Your erstwhile correspondent has been out of town and under the weather (figuratively and literally). Here’s what’s going on around the Birmingham theatre scene—-quite a lot!

Playing this weekend

• Mrs. Mannerly at Terrific New Theatre, reviewed here by Alec Harvey at al.com.
• Yankee Tavern at Birmingham Festival Theatre, reviewed here by Alec Harvey on al.com.
• In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play at Theatre Downtown.
• 9 to 5: the Musical at the Virginia Samford Theatre, opening this weekend.
• Tommy, presented by the Department of Theatre at Birmingham-Southern College, this weekend only.
• The WCC Winter New Play Festival at the University of Montevallo, featuring works written and directed by UM Theatre students, playing this weekend only.
• Sylvia, South City Theatre’s entry to the SETC Community Theatre division competition, playing at the Leeds Arts Council this weekend (and back at SCT’s Alabaster venue on February 8 & 9).
• 8, the Play, presented as a staged reading by the UAB Department of Theatre in cooperation with the Alliance for LGBT Equality at UAB, playing this Saturday at the Alys Stephens Center.

Upcoming

• Ugly Baby Improv has a handful of shows in the offing, including next Wednesday’s Funkytown Improv Jam at Avondale Brewing Company, featuring guest appearances by members of Extemporaneous Theatre Company and Positively Funny, Inc.
• Living Together, Theatre Downtown’s entry to the SETC Community Theatre division competition, presented February 8-9, including refreshments and a special performance by Extemporaneous Theatre Company.
• Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, presented as a staged reading by Dane Peterson’s Theatre Series as a benefit for Birmingham Aids Outreach. for one evening only (Sunday, February 10, at 6pm) at the B & A Warehouse.
• Auditions for: Theresa Rebeck’s Seminar, directed by JJ Marrs, presented by Theatre Downtown; King Lear, presented by Bards of Birmingham; and All’s Well That Ends Well, also presented by Bards of Birmingham.

Birmingham Festival Theatre opens the first local production of 2013 with Steven Dietz’ Yankee Tavern this Thursday, directed by Mel Christian and featuring Joshua Butler, Trista Baker, Terry Hermes, and Brad Riegel. Check out Lou Dina’s fine production photo gallery on Facebook.

Director Emily Lunsford will hold auditions for ACTA’s Life With Father on February 25 and 26; read here for more details.

Park Players have just begun rehearsals for their upcoming production of Barefoot in the Park with the following cast:

• Corie - Noelle Gunn
• Paul - Tanner McCracken
• Mom - Mary Lynn Bates
• Velasco - David Gauntt
• Telephone Gal - Yvonne Gauntt
• Delivery Man - Len Ward

Director Clay Boyce as announced the following cast for South City Theatre’s upcoming production of David Auburn’s Proof (opening February 21):

• Robert - Ron Dauphinee
• Catherine - Nancy Moore
• Hal - J. Ashley Renfroe
• Claire - Karla Stamps

ACTA’s Arsenic & Old Lace opens February 15 with the following cast and crew:

• Abby - Sally Montgomery
• Martha - Erica Egan
• Mortimer - Cliff Keen Jr.
• Teddy - Jeremy Soileau
• Jonathan - Allen Hammack
• Dr. Einstein - Danny White
• Elaine - Judy Wilson
• Rev. Harper - Ed Potts
• Officer Brophy - Tommy Riley
• Officer Klein  - Lynne Long
• Officer O’Hara - Lonzell Wilson
• Officer Rooney - Ron Landry
• Mrs. Witherspoon - Fran Richardson
• Spenalzo & Hoskins - Madelyn Harbison
• Lights & sound - Kerry Burrell
• Backstage crew - Madelyn Harbison
• Construction crew - James Sims, Ed Potts, Cliff Keen Jr., Jeremy Soileau, Judy Wilson, Tommy Riley, Lonzell Wilson, Lynne Long, Fran Richardson, Madelyn Harbison

Under the direction of Kelsey Crawford, Theatre Downtown opens Sarah Ruhl’s In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play with the following cast:

• Dr. Givings - Chuck Evans
• Mrs. Catherine Givings - Holly Croney
• Mr. Daldry - Bates Redwine
• Mrs. Sabrina Daldry - Karen Black
• Annie - Amy Light
• Elizabeth - Odette Noelle Petties
• Leo Irving - Karow Wilson

Terrific New Theatre’s Carl Stewart presents Jeffrey Hatcher’s Mrs. Mannerly, opening next week with the following cast:

• Jeffrey - Daniel Martin
• Mrs. Mannerly - Debbie Smith

Director Jonathan Fuller has announced the following cast for City Equity Theatre’s production of August: Osage County, opening on the mainstage at the Virginia Samford Theatre in June:

• Beverly Weston - Jesse Bates
• Violet Weston - Sandra Taylor
• Barbara Fordham - Carolyn Messina
• Bill Fordham - John McGinnis
• Jean Fordham - Gracie Brazeal
• Ivy Weston - Leah Luker
• Karen Weston - Julie Steward
• Mattie Fae Aiken - Tam DeBolt
• Charlie Aiken - Edwin Booth
• Little Charles Aiken - Dane Peterson
• Johnna Monevata - Natalie Kinsaul
• Sheriff Deon Gilbeau - Brad Riegel
• Steve Heidebrecht - Patrick Ian McCall

Co-directors Jonathan Fuller & Cheryl Hall have nearly finished casting for the CET/Aldridge Rep co-production of Lynn Nottage’s Ruined, opening February 28 in the Martha Moore Sykes Studio at the Virginia Samford Theatre; that cast should be finalized by the end of this week.

(For the record: we haven’t forgotten about the VST’s production of 9 to 5: the Musical opening later this month, but a cast list seems hard to come by online; feel free to email with a link or pertinent details.)

It’s that time of year: head to al.com and vote in their “Birmingham’s Best of 2012” poll for your chosen local actor, actress, and theatre troupe.

This weekend’s performances of A Christmas Memory at the VST have been cancelled due to a severe illness in the cast. Please contact the VST Box Office at boxoffice@virginiasamfordtheatre.org, or call Amanda at 251.1206 for a refund or for ticket vouchers for another VST production.

Check out Alec Harvey’s recent reviews at al.com for BCT’s Peter Pan (now closed) and RMTC’s Holidaze (through 12/21).

Reminder: today is the last day to get Early Bird registration rates for the spring SETC, March 6-10 in Louisville, KY.

‘Tis the season! Your choices for the weekend’s theatrical entertainments include:

• Sister Robert Anne’s Cabaret Class continues its run at Terrific New Theatre (reviewed here at al.com).
• Birmingham Children’s Theatre’s Peter Pan plays its final public performance this Saturday at 2pm (previewed here at al.com).