Jared Reynolds - Page 2

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.

Despite being a play about math, one doesn't need to speak math to understand the words, one doesn't need to find x in order to discover the meaning behind action, nor does one need to measure the pounds per square inch to feel the emotion behind David Auburn's, Proof. The cast of Cue Zero Theatre's production managed to discover, isolate, and emphasize the deeper connections being explored in Auburn's emotional work.

The worst things imaginable have been done with the best intentions. You either die a hero or you live long enough to become a villain. When NuSpace was founded, its intentions were pure: To help alleviated the world's 'Data Crisis.' But when politics get involved and money starts flying, it can be hard to see who is on which side.

What does a treehouse, radio, angels and demons, secret corporations, and a school lockdown have in common? They were the subjects of a series of one act plays presented through the Nashua Theatre Guild's "Light To Dark: A Night of One Acts."

There's nothing more magical than the colorful, fantastic world of your dreams, and the Actorsingers' production of Pippin brought the world of your dreams on the stage! Hirson and Schwartz's Pippin is a fantastical dive into the world of imagination and potential trap of dreaming. When faced with the ambition of wanting an extraordinary life that completely fulfills his soul, Pippin finds himself feeling nothing but discontentment.

Not every show is going to have an introspective look on political climate like Ibsen, or open up difficult topics such as the AIDS epidemic like Kushner, but not every show has to: Some shows are just there to make you laugh and sing and have a merry time doing it!