Central New York Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations Page 8

BWW Review: MAMMA MIA! is an Absolute Delight at Cortland Repertory Theatre
by Natasha Ashley - July 17, 2019

Mamma Mia! 'Here we go again.' There is now another production in Central New York of this hit jukebox musical based on the songs of ABBA. This time around it is a delightful production at the picturesque Cortland Repertory Theatre in Preble, New York. For a musical that is repeatedly (sometimes too...

BWW Review: GRAND HOTEL Enchants at The Merry - Go- Round Playhouse
by Natasha Ashley - July 15, 2019

The Merry a?" Go a?" Round Playhouse is now enchanting audiences with a breathtaking production of Grand Hotel the Musical. Director Brett Smock's productions often are memorable and this one is no exception. With the lavish set, spot on casting, and impressive choreography this production is one of...

BWW Review: Blackfriars' Summer Intensive Presents THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - July 15, 2019

To an outsider, the world of competitive spelling may not seem like one that's brimming with tension and intrigue. When one thinks about worlds that are rife for dramatization, a myriad of source material seems more plausible; but I suppose Mormon missionaries, SpongeBob SquarePants, and the life of...

BWW Review: MACBETH at Rochester Community Players Shakespeare Program
by Dan and Julie Izzo - July 14, 2019

Pack a picnic, take a blanket and some bug spray and commune with nature and your fellow lovers of the Bard at this free 25th anniversary performance by the Rochester Community Players: Shakespeare Program. You will experience Shakespeare as a rich shared experience....

BWW Review: LEGALLY BLONDE is a Fabulously Fun Musical at Cortland Repertory Theatre
by Natasha Ashley - June 23, 2019

Omigod you guys! Cortland Repertory Theatre is now entertaining audiences with the super-fun musical comedy Legally Blonde at their picturesque summer location at the Little York Pavilion in Preble, New York. It is a fabulously fun musical directed by Trey Compton and a wonderful summer treat covere...

BWW Review: RUMORS Often Lacks Laughter at the Central New York Playhouse
by Natasha Ashley - June 14, 2019

Central New York Playhouse is now presenting their production of Neil Simon's farce Rumors under the direction of Korrie Taylor. This theater company often excels with their comedic plays, but unfortunately only some of the cast delivered the laughs on the night I attended....

BWW Review: GREASE Starts the 2019 Season at The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse
by Natasha Ashley - June 10, 2019

The 2019 season of the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival has officially begun at the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse in Auburn, New York. The season's first musical is none other than the very familiar hit Grease, directed by Igor Goldin. It has been 21 years since a production of Grease entertained au...

BWW Review: ROCK OF AGES Lights Up the Landmark Theatre
by Natasha Ashley - June 07, 2019

For one night only, the 10th anniversary touring production of Rock of Ages rocked out at Syracuse's Landmark Theatre. The jukebox musical featuring strobe lights, fog effects, classic '80s hits certainly got the crowd going as the cheesy, yet amusing story of love, hope, and dreams played out. It w...

Waitress Closes the Rochester Broadway Theatre League Season
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - June 05, 2019

You don't have to be a talented baker (and I certainly am not) to appreciate a show that uses pie as a metaphor for life. Its variety, its many surprises, how with one wrong measurement or ingredient everything can go terribly wrong....

BWW Review: THE ALL NIGHT STRUT! Is Sensational at The Redhouse
by Natasha Ashley - June 03, 2019

Talk about a swingin' good time at The Redhouse Arts Center in Syracuse, New York! Impeccably directed by Bob Brown, the current production of the jukebox musical of The All Night Strut! features sensational performances by a talented cast, spot on lighting design by Marie Yokoyama, energetic music ...

BWW Review: THE LAST 5 YEARS is a Visionary Masterpiece at Syracuse Stage
by Natasha Ashley - June 01, 2019

A stunning, visionary, and thought-provoking production of Jason Robert Brown's Drama Desk Award-winning musical, The Last 5 Years, is now delighting audiences at Syracuse Stage. The production is directed by none other than Jason Alexander, who is, of course, best known for his role in the televisi...

BWW Review: A Whimsical and Breathtaking FINDING NEVERLAND at The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater
by Natasha Ashley - May 29, 2019

The touring production of Finding Neverland has now soared into Syracuse's Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater as part of the Famous Artists Broadway Theatre Series. With an impressive book by James Graham and powerful music and lyrics by Gary Barlow and Elliot Kennedy, this inspiring musical is pure fun ...

Wallbyrd's The 39 Steps is a Must-See Production
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - May 25, 2019

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Screen Plays' Black Comedy De-Lights
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - May 24, 2019

Peter Shaffer's farce Black Comedy delights based on one absurd premise. What if we could see what goes on in the obscurity of darkness? From this thought, he literally flips the light switch. The play begins in darkness with a young sculptor Brindsley Miller nervously preparing for a life changing ...

THE UNDENIABLE SOUND OF RIGHT NOW at Blackfriars Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - May 12, 2019

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BWW Review: THE BOOK OF MORMON is a Vulgar and Comedic Experience at the Landmark Theatre
by Natasha Ashley - May 09, 2019

The touring production of The Book of Mormon is now 'educating' and entertaining audiences in Syracuse's Landmark Theatre. This musical of course brings many laughs and pushes many boundaries by taking a fresh look at the familiar and friendly Mormons that may have knocked on your door. Whether you ...

BWW Review: OKLAHOMA! at JCC CenterStage Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - May 08, 2019

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REVIVAL: THE RESURRECTION OF SON HOUSE at Geva Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - May 05, 2019

To close out their 2018-2019 season Rochester's Geva Theatre chose a piece with deep historical, musical, and local significance. Revival: The Resurrection of Son House was commissioned by Geva in 2015 and received a staged reading that year at their festival 'Journey to the Son: A Celebration of So...

With Barbeque Apocalypse, Out of Pocket Productions Explores the End of the World
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - May 04, 2019

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BWW Review: THE HUMANS is Eerily Relatable at Syracuse Stage
by Natasha Ashley - April 28, 2019

Stephen Karam's 2016 Tony Award-winning play The Humans is now engaging audiences at Syracuse Stage. Presented in association with Geva Theatre Center and directed by Mark Cuddy, this production of the uncannily relatable play is moving, emotional, and humorous....

BWW Review: HAMILTON at Auditorium Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - April 26, 2019

At this point-four years after it premiered on Broadway and took the world by storm, earning a record 16 Tony nominations and making Lin Manuel-Miranda a household name --it seems a superfluous task to write a review of Hamilton. What hot take can I offer on this groundbreaking, history-making music...

BWW Review: THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND: THE GOLDEN GIRLS MUSICAL at Lyric Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - April 21, 2019

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BWW Review: THE ROYALE at Geva Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - April 17, 2019

The Royale, the 2015 play by Marco Ramirez currently playing in Geva Theatre's Fielding Stage, isn't as much about boxing as it is about race, greatness, and a man who's moving faster than the world around him. It's an intimate, lyrical play, and continues Geva's recent tradition of hosting producti...

LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT at Rochester Community Players
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - April 14, 2019

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BWW Review: NATIVE GARDENS at Geva Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - April 04, 2019

Nothing encapsulates Native Gardens like its standout line 'Old neighbors, new neighbors.' Anyone who's ever been a new neighbor, especially in suburbia, knows the feeling of the side-eying, judgey but well-meaning older couple living next door, down the street, etc. Playwright Karen Zacaria couples...