has been rescheduled for Sunday, January 31 at 3:00 pm. More information is available at operamemphis.org.

From Theatre Memphis:

Tonight's Forbidden Broadway performance cancelled due to inclement weather.
All tickets for the January 29 performance will be valid for January 30 at 8 pm or January 31 at 2 pm.

If you purchased tickets and are not able to attend either of those performances, we will issue a voucher for any other show in our 2009 - 2010 season. Go to www.theatrememphis.org to see the great shows left to enjoy.

From The Orpheum:

The Friday, January 29th performance of Jersey Boys at the Orpheum has been cancelled due to severe weather in accordance with local government authorities.

No refunds will be given, but tickets will be exchanged for a later performance of Jersey Boys based on availability. Exchanges must be made by Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 5:00 pm. Jersey Boys is scheduled to run at the Orpheum through Sunday, Feb. 14.

Part I

I just got word that there are literally only a handful of tickets left for the Friday and Saturday night performances of the J&K Self-Rising Cabaret. I've not been able to see this installment but am familiar enough with the duo's other projects not to be surprised. Anyway, just a heads up If you were thinking about going you might want to accelerate the decision making process.

The cast of Pippin finally moved into Playhouse on the Square's new theater facility on Friday, only a week before opening night. Everybody is working around the clock to learn how to use all the new tools and new toys. Here's a brief clip of Lindsey Roberts—a former Peter Pan—testing out the theater's flying rig. Short but sweet.

There's lots of good stuff going on this weekend. Orpheus is opening at the Clark Opera Memphis Center. Trouble in Mind is the last official show to open in Circuit Playhouse before it becomes the Evergreen Theatre, and Visiting Mr. Green is onstage at Germantown Community Theatre. OR, If you're in the mood for something completely fabulous you might want to drop by Theatre South for Jenny Odle Madden and Kim Justis Eikner's J&K Self Rising Cabaret.

Closing this weekend at TheatreWorks: Jayne Amelia Larson's one woman show Driving the Saudis, a funny and fierce look back at a time when Larson was employed as an American driver for the Saudi royal family. Here's a video to give you a taste of what it's all about.

Orpheus opens at Opera Memphis on Friday, January 22 and the cast and crew wants to celebrate the first full length opera ever performed at OM's East Memphis headquarters by turning the whole show into one gigantic TOGA PARTY! To help audiences get ready for this event Intermission Impossible asked Sona Amroyan, Opera Memphis' costume designer, if she'd show us the easiest way to make a toga. She agreed and also shared her secrets for making some simple but cool Greek Goddess dresses too.

Opera Memphis is hosting a second toga party on Saturday, January 30

• LIPSTICK!

If that's not enough to boggle the mind guess who shows up to perform a little gospel number?