Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Whistle down the Wind freebie

whistle-in-the-wind-920 (1)Goldstar tickets for this production of Whistle down the Wind range from comp to $9 (full price is $18).  Jedlicka Performing Arts Center brings to the stage Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock musicalWhistle Down the Wind. Based on the novel and the film of the same name, this stage iteration follows the fortunes of a fugitive caught between the prejudice of adults and the innocence of youth. Swallow is a 15 year-old-girl growing up in America’s Deep South in the late 1950s. When she discovers a mysterious man hiding out in a barn, she asks who he is and the first words he utters are “Jesus Christ.” It’s as if all her prayers have been answered. Swallow and the town’s other children vow to protect the stranger from the world that waits outside — townspeople who are determined to catch a fugitive hiding in their midst. As fantasy and reality collide, Swallow begins to discover who she is and where she’s going in life. Webber’s score combines hauntingly beautiful love songs and explosive rock music.

Shrek the Musical – tickets start at $9

shrek-062713PITA and I saw Shrek the Musical on Broadway – I couldn’t believe how much fun it was!  We listen to the music in the car – especially “That’s the Story of my Life – waaaay more than normal!  Looking for a great family show, then grab this Goldstar deal now.  Listening to Pinocchio whine about how his life sucks pine saaaaap is worth the ticket price alone!  Or Shrek muttering that he’s a crackpot magnet while Fiona drones on about her fantasy prince.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s annual summer family musical this year is Shrek The Musical.  Based on the Oscar-winning animated movie, Shrek the Musical brings the hilarious story of everyone’s favorite ogre to life on stage. Shrek just wants to be left alone in his beautiful swamp, but exiled fairy tale characters keep showing up on his doorstep. Finally, he agrees to confront the diminutive yet ruthless Lord Farquaad and hopefully regain his privacy. Joined by a wise-cracking donkey, Shrek embarks on a life-changing adventure as an unlikely hero who fights a fearsome dragon and rescues the cursed Princess Fiona. He not only saves the day, but also discovers the value of friendship and realizes that true love is more than skin deep. CST’s production stars two Jeff-Award winning actors, Michael Aaron Lindner as the lovable ogre Shrek and Summer Naomi Smart in her CST debut as the spunky Princess Fiona.