Christian Hoff outside the Mark Taper Forum

Pal Joey Special Correspondent Tom Barton saw the show during previews and had this to report:

The new version of Parade is terrific. I saw the third preview and they received an extended standing ovation. Christian is the third lead, prosecuting attorney Hugh Dorsey. It’s a very strong performance. The entire cast is wonderful, especially T. R. Knight of Grey’s Anatomy as accused killer Leo Frank. The performance was sold out.

This will be a very tough ticket.

Christian Hoff fans won’t be surprised to hear that the critics agree! The “Hollywood Reporter” states … Of special note in the splendid ensemble are …Christian Hoff as the unprincipled prosecuting attorney… ; the “Santa Monica Mirror” reports…Though Knight steals the show, the ensemble cast is likewise powerful, particularly Christian Hoff as Hugh Dorsey; and “Variety” says of Hoff’s performance…The prickly, unsympathetic defendant is at the mercy of relentless D.A. Dorsey (a superb Christian Hoff), his spellbinding gestures misdirecting attention from a parade of dubious circumstantial evidence.

Besides Knight and Hoff, the fantastic cast includes Lara Pulver as Lucille Frank, Michael Berresse, Charlotte d’Amboise, Davis Gaines, P. J. Griffith, David St. Louis, Curt Hansen, Deidrie Henry, Lisa Livesay, Hayley Podschun (Pal Joey), Rose Sezniak and Phoebe Strole. The show runs through November 15 at the Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles.

Cast members Christian Hoff, Michael Berresse, Phoebe Strole, T.R. Knight, Hayley Podschun, Charlotte d'Amboise and Lisa Livesay (Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging)

Oscar-nominated Stockard Channing (l) and four times Oscar-nominated Jane Alexander are attracting “brisk ticket sales” at the Westport Country Playhouse for its latest production, “The Breath of Life,” which has its opening night performance on Saturday. Public Relations Manager Patricia Blaufuss said that tickets are selling “extremely well” and while no show is completely sold out, some performances have only seats remaining with a limited view. The show runs through Oct. 17.

Similarly, on September 12, 2009 - now officially known as “Christian Hoff Day” in sunny San Diego, California (yes, that Christian Hoff - who knew?) - the home-grown Tony-award winning actor/singer/dancer changed the last line of the Drifters’ (and George Benson) classic On Broadway from “and I won’t quit ’til I’m a star…” to “and I didn’t quit; now I’m a star…on Broadway.”

It was a fitting punchline to his tale of how perseverance, dedication, and guts, (with maybe a bit of talent thrown in, he modestly conceded), can lead to great things. This was one of his themes as he spent the evening inspiring today’s generation of tomorrow’s stars and their families at a benefit performance at the San Diego Junior Theater, the same institution where he himself learned to tread the boards as a “yute,” (i.e., youth) as Joe Pesci might have called him in “My Cousin Vinny.”

Christian entered the packed theater from the back, coming forward down the center aisle as the crowd went wild. Looking suave, sophisticated, and debonair in a finely-tailored black suit, he exuded the confidence of knowing he already had the audience in the palm of his hand. Audience members had “Come Together” this summer evening (a song performed in the second half of the show in honor of it being Beatles Week) from several different areas of interest: Many appeared to be involved with SDJT in one way or another, past or present, faculty or staff, participant or patron. Family and friends were in attendance as well, and of course, a bicoastal contingent of Jersey Boys fans made more than its share of noise.

Christian devoted the first half of his show to Broadway and pop standards, accompanied only by his arranger and pianist Charles “the Czar” Czarnecki. Indeed, this was a show for all ages. He opened with

Medley: “I’ve Got the World on a String”, “Love is a Many Splendored Thing”, and “With a Song in My Heart”.

What a terrific way to bridge the generation gap with the 1933 Harold Arlen/Cab Calloway song “I’ve Got the World on a String” also covered in 2007 by Michael Buble. Who of us older baby boomers can forget William Holden and Jennifer Jones as the European/Chinese doctor and American journalist on “that high and windy hill” as the beautiful Four Aces “Love is a Many Splendored Thing” played in the background? And finally, the wonderful triumph of physically challenged songstress Jane Froman (Susan Hayward) entertaining the World War II blends perfectly to show us her road wasn’t always easy, but she always had “A Song in My Heart.”

The magically perfect blend of these three songs, with “Splendored” and “Song” slightly more upbeat than the originals, set the tone of the evening as our Tony winner had the crowd, young and old, “on a string” from the start.

“This Can’t Be Love/Thou Swell”

Those of us who were treated to Christian’s magnificent cabaret performance “Exiled” at the Metropolitan Room in New York City in January, 2008, know how much he loves Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart. “This Can’t Be Love” is from the 1938 Rodgers & Hart musical “The Boys from Syracuse.” The lyrics joke about love being the object of a medical condition, saying “This can’t be love because I feel too well.” We older baby boomers all remember the Nat King Cole cover.

Christian performed “This Can’t be Love” so sentimentally in a medley with “Thou Swell,” a jazz tune from Rodgers & Hart, notable for its mix of old English and modern slang, as one can tell from the title. “Swell” was also recorded by Nat King Cole, but not in a medley with “Love”. The only recorded medley was done by Julie Andrews on her 1994 album “The Music of Richard Rodgers”. Christian gave a beautiful rendition; Mr. Cole and Ms. Andrews would both be proud.

“Pure Imagination” (Dedicated to the San Diego Junior Theatre)

Christian performed this wonderfully inspirational tune from “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory”, and dedicated it to the San Diego Junior Theatre. Christian told the crowd that, at nine years old, auditioning for “Mary Poppins”, instructor Bonnie Ward asked him to do a dance routine. “I can’t do that,” a disbelieving Christian responded. “Yes, you can do it”. Well, he DID do it, and the rest is history.

The following lyrics convey a strong message and almost echo Christian’s path of success through life and his profession:

If you want to view paradise,
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Want to change the world?
There’s nothing to it

Arguably, the most well-known cover of this song is by Sammy Davis Jr., in 1971, the same year he recorded “The Candy Man,” also from “Willy Wonka.”

“On Broadway”

Also as an inspiration to the students at the San Diego Junior Theatre and their parents, Christian did a marvelous, upbeat cover of the Drifters’ 1963 and George Benson’s 1978 “On Broadway”. It’s a poignant song where our protagonist is “on Broadway” and having a hard time surviving. Christian gave the song a wonderfully bluesy feel, and revised his last line from “and I won’t quit ’til I’m a star…” to “and I didn’t quit; now I’m a star…on Broadway.” And we all agree, a star he is.

“My Eyes Adored You”

Perhaps Christian’s loudest entrance applause in Act I was for this beautiful Frankie Valli/”Jersey Boys” ballad, written by Kenny Nolan (“I Like Dreamin’) and Bob Crewe. All of us Jersey Boys fans know the story of how “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” almost never got off the ground and went on to sell 3 million copies. Most of us don’t know that “My Eyes Adored You” has a similar story.

In 1974, Frankie Valli’s MoWest (part of Motown) label balked at releasing the beautiful “My Eyes Adored You”, first recorded in the early part of the year. Valli bought back the song for $4,000 but was quickly rejected by Capitol, Atlantic, and other labels. He finally succeeded in having the single released on the Private Stock label, and the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 in March, 1975.

The success of “My Eyes Adored You” triggered a revival of interest in recordings by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Without “Eyes”, would we have ever had “Who Loves You” and “Oh, What a Night”?

Christian’s cover was beautiful and touching, with pianist Czarnecki providing the vocal harmonies. While an upbeat song, it still reflects the hope and yearning we have all experienced in life. The audience applause for MEAY was deafening, and rightfully so!

(click here to watch a clip of Christian’s performance on youtube)

“I Could Write a Book” (dedicated to Christian’s wife Melissa)

Christian performed a very moving rendition of Rodgers & Hart’s “I Could Write a Book,” In “Book”, Christian “never learned to count, a great amount” “never learned to spell, at least not well”, but if they asked him, he “could write a book about the way you walk, whisper, and look,” and “could write a preface on how we met, so the world would never forget.” It was so obvious to all of us he was singing of his “Sweet Melissa.”

(When one enters Christian’s website, he or she can hear him sing “I Could Write a Book”)

Interestingly, although he never “wrote a book,” Christian holds the Guinness World Record for Most Character Voices in an Audio Book with his reading of the Ed Feldman/Tom Barton Hollywood retrospective “Tell Me How You Love the Picture”. And most recently, our Tony winner did a bang-up job on his audiobook of Andrew Gross’s best seller “Don’t Look Twice”. The author himself raved about Christian’s reading.

Throughout the swingin’ first half of the program, it was easy to imagine the spirit of Bobby Darin watching from the wings, smiling while snapping his fingers and tapping a toe or two along with the rest of us. Doesn’t Christian seem a natural for “Mack the Knife?”

Intermission

Stubbleyou, Christian and Howard

Still in his black designer suit, Christian began his second act accompanied by his more casually dressed band, which consisted of Christian on rhythm guitar and of course lead vocals, a lead guitarist, a drummer, and a bassist. “The Czar” chimed in now and then when a piano was called for, and most interestingly, a violinist(!!) filled out the sound on about a third of the tunes. Christian expertly covered a wide variety of rock styles, often displaying a vocal blend of precision and grittiness reminiscent of Elvis Costello.

“Mustang Sally”

Kicking off the R’n'R with some R&B, their first song was a this wonderfully bluesey song made famous by Wilson Pickett in 1966 and named the #434 song of all time by “Rolling Stone” magazine in 2004. Christian also demonstrated his marvelous talent on his faithful Fender guitar.

“Moondance”

“Moondance” is the title cut on Van Morrison’s 1970 album “Moondance” but was first released as a single in 1977. Christian was accompanied by piano player Charles Czarnecki and his band to a nice jazz swing.. Appropriately, it’s a song about autumn, as we enter the 2009 Fall season.

“High and Dry”

One for the “youngsters” in the audience, “High and Dry” was popularized by Radiohead in 1995. Christian sounded a bit like Rod Stewart as he commanded the crowd. The song was most recently included in the 2007 movie “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry”.

“Wind Cries Mary”

Specifically directed to the Woodstock generation, Christian gave us so poignantly this beautiful Jimi Hendrix tune of faith, hope, sadness, and unanswered prayers with the beautiful lyrics

Will the wind ever remember
The names it has blown in the past?
And with its crutch, its old age, and its wisdom
It whispers “no, this will be the last”
And the wind cries Mary

“Message in a Bottle”

This story song comes from the Police number one hit in the U.K. Literally, the song is about a castaway on an island who sends out a “message in a bottle” seeking love. After he decides he doesn’t need love a year later, he sees “a hundred billion bottles” on the shore, realizing there are so many more people like him in the world.

Symbolically, most listeners read “Message” as a lament of isolation. However, our hero understands that, like him, we all have to deal with loss and loneliness at some point in our lives. The island and the bottle are metaphors (are you listening, Bob Crewe?), and by reaching out, the castaway finds that so many others share his isolation.

The song received tremendous entrance applause from the audience.

Wonderfully told, Christian. Your story-telling delivery here was reminiscent of Jim Croce or Harry Chapin. But of course, we all know you’re a wonderful story-teller from your audiobook “Tell Me How You Love the Picture” and from “Don’t Look Twice”. Great stuff to slow the pace a bit.

“Come Together”

Well, certainly the crowd “came together” in a great singalong of this Lennon-McCartney Beatles tune with Christian doing his best John Lennon imitation. The song, of course, was penned mostly by Lennon to celebrate Timothy Leary’s gubernatorial campaign against Ronald Reagan.
So many years later, we all still wonder, is “shooting Coca Cola” really a reference to the popular soft drink?

“Oh What a Night!”

In so many ways, this was the absolute highlight of the evening. The honor of singing with Christian was auctioned off during intermission to the highest bidder, a gentleman who said his name was “to be determined.” He assigned his winning bid to a young alumnus of the Junior Theatre, Mr. Crews, who alternated lyrics with Christian in this Gaudio-Parker song as popular today as it was 33 years ago. The winning bid, by the way, was a whopping $1,500!

In “Jersey Boys”, Christian’s singing was relegated to back-up status 90% of the time, getting to sing lead on only three - actually three snippets - of songs (“Silhouettes”, “Apple of My Eye”, and “Earth Angel”). Bobby Spencer said in an interview about his post-Jersey Boys musical “Next To Normal” that it’s nice for people to know he can sing more than “sill-llly boy.” Well, tonight was a similar opportunity for Christian, and he took the ball and ran with it, giving proof positive that he is not only a great Tony-winning actor and leading man, but a fabulous and talented singer as well. It was an evening of versatility, validation, variety, and Versace.

Each arrangement was absolutely wonderful; kudos to musical director Charles Czarnecki. The astute among you might recognize his name as having been the conductor of Jersey Boys on Broadway, as well as arranger/conductor/pianist for Christian’s January, 2008 cabaret, “Exiled.” Maybe that’s why the opening chords of the night’s “Oh What A Night” sounded so good!

After the show, our “matinee idol”, relaxed and charming as ever, met each and every one of his fans, signed every autograph, and took every picture. With slight exaggeration it seemed as if he spent as much time at the “meet and greet” dessert reception after the show, as he did performing during it. Though he must have been tired, he was nothing less than a complete gentleman to all who wished to thank him and shake his hand. The epitome of a class act.

Christian has recorded most of his songs performed on Saturday evening on a wonderful CD called “Turn-styles”. Proceeds go to benefit the San Diego Junior Theatre. If you wish to purchase it or make a contribution to the San Diego Junior Theatre, either in Christian’s name or to honor or memorialize anyone, you may do so at (619) 239-1311, or you may send an e-mail to Will Neblett at  will at juniortheatre.com.

Christian is presently starring (until November 15) along with T.R Knight of “Grey’s Anatomy” in “Parade” at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. “Parade” won the 1999 Tony Awards for Best Book and Best Music. For tickets, please go to www.ticketpolice.com or please call 213-628-2772.

Tony-winner Hoff back home to honor his theatrical roots
PAM KRAGEN -  pkragen at nctimes.com | Posted: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 8:15 am

Thirty-three years ago, a tow-headed 8-year-old Little Leaguer from La Jolla traded in his cleats and ball cap for a pair of tights and trumpet to play a boy page in San Diego Junior Theatre’s production of “Cinderella” at the Casa del Prado Theatre in Balboa Park.

On Monday, he’ll return to the stage that launched his career, and Tony Award-winning “Jersey Boys” star Christian Hoff says he hopes to inspire some of the young Junior Theatre actors who may want to follow in his footsteps.

Hoff will host a master class for young actors (ages 12 and up) on Monday afternoon, and then on Sept. 12, he’ll perform in concert to raise money for Junior Theatre programs. He’s now recording a CD of standards, jazz and pop tunes that will be for sale at the concert, with all revenues benefiting the theater.

Hoff said he’s wanted to give back to his theatrical birthplace for years, but “Jersey Boys” and other work commitments have kept him from fulfilling that goal.

“We wanted to create an opportunity for kids to do what they do and hear about life in the theater, my experiences and how to bridge their youth theater work into a professional career,” he said. “I want to talk to them about body language, finding their essence and having a respect for the discipline of the craft of acting. That’s what’s missing out there right now, that discipline and respect for the process.”

From his very first performance in “Cinderella,” Hoff said he knew he wanted a career onstage, and he dedicated himself to the craft.

“People told me they watched me in that show because I never broke character,” he said. “I remember getting lost in the focus of being up on stage and telling the story, and that’s a feeling that has never left me. In that instant, I understood the actor’s instinct.”

Hoff’s first teachers at Junior Theatre were Cardiff residents Don and Bonnie Ward. Later, Hoff studied under Ole Kittleson at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. At age 12, he turned pro, winning a small part in an L.A. production of “Evita” directed by Harold Prince. Dozens of roles in theater, television and film followed through his teens and early 20s.

His first major break came at La Jolla Playhouse in the early 1990s, when former artistic director Des McAnuff cast him as a Pinball Lad in “Tommy,” a musical that went on to great success on Broadway. For a dozen years more, he plied his craft on television and in theater (including locally at Welk Resort Theatre, Moonlight Amphitheatre and North Coast Repertory Theatre). McAnuff came calling again in 2004, casting him in the life-changing role of Tommy DeVito, the street-tough co-founder of the Four Seasons vocal group in “Jersey Boys,” which also started in La Jolla and moved on to enormous success on Broadway.

Hoff’s gritty, scene-stealing performance earned him a Tony Award, high-profile gigs on TV’s “Law and Order” and “Ugly Betty” and a steady paycheck that allowed him to buy homes for his family —- including wife Melissa, and their two daughters, Elizabeth, 3, and Evelyn, 5 months —- in New Jersey and in Pauma Valley (much of Hoff’s family still lives here in North County).

And yet, last year Hoff decided to leave “Jersey Boys” after four years with the show.

“I did ‘Jersey Boys’ for 10 percent of my life,” said Hoff, 41. “After 1,500 performances, it becomes a part of you, but I wanted to see what else was out there.”

He first opportunity was the lead role in a troubled Broadway revival of “Pal Joey” last winter. Hoff withdrew from the show in previews after suffering a dance-related injury. It later opened (with Hoff’s understudy in the part) to mostly negative reviews. Producers were quoted as saying bloggers (who attended the first previews) poisoned the show with negative online postings about the cast, but Hoff said he has put the whole experience behind him.

“With ‘Pal Joey,’ my leaving the show was a blessing in disguise. My recovery was instantaneous and I bounced back right away,” he said. “You need a thick skin and resiliency as an actor. As a lover of life, I see challenges and adversity as opportunities.”

Hoff spent much of this summer playing Sky Masterson in “Guys and Dolls” at Ogunquit Theatre in Maine, a role he said he took for the opportunities it afforded his family (which also includes his two children from his first marriage, Eli, 14, and Erika, 9).

“It was a blast,” he said. “To have the opportunity to play Sky and to be together with my family on a working vacation, with all six of us tucked in a cabin with the woods behind us, it was heaven.”

Now, he’s back home in Pauma Valley, commuting back and forth to L.A., where’s he’s in rehearsals for a revival production of Jason Robert Brown’s musical “Parade,” which will open Oct. 4 at the Mark Taper Forum. The musical (based on the true story of Leo Frank, a factory manager wrongly convicted and lynched for a young girl’s murder in 1912 Atlanta) will star T.R. Knight (”Grey’s Anatomy”) as Frank and Hoff as the unscrupulous D.A. who seals Frank’s fate.

Asked if he thinks this production will eventually land him back on Broadway for the third time, Hoff says he never thinks that far ahead, preferring to focus for now on this show and the fundraising workshop and concert he’s got planned for San Diego Junior Theatre.

He’s excited to talk to the master class students on Monday, so he can encourage them to believe that a career in theater is possible. He got that same advice when he was 9 from Bonnie Ward, and he’s eager to pass it along.

“I was at the audition for ‘Mary Poppins,’ and Bonnie showed me a dance routine. I looked at her, with my hands in my pockets, a tyke right off the baseball field, and said I couldn’t do that. And she looked at me and said, ‘Yes, you can do it,’ and I did. Ever since that day, whenever I see her, she recounts that story and says, ‘Remember when you said you couldn’t do it?’

“Now it’s my turn, and I have the chance to tell these kids: ‘Yes, you can.’”

Christian Hoff master class
When: 4 to 6:30 p.m. Monday
Where: Casa Del Prado Theatre, Balboa Park, San Diego
Tickets: $50
Info: juniortheatre.com

Christian Hoff in concert
When: 8 p.m. Sept. 12
Where: Casa del Prado Theatre, Balboa Park, San Diego
Tickets: $50 to $100
Info: 619-239-8355
Web: juniortheatre.com

Jenny Fellner, photo by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

The Tin Pan Alley Rag tells the story of an imagined meeting of two of America’s greatest musicians, composer Scott Joplin (Boatman) and songwriter Irving Berlin (Therriault). Both men changed the landscape of music forever with their contributions to the first American musical genre, ragtime. Beneath Joplin and Berlin’s toe-tapping, syncopated rhythms lay fascinating stories of fame, love and loss. In The Tin Pan Alley Rag, these tales come to vivid life and two great icons realize they have more in common than they ever suspected.

Click here to watch the video from opening night in a separate window. For more information, click here to visit Roundabout’s website.

Jeffrey Schecter

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On a “Tin Pan Alley Rag” related note, Jeffrey Schecter (Shecky), understudy for Irving Berlin, has been spending his summer on a true labor of love: he’s preparing to run in a half marathon and hoping to raise money for melanoma research in honor of a special person who passed away from the deadly skin cancer. Schecter shares his story here.

Jersey Boys Tony Winner cast in Guys & Dolls! Production run ends August 8th!

Saturday at the ‘beautiful place by the sea’, better known as Ogunquit, Maine, my daughters and I were awed by the production of Guys & Dolls at the Ogunquit Playhouse! Ogunquit Playhouse is “America’s Foremost Summer Theatre” of the Northeast! The Playhouse (which) consistently contracts Broadway actors, and this season its management culled a Tony winner from Jersey Boys, Christian Hoff!!

Christian, cast as Sky Masterson, evoked charisma, expertise and allure that mesmerized a packed audience. Receiving applause upon entrance, Christian exhibited his customary charm and was rewarded with a standing ovation at the close.

Christian’s beautiful baritone voice as well as his tenderness was showcased throughout the play. Despite the fact of achieving grand success on Broadway, Christian embraced the Ogunquit Playhouse role with genuine humility and grace.

Playing the part of Nathan Detroit, Richard Kind impressed with his impeccable comedic timing. Although his age separated Kind from the youthfulness of the supporting cast, the audience thoroughly enjoyed his performance. The ensemble dancers provided strong techniques. William Ivey Long (Pal Joey), a Tony-winning costume designer, again designed and created his signature technicolor costumes which completed the revival’s success. Linda Cameron, cast as the General Cartwright, was a hilarious showstopper and she graciously accepted kudos at stage door.

Christian received us at stage door, which was definitely the highlight of the evening. He was well-rested and looked simply divine! This has been Christian’s first venture to the Northeast and he has been taking in all the local delights with his beautiful family for the duration of the performance.

The production was rewarded with a visit at Sunday’s matinee by George H.W. & Barbara Bush, who also frequent the Playhouse. Guys & Dolls completes its run on Saturday, August 8th!

Clohessy’s recent Broadway appearances include Pal Joey and Twelve Angry Men. Doman played Deputy Police Commissioner William Rawls on the The Wire from 2002 to 2008. Sudduth’s Broadway credits include South Pacific, The Iceman Cometh and Twelfth Night, and was a series regular on television’s Third Watch. Liberatore received multiple award nominations for his performance in Burn This on Broadway and Nelis received an Obie for his work in The Medium.

That Championship Season which previously won a Pulitzer Prize, a Tony Award and a New York Drama Critics Circle Award, tells the story of four high-school basketball players and their coach who, twenty years ago, brought home the state championship. Now the five men convene for their annual reunion. But the evening’s revelry turns dark as secrets are revealed, loyalties tested, and dreams diminished in this searing, knockout drama. That Championship Season brings savage humor and heart-rending compassion to its insightful exploration of a corrupted American dream.

For more information, click here to visit the Westport Country Playhouse website.

Photo by Getty Images

Starting with the September 24th season premiere of the ABC drama, Plimpton will appear as the mother of a young patient in a multi-episode story line. I’ve never watched Grey’s Anatomy, but you can be sure I’ll tune in to watch Martha work her magic. What a treat!

***from Theatremania, Reviewed By: Sandy MacDonald · Jul 17, 2009 · Maine***

Tony Award winner Christian Hoff is a bantam, Cagneyesque Sky Masterson. Where many an actor tackling the role of the seemingly hard-hearted gambler might rely on broad shoulders and a matinee-idol profile, Hoff’s edge is intellectual. It’s smarts that earned this Masterson his peers’ respect. His ever-calculating brain is also his foremost means of seduction (although his warm singing voice doesn’t hurt).

***from seacoastonline.com, By Sharon Cummins, July 22, 2009 6:00 AM***

Christian Hoff, who won a Tony Award for his performance in the role of Tommy DeVito in “Jersey Boys,” is believable as the handsome high roller, Sky Masterson. His voice in “My Time of Day,” is as smooth as silk charmeuse…
…One of the better-known numbers from “Guys and Dolls,” “Luck be a Lady,” is passionately performed by Christian Hoff as Sky Masterson and a dozen other dancing gamblers in the city sewer.

The show goes on through Aug. 8. For more information, click here to visit the Ogunquit Playhouse website.