The fall theater season is back up and running! I had high hopes for American Repertory Theater's season opener Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet"! Alas, this most tragic and romantic tale of young lovers caught in the crossfire of their feuding families left me wanting-- but not for lack of trying. The set was beautiful and [...]
THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES is a rarity -- a multidimensional musical that speaks to this moment with all of the nuances of a real life lived, and at the heart of it a thrilling, complex, masterful performance by Kristin Chenoweth. That this world premiere musical is also now debuting in our own backyard at Boston's [...]
THE WINTER'S TALE is the ironic summer offering of Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's FREE Shakespeare on Boston common. It has certainly been a season of surprises all around, and this play for me is one of them. I had never seen nor read it, had no idea where it was going or how it would get [...]
Back from vacation as I continue my reviews of the 7 plays I've seen in the last 10 days! In addition to yesterday's Must Sees, here's my take on what to see before they close: L .to R. Anthony Pires, Jr., Sheree Marcelle, Diego Cintron NEXT TO NORMAL: An outstanding, moving, smart production [...]
There are three shows currently onstage that are MUST SEES: A.R.T.s GATSBY, Arlekin's THE DYBBUK, Broadway in Boston's MJ. These are among the finest productions ever mounted in greater Boston, all companies operating at the top of their game. photo credit: Julieta Cervantes GATSBY is the much anticipated world premiere musical based F.Scott [...]
I'd never heard of Toni Stone, the first woman to play professional baseball on a man’s team in the Negro Leagues, but TONI STONE is now onstage presented by THE HUNTINGTON through June 16 and a CRITICS PICK! Admittedly, I know little about baseball and its history but I have heard of Babe Ruth and [...]
A modern, moving take on those quintessential tragic young lovers awaits at the Calderwood Pavilion. Actors' Shakespeare Project has mounted a cool, even funny, and undeniably heartbreaking version of Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET, directed by talented actress/director Marianna Bassham who has her finger on the pulse of Shakespeare's lines and her cast's youthful energy and [...]
It’s official. The NORTIES are now the hottest ticket in town! This was the biggest turnout ever to applaud our brilliant, passionate, hardworking, and simply splendid theater community. This year, more individuals, organizations, and businesses from all over greater Boston and beyond stepped up to join the BOSTON THEATER CRITICS ASSOCIATION to support, sponsor, and [...]
I can't stop thinking about A STRANGE LOOP -- the Pulitzer Prize, Tony Award-winning musical written by Michael R. Jackson which has been mounted by SpeakEasy Stage and Front Porch Arts Collective in its New England premiere. That's a lot of accolades. I'm baffled. The show was monotonous, assaultively sung, and left me wanting. The [...]
Head to Chelsea and hang on as you watch Apollinaire Theatre's fantastic production of TOUCHING THE VOID. It's a real life tale of high-climbing adventure brought to surreal life by some kick ass theater making. In his book, Joe Simpson tells the story of his adventure with fellow climber Simon Yates in 1985 as they [...]
