| by Kacie Galloway |Get ready to sing, dance and clap along with the talented cast of It's a Man's World, a new musical revue by DVA Productions, Inc.The show, featuring more than 20 songs made popular by men throughout history, is intended to excite, energize and reminisce with the audience through timeless music and period choreography. Written and produced by Fort Worth's acclaimed Sharen Goodspeed Keyton, the show will be on stage at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center this month and will feature songs from many well-loved artists throughout the decades, including The Beatles, Billy Joel, The Temptations and Garth Brooks.
The play's director, Tyrone King, said he was excited to do the musical. "I think it's going to be a very entertaining show with very high energy and choreography, but ultimately it all comes down to the music."
Inspired by her similarly patterned show, I'm Every Woman, Keyton's newest play will touch nearly every genre of music, a daring feat for the four-person cast. Keeping with the vision of DVA, the acronym for Diverse Visionary Arts, the goal of It's a Man's World is not only to entertain the audience for two hours, but also to create art that a majority of people can connect to through crossing cultural, gender, age and socioeconomic barriers.
"At DVA Productions, we want to exalt our differences," said Keyton. "Inclusion is a big part of what we do." The diverse cast clearly illustrates this vision, showcasing the talents of four men with different ages, ethnicities, backgrounds and musical styles.
DVA Productions, Inc., is now in its sixth year and has grown dramatically in size since its conception. In addition to supporting the performing arts in Fort Worth, the nonprofit organization is also involved in service and educational outreach programs. A portion of the ticket sales from the musical will go toward outreach, allowing DVA Productions to inspire children's lives through theatre.
"This forces the audience to really use their imagination," Keyton said. She explained that the lack of fancy costumes and elaborate set pieces allows the actors" skills to shine through and truly become the heart of the show. The audience will also be encouraged to join in with the actors and dance and sing along with the well-known songs, which promises to create fun memories for those who come.
It's a Man's World
Aug. 22-24, 29-31
Tickets: $15 matinees, $20 evenings
Fort Worth Community Arts Center
1300 Gendy St.
Tickets: dvaproductions.org
(left to right) Able Baldazo, Sheridan Keyton, Brian Johns, Joshua Sherman. photo courtesy of Sheran Keyton
