Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” is set to headline 2012’s Music Circus season, the musical theater group announced Monday. This year will mark the first time “The Little Mermaid” will be performed by the Music Circus’ cast, and four additional musicals will be shown, all of which the theater previously performed. Rounding out the season will be performances of “Grease,” “The Music Man,” “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Crazy for You,” according to the announcement. Traditionally, the Music Circus season has seven shows, but it was reduced to five this year, according to Executive Producer Richard Lewis. “Many of our patrons told us that their busy summer schedules made it difficult for them to

Have you ever hung out with a friend and all of a sudden decided to write a musical and the next thing you know, you and that friend, along with two other friends are performing that very musical on Broadway. Well it really happened…really! Following a sold out, critically acclaimed and award-winning run on and off Broadway, New Helvetia Theatre, Sacramento’s newest professional theatre company, is proud to present the Northern California premiere of [title of show], written by Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen and directed by Erin Island. [title of show] opens this Friday, October 8 and continues through October 30, 2010. This limited 4 week engagement will play at the Artisan Theatre, 1901 Del

Arco Arena was turned into a musical theatre Wednesday night for Tyler Perry's "Madea's Big Happy Family." The play featured a high-tech set that revolved around the stage to create different scenes for a 15-part cast backed by a 12-part band in the orchestra pit. Beginning around 8 p.m., thousands, including former Kings players Bobby Jackson and Shareef Abdur-Rahim and current Kings player Francisco Garcia, laughed, cried and sang along to the play. Perry, who is best known for his recent work as writer, producer, director and actor in a number of Hollywood films (Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Why Did I Get Married, Madea Goes To Jail), wrote this play to honor his mother who passed away

Many of humanity's most enduring stories have been told in the simplest ways. Folk tales tell the truths of societies in ways that are outside of time, outside of specific culture, even outside of "reality" itself. But they can be true in ways that more sophisticated, contemporary stories can't hope to be. Thus, the power of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's musical, "Into the Woods," which opened at the Music Circus Tuesday night and runs through Sunday. First performed on Broadway in 1987 with Bernadette Peters, and revived many times since, most famously with Vanessa Williams in the role of the Witch in 2002, "Into the Woods" has aged beautifully. Under Glenn Casale's able direction

Dinner for the Arts will kick-off on June 30th at 7:00 pm on the patio at Head Hunters. Join host and entertainer Courtney Parks and special guests ICUP Comedy Troupe, Hot Spot Street Team Belly Dancers and featured vocalists. The event will also feature live art demonstrations. Dinner for the Arts is an event that will give local arts organizations the opportunity to promote their productions or events and reach out to new audiences. The event strives to put the spotlight on local arts organizations and artists and to promote the arts in Sacramento. There is no cost for the event but reservations are required.  Reservations are limited to 50 people. Featured drinks include the Judy Garl