Houston Versus Philadelphia: Theatre Edition

Houston’s Alley Theatre and Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Theatre Square Off in World Series Bet

Style Magazine Newswire | 10/28/2022, noon
The Tony Award®-winning Alley Theatre Managing Director Dean Gladden has bet President & Producing Artistic Director Bernard Havard of Philadelphia’s …

The Tony Award®-winning Alley Theatre Managing Director Dean Gladden has bet President & Producing Artistic Director Bernard Havard of Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Theatre that Houston will win the World Series. The loser of the bet will display the other theatre’s costume in their lobby. Gladden and Havard have known each other for over 30 years but their relationship has taken on new meaning with the Houston Astros facing the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. So, they decided to place a theatre bet.

The bet is if Houston wins the World Series, Walnut Street Theatre will display in its lobby a production photo of our sea creatures and a head piece of one of the costumes from our current production of Edward Albee’s Seascape, performing now through November 13. If Philadelphia wins, the Alley will display Apollo Creed’s championship belt from Walnut Street Theatre’s current production of ROCKY, the Musical, playing through November 6.

From major American playwright and Alley favorite Edward Albee comes Pulitzer Prize-winning Seascape that tackles two of the playwright’s favorite subjects: marriage and what it means to be human. With his signature wit, Albee introduces a middle-aged couple, Nancy and Charlie, taking a stroll on a deserted beach. Facing retirement, they argue with comfortable familiarity about how to spend the rest of their lives. When a second couple, Sea Creatures Sarah and Leslie, arrives from the depths of the ocean, a pitched encounter, both surreal and profound, ensues. It seems that Sarah and Leslie are also at a turning point in their lives and they are also like no other couple Nancy and Charlie have ever met. A tender and often laugh-out-loud love story, told by way of an unusual marriage counseling session.

The Broadway musical version of Rocky, a uniquely Philly saga directed and choreographed by Richard Stafford, is playing now at Philadelphia's Walnut Street Theatre. Small-time boxer Rocky Balboa gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to go from loan shark enforcer to heavyweight titleholder, but does this ultimate underdog have what it takes? Based on the Academy Award-winning film, Rocky features new musical numbers, along with favorites including “Eye of the Tiger” and “Gonna Fly Now.” ROCKY, the Musical is a beautiful love story, and a heart-stopping, knock-out theatrical experience for everyone brave enough to follow their dreams.

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