MUST SEE

Fella is about love and forgiveness as it plays out in spirited celebrations featuring rich vocals from Roberts, Hernandez and Singleton.The songs offer a fine blend of styles from light comic to lush opera to haunting love songs. Fred Anzevino’s efficient use of the stage at No Exit Cafe contains a polish presentation with energetic choreography, cute comedic bits and stirring emotions come through smartly and flawlessly. Jeremy Ramey’s piano, violin, viola and cello orchestra produced a lush sound.

Under the skilled theatrical craftsmanship of director Lil-Anne Brown and choreographer Breon Arzell, Kokandy production’s non-Equity production of The Wiz is a fun musical. It is filled with heart and soul as the African-American urbanized retelling of the Oz story is a funky, campy and heartfelt production. Led by the strong voiced and charming Dorothy (Sydney Charles), this adventure is a dance heavy trip to the Emerald City. Steeped in Black urban culture, this winning production is a humorously manic trip.

He was a powerful voice of the Washington Establishment and a close personal friend of president John F. Kennedy who frequently came to Alsop’s home for a drink and advise. He was both beloved and feared as he was a fierce Cold Warrior who coined the term “Domino Theory” to explain the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia. During the Vietnam War, Alsop advised Kennedy to fight the Viet Cong fiercely. But as the 60’s dawn and after Kennedy is assassinated, Alsop suffers as America undergoes dizzying change that catches Alsop becoming embroiled both politically and personally.

Kudos to Rueben D. Echoles for creating such a wonderful, groundbreaking. bio-musical!. As the book writer, director and one of two outstanding actor/dancers (he plays Harold Nicholas) Echoles’ has created one of the best shows ever at the Black Ensemble Theater. Besides writing, directing, costumes, choreography, he wrote eight original songs that were fine show-specific tunes. Add Echolas’ terrific dancing and this show is truly Echoles’ opus!.

A Wonder In My Soul is a most entertaining, often funny, wonderfully sung (not a musical but a play with songs) and a heartfelt drama about friendship, place and personal commitment as seen through social and political change. The dialogue is smart and witty and the acting is first class with Greta Oglesby and Jacqueline Williams leading the way.

Filled with richly symbolic dialogue that sounds poetic as well as funny in the great Irish tradition of storytelling, By the Bog of Cats is a densely worded tragic drama sprinkled with colorful characters and pure Irish humor.