Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Ruined, the riveting tale of a group of emotionally torn and physically brutalized women who reside in a whorehouse in a war-ravaged African nation, made a strong opening on Friday night (May 6) under the sure hand of director Caroline Jackson Smith. Set in a small mining town in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the play is battery-acid strong, emotionally challenging, and certainly a welcome relief and much-needed antidote to the Tyler Perry buffoonery black audiences have been subjected to of late.

The Goodman Theatre in Chicago commissioned playwright Nottage to travel to Uganda in 2006 to interview women as a background to the writing of the play, which was first performed at The Goodman in 2007. Since then, this riveting work has been in continuous production in Europe, the United States, or usually both.

On Saturday morning I took my not-quite-two-year-old son to the Agora in downtown Cleveland to take in the Thomas & Friends live show, Thomas Saves The Day. A huge fan of trains and Thomas the Tank Engine, I knew that he would undoubtedly enjoy the show, however, I was unsure if my energetic toddler would be able to contain his excitement long enough to sit still and take in the entire show.

Armed with M&Ms in my pocket, which I had intended to use to bribe him into staying into his seat if he started getting antsy, we made our way down to our seats. I never ended up needing to use the M&Ms for bribery, and we actually ended up snacking on them later on. A testament to the show's quality, my son was captivated from the minute we sat down, even before the show began. Colorful, train-shaped lights floated around the walls and ceilings, to which he pointed at excitedly and exclaimed "Trains!!".

Minutes before the show began, some of the actors came out and waved, talked and high-fived the kids in the front-rows, which is where we were seated. They went back behind the curtain, and then came out with balloons. My son loves balloons almost as much as he loves trains, and was a lucky recipient of the balloons that they threw out to the crowd.

The launch of the new KeyBank Broadway Series is big news every spring. We realize not everyone can attend this exciting event, so to help you be a part of the excitement we’re streaming the Broadway Series Announcement LIVE online!

Join us via your computer to experience an exciting multi-media presentation about the seven exciting shows that are a part of the new 2011-2012 KeyBank Broadway Series.

Click here over to http://www.playhousesquare.org/broadway/launch.html?hq_e=el&hq_m=139186&hq_l=2&hq_v=ecbc302b8f watch the event live at 11 am.

What: The annual Broadway Season Launch Event for the KeyBank Broadway Series at PlayhouseSquare.

If you love musicals, but prefer a more darker fare, then the musical version of "American Psycho" will be right up your alley. The musical, which tells the tale of Patrick Bateman - a fictional Wall Street banker obsessed with Phil Collins, designer clothes, rape and murder - has been in production since 2008.

David Johnson, Jesse Singer, Nate Bolotin and Aaron Ray bought the rights to adapt the 1991 novel by Bret Easton Ellis, which was also made into a feature film starring Christian Bale in 2000.

Duncan Sheik signed on as the show's new composer back in February, along with playwright Robert Aguirre-Sacasa. The full draft of the musical is expected by early 2011.

Aguirre-Sacasa said:

"There are murders, and they are on stage in full view of the audience. An ax and a chef's knife will be used. I think there's going to be a lot of blood."

The playwright also said he hopes to include the following scenes from the novel into the musical:

• Bateman lures business associate Paul Owen back to his Manhattan apartment. Bateman puts on a raincoat so his designer suit doesn't get bloody and hacks up Owen with an ax.

Lorain County Metro Parks and TrueNorth Cultural Arts present Little Shop of Horrors October 22 through November 7 at French Creek Nature Center. Show times are 7:30pm on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and 3pm on Sundays. Tickets are $12.50 when purchased in advance and $15 the day of the performance. Call (440) 949-5200 or click here to purchase tickets. On October 30 there will be a special Halloween showing at Midnight. Those who come in costume for this special performance can pay $10 for a ticket at the box office.

Little Shop of Horrors, a rock musical, is about a nerdish florist that finds his chance for success and romance with the help of a giant man-eating plant who demands to be fed! The music includes early 1960’s rock and roll, doo-wop and early Motown.

Enjoy an evening of great music and fun. Group discounts are available for parties of 20 or more. French Creek Nature Center is located at 4530 Colorado Ave in Sheffield Village. Call (440) 949-5200 for more information. The Morning Journal is a proud sponsor of the 2010-2011 TrueNorth Cultural Arts Season.

Punk rockers turned political commentators Green Day will hit Broadway today as their 2004 album American Idiot will be transformed into a full fledged production. The album shifted 12 million copies worldwide and won album of the year while criticizing the Bush administration going to war in Iraq.

Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt says of the play:

"All of us actually came to tears, because you don't get to see Green Day play live if you're actually in Green Day. But to see these voices and the way all the cast were singing, you just abandon hope of a tissue and let 'em stream. ... [We were like,] 'No, that's allergies, man!”

For more information on the Broadway show, check out the official website AmericanIdiotonBroadway.com or view the video below.

My first play of 2010 is one I will never forget—no matter how hard I try.

August: Osage County, which opened at Playhouse Square on Tuesday, April 13, is a harsh, dark look into a middle-class Oklahoma family that struggles with every possible infliction a group of people might suffer—suicide, alcoholism, drug abuse, adultery, incest and more. From the first chaotic introduction of the Weston Family to the final heart-wrenching look at the family’s remains, my emotions were on edge and my mind was racing to keep up with each twist and turn in the plot.

From timeless classics like ‘South Pacific’ to whimsical new shows like ‘Shrek The Musical,’ PlayhouseSquare may have something for everyone in its recently announced 2010-2011 KeyBank Broadway Series.

The 2010-2011 KeyBank Broadway Series is being unveiled to theater lovers during its Broadway Season Launch event April 7-8 at the Idea Center in Cleveland, following the official April 6 announcement. The three events during the official launch allow eager theater-goers to be among the first to experience the seven new Broadway shows coming to PlayhouseSquare as part of the upcoming season with multi-media teasers of each show narrated by Gina Vernaci, Vice President of Theatricals, PlayhouseSquare.

Vernaci credits PlayhouseSquare’s ability to draw such well-known shows to its 19,000 subscribers as well as the general support of the Cleveland community. Presentations at last night’s launch event included the history of PlayhouseSquare, including its near demise in the 1950s and 1960s and revival through the 1970s and 1980s, as well as brief looks at each show in the new season.

The season line-up is as follows:

Oct. 5-17: Blue Man Group
Nov. 19- Dec. 12: Billy Elliot The Musical
Feb. 1-13: South Pacific
March 1-13: Shrek The Musical

Last Friday night at the Cleveland International Film Festival I saw two emotional films. The first one was "The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant".

Great Lakes Theater Festival will present CAMP THEATER! – a summer drama camp held at Berea High School for students ages 3-18. Students can sign up for one or both weeks of camp, which will run June 14 – 18, and June 21 – 25, 2010. Immersing participants in interactive and educational theater-based activities, CAMP THEATER! is a unique opportunity for students to work with and learn from Great Lakes Theater Festival’s professional teaching artists in a fun, safe and supportive environment.

Daily classes will be held at Berea High School in one-week sessions from Monday through Friday. Students may enroll in one or both weeklong sessions, as different material will be covered each week. The program is designed for students of all levels of experience and ability. There is no audition required. Classes will be divided by students’ respective ages.

The drama camp features classes in acting, Shakespeare, movement, improvisation, stage combat, mask making and much more!