Houston Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations Page 29

BWW Reviews: Opera in the Heights' DON PASQUALE is Jovial Merriment
by David Clarke - November 23, 2013

Merriment and joviality are the key ingredients for Opera in the Height's production of Gaetano Donizetti's comedic opera DON PASQUALE. When DON PASQUALE first opened in 1843 it was instantly recognized as Gaetano Donizetti's masterpiece, and for many it still holds that distinction. In the classic...

BWW Reviews: Carolann Valentino's BURNT AT THE STEAK is a Unique One-Woman Musical Comedy
by David Clarke - November 21, 2013

It takes undeniable mettle to live one's dreams, especially when that dream is to be an actress in Broadway musicals. That inspiring combination of resolve, ambition, and guts is just what Carolann Valentino is made of, and she drives this point home in the Houston Premiere of her one-woman musical ...

BWW Reviews: The Alley Theatre's A CHRISTMAS CAROL - A GHOST STORY OF CHRISTMAS is Hauntingly Delightful and Heartwarming
by Kristina Nungaray - November 18, 2013

While Thanksgiving is right around the corner, holiday festivities are commencing in full force. For many Houston theater goers, the highlight of the holiday season is the Alley Theatre's infamous production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL - A GHOST STORY OF CHRISTMAS. Michael Wilson's imaginative stage adapt...

BWW Reviews: HSPVA's AVENUE Q (SCHOOL EDITION) Showcases Promising Young Talent
by David Clarke - November 17, 2013

It's incredibly rare when I venture out to see a high school production, but Houston ISD's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) definitely piqued my interest when I saw they were producing AVENUE Q. First and foremost, I wanted to see how Jeff Whitty, Jeff Marx, and Robert Lopez's ...

BWW Reviews: Patrick Combs' MAN 1 BANK 0 is Fascinating and Funny
by David Clarke - November 14, 2013

The buzz on everyone's lips last night was that Thater LaB Houston is back. When Gerald LaBita announced that his beloved theater would be shutting its doors at Alamo Street and searching for new digs, audiences around town were crushed. The company has a sparkling reputation for presenting the best...

BWW Reviews: Broadway Across America - Houston's CHICAGO is Wildly Entertaining
by David Clarke - November 13, 2013

With Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb, and a Book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, CHICAGO has become a Broadway institution. The musical holds the distinction of being both the longest-running musical revival and the longest-running American musical in Broadway history. The iconic sleek and sexy ...

BWW Reviews: Mildred's Umbrella Theater Company's CARNIVAL ROUND THE CENTRAL FIGURE is Bold and Innovative
by David Clarke - November 11, 2013

Mildred's Umbrella Theater Company is currently producing Diana Amsterdam's new, darkly comic drama CARNIVAL ROUND THE CENTRAL FIGURE. As part of their mission, Mildred's Umbrella puts on 'bold, innovative and fresh theatrical works,' and CARNIVAL ROUND THE CENTRAL FIGURE perfectly upholds this bann...

BWW Reviews: Jaston Williams & Joe Ely's LIFE AFTER LUBBOCK Shines Big and Bright
by David Clarke - November 10, 2013

This weekend, Galveston's The Grand 1894 Opera House brought Jaston Williams' and Joe Ely's IS THERE LIFE AFTER LUBBOCK? to the Houston area for one night only. For the show, the two Texas legends combined creative juices and invited the audience in to take an intimate look at how Lubbock, Texas sha...

BWW Reviews: Fort Bend Theatre's JEKYLL & HYDE Thrills and Chills
by David Clarke - November 05, 2013

Robert Louis Stevenson's novel The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde has long enthralled readers. The exploration of man's internal struggle to suppress his base animal instincts in favor of society's expected propriety in addition to the examination of good and evil simply fascinates audience...

BWW Reviews: MJR Theatricals | Music Box Musicals' AVENUE Q is Hysterical Fun
by David Clarke - November 03, 2013

In 2003, a certain green girl flew on Broadway for the first time. In the same year, a handful of plucky performers with some ostentatiously crass puppets opened a smaller show Off-Broadway. They transferred to Broadway months before the witches of Oz made their big splash and later surprised everyo...

BWW Reviews: City Lights Theatre's LEGALLY BLONDE is Pink and Bubbly
by David Clarke - October 25, 2013

In 2007, LEGALLY BLONDE painted Broadway's Palace Theatre pink with its bubbly book by Heather Hach and infectious pop music and lyrics by Nell Benjamin and Laurence O'Keefe. Stumbling in the box office, the show became immensely popular after it was aired in its entirety on MTV in October 2007. The...

BWW Reviews: Houston Grand Opera's AIDA is Spellbinding and Sumptuous
by David Clarke - October 19, 2013

Giuseppe Verdi's 1871 opera AIDA is a worldwide phenomenon. It has been adapted into several films, Elton John and Tim Rice adapted it into a Broadway musical with the same title, and, as of 2007, New York City's Metropolitan Opera has given over 1,100 performances of the opera, making it their seco...

BWW Reviews: Stages Repertory Theatre's VERONICA'S ROOM is a Blood-Curdling Thriller
by David Clarke - October 18, 2013

Ira Levin is best known for his suspenseful and creepy novels The Stepford Wives and Rosemary's Baby, both of which have been adapted into successful films. His 1978 play DEATHTRAP holds the record for the longest running comedy-thriller in Broadway history, playing almost 1800 performances across a...

BWW Reviews: The Alley Theatre's VENUS IN FUR is Riveting, Erotic Comedy
by David Clarke - October 17, 2013

Ominously thunder claps and the harsh florescent lights flicker. The stage, an immaculate recreation of a non-descript rehearsal studio in New York City, buzzes to life under the highly realistic, yet unusual lighting choice from the design standpoint. David Ives' wildly popular erotic comedy VENUS ...

BWW Reviews: Stark Naked Theatre's ALL GIRLS is a Moving Production that Resonates with Humor and Heartbreak
by Kristina Nungaray - October 14, 2013

Stark Naked Theatre Company, notorious for producing new and relevant work in the Houston area, is kicking off their 2013-2014 season with a Houston regional premier of ALL GIRLS by up-and-coming playwright Anna Greenfield. Any grown woman can recall the uncertainties and trauma of girlhood. Gender ...

BWW Reviews: TUTS Underground's LIZZIE Proves to be the Perfect Opener for a Season of Bold Theatre
by Kristina Nungaray - October 13, 2013

Earlier this summer, Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) surprised us with the announcement of their newest endeavor TUTS Underground. With that announcement came the promise of 'No revivals - No dead authors - No boundaries,' and ultimately a cutting edge brand of theatre for Houston audiences. Kicking ...

BWW Reviews: The Eklektix Theatre Company's SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD is a Charismatic Concert
by David Clarke - October 11, 2013

With intense and tricky harmonies and complex syncopations, Jason Robert Brown's SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD is an ambitious title for any company to program, let alone an up and coming group like The Eklektix Theatre Company (ETC). With that said, from what I saw at last night's final dress rehearsal, ET...

BWW Reviews: Opera in the Height's LA TRAVIATA is Engrossing
by David Clarke - October 05, 2013

When it comes to classic opera, Giuseppe Verdi is one of the most prominent composers. LA TRAVIATA is based La dame aux Camelias, a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils, and had its world premiere on March 6, 1853. Guiseppe Verdi was displeased that the authorities at La Fenice insis...

BWW Reviews: Standing Room Only Productions' YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN is Frothy, Fun Entertainment
by David Clarke - October 04, 2013

After the success of THE PRODUCERS, Mel Brooks gave YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN the Broadway treatment. The ribald musical comedy had it's pre-Broadway try out at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, Washington. It began previews on Broadway on October 11, 2007 and opened at the Foxwoods Theatre (then named the...

BWW Reviews: The Catastrophic Theatre's THE PINE - A Modern Take on Purgatory
by David Clarke - October 03, 2013

When attending a production at The Catastrophic Theatre, I always know I am in for a journey. My favorite aspect of this group is that each and every one of their productions is a risk-taking endeavor, guaranteeing Houston audiences access to fresh, cutting-edge presentations of theatrical craftsman...

BWW Reviews: Theatre Under the Stars' PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT: THE MUSICAL is Fabulous and Fierce
by David Clarke - October 02, 2013

Inspired by Stephan Elliott's 1994 motion picture, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, the international smash-hit show PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT: THE MUSICAL is making a stop in Houston. Having found success in Australia and in London, the musical had its Broadway debut at the Pa...

BWW Reviews: The Ensemble Theatre's IMMEDIATE FAMILY is Comedic and Touching
by David Clarke - September 28, 2013

Before Thursday's opening night performance of Paul Oakley Stovall's IMMEDIATE FAMILY, The Ensemble Theatre's Artistic Director Eileen J. Morris explained that their 37th season is all about creating magical moments within productions and within the community of their ever-growing audience base. Cre...

BWW Reviews: The Alley Theatre's YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU is Amusing, Spirited, and Relevant
by David Clarke - September 26, 2013

When it comes to American Theatre from the 1930s, one of the leading writing duos was George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. This pair is integral in the development of Modern American Theatre. They are often studied in survey courses that chart the progression of the art form, as most agree that together...

BWW Reviews: Zack's Mac Shack's SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD Is Electrifying
by David Clarke - September 24, 2013

This past weekend, I had the distinct pleasure of discovering the Greater Houston Area's best kept secret. Ever since The Masquerade Theatre announced they were permanently closing on April 27, 2012, I have been going through Masquerade withdrawals. Other theatre groups, namely Michael J. Ross' Musi...

BWW Reviews: Theatre Suburbia's GOING BARE Tickles the Funny Bone
by David Clarke - September 22, 2013

Northwest Houston's longest-running all volunteer playhouse, Theatre Suburbia, opened their 53rd season with Houston-based playwright Mary Jane Taegel's comedy GOING BARE. The romantic comedy about a doctor who drops his malpractice insurance and promptly gets sued for 4.2 million dollars was first ...