Regional Roundup: Top New Features This Week Around Our BroadwayWorld 5/18 - A CHORUS LINE, LES MIS, SOMETHING ROTTEN, And More!

BroadwayWorld presents a comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature A CHORUS LINE, LES MIS, SOMETHING ROTTEN, And More!

Check out our top features from around the BroadwayWorld below! Want more great global content? Check out our "Around The World" section!

---

Sarasota: Contributor Carolan Trbovich reviews RAGTIME at Asolo Rep. She writes "There were 17 members in this cast and they made it look like at least double that size. Michael Hoover's set design was simple yet very effective for this production. Lighting designer Duane Schuler rendered just the right amount of ambiance for the variance of each scene. Choreographer Kelli Foster Warder challenged her cast with beautiful footwork and they skillfully obliged. I liked that Trevor Bowen graced wardrobe with renderings from the turn of the century to highlight the disparaging difference between the haves and the have-nots. Musical director Steve Orich and his 10-piece ensemble of musicians dynamically brought this powerful and beautiful score to life. Director Peter Rothstein called on this ensemble to deliver impeccable timing in their lines, dance routines and vocals."

---

Salt Lake City: Contributor Tyler Hinton reviews MAMMA MIA! at Pioneer Theatre. He writes "The ensemble, and especially those playing Sky's buddies, are a highlight of the production, with stellar dancing. The choreography from director Patricia Wilcox, who choreographed MOTOWN THE MUSICAL on Broadway, is a joy to watch. It defies the audience members to not have smiles across their faces throughout each dance number. The lighting design by Paul Miller (Broadway's LEGALLY BLONDE) bounces effortlessly from dramatic tension to dream sequence to sparkling island fun. It is classy and effective. The set design by James Kronzer is impressive in scale and has been realized gorgeously. The delightful costumes by Brenda Van der Weil create a true contemporary paradise."

---

Long Island: Contributors Anthony Hozzard and Scott Stolzenberg review GUYS AND DOLLS at the Argyle Theatre. They write "Kudos to choreographer Tara Jeanne Vallee for keeping the cast on their fabulous feet and to the entire expert creative team for delivering such a bright and twinkly atmosphere. Finally, special thanks to multitalented actor and Argyle's Director of Communications Jojo Minasi for welcoming us and being such a gracious host. Long Island is blessed that Mr. Pappas brought his Broadway expertise to the Argyle. He gave us a new, fresh and invigorating "Guys and Dolls," raising the bar for Long Island theater and definitely setting the Argyle stage for future smash productions to come!"

---

Long Island: Contributor Melissa Giordano reviews A CHORUS LINE at The Gateway. She writes "On the clever creative team, special kudos to Kim Hanson for the excellent lighting design bringing the bare stage alive. The "auditions" take place in an undecorated/unfurnished room with only ceiling-high mirrors upstage. It takes a top-notch cast to keep the audience's attention with minimal sets and props and the nearly sold out crowd responded well. And, naturally, it is always delightful to see stellar live orchestra this one superbly conducted by Music Director Hosun Moon."

---

Delaware: Contributor Kevin Smith reviews NEXT TO NORMAL at Bootless Stageworks. He writes "Director (and Bootless Artistic Director) Rosanne Dellaversano has crafted her cast into the personae of this drama. Ms. Herweg ably portrays Diana's journey through the fog of psychopharmacology and the blankness following ECT treatment to a determination to hopefully live her life in the light, and to allow her family to find their own peace. Each of the supporting actors demonstrates how their lives are affected by - and affect - Diana's journey. It's a trip worth taking."

---

Connecticut: Contributor Joseph Harrison reviews THE Will Rogers FOLLIES at Goodspeed Opera House. He writes "The real heart of the show, however, is Mr. Lutken's portrayal of Will Rogers. He is honest, gentle, funny, and extremely talented. His folksy voice is absolutely perfect for Will's songs and he even plays harmonica, banjo and guitar (during the extremely moving second act number, "Look Around"). But Mr. Lutken's talents aren't limit to the musical - he spins a rope with ease and pulls off some very impressive tricks during the show. There are many moments throughout the evening that you forget that you are not actually in the presence of the real Will Rogers, Mr. Lutken is that convincing. If that weren't enough, Mr. Lutken brings current events to life with a classic Will Rogers sensibility by reflecting on that days' edition of The New York Times, the same way Will would have 80 years ago. And the bit still works, keeping the audience laughing and smiling at how little has changed with the world since then."

---

Rhode Island: Contributor Andria Tieman reviews SOMETHING ROTTEN at the PPAC. She writes "Great writing is nothing without great performances, however, and the backbone of this show is Rob McClure as Nick Bottom. McClure has been in this role since 2016 on Broadway, and when he's onstage, you can't imagine anyone else in this role. His performance is completely fresh. His character is an everyman, just trying to do the best he can for his wife and brother, but McClure commands the stage every time he on it, while remaining affable and relatable. The other astonishing part of his performance is that his energy never seems to drop. This is a very intense show with many, many over-the-top musical numbers and a tap dancing battle, but McClure is like the Energizer bunny and was even hopping around during the bows."

---

Phoenix: Contributor Herbert Paine reviews LES MISERABLES at ASU Gammage. He writes "LES MIS is a wholesome, brilliantly crafted, and finely integrated work, true in form and focus to Victor Hugo's construction of his timeless classic: "The book which the reader has before him at this moment is, from one end to the other, in its entirety and details ... a progress from evil to good, from injustice to justice, from falsehood to truth, from night to day, from appetite to conscience, from corruption to life; from bestiality to duty, from hell to heaven, from nothingness to God. The starting point: matter, destination: the soul. The hydra at the beginning, the angel at the end."

Regional Editor Spotlight:

Carolan Trbovich
Sarasota Contributing Editor

Carolan Trbovich is an innovator who used both corporate savvy and her considerable creativity to blaze new trails in entertainment industry operations for two powerhouse music companies, Word Entertainment of Warner Brothers Records and Sparrow Records of EMI Music Group.

Carolan studied at UCLA, The Film Actors' Workshop, The Hollywood Film Institute and The American Film Institute where she received extensive professional training in various areas of entertainment operations in theater, film and music business development. Trbovich has numerous board memberships/affiliations including, American Marketing Association, National Public Relations Committee Board, The Gospel Music Association, The Country Music Association, The Recording Academy, The Country Connection NYC, Manhattan Association of Cabarets, The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and The National Association of Record Merchandisers.

Ms. Trbovich has made great strides in increasing productivity and profitability for many clients through inspired marketing and creating trend-setting new standards of operation. Her efforts have made Trbovich a popular speaker at retail trade and arts conventions nationwide. Carolan is the Broadway correspondent, writing reviews and interviews for Dish Magazine and has published articles in various business journals, entertainment blogs and magazines.

Carolan has impacted the entertainment, education and performing arts industries with groundbreaking new ideas in business operations, media management and community outreach. From her love of the Arts, she has pioneered MasterClass Guild, Conservatory of the Arts, designed for creative arts students to study with artists and industry professionals. Out of her passion for all things Broadway, Carolan created the first Broadway cabaret in the state of Tennessee, Absinthe, A Broadway Cabaret, bringing Broadway performers and cabaret artists to perform standards from The Great American Songbook repertoire of classics by such beloved composers as Lerner & Loewe, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Gershwin, Berlin and Cole Porter.

Raised on the Ohio River, in the picturesque pottery town of East Liverpool, Carolan's upbringing was colored by a rich and diverse heritage. "My mother was Italian and my father was Yugoslavian", she explains. "They were proud Americans and taught my brothers and I about our European heritage. They also taught us to be passionate in all we do." That passion can be clearly seen in Trbovich's life and career, which she approaches with great enthusiasm. As a recent resident of Sarasota, Carolan is reveling in a community that mirrors her passion for the Arts.

---

Join Team BroadwayWorld! Interested in joining our team, but not exactly sure what we do? All of your questions are answered, along with every open position from guest and student bloggers, Regional Editors, and more! Find out where we have open positions available here!