The most engaging thing in Crow is the use of sailing ropes that Sher deftly arranges from one clamp to another making a series of crossed rope formations hinting a sail ringings. I quickly got tired of watching Jeremy Sher move about the set as he tells his story while manically moving about suggesting the rigors of ocean sailing.
Read MoreIt is always a special treat (and a throw-back to the Golden Age of Broadway musicals) when the creatives at Light Opera Works mount a show. Using a full (29 piece) orchestra, the full original orchestrations without cutting essential elements, Light Opera Works offers Broadway musical and operetta lovers a rare treat – original styled productions.
Read MoreA smartly introspective work with a gimmick that for once doesn’t overshadow the proceedings, Bombs, Babes and Bingo is a fascinating look into a mind being torn apart by its own intelligence.
Read More“Change the World” follows John Chapman (empathetic work by Nicholas Harazin), who as a child, in writing, wrote his life goals on a paper as a constant reminder and motivator. Among the items John strives for: being first in both his high school and college class, working, then owning Goldman Sachs and becoming a billionaire by age 35. With this ‘wiz’-kid’ all these are possible as John has a razor focus about his goals. But something happens during his initial interview with Goldman Sachs, actually before the interview when his alarm fails to go off and his life plans change dramatically. He awakes to a life he never imagined.
Read MoreWe find out the story as the seven characters weave facts with opinions clouded in personal bias. Deborah Staples is so convincing as each character that we easily “see” each. From the vengeful redhead to the manipulative neighbor to the slob husband to the innocent four-year old boy and onward to the butch doctor to the old lady, Deborah Staples quickly, before our eyes, becomes each in a remarkable truthful transformation. This is tour de force acting if there ever was any!
Read MoreIt is most refreshing to see a new classical styled Broadway musical with a clever and funny book; smart lyrics on a varied melodic score that begs an orchestra. In a era that lacks musicals with hum-able music and understandable lyrics, LaBebnik and Day offer a refreshingly tuneful and often funny original musical.
Read MoreWe learn the earth’s population at key times as well as markings of key scientific breakthroughs such as the invention of agriculture, fire and/nor crude implements that allowed man to manipulate his environment. As time goes backward, we see how insignificant man real is in the scope of hundreds of million years the earth and ultimately the universe have existed.
Read MoreWe see how such news and the guys inability to help Pearson gets them focused less on themselves and more on common goals. Loyalty and true friendship leads to Bruce Pearson having his last days spent in total acceptance and some glory from his teammates. Devoids of sentimentality, Bang The Drum Slowly, plays out as an uplifting story of how friendship and loyalty can make life worth living and acceptance of one’s fate can liberate the soul. This is a heartwarming story that covers much more than baseball – it’s about how awkwardly we deal with death and how the basic goodness of an individual can inspire at team.
Read MoreThe razor-thin book only gave sketches in telling Gaye’s life story. With repetitive scenes depicting Gaye’s drug use, low self-esteem, womanizing and inconstant work ethic, we sure see Marvin Gaye’s personal demons still left him the ability to accomplish outstanding musical success. We see both sides of Marvin Gaye – the smooth artist and the self-destructive flawed human often paralyzed by drugs and a painful past.
Read MoreThe characters here are colorful, eccentric and so Irish. From Mammy (Kathleen Ruhl) Johnnypateenmike’s 90 year old drunken mother – to Kate who talks to a stone -to cruel Helen who enjoys breaking eggs over her brother’s head -to Billy who has to endure the savage jokes and nasty name calling–all are struggling to escape the boredom of rural life. Josh Salt’s empathetic Cripple Billy and Brian Parry’s hilarious turn as the town gossip are the featured performances among the fine ensemble work contained here.
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