Summer stage keeps everyone entertained

The summer theater season at our local venues is heating up (as has the weather). Well-priced summer entertainment (some of it free) is available throughout the area, both indoors and out. So, instead of fighting the crowds of tourists in Manhattan, check out some of the many local offerings. There are a wide variety of enjoyable productions to see, from comedies, classic musicals to musical revues, Shakespeare, of course, and shows for the kids.
It’s the time of year to take in some outdoor theater and Plaza Theatrical Productions fills that need. The Lynbrook-based theater company continues its summer tradition of presenting free productions at local parks and libraries, along with performances at its home base in Bellmore, the Showplace at Bellmore Movies.
Plaza’s founder Kevin Harrington (a Molloy College alumnus) continues to oversee his well-received shows – a treasured staple of the local summer theater circuit – throughout the area. Plaza Theatrical Productions is now finishing up its run of “The Producers,” Mel Brooks’ outrageous comedy in which Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, two would-be theatrical moguls turned con men, sing and dance their way through the greatest show biz scam that there ever was. The unforgettable song “Springtime for Hitler” remains a showstopper and always has audiences roaring with laughter. The show, which was rained out of Eisenhower Park last month, gives its final performance of the season at Morgan Park in Glen Cove this weekend, on Sunday, July 15, at 7:30 p.m.
Plaza Productions summer schedule continues with “The All Night Strut,” classy, sassy musical celebration of the 1930s and 1940s, in which swing is the thing. The two-act show moves through the Depression, through World War ll and the post-war boom, in an evening filled with jazz, blues, bebop and standards that thrill the heart and will tickle the funny bone. Legendary songwriters Hoagy Carmichael, Frank Loesser, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Cab Calloway and the Gershwins take everyone from the funky jive of Harlem to the sophisticated elegance of El Morocco and the romance of the Stage Door Canteen. See it at the Showplace at Bellmore Movies, on Sunday, Aug. 19, at 2 p.m.
Harrington’s troupe is also known for its summer theater for the kids. This year’s summer schedule features the beloved fairy tale, “Cinderella.” The classic tale springs to life in this fast-paced musical production, which will delight the young and “young at heart.” All the ingredients that have made the story a perennial favorite are here – Cinderella, her cruel stepmother and selfish stepsisters, the ball, the handsome prince looking for a bride, the fairy godmother, the glass slipper, the search for the foot that fits it, and the happily-ever-after ending. 
It’s being performed throughout July, at varied locations outdoors, including Eisenhower Park’s Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre, on Sunday, July 22, at 6 p.m.
Naturally, the summer theater season wouldn’t be the same without some Shakespeare. For that look to Arena Players, which presents its annual summer productions in the Vanderbilt Museum’s cobblestone courtyard, set against the magnificent backdrop of the historic Vanderbilt Mansion, in Centerport. “Twelfth Night,” Shakespeare’s most popular comedy of mistaken identities and misplaced loved is being staged through July 29, on Wednesdays and Fridays, at 8 p.m., and Sundays, at 7 p.m. The touching story of twins lost at sea but reunited by love features a lovesick Duke, a blue-nose butler, a red-nose knight and madcap antics that will appeal to all. “Macbeth,” the classic tale of the fall of a great warrior due to greed and ambition, follows in August. Theatergoers are encouraged to picnic on the majestic lawns overlooking the Long Island Sound before the show.
Those who enjoy Broadway musicals (certainly most everyone) can sample some of Broadway’s best moments when Neil Berg’s “100 Years of Broadway” returns to Eisenhower Park on Friday, Aug. 19, at 7:30 p.m. Described as a “Bruce Springsteen concert for the Broadway set,” the musical revue revives the greatest show-stoppers of the popular productions of today and yesterday. Stars who lit up the Great White Way in shows like “The Phantom Of The Opera,” “Les Miserables,” “Cats,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and “Jekyll & Hyde” will shine on the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre stage. Hear hits from Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Leonard Bernstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Frank Loesser, Frankie Valli, and others.
Indoors, the BroadHollow Theatre Company offers “Guys And Dolls” at its Elmont stage, at Elmont Public Library, July 21-Aug. 5. Based on the Broadway stories of Damon Runyon, “Guys And Dolls” tells the tale of Nathan, Sky, Sarah and Adelaide. It continues to charm audiences over 50 years after its Broadway premiere. Featuring the songs “Luck Be A Lady” and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ The Boat,” this musical is the perfect balance of dance, music and romance.
Its BayWay Arts Center in East Islip presents the musical “Legally Blonde,” also July 21-Aug. 5. Based on the hit movie, “Legally Blonde” is an effervescent evening of musical fun, stylishly wrapped in a smart pink bow! The kids will enjoy “Pinkalicious,” a musical romp based on Elizabeth Kann’s delightful book about a little girl who just can’t resist everything pink. It plays through Aug. 14 in Elmont.
Nearby at Hofstra University, the celebration of the 100th birthday of the great crooner Perry Como is about to get underway, with the world premiere of “Til the end of Time,” Saturday, July 21, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, July 22, at 2 p.m. Ten guest vocalists, including Hofstra’s Bob Spiotto, executive producer of Hofstra Entertainment, with The Big Apple Band, sing their hearts out in this musical revue. Hear such classic songs as “Catch A Falling Star,” “Ave Maria,” “It’s Impossible,” “Arrivederci Roma,” “I Concentrate On You,” “Santa Claus is Coming To Town,” “Prisoner of Love,” “And I Love You So,” and, of course, “Til The End of Time.”
“We are celebrating the life of one of the finest crooners ever,” said Spiotto. “Literally nothing has been done to recognize this important vocalist and his incredible talent. This show is filled many songs from Como’s long and interesting career: great American standards, movie songs and show tunes.”
Hofstra’s summer season concludes with “You May Be Right: The Billy Joel Experience,” Aug. 19-20. This retrospective look at the music of Billy Joel features members of the original “Movin’ Out” band: Wade Preston, Dennis DelGaudio and Chuck Burgi. It examines the history of the band from the Broadway production of “Movin’ Out” and its genesis. Unlike typical Billy Joel tributes, this band had the unique experience of creating a Broadway show with the master. himself from the music that has been the soundtrack for so many for more than 40 years.
Also, Long Island’s professional theater company, the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport, is entertaining audiences with the off-Broadway hit “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” the laugh-inducing award-winning musical about love in the suburbs, through Aug. 19.
More comic relief can be found at the Studio Theatre in Lindenhurst, which is staging “Second Time Around,” through Aug. 4. This comedy involves two senior citizens, a widow and a widower, who strike up a love affair and decide to move in together, to the dismay of their families.