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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Date Night at The Palace



Victor Borge said that laughter is the shortest distance between two people. A beloved musician and comedian who lived for nearly a century, the “Great Dane” must have known what he was talking about.


Indeed, funny people provide a sort of relationship therapy. This article in Psychology Today provides data compiled by neuroscientist Robert Provine, P.h.D. for his book, Laughter: A Scientific Investigation, that further proves our point:
  • Laughter plays a big role in mating; men like women who laugh heartily in their presence
  • The laughter of the female is the critical index of a healthy relationship
  • Like yawning, laughter is contagious; the laughter of others is irresistible
So there you have it: comedy is proven to be dating catnip. At the Palace Theatre, we don’t reserve date night for just Valentine’s Day. Throughout the month of February, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy a fun time together!

On Saturday, February 7, the hilarious one-man national touring show, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus LIVE!, stops in Stamford for a night of giggle-inducing vignettes on dating and marriage.

LAUGHTRAX is our popular stand-up comedy series, held Upstage @ The Palace in an intimate, club-like setting. Shows next month include:
  • Thursday, February 19: New York Comedy Night at the Palace, featuring Last Comic Standing 4’s New York City Capital One Audience Favorite, Jon Fisch, and master storyteller, Shaun Eli.
  • On Friday, February 27: Top-flight improv comedians square off in head-to-head debates that tackle some of the most “important” issues of our time in Uptown Showdown.


The Stamford Symphony on February 14

If the object of your affection prefers classical music, treat them to The Stamford Symphony's performance of Elgar's "Salut d' amour" (Love's Greeting) and a night of romance brought to you by Rossini, Mozart and Beethoven.

 

The fastest way to a man (or woman's heart)?
Downtown Dinner Deals!

You don't have to be Don Juan, or Disney's frisky mutt, Tramp, to know that food is an essential part of a perfect first date. Through special arrangement with The Palace, six fine dining establishments in downtown Stamford are providing an exclusive $30 prix fixe menu for two people from 5:30 to 7:30 pm (not including tax, tip or alcohol) – a deal specially designed to get you in your seats by curtain with a full stomach and minimal stress. 

For more information and a list of participating restaurants, click here

What’s more, Laughtrax ticket holders are eligible for a 20% discount at Sam’s American Bistro at the Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa, just around the corner from the Palace, including complimentary parking!


Whether it's a first date or your silver anniversary, spend it with us!

 

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Where Venus and Mars Collide, Hilariously: The Perfect Pre-Valentine's Date

“Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus LIVE!” Plays the Palace in February 

 

Book a romantic table for two, buy a diamond engagement ring, inundate your crush with hearts and flowers...OR…laugh your socks off at the Palace Theatre! On Saturday, February 7, at 8:00 pm, the hilarious one-man national touring show based on John Gray’s best-selling book stops in Stamford – just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Since its first publication in 1992, Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus, which productively explores the differences between the sexes, has sold in excess of 50 million copies, been translated into 40 different languages, and is one of the most recognizable literary "brands" in the world.
 

Written by the award-winning Scottish playwright Eric Coble, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus LIVE! first premiered in Paris in 2007. That same year, the show debuted in the U.S. starring actor and comedian Peter Storey. 

John Frusciante, a member of New York City's renowned improvisational comedy troupe, Upright Citizen's Brigade, recently took the helm of the national touring show and will star in our Stamford presentation. The Connecticut Post visited with the actor for this interview and feature story

Improvisational actor and comedian, John Frusciante, rehearsing for "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus LIVE!"

A hilarious fusion of theater and stand-up, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus LIVE! is much more than an adaptation of the book. 


Moving swiftly through a series of vignettes, the show covers everything from dating and marriage to the bedroom and beyond, and will have couples winking and nudging all evening as they recognize themselves on stage. Although audiences will be kept in stitches,  Frusciante won't be entirely frivolous with the subject matter. 

"The great thing about this show is that it deals with things everyone can relate to," said the actor. "You can see couples relating to it separately when it starts, but then they start holding hands." 

“You leave the theatre with the intent to live in harmony with your partner. Not to be missed!” -- ELLE Magazine.

For more information on the show and how to purchase tickets, visit our website

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

National Touring Cast of STOMP Meets & Greets 600 Local Middle School Students

Yesterday was not your typical day at Stamford's Cloonan Middle School. For a few hours, students had the chance to put down their pencils, join in the fun, and learn how to STOMP...from the pros! 


On January 8, tomorrow night, the Palace Theatre is presenting STOMP, the wildly entertaining dance-percussion theatrical phenomenon. Through special arrangement by the Palace, members of the show's national touring cast made an in-school appearance on Tuesday for 600 kids, grades 6 through 8. Following an exclusive performance of two numbers, "Hands and Feet" and the intro to "Matches," the 5 dancers invited students to join them on the auditorium's stage to share the experience and make a little noise of their own. A Q&A session between cast and students followed.

Check out these wonderful photos of the event from The Stamford Advocate.
 

STOMP’s history reaches back to the 1980s, to the streets of Edinburgh, where Luke Creswell and Steve McNichols thought it would be fun to entertain the public with their unique brand of explosive music. Their grassroots gigs soon caught the eye of Heineken, which debuted the show’s iconic dustbin dance to the world in a commercial. Since taking New York City’s downtown performance scene by storm in 1991, where the show continues its award-winning, record-breaking run at the Orpheum Theatre, STOMP has grown into a worldwide box office sensation – with movies, television shows and music videos added to its repertoire.

Various casts of STOMP have drummed their way around the world, performing more than 14,000 times in front of 14 million people in 50 countries. Connecticut native Kris Lee (Colchester), is one such “stomper.” After performing at the Orpheum since last year, she is now a member of the show’s national touring cast performing at The Palace tomorrow night.



STOMP cast member and Connecticut native, Kris Lee, in the classroom with students from Cloonan Middle School.

The Palace is dedicated to nurturing and working with young artists through our innovative arts education programs. In addition to coordinating this exceptional event, we have provided Cloonan Middle School with complimentary tickets to the performance to share with faculty, staff and students however they want. To make sure the preforming arts are accessible to all future artists, we have offered a special discount of 35% off regularly priced tickets to the entire local school community.


Monday, January 5, 2015

OH, WHAT TO DO WITH THE KIDS IN THESE COLD WINTER MONTHS?


Satisfied customers at Playtime at the Palace. Photo by Lisa Barlow.

Great entertainment is just the beginning at the Palace! The holiday season is a wonderful time of celebration and good cheer, yet these cold winter months that follow can be challenging to parents wanting to keep their little ones active and engaged. Welcome to PLAYTIME AT THE PALACE, your family-friendly solution to beating the post-holiday blahs with hands-on interactivity, creative thinking and lots and lots of laughter.



Check out this great feature about Playtime at The Palace in the Connecticut Post's GO section.

Our annual series is a rare opportunity for kids to get out of their seats and interact, up-close-and-personal, with our professional entertainers. Tickets are an affordable $10-$15 for children under 12 ($15-$20 for adults), and available now

A young puppeteer learns the tools of the trade. Photo by Adam McCullough.

Here's our remaining 2015 schedule: 

February 8 – National Circus Project
Featuring a lot of audience interaction & participation, the National Circus Project has a time-honored tradition of thrilling and entertaining audiences with its awesome acrobats, dazzling jugglers and cavalcades of capering clowns.

February 15 – How To: Puppet Show!

Kids get hands-on training with professional puppeteers (from Nick Jr.'s “Go, Diego, Go Live!”) to make their own puppets and perform a full-on puppet show, in just an hour.

February 22 – Silent Slapstick with Ben Model
A big hit returning from last year, kids laugh themselves silly at this program of uproarious ’20s comedy films, presented with a live pianist. Lincoln Center’s famous silent film accompanist and historian Ben Model improvises original scores for 3 short slapstick silent comedies. Presented in our Cinema.
 

March 8 – Hatched: Life on the Farm
Hatched is the delightful musical story of a newborn chick emerging from her shell at sunrise to a strange and busy world. Performed through lively movement, handcrafted puppets and sprightly songs, the story is set amidst an American family farm.

March 22 – Bari Koral Family Rock Band

Refreshing simplicity and tuneful bounce mark this collection of splendid pop-rock songs for the wee set from singer-songwriter, Bari Koral, an expert at the clap-a-long song.

March 29 – Magical Stories

Set to the infectious rhythms of a djembe drum, an afternoon of rich tapestry of unforgettable stories from Ireland, England and Scotland about magical fairies, goblins, notorious kings and fearless princesses.

April 12 – The Amazing Max & The Box of Interesting Things

PBS Kids calls The Amazing Max "an awesome & hilarious live magic show" and The Huffington Post says, "his ability to astound is something to see!" The show bursts with striking visual magic, comedy and loads of audience participation. Magician Max Darwin makes objects appear out of thin air, defies the laws of physics, and performs miracles inches from spectator’s faces.