Marlo Thomas Tells Clever Little Lies, Rob McClure Sings a Story & More Cross-Country Highlights

The holidays are here! But before you get too wrapped up in decking the halls and donning your gay apparel, head out and see the blazing theater before you. This week’s Countrywide Guide spotlights Rob McClure reconnecting with a long lost friend, Maurice Hines taking a tap-tastic trip down memory lane, Lauren Molina skipping to Bucks County for Meet Me in St. Louis: A Live Radio Play and more.


NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ
Marlo Thomas Tells Joe DiPietro's Clever Little Lies
Clever Little Lies, a dramedy featuring Emmy winner Marlo Thomas as a meddling Westchester matriarch, is receiving its world premiere at the George Street Playhouse through December 22. Written by Tony-winning New Jersey native Joe DiPietro (Memphis; I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change), the play centers on a man who has an affair just months after his wife had their first baby. Directed by David Saint, Clever Little Lies has enough one-liners and zingers to help you face your own lovingly dysfunctional family this holiday season.


WILMINGTON, DE
Rob McClure Shares a Touching Story
Neil Bartram and Brian Hill's touching chamber musical The Story of My Life follows two childhood friends, Alvin and Thomas, from the ages of six to 35, as they discover that the friendship they thought would always be there can—and does—fade away. Starring Tony nominee Rob McClure and Ben Dibble, The Story of My Life, playing through December 22 at Delaware Theatre Company, is an honest look at the many ups and downs that come with the love of a dear friend.


WASHINGTON, D.C.
Maurice Hines' Song and Dance Takes Over the Capital
Dancer/choreographer/actor/singer Maurice Hines is turning 70 in a few weeks, so it’s only fitting that his new show Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life, playing at Arena Stage’s Kreeger Theatre through December 29, is a retrospective of the highs and lows of his career. Hines sings standards like "Come Fly with Me," "Luck Be a Lady" and "Smile," shares anecdotes about his family (including his late brother, Gregory) and does some of that glorious tapping. Directed by Jeff Calhoun, Tappin' Thru Life will have you doing the same.


LAGUNA BEACH, CA
Truman Capote's Musical Christmas Memory Endures
"Imagine a morning in late November. A coming of winter morning more than twenty years ago." If that opening line of Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory doesn't have you hooked, Duane Poole, Larry Grossman and Carol Hall's musical adaptation of the short story should do the trick. Set in 1933 in rural Alabama, the heartwarming tuner stars Tracy Lore and tells the story of a young boy named Buddy, who is being raised by three nutty cousins. Make a Memory through December 29 at The Laguna Playhouse.


NEW HOPE, PA
Clang, Clang Clang Went a Holiday Treat
Lauren Molina has appeared on the Main Stem in Rock of Ages and Sweeney Todd, and now the Broadway favorite (and half of the undie-rock, comedy-pop duo The Skivvies) joins Geoff Packard, Jay Russell, Garth Kravits, Chelsea Packard and more in Bucks County Playhouse's Meet Me in St. Louis: A Live Radio Play. Written by Joe Landry, the show honors the beloved film and Hugh Martin and Ralph Blaine's classic songs, including "Skip to My Lou" and "The Trolley Song," with the cast gathered in front of microphones. See it through December 29.