Regional Roundup: Top 10 Stories This Week Around the Broadway World - 8/28; WAITRESS at A.R.T., Signature's THE FIX, RING OF FIRE in Chicago and More!

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in Boston, Chicago, Ireland and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include WAITRESS at A.R.T., RING OF FIRE in Chicago, and THE FIX in Washington, DC, just to name a few.

East/Northeast

1. Boston, MA: Editor Jan Nargi reviews the World Premiere of Broadway-Bound WAITRESS at A.R.T. She says, "Mueller is a singing actress with a salt-of-the-Earth quality that works extremely well for this down-home story and country-fried score. She's completely natural whether shrinking from her overbearing husband (Joe Tippett) or falling for her doctor (Drew Gehling) misgivings be damned. She's tender with Joe, the crusty pie shop owner (Dakin Matthews), and funny with her co-workers, Becky (Keala Settle), Dawn (Jeanna De Waal) and Cal (Eric Anderson). Mueller is most affecting, though, when she segues from one-way conversations with her as yet unborn baby into deeply moving self-reflective songs. "She Used to Be Mine" is a tear-inducing pop-rock ballad in which Jenna yearns for the once happy and strong young woman she used to be. "Everything Changes" is a beautiful lullaby of birth and re-birth in which Jenna becomes mother and newborn at the same time." Read her full review here. Want to hear what other critics had to say? Check out our full Review Roundup here.

2. Washington, DC: Editor Benjamin Tomchik reviews THE FIX at Signature Theatre. He says, "Dana P. Rowe's varied score fuels the evening's campaign feel and uses different musical styles to capture elements of political life. There's the contemporary Act I finale "Dangerous Game," the vaudevillian history lesson of the Chandler family in "Two Guys at Harvard" and Cal's indifferent rock anthem to politics "One, Two, Three." The base of the score however alternates between rock and jazz, with the latter serving as the sound for some of the more introspective and softer moments in the show." Read more here.

3. New Jersey: Senior Editor Marina Kennedy says that "NOBODYS GIRL at NJ Rep is an Excellent Satirical Play." She goes on, "Jacob A. Ware is ideal in the role of Anthony Donnally, a rather nervous sort, who initially orchestrates the scheme. But when his plot to be a ghostwriter turns against him, he becomes an outsider to the farce he has created. Layla Khoshnoudi masters two individual roles, that of Nita Saleem who assumes identity of Currah." Read her full review here.

Midwest

4. Chicago, IL: Editor Rachel Weinberg reviews RING OF FIRE at Mercury Theater. She says, " Kent M. Lewis and Michael Monroe Goodman lead the way as Johnny Cash and Young Johnny Cash, respectively. Both actors have singing voices with that deep, resonant sound unique to Cash. Goodman, in particular, also has a lovely Southern twang that accentuates Cash's country roots. Austin Cook, Greg Hirte, Malcolm Ruhl (also the show's musical director), and Billy Shaffer round out the show's ensemble. With the wide variety of instruments on display here, RING OF FIRE becomes a true concert. " Read more here.

South

5. Memphis, TN: Editor Joseph Baker reviews THE PRODUCERS at Theatre Memphis. He says, "Guiding Theatre Memphis's first musical of the season is the gifted Cecelia Wingate, a seasoned talent who knows how to time a "goose step." Her previous successes in opening a season have included a much-honored version of Brooks' YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN and last season's THE ADDAMS FAMILY (seemingly destined to reap even more awards at this year's Ostranders). She is clearly a director who knows how to put a spin on this kind of material, and her "stock company" of players are more than willing accomplices. " Read more here.

West

6. Seattle, WA: Editor Jay Irwin reviews INDIAN INK from Sound Theatre Company. He says, "Francis and Khanna are stunning in their respective roles. Both very honest and real with distinct characters and their chemistry together is sublime and fits in with the tone of the period perfectly. Campbell is equal parts touching and hilarious as a force of nature who doesn't take kindly to people telling tales about her family. Abernethy too has some wonderfully funny moments as he searches with obsessive devotion for any shred of information on the relationship. Gangwani is quite sweet as the young man just looking for the truth about his father. And I have to mention fantastic turns from Frank Lawler as the awkward British suitor to Flora and Gurvinder Pal Singh as the manipulative Indian guide to Pike." Read more here.

7. Arizona: Editor Herbert Paine reviews GROUNDED at iTheatre Collaborative. He says, "Caitlin Newman delivers one hell of a powerhouse performance as the Pilot of George Brant's award-winningdrama. From the moment she marches on to the stage, a broad-shouldered and steely presence, secure and righteous in her mission as an F-16 warrior, to her climactic epiphany, Newman controls the oxygen in the theater, and by the end of her nonstop flight of evolving conscience, we are left breathless." Read more here.

International

8. Ireland: Editor Chris McCormack reviews THE PLEASURE GROUND at the Town Hall Theatre. He says, "The first act plays very much in the company's physical and choral style, where the effect can be mainly felt in stylistic surfaces, with comical representations of western characters uneasily classified as authentic or stock types (alácommedia dell'Aran?). It's a strong decision to present the second act in dialogue, bringing the stakes of the drama more into focus, and simply because Tivnan knows what to do with these rich characters once brought together." Read more here.

9. Spain: Editor Juan-Jose Gonzalez reports breaking news on SOM's cast announcement of CABARET, whose premiere will take place in the Rialto Theatre on 1 October. Cast includes Cristina Brown, Edu Soto, Dani Muriel, and more. Read his full report here.

National Tour Highlight:

10. San Diego Editor Erica Miner interviews Sabrina Harper in PIPPIN, which is now playing at the San Diego Civic Theatre. Erica asks, "You went to Stuttgart at a young age to study with dance icon John Cranko. How exciting was that?" and Sabrina responds, "Very exciting. Also a jump into cold water. I grew up and danced in southern California with Los Angeles Classical Ballet and Ballet Pacifica at a very young age, an only child, very protected by my parents. The scholarship to Germany was definitely an offer you just don't turn down. I didn't realize what I was getting myself into. It was amazing, exciting, very difficult. I got so much out of it. That whole experience helped me become the person and performer I am today. After the Cranko School I thought I'd go back home to California. I actually got my first contract offer with the Volksoper, the opera house in Vienna. I took it and just continued on." Read her full interview here.

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