A night at the theater

It’s always fun to take a little glimpse ahead to see what’s in store in the world of local theater. Per usual the Blue Room has chosen a strong lineup for its 2007 season, while Chico Cabaret also has some exciting productions this year. Chico Theater Company goes with the classic Grease, which will be sure to draw the hopelessly devoted and Chico State has three productions in the works for spring. Oroville’s Birdcage Theatre (you might just see District Attorney Mike Ramsey perform) and Theatre on the Ridge in Paradise provide Noises Off and Nunsense II, respectively. Should be a perfect way to ward off the bad weather and take in some culture.

Down on Bird Street
Oroville’s Birdcage Theatre is now in its 23rd season. The play Noises Off, which was also made into a movie, starts tonight and runs through Jan. 21. The comedy follows an oddball cast behind the scenes of a play. Neil Simon’s I Ought to Be in Pictures will be performed Feb. 23-March 11 and the Arabian fantasy Kismet will run April 20-29.

From Russia with love
The Blue Room Theatre takes liberty with Anton Checkhov’s tragicomedy, Uncle Vanya (Jan. 11-27), updating the dialog and renaming it Uncle Jack.

Coming up in February is a twofer, Flying Solo: Two Monologues, which includes Jane Wagner’s Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe and Will Eno’s Thom Pain (Feb. 8-24). And Angels in America Pt. 1: Millennium Approaches looks at contemporary America as angels and historical figures examine where this country is heading (March 8-25).

Drama kings
Chico Cabaret kicks 2007 off with Wait Until Dark Jan. 18-Feb. 17. Directed by Phil Ruttenburg, the classic Broadway thriller about a blind woman terrorized by three criminals searching for a mysterious doll was written by Frederick Knott and starred a young Robert Duvall in 1966 before hitting the big screen in 1967.

Also scheduled for early 2007 is the musical The 1940s Radio Hour, featuring WWII-era music from Glenn Miller.

Grease in my hair
You can never go wrong with Grease. Chico Theater Company kicks off 2007 with the ever-popular musical that spawned the ever-popular movie that transformed John Travolta from a Sweathog on Welcome Back Kotter to a bona fide star. The production opens Jan. 5 and runs through Feb. 3.

Also on tap for CTC in the coming months is The Fantasticks, Feb. 23-March 17, and High School Musical, April 6-May 5.

Students take the stage
This spring, the Chico State Theatre Arts Department is putting on three performances. First is Anton

in Show Business, a comedic play about a play, running March 7-11 at Wismer Theatre. The second production, Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, will run April 4-8 at the Harlen Adams Theatre. The final production for Chico State students will be the classic The King and I, playing May 2-6 at the largest venue of the season, Laxson Auditorium.

Playing in Paradise
Who doesn’t like singing nuns? Sound familiar? Well it is … and isn’t. Nunsense II: The Second Coming kicks off 2007 for Paradise’s Theatre on the Ridge. The sequel to the hit Nunsense will run Jan. 18-Feb. 18 and promises to include bingo, a raffle and general hilarity. Also on the schedule for the season is The Shadowbox, March 22-April 14.