Regional Roundup: Top New Features This Week Around Our BroadwayWorld 1/25 - IN THE HEIGHTS, CRAZY FOR YOU, and More!

BroadwayWorld presents a comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature IN THE HEIGHTS, CRAZY FOR YOU, and More!

Check out our top features from around the BroadwayWorld below! Want more great global content? Check out our "Around The World" section!

CD/Books/DVDs: Contributor David Clarke reviews FOLLIES (2018 National Theatre Cast Recording), writing "Once one of the costliest flops in Broadway history, FOLLIES is now highly regarded as a true classic in musical theater canon. The well-reviewed National Theatre revival, which ran through January 3, 2018, is scheduled to return to the West End this spring, and the sumptuously lush FOLLIES (2018 National Theatre Cast Recording) is now available digitally."

UK / West End: Contributor Vikki Jane Vile reviews ASPHODEL MEADOWS/THE TWO PIGEONS at the Royal Opera House, writing "With the last remains of glittery Nutcracker magic now behind us for another year, just two days after the end of the run of the festive classic, the Royal Ballet return with a fun, bright and uplifting mixed bill to ease us through January."

Milwaukee, WI: Contributor Kelsey Lawler reviews JUNK at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, writing "Ahktar has a knack for writing real people with real flaws, and for taking a hard look at tough, often-uncomfortable issues in our society. Per a WUWM interview, Akhtar asserts that Junk is not pessimistic, just real. "It's bleak but it's realistic, unfortunately," he says. "If you're coming to the play and you're expecting something uplifting, just be prepared.""

Finland: Contributor Rosanna Liuski reviews CRAZY FOR YOU at Culturehouse Martinus, Review, writing "The young aspiring artists are flexible and work as a team. Again, the music is throughout the show wonderful and I wasn't the only one in the audience who jammed with it. Thank you, live orhcestra! The tap dancing was very good too and gave a rhythm to the whole spectacle, though at times, especially when almost everyone on stage is doing it full on, the noise was a little too big for my sensitive ears."

UK / West End: Contributor Jenny Ell reviews STRICTLY COME DANCING LIVE at Arena Birmingham, writing "With the TV series having only finished in December, Strictly Come Dancing 2018 is still very much fresh in people's minds. Last night saw the opening of the arena tour in Birmingham, starring seven much-loved celebrities from the show, alongside an ensemble of professional dancers."

Philadelphia: Contributor Alyssa Biederman reviews ROMEO AND JULIET at The Wilma Theater, writing "The tragic love story plays out against a background of golden fringe. Set designer Matt Saunder's shimmering fabric catches Maria Shaplin's beautiful lighting as it moves, and easily transitions from Juliet's lavish bedroom to the tomb where she and Romeo eventually lie dead. Outside of some chairs and a wall that plays double duty as Juliet's mansion fence and a Verona border, the fringe is the only set design. Because the stage looks so breathtaking and consistent, it is easy to focus on the young lovers' emotion."

Australia - Sydney: Contributor Jade Kops reviews Blue Saint Production's IN THE HEIGHTS writing "In addition to the two new ensemble performers (Dayton Tavares and Romina Villafranca), the Opera House season sees the roles of Usnavi and Benny played by new performers, Stephen Lopez and Joe Kalou respectively. Lopez captures the essence of Usnavi as the hardworking shy orphan well with solid vocals, nuanced physicality and good comic timing. Lopez creates a slightly worldlier Usnavi who feels a bit older whilst still having an endearing likability. Lopez ensures that Usnavi is seen as caring of his friends and community whilst also being socially awkward around his crush Vanessa. Kalou's portrayal of young dispatch driver and aspiring business owner Benny is a somewhat unbalanced. His intent is clear but his vocals exhibited signs of either illness or fatigue and were possibly hampered by the sound technology as pieces weren't as in tune as one would expect. Other performances also seemed to struggle with landing on the centre of notes indicating that there may have been feedback issues in the sound technology."

Regional Editor Spotlight:

Blair Howell
Salt Lake City Contributor

Blair Howell's career is in the professional publishing arena (for more years than he cares to remember), with a longstanding interest in theater. He found it to be great fun to live in New Canaan, Connecticut, with easy access to the Great White Way. But now, Blair lives in Salt Lake City (a long, not interesting story). The much-lamented move has allowed him to be more active in regional theater. He has covered theater and the arts for the Deseret News, Utah's oldest, continuously published metro daily newspaper, and has written for various theater-related national magazines and websites.

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