Rich Mehrenberg - Page 4

Guys and Dolls is among the most famous and popular shows in all of musical theater.  Dutch Apple stays true to the source material and gives their audience what they expect. 

What did our I was lucky enough to see The Prom when it was on Broadway a few years ago.  It was fresh, funny, and inspiring.  EPAC’s production highlights all of those feelings without being redundant or derivative. critic think of THE PROM at EPAC?

Dutch Apple Dinner Theater has scooped the competition, with their latest production, Disney’s Newsies.  Filled with excellent singing and dancing, Newsies is a sweet, summer treat on the Lancaster stage.

Fulton Theatre sets the wayback machine to 1959 with their latest production of Grease on the mainstage.  Most audience members have high expectations of this musical based on the iconic film and soundtrack.  The Fulton delivers with mixed results.

The show has a lot of funny lines, but this isn’t Neil Simon dinner theater. The humor emerges from the situations with real substance.

Six is a dynamic history lesson with an amazing pop soundtrack examined through a modern day lens.  It stands toe to toe with that show about the guy on the ten-dollar bill trying to do the same thing.

Hanover Little Theater has been bringing fun and funny entertainment to the area for almost 75 years.  Drinking Habits is a respectable addition to that long and accomplished history.

Elvis-A Musical Revolution is not among the better musical theater bio-shows.  Jersey Boys, Get on your Feet, and Buddy-the Buddy Holly Story are all significantly better.  Ironically, it is not even the best Elvis bio-musical.  Check out Million Dollar Quartet instead.

Go see it once, twice or a dozen times. No two shows will be the same-except they will all be hilarious!

I appreciate and value EPAC’s efforts to bring this production to the Central Pennsylvania stage.  They continue to take risks and select material found “outside the box”. 

While there may have been 28 singers on stage, it sounded, at least, double that number.  The rich choral arrangements blew the roof off of the joint, and it was a great thing to experience.

The music of Hadestown is mesmerizing and memorable. I already put the soundtrack on my Spotify playlist.

Kim Carson is electrifying as his wife, Martha.  Carson embeds a sexual confidence in her character which is always on display.  Whether viciously mocking her husband or intensely seducing her new boy toy, Carson pulls out all the stops.

This show has a lot to consider and a lot to discuss for the appropriate theater patron. I went into EPAC's production of How I Learned to Drive not knowing what to expect. I have never heard of the show. EPAC's synopsis was not very helpful. It referenced 'a woman's coming of age through the 60's and 70's' and said that the story 'finds compassion and humor in the places you'd least expect'. I was prepared for something light and fluffy along the lines of the TV show, The Wonder Years. I was wrong, very wrong.

Fulton is to be commended for investing in more diverse choices in entertainment.  The Wiz is a great example of why this commitment is so important for our community and beyond.

This production really had some great character roles including Shannon Connolly's eternally optimistic, Sister Mary Patrick, Jim Johnson’s enthusiastic Monsignor, and Joshua James Crawford’s TJ who was one part JJ Evans, one part George Jefferson, one part Rerun, and 100% hilarious.

What did our critic think of DOUBT at Fulton Theatre?

All aboard for a night of Agatha Christie-inspired mystery and murder in Dutch Apple's current production of Murder on the Orient Express. This straight play written by Central Pennsylvania's own Ken Ludwig is fun and fast-paced.

The Play That Goes Wrong is a Looney Tunes cartoon come to life.  Bring your whole family to enjoy its’ slapstick and silliness.

While this touring production of the show was not, by any means bad, it was nothing new.  Broadway revivals are currently pushing the envelope to explore the content in new and creative ways.  This production of My Fair Lady instead, rests comfortably on its laurels.