Boston Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations Page 25

BWW Review: The Phenomenal Force of THE FANTASTICKS at Monomoy Theatre
by Kristen Morale - July 31, 2016

Arriving on the Monomoy stage under the direction of Alan Rust, The Fantasticks is the first production of this show I have seen, and I believe it to be the most utterly captivating production that has been on this theater's - rather any I have seen this summer - stage in quite some time. This is no...

BWW Review: A Riveting MAY QUEEN Arrives at the Cape Playhouse
by Kristen Morale - July 29, 2016

Premiering at the Cape Playhouse, The May Queen, written by Molly Smith Metzler and now directed by Amanda Charlton, comes to the stage and brings with it the sort of office lethargy that almost comes too close to the real thing. If you've ever worked in an office setting before, the moment David wa...

BWW Review: Joyful Praise for UNEXPECTED JOY at WHAT
by Kristen Morale - July 28, 2016

This, in addition to the almost absurd talent of the cast and crew that is Unexpected Joy, is why you should all take a visit to WHAT as soon as you possibly can to witness the world premiere of this beautiful show. In association with Jim Kierstead, with a book and lyrics by Bill Russell, music by ...

BWW Review: GREASE Plays it Cool at The Academy Playhouse
by Kristen Morale - July 26, 2016

Right on the heels of A Chorus Line's final performance last weekend, Grease continues a wonderful summer season at the Playhouse by bringing youthful energy and pizazz to a show that is on almost everyone's list of favorite musicals. This production brings together a rather large cast whose energy ...

Thou Hath No Fear to Shed All in Peregrine's FULL MONTY
by Kristen Morale - July 24, 2016

With a book by Terrence McNally, music and lyrics by David Yazbek and now under the direction of (and also featuring choreography by) Terry Norgeot, The Full Monty has arrived at the Provincetown Theatre, in association with Peregrine Theatre Ensemble. Based on the cult-hit film of the same name, th...

BWW Review: OF MICE AND MEN Amazes at Monomoy
by Kristen Morale - July 21, 2016

Never having seen this on stage but having read the novella some time ago, at the time acknowledging it as one of the most memorable stories I have ever read, seeing Steinbeck's words and emotions transposed on stage by the Monomoy Theatre, bringing to the life this simultaneously sad and touchingly...

BWW REVIEW: Tamara Tunie in AMERICAN SON at Barrington Stage Company
by Justin J Sacramone - July 17, 2016

Kendra Ellis-Connor is living every mother's worst nightmare. Her son is missing. It's now four o'clock in the morning and she's at the police station trying to get answers. The officer working the nightshift is useless, her ex-husband isn't picking up his phone and the speculations are beginning to...

BWW Review: A Hard Lesson Learned in THE COST OF LIVING
by Justin J Sacramone - July 16, 2016

'The sh*t that happens is not meant to be understood,' says lonely truck driver Eddie. The chewing gum and shoe string holding Eddie's head up is beginning to wane- teetering him on the edge of devastation. He is now thrust back into reality trying to grasp the circumstance that landed him in this s...

BWW Review: MARY POPPINS Storms into North Shore Music Theatre
by Justin J Sacramone - July 15, 2016

If North Shore Music Theatre's production of Mary Poppins was conceived to prove Murphy's Law right (Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong), then producer Bill Hanney and director Kevin P. Hill have crafted a masterpiece. Perhaps it's best described through the disbelief of Michael Banks followi...

BWW Review: Join the Parade that is THE MUSIC MAN at Cape Playhouse
by Kristen Morale - July 13, 2016

Meredith Willson's six-time, Tony Award-winning musical The Music Man has arrived at the Cape Playhouse, a wonderful professional theater one can visit to see Broadway-quality productions right in the heart of Dennis, and has invited each and every one of us to join this miraculous parade that is co...

BWW Review: THE LAST SCHWARTZ in New England Premiere at Gloucester Stage
by Nancy Grossman - July 12, 2016

Let's hope that THE LAST SCHWARTZ is not the last we'll see of the combined works of Deborah Zoe Laufer and Paula Plum. Following the success of the pairing of playwright and director in last summer's hilarious hit OUT OF STERNO, Gloucester Stage Company reunites the talented tandem for a pleasure r...

BWW Review: GILBERT AND SULLIVAN IN CHATHAM Guarantees Evening of Fun
by Kristen Morale - July 06, 2016

The Chatham Drama Guild, Chatham's own community theater group which brings a variety of entertaining performances to its audiences each year, presents Gilbert and Sullivan in Chatham: a musical revue dedicated to bringing forth an appreciation (or perhaps an even greater one depending on how famili...

BWW Review: May the Best Man Win in COCK at the Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater
by Kristen Morale - June 30, 2016

Written by British playwright Mike Bartlett and directed by Jeffry George, Cock comes to WHAT's stage and continues in the tradition of bringing very heartfelt, existentially direct productions to a Cape Cod audience. With such a blunt title as this play is given, the audience risks coming to an imm...

BWW Review: A Wondrous New World Washes Ashore in CCTC's THE LITTLE MERMAID
by Kristen Morale - June 29, 2016

The Cape Cod Theatre Company (CCTC), home of the Harwich Junior Theatre, is now celebrating its 65th season with a beautiful rendition of Disney's The Little Mermaid. Based on Anderson's story and the original Disney film produced by Howard Ashman and John Musker, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics b...

BWW Review: Book Passage on Fiddlehead's SHOW BOAT
by Nancy Grossman - June 26, 2016

SHOW BOAT inaugurates a partnership between Fiddlehead Theatre and Citi Performing Arts Center Shubert Theatre. The lavish, spectacular production is co-directed by Meg Fofonoff and Stacey Stephens, features a 27-piece live orchestra, and a cast of 50 triple-threat performers. The costumes by Stephe...

BWW Review: Benjamin Evett Makes a Big Splash With ALBATROSS at Gloucester Stage Company
by Nancy Grossman - June 22, 2016

Benjamin Evett recreates his 2015 Elliot Norton Award-winning solo performance of The Mariner in ALBATROSS, co-written by Evett and Matthew Spangler. Rick Lombardo is back at the helm as director, and plans have been announced to take the play to The Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August and Off-Broad...

BWW REVIEW: Revolting Sound System Mars MATILDA Tour
by Jan Nargi - June 20, 2016

The talented, hard-working children of MATILDA THE MUSICAL NATIONAL TOUR spend much of their time on stage revolting against their horrible headmistress Miss Trunchbull. Off-stage they should revolt against the horrible sound system that renders their lyrics indecipherable....

BWW Review: The Golden Age of Broadway at The Boston Pops
by Nancy Grossman - June 17, 2016

The Boston Pops has been winning the affection of audiences in Boston and beyond for 131 seasons with programs like The Golden Age of Broadway and featured performers Marin Mazzie, Jason Danieley, Laura Osnes, and Justin Hopkins. Keith Lockhart was on the podium and Lidiya Yankovskaya was Guest Chor...

BWW Review: Reagle's CAROUSEL: A Sublime Ride
by Nancy Grossman - June 16, 2016

Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston opens its 48th season with its first-rate production of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic CAROUSEL. A triumvirate of women - Jennifer Ellis, Jessica Kundla, and Leigh Barrett - give sparkling performances, augmented by Broadway veteran Ciaran Sheehan, but Rac...

BWW Review: World Premiere Musical LOBSTER GIRL Homegrown at Stoneham Theatre
by Nancy Grossman - June 14, 2016

Written and directed by Producing Artistic Director Weylin Symes, with original music and lyrics by local actor/director/writer/composer Steven Barkhimer, LOBSTER GIRL is set in Cape Ann, Massachusetts. The homegrown production features about a dozen songs of eclectic genres that serve as the tug bo...

BWW REVIEW: Shoshana Bean Makes FUNNY GIRL Her Own at NSMT
by Jan Nargi - June 12, 2016

It's a lot to ask of a leading lady to make audiences forget Barbra Streisand in the role that catapulted her to stardom. That's one of the reasons why FUNNY GIRL, the musical that forever linked Streisand to the title character Fanny Brice, has never been revived on Broadway. Well, look no more, pr...

BWW REVIEW: Magic Is Missing from Lyric's PETER AND THE STARCATCHER
by Jan Nargi - June 11, 2016

Currently performing at the Lyric Stage in Boston is PETER AND THE STARCATCHER, Rick Elice's (Jersey Boys, The Addams Family) theatrical prequel to Peter Pan based on the best-selling children's novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. On and Off-Broadway, this high-energy, whimsical back story, dire...

BWW Review: DIRTY DANCING - The Time Of Your Life
by Carissa Chesanek - June 08, 2016

The fun musical hits its final stage this season and you don't want to miss it...

BWW Review: Last Call for Boarding MUD BLUE SKY
by Nancy Grossman - June 04, 2016

Bridge Repertory Theater of Boston concludes its third season with Marisa Wegrzyn's MUD BLUE SKY. Tickets are available for three remaining shows this weekend. Director Bridget Kathleen O'Leary draws colorful performances from Leigh Barrett, Deb Martin, and Veronica Anastasio Wiseman as three world-...

BWW Review: Lindsay Crouse Enlivens LETTICE AND LOVAGE at Gloucester Stage Company
by Nancy Grossman - May 30, 2016

Gloucester Stage Company opens its 37th season with LETTICE AND LOVAGE as a star vehicle for Academy Award-nominated Gloucester resident Lindsay Crouse. Written by Peter Shaffer (EQUUS, AMADEUS) for beloved British actress Dame Maggie Smith, Crouse takes on the title role of tour guide Lettice Douff...