Jared Reynolds - Page 2

The cast and crew of Brookfield Theatre's 'Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play,' creates a resourceful new world for the audience to explore, all stemming from a campfire retelling of The Simpsons.

Brookfield Theater of the Arts’ production of Urinetown was fresh and unique and brought joy to every single member of the audience, whether it was their first time or twenty first time.

Like a heart racing during a marathon, the pacing of a show can make it or break it. Pacing is one thing that TheatreWorks New Milford got absolutely right in their production of 'Cash on Delivery', by Michael Cooney. To put it simply: Sit back and enjoy.

What does 12 Angry Men and The Extremists have in common? Did you guess politics? Because if so, you would be right. On the set of a politics talk show, “Issues in Focus,” Dick Hedgerow brings on a guest, Norman Krieger, to discuss his upcoming book on battling extremism in the world. What was set up to be a dry, lengthy discussion turned into a frantic introspection of who the extremists really are.

The village came together to raise a child, putting all of their skills to the stage to blow the audience away with a light-hearted, uplifting, and hilarious story that brought us all to the sunny shores of Greece; or, at least how we imagine that would feel.

The best part of reviewing shows is that I have the opportunity to see shows that I have never heard of before. I entered Brookfield Theater to see Night of the Assassins, and I settled in for what promised to be an intense afternoon; an intensity that surpassed all expectations.

Not every Christmas is a happy one- that’s just the reality of growing up- but that doesn’t mean that the holiday season can’t still be special. You must make the most of every moment you can because you never know when those moments will run out. This lesson rang loud and true on stage at the Brookfield Theater during their production of 'Dot,' by Colman Domingo.

A holiday classic with a fun twist, 'What the Dickens?' takes the audience on a unique journey that is destined to delight and entertain!

Love knows no bounds; not distance, nor hardship, nor time. In a story where time is not linear and each scene is a different timeline of the same events it can be hard to follow, but when you trust the script to tell the story and trust your audience to pick up on these concepts, you can focus on making each scene feel real and organic.

With a title like a?oeOne Hit Wonder,a?? you might think you know what to expect: a series of well-known one hit wonders strung together with a loose story that feels more like a musical revue than a musical, but my experience seeing Landmark Community Theatre's production of One Hit Wonder flipped those expectations on their head and left this reviewer bopping in his seat to songs he hasn't heard since he was a child.

While you may not need a proscenium stage, proper stage rigging, and high end equipment, performing in a space not intended for theater certainly introduces some challenges. Director Michael Ricciardone gathered a team of designers to overcome the limitations of a non-traditional venue. When a talented cast meets a dedicated crew, it doesn't matter what kind of building you perform in, as long as everyone puts in their heart and soul; and you could feel that passion in Getup Stage Company's production of Heathers at Trinity-On-Main.

There's arguably no better classic Christmas tale than that of A Christmas Story. Adapted from the movie of the same name, A Christmas Story, the play, is among the plays that have a unique challenge in which their source material is so well known that any given production has to balance making the story their own, but also paying homage to the movie that everyone already knows so well. The way that Landmark Community Theatre decided to walk that line made this Christmas story feel truly nostalgic.

Nothing kicks off the holiday season better than laughter, music, anda?? Innuendo? Bradford Blake's Wreck the Halls flips the holiday season on its derriere and brings a raucous start to the holiday season. From the opening disclaimer to the endless dick jokes, Wreck the Halls at TheatreWorks New Milford had the audience in stitches from beginning to end.

Lin-Manuel Miranda writes energetic and challenging musicals that require a dedicated and talented cast. Not only does Landmark Community Theatre have an exquisite cast for this production of Into the Heights, but their set is well-designed and the choreography is stunning, culminating in an energy-filled spectacle for the entire audience!

To many, the idea of a courtroom drama is boring and uneventful. But to others, the idea of a court case being presented on stage is intellectually thrilling as you get to follow the conversations and watch information get teased and extracted over time. The key to a successful courtroom drama is to keep it intellectually thrilling while highlighting the moments of action to keep the distracted focused.

Language is essential in Shakespeare and that puts a large burden on the actors to translate that language and portray it in a way that the audience can understand. Combining strong vocal performances, simple, minimalist designs, and stunning projections, Brookfield Theatre rose up to the challenge and put on an excellent production of Shakespeare's deadliest tale.

Matilda moved more than just a cup and some chalk at the Thomastown Opera House. She also moved a lot of hearts and souls. With the talented cast and acrobatic children and teens, you could tell that everyone was having fun.

'Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike' is one of those shows that has the potential to make you laugh, cry, cheer, jeer, sympathize, and feel hopeful and uncomfortable all within the span of a single conversation. It takes a tight cast and crew to capitalize on that potential, and TheatreWorks New Milford made the grade.

Nothing says live like things not going according to plan. After all, live is what gives theater its magic. Luckily, sometimes performances don't go according to plan but it's the professionality dedication of the cast and crew that brings it all back together.

There's no better way to close out a season than with a celebration; and there's no better way to celebrate than with a wedding! And Mamma Mia was a celebration like no other.