The I’m a Bright Kid Foundation will commemorate the 60th anniversary of a true theatrical legend, the late Ronald Bright, with a special show at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 2 at the Ron Bright Theatre on the campus of Castle High School.
Bright was the beloved teacher-director, who not only instilled the love and tradition of the stage to hundreds of youthful actors with his productions, but broadened his popularity by building a loyal community of theater-goers, initially at the Castle gym, but later at the Castle Theatre now named after him.
The show be a musical jointly produced by IABKF and the Castle Performing Arts Center.
Bright, pictured below, was the founder of the arts center and director of all the musicals staged at Castle before he retired; 2023 would have been his 60th anniversary of mounting Castle shows.
The date is significant, too, coinciding with what will be Mr. B’s 90th birthday. He was born Sept. 2, 1933 and died at age 81 on July 7, 2015.
The nature and content of the production has not yet been revealed, but likely will include tributes linked with songs and dances from iconic musicals that helped shape Mr. B’s legacy. But surely, somebody — even the full ensemble – will render his trademark tune, “If You Believe” (from “The Wiz”) — which has been a powerful and perfect mantra to perpetuate his memory.
IABKF will also present “An Evening of Rodgers and Hammerstein Classics,” its fall musical attraction, at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29 and 30 and 4 p.m. Oct. 1 at Paliku Theatre at Windward Community College. The venue is where Bright continued to direct musicals that were on his bucket list: “Les Miserables,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” and “Miss Saigon.”
Numbers from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s legacy shows, comprising “Sound of Music,” “Oklahoma!,” “South Pacific” and “The King and I,” will be featured in the Paliku show.
Tickets: For “Celebrate 60!,” $20 adults, $10 students; for “Rodgers and Hammerstein,” $17 to $32, at www.imabrightkid.org/tickets
‘Moana” star Cravalho tackles ‘Evita’
Auli‘i Cravalho, pictured below, the voice of Moana in Disney’s animated film “Moana,” just completed singing the title role of Eva Peron in“Evita” in a concert version of the hit musical, July 31 and Aug. 1 at London’s Royal Drury Lane.
It was her West End debut.
A concert version of a Broadway musical generally means a full cast performs the show, with minimal costumes and few sets, if any, but supported by a large orchestra to enhance the “concert” element.
The 30-piece London Musical Theatre Orchestra provided the music.
Her co-star as Che Guevara was Matt Rawle, who played the role in a London revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice musical. …
Broadway grosses, week ending July 30
The leaders of the Broadway pack still top the charts, as summer biz continues. And two shows posted more than. $2 million!
The Lucky 7:
1–“The Lion King,” $2.813 million.
2– “Wicked,” $2.139 million.
3 — “Hamilton,” $1.873 million.
4 — “Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” $1.774 million.
5 — “Funny Girl,”: $1.672 million,
6 — “Aladdin,” $1.619 milliion.
7 — “MJ, the Michael Jackson Musical,” $1.598 million.
The complete list, courtesy The Broadway League:
And that’s Show Biz. …