The local playhouses and the Flagler Auditorium offer up a variety of entertainment options. If you prefer hearing classic rock-n-roll, the Auditorium has you covered. A play with a fictional look at how an iconic civil rights leader may have spent has final night is on tap at the City Repertory Theater. And while the Flagler Playhouse isn’t presenting until March, we are previewing its selection for the third month of 2022, which is chock full of musical-based wit regarding marriage. Check with each venue for its current social distancing and masking protocol.
City Repertory Theatre
With a nod to Black History Month, the CRT presents “The Mountaintop,” which is a play whose storyline is solely devoted to the last day of Martin Luther King, Jr’s life. The setting is the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee where King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, just a few short days after delivering his famous, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop,” speech at the Mason Temple Church of God in Christ also located in Memphis. King’s speech became labeled prophetic as it included the following words: “I’ve seen the promised land, I may not get there with you,” after he said that God had allowed him to go to the mountaintop. While the play borrows the mountaintop theme for its title, the play itself focuses on the evening and night before King’s death. The play is a fictional drama featuring two actors: King and a mysterious woman who brings King a cup of coffee from room service. He’s seeking caffeinated inspiration while writing what he hopes will be speech to rival the mountaintop speech. The play’s plot follows a reflective conversation about his achievements, his failures, and the unfinished dreams that King did not anticipate having with the unknown woman. King learns the woman’s name is Camae (short for Carrie May, which alludes to the notion of “carry me”) and that she has well-developed opinions regarding social reform. As the conversation between the two continues, Camae’s true identity as an angel sent to inform King that he is going to die sooner than later. Without spoiling too much more of the plot, we can tell you that the fictional King is not pleased to receive this information about his pending demise. King gets to “talk” to God via telephone and further discusses with Camae his hope that his impact of his extra-marital affairs will be nullified by the “good work” he has done in the civil rights arena. “The Mountaintop” is written by Katori Hall, who is the winner of the Blackburn Prize for outstanding female playwrights. Hall, a native of Memphis born in 1981, grew up immersed in the history of the civil rights movement in her hometown. “The Mountaintop” is presented nightly Thursday, February 17 through Sunday, February 20, at the CRT’s venue in the City Marketplace located at 160 Cypress Point Parkway, Suite B207, in Palm Coast. Thursday, Friday and Saturday show times at 7:30 PM; Sunday at 3 PM. Tickets cost $15 for students and $20 for adults. Call 386-585-9415 or visit the CRT website at: www.crtpalmcoast.com.
Flagler Playhouse
This theater is not presenting in February, but its selection for the first part of March does give a nod to love and marriage. “Company” is a musical featuring the lyrical and musical work of Broadway genius Stephen Sondheim that highlights the plight of Robert, a single guy living in New York City celebrating his 35th birthday with friends – the majority of whom are already married or getting married soon. His friends give him an exceedingly flattering view of marriage as Robert contemplates whether he should pursue a permanent relationship to replace his continual bachelorhood. The music of “Company” composed by Sondheim for the 1970 Broadway production set a new bar with a record-setting 14 Tony Award nominations winning six. The musical’s plot is based on the book of the same title written by George Furth. The musical is presented Thursdays through Sundays, March 3 through March 6 and March 10 through March 13. Showtimes are 7:30 PM Thursdays through Saturday and 2 PM on Sundays. The Flagler Playhouse is located at 301 E. Moody Boulevard in Bunnell. Tickets are $20 to $25. Order tickets via the playhouse website at www.flaglerplayhouse.com.
Flagler Auditorium
Located on the campus of Flagler Palm Coast High School, four entertainment options are scheduled here for the month of February. Ticket prices range from $29 to $49 and doors open at 6:30 PM with performances starting at 7 AM.
Adbacadabra, which is billed as the ultimate tribute to the group “Abba,” is slated for Friday, February 4. Bios of the show’s performers are available at the tribute’s website: www.adbacadabra.com.
Melissa Manchester takes the stage two days later Sunday, February 6. Her 1978 hit, “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” has been repurposed by Manchester as a dedication to “all of the trials and tribulations of 2020.” Manchester had several billboard hits in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1989 she released “Tribute,” which was an album highlighting her renditions of songs by female performers Manchester said influenced her career. In 2017, she released another tribute album, “Fellas,” featuring male performers she identified as also impacting her work.
The Motones & Jerseys are scheduled for Friday, February 18. This song and dance group features nine vocalists backed by a seven-piece band. Their playbill includes 50 of the greatest songs from the 20th century with a focus on those from the 1950s and 1960s. Their performance focuses on a friendly and spirited sing-off that quickly gets audience members out of their seats. They perform music from Marvin Gaye, Herman’s Hermits, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Four Seasons, The Temptations, Frankie Vallie, Stevie Wonder and many more.
In a Monday performance, Six Appeal is scheduled for the last day of the month, February 28. Acapella music is this group’s forte. And they are darn good at it too. In 2018, the group won the grand prize in the world’s largest acapella competition in Moscow, Russia and returned to successfully defend their title the next year as well.