Theatre Reviews Archives - Page 6 of 232

Forty-Two Stories’ first two performances were as radio plays. Given how many meaningless, tangential stories are told by the characters—from how one woman is faking a leak in her apartment, to how this guy stabbed this woman and some other woman jumped off the roof because of it—I can imagine how listening to this while sitting in a car on LSD in the middle of rush-hour traffic might be entertaining. Unfortunately, it is not so while sitting in a theatre for two hours. In a theatre, it is boring—not unlike sitting in a car on LSD in the middle of rush-hour traffic with the radio turned off.

Tom Williams

My Name Is Annie King

Their latest musical is My Name Is Annie King, A New Blusgrass Thriller with book by Krista Pioppi and music and lyrics by Aaron Albert and Katy Rea. Alex Higgin-Houser directs. This new work ambitious, complicated and unique in its musical composition. It is billed as a bluegrass musical but minus the banjo and mandolin, it sounds as much more of a pop/folk score with hints of bluegrass and down-home country.

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Tom Williams

Chicago, A Musical Vaudeville

In their latest reincarnation at Drury Lane Theatre in Oabrook, Roxie and Velma have taken the attractive forms of Kelly Felthous and Alena Watters, respectively, and it is a most striking meeting indeed. Both faces are making their local debuts and bringing sparkle and luster to an old favorite. Ms. Felthous’ Roxie Hart may not be the brightest bulb in the brain department, but she’s no pushover either. Give her a piano to perch on and she can sell a tune like nobody’s business, and she can command the stage with or without her backup boy quartet. Her facial expressions and characterization are superb. The sinewy Ms. Watters is positively cat-like as she springs into Broadway veteran Jane Lanier’s sultry choreography as if she were born to own the limelight.

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Tom Williams

The Liar

I myself am not a fan of stiltedly “period,” ribald farces—but this one won me over rather quickly. Some of this may be due to Ives’ adaptation, but I’m more inclined to give credit to Director Rutherford’s direction and the cast’s performances that kept the acting grounded even in the midst of the patently ridiculous. Josh Hambrock’s Dorante is remarkable: he gets into his role body and soul with the sweat and agility of a boxer, blotting his brow between rounds of his full-contact performance. Other notables include Michael Hagedorn, the father, whose eyes and face are a book on acting credulity; and Megan Delay, who plays two twins of polar personalities with comedic gusto—and quick costume changes.

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Tom Williams

The Firebirds Take the Field

The cast has the cheerleaders smartly doing cheers as well as being typical teenage girls. We see the parents are determined to believe that the problem can not be either an emotional or psychological one due to the stigma of a ‘mental problem’ would have on the girl’s future. Kathy Bowan (Tara Mellon) believes that toxic waste and pollution are the root causes.

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Tom Williams

Motherhood Out Loud

A series of monologues broken into 5 chapters, 14 writers and 20 stories later the
diverse actors play many different characters and explore topics from the labor of childbirth,
adoption, gay parenting, first dates, graduations, military mom, and aging parents.

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Tom Williams

Not About Nightingales

At the warden’s office, we meet Jim Allison (Brandon Greenhouse) the trustee with ten years in the prison who has educated himself with “big words.” When Eva Crane comes aboard as the warden’s secretary, sparks start flying between Jim and Eva. Boss Whalen (Jim Spencer) is a pure evil soul who delights in torturing the cons in between drinking and womanising. He has his eyes on Eva but before that can happen the cons start a hunger strike.

REVIEWS Theatre Reviews Tom Williams

Tom Williams

3C

3C attempted to be a perky funny mock of Three’s Company with two weirdly dysfunctional girls living in Santa Monica that need a third roommate to pay expenses so they take a guy as their third. In order to appease their landlord, they have him play as a gay man. But Nick Mikula, as Brad, never convinces anyone that he could possibly be gay. His friend Terry (Steve Haddard) continues to invite him to discos to meet easy girls.

MUST SEE REVIEWS Theatre Reviews Tom Williams

Tom Williams

Shakespeare In Love

The dynamic of Will casting his Romeo by Thomas Kent (Kate McGonigle disguised as a man) and eventually falling for Kent once hs discovers that Kent is really Viola de Lesseps, a star-struck want-to-be actor. Problem: Will is married and Viola is committed to marry the irrepressible Lord Wessex (Dennis Grimes). This doomed romance fuels the play with clever plot twists that are hilarious. We also hear some famous lines and scenes for Romeo & Juliet including sword fighting scenes and the famous dying scenes.

REVIEWS Theatre Reviews Tom Williams

Tom Williams

Disney’s Aladdin First National Tour

Told with a manic staging and tuneful fun dance numbers including the extravaganza show-stopper number “Friends Like Me,” we are impressed, invigorated and entertained. This show is pure glitz with modern pop cultural comic references presented by a cute genie, a charismatic Aladdin and a host of determined supporting players. This is a fluff piece designed to appeal to fans of the animated film yet also designed more for lovers of Broadway musicals. At 2 hours, 30 minutes, Aladdin may not be for all children?