Musical Comedy

"No Way to Treat a Lady," William Goldman's 1963 novel about a serial killer, might not sound like musical theater material. But the suspense story -- which was also the source of a 1968 movie starring Rod Steiger -- was turned into a musical comedy thriller by Douglas J. Cohen, and it makes its Maryland debut at Theatre on the Hill tomorrow. Josh Selzer directs a cast of four -- Liz Bennett, Ray Ficca, Julie Herber and Charlie Smith -- in this killer musical, which promises to lay 'em in the aisles.

As someone who loved the 2000 movie "Billy Elliot," I had doubts that it could be turned into a stage musical. I figured too much of the gritty mining town atmosphere of the original would be lost, for a start. And I was suspicious that the many touchy subjects in the story -- masculinity, sexual orientation, the value of the arts, etc. -- could survive the transformation. I feared there would be too much watering down, maybe even dumbing down. Instead, as I was happily reminded this week ...  seeing "Billy Elliot" again when it arrived at the Hippodrome , the result is remarkably effective.

He has been a noble, young doctor at Blair General, a troubled priest in Australia and a brave adventurer in old Japan. But a fussy, confirmed old English bachelor who shouts at women -- and sings and dances?Dr. Kildare, Father Ralph from "The Thorn Birds" and Blackthorne the Shogun will all be singing "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face.""It's my favorite song," said Richard Chamberlain. "I also do the waltz."That's right, the unfailingly charming and durably handsome actor, often called the king of the miniseries, is stepping out on the musical comedy stage for the first time in 27 years to play the superstar role of Professor Henry Higgins in "My Fair Lady."

'Legally Blonde' The final show of the musical comedy based on the hit movie starring Reese Witherspoon runs Sunday, Sept. 2 at Toby's Dinner Theatre, 5900 Symphony Woods Road. Tickets are $34.50-$53. Information: 410-995-1969. 'Color Purple' musical The Pulitzer Prize-winning story, which starred Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg on the big screen, tells of one woman's triumph over adversity Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 6-8 at Toby's Dinner Theatre, 5900 Symphony Woods Road.

If Richard Nixon's policy toward China was grist for grand opera, Bill Clinton's gyrations could be the stuff of musical comedy. The latest scene featured America's chief official huckster and secretary of Commerce, Ron Brown, who took along 24 Fortune 500 CEOs on a trade mission in which his much-touted "commercial diplomacy" netted contracts estimated at $6 billion.Let's make it clear that we approve of these efforts to make China (in Mr. Brown's words) "a commercial ally and partner," though his attempt to play the "Energizer bunny" was a bit excessive.

The Emmanuel Messianic Congregation is offering one of the more interesting presentations of the new year, a musical comedy called, "It Happened in Shushan."The play, based upon biblical events in the Book of Esther, was written by Clarksville resident, Steffi Rubin."It is in celebration of the Jewish holiday known as Purim," says Steffi's husband, Barry Rubin, who helped organize the event."Purim is a bright point in Jewish history, and is traditionally celebrated through festivals, carnivals and parties.

SOUTH CARROLL High's Stagelighters return to the stage tonight and during the weekend in the drama club's spring presentation, "On the Town." Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. today and tomorrow and 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the school auditorium, 1300 W. Old Liberty Road, Winfield. The play is a musical comedy written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, with music by Leonard Bernstein. The cast and crew have been working on the play since January under the direction of Bobbi Baker, English and drama teacher at the school.

The weeks leading up to Fourth of July hoopla and pyrotechnics seem an ideal time to sport a bit of patriotic zeal. And what better way to meld some red, white and blue into one's passion for the American musical stage than with "1776," the Sherman Edwards show that brought John Adams, Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson to Broadway in a surpassingly clever account of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence? If historical drama tinged with musical comedy appeals, you're in luck, because 2nd Star Productions has opened a most enjoyable "1776" at Bowie Playhouse in Whitemarsh Park, just off Route 301, where it will play weekends through June 30. This is as handsome a community theater production as you'll ever see. Philadelphia's Independence Hall has been gorgeously re-created by set designer Lynne Wilson, the costumes by Linda Swann look great and director Jim Reiter's opening and closing montages alone are worth the price of a ticket.

With Oil City Symphony, Totem Pole Playhouse in Fayetteville, Pa., in association with Caledonia Theatre Company, offers audiences an eclectic mix of music, a comedic story and a chance to meet and mingle with cast members. The show, set in the gymnasium of the old Oil City High School, features the instrumental and vocal talent of four former "band nerds" celebrating their 20th high school reunion. They have come back to pay tribute to their former music teacher, who is actually played by a different lucky audience member each night.

Tomorrow and through next weekend we can "meet those dancing feet" at Moonlight Troupers' production of 42nd Street at Anne Arundel Community College's Pascal Center for Performing Arts in Arnold. Having come off what she describes as "the high gear of technical weekend into final dress rehearsals," director Barbara Marder calls this "the quintessential musical comedy, Broadway fairy tale of the little girl from Allentown who gets a chance to star in a new musical when the star breaks her ankle two days before opening night."

William Donald Schaefer sang Baltimore's praises loudly, so it's only fitting that a new musical should be singing his. The title of "Do It Now!" — music by Baltimore Symphony Orchestra member Jonathan Jensen, book by Baltimore-born playwright Rich Espey — comes from Schaefer's signature phrase during his 1971-1987 tenure as mayor of the city. The musical, which gets a public reading Sunday at Theatre Project , remains a work in progress, but the focus on Schaefer's Baltimore career is firmly settled.

Rain may benefit ordinary gardens, but not the Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre, where rainy weekends continue to dampen a stellar season. The final production in this summer's trio -- the Mary Rodgers-Marshall Barer musical comedy "Once Upon a Mattress" -- had only one performance last weekend, with no full on-set rehearsal. Luckily, I was among Saturday's capacity audience for the uproarious show -- one so good that its cast and crew should join in an incantation for no more rain upon their mattress.

It was a coin toss that determined whether John Charles Thomas would study music or medicine. And because the coin came up heads he chose the former.Thomas went on to become one of the nation's most beloved popular and classical singers. His celebrated career, which began in 1914 and ended in the mid-1950s, ranged from musical comedy, opera and concerts to radio and the movies.Gifted with a voice that was both deep and rich, Thomas for many years was a star with the Metropolitan Opera in New York and also appeared with opera companies in Europe, Philadelphia, Chicago and San Francisco.