Prudence Payne is a critic on the cusp of dementia. I trembled at the premise and buckled up for PRU PAYNE a Boston Theater Critics CRITICS' PICK now having its East Coast premiere at SPEAKEASY STAGE directed by Paul Daigneault. As soon as Karen MacDonald hits the stage I know I'm in good hands—her Pru [...]
A long drive up to Gloucester Stage Company on a sunny Sunday was capped off by a smart, sweet piece of theater: THE HOMBRES by Tony Meneses, a co-presentation by Gloucester Stage and Teatro Chelsea. The play which closes out Gloucester's 45th season is a regional premiere as part of National Hispanic Heritage month. While not [...]
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 [...]
For a good time, head to THE DROWSY CHAPERONE onstage at Lyric Stage! It's a bubbly brouhaha of hi-jinks and high-stepping hilarity! Yes, I just said that. And it's utterly in keeping with the silly frisson of this absurdly entertaining "show within a show" musical--but with a tinge of blue at its core. The show [...]
The following are both CRITICS PICKS which indicate shows that the Boston Theater Critics Association (of which I am proud to be president) have especially recommended while they are still onstage and able to be seen in and around Boston! Photo: Jim Sabitus The first is the greater Boston premiere of a Pulitzer Prize-nominated [...]
It's theater round up time--some hits, some misses. Here's the lay of the land as it looks to me: Now onstage and presented by Apollinaire Theatre Company known for its excellent and offbeat slate of offerings in a modest space is THE ANTELOPE PARTY. This droll but disturbing and universally resonant play is especially timely [...]
I must say, I'm not crazy about THE ADDAMS FAMILY musical, despite adoring the TV show based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles Addams. I was mad about Carolyn Jones as the slender, pale-faced, black-haired Morticia (I once dressed as Morticia for Hallowe'en) and John Astin as Gomez, her googly-eyed, Romeo of a husband. [...]
The Huntington in association with Alliance Theatre and Front Porch Arts Collective has kicked off its seventh season at the BCA Calderwood Pavilion with a brilliant production of the wildly funny and wise FAT HAM! This show which has already been extended through October 29, marks yet another chapter in a remarkable and eye-opening collaboration [...]
Theater continues busting out all over Boston and beyond-- here's my take on what I've seen lately: ASSASSINS: Lyric Stage has kicked off its season with a first-rate production of this lesser-known Stephen Sondheim musical, book by John Weidman, about 9 real-life assassins or wanna be's who each tried to or succeeded in killing a [...]
Here are three to see onstage this summer weekend-- all are short, smart, inspiring, entertaining, and incredibly affordable or PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN to see! LOVE, LOSS, & WHAT I WORE presented by HUB THEATRE COMPANY of BOSTON only runs through Saturday 8/5-- and it's too bad it's not having a longer run! Based on the book by [...]
