Academy Awards | The Sleepless Critic

REVIEW: Oscar nominated documentary shorts ‘Instruments of a Beating Heart,’ ‘Death by Numbers’ and ‘I am Ready, Warden’ at Coolidge Corner Theatre for a limited time

Posted on March 4, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

The repercussions of two horrific and devastating crimes and a quiet lesson in discipline are just a few of the 2025 documentary shorts nominated for the 97^th annual Academy Awards which took place on Sunday, March 2. All of these shorts are available online and now playing at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, Massachusetts through Thursday, March 6. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Please note that this review does not include Netflix’s The Only Girl in the Orchestra who took home Best Documentary Short or the New Yorker’s Oscar nominated documentary short Incident.

A beautifully engaging documentary from the start, Ema Ryan Yamazaki’s 23 minute Japanese short film Instruments of a Beating Heart, presented by Op-Docs, is a tender and endearing piece about an audition held for first graders for a part in a musical performance Ode to Joy in Tokyo 2022. The film’s cinematography is bright and inviting offering an inside look at these adorable, excitable and impressionable children learning about discipline amid competition. Their teacher is wise and firm with the students to help them grow. The film specifically focuses on intimidated Ayame who longs to play a particular instrument in the performance. The hidden meaning behind the title will not revealed here, but it is worth seeing this wonderful and tender film.

Ayame in ‘Instruments of a Beating Heart’

“Forever will always be yesterday.”

The classroom frozen in time, the warning signs and so much more encapsulate Parkland School horrific school shooting.

Written by Sam Fuentes and directed by Kim A Snyder, Death by Numbers dives deep inside case #26 from the perspective of traumatized survivor Sam Fuentes and the nature of what it is to live through this unimaginable loss.

The numbers represent not only the facts of the case, but what they know about the shooter through evidence of his mindset and sticks to Sam’s exclusive outlook on the case while tracing a fraction of her long and incalculable road to healing.

Death by Numbers also examines the unimaginable loss, guilt, forgiveness, grief, death, and mortality as well as an agonizing and riveting encounter with the shooter. It is a unique and chilling film that is humanized by Sam’s dynamic perspective.

In 2022, Texas Inmate John Henry Ramirez counts down the days until his execution after being convicted of the murder of Pablo Castro in 2004.

MTV Documentary Films presents I am Ready, Warden, a stirring 37 minute documentary set in Livingston, Texas that impressively covers just about every perspective of this heinous and unplanned act, its aftermath, and a snapshot into Ramirez’s background. It is mainly told from Ramirez’s perspective, but contains interviews with the godmother who supported Ramirez when his family left, the victim’s family, Ramirez’s son born when Ramirez was on the run, and takes a deeper look at Texas’s death penalty. I am Ready, Warden also examines the complicated emotions of everyone involved in this case including what results when Ramirez tries to reach out to the victim’s son, Aaron.

All of these shorts are available online and now playing at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, Massachusetts through Thursday, March 6. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: From loneliness to lovestruck: Oscar Animated Short films Nina Gantz’s ‘Wander to Wonder’, Loïc Espuche’s ‘Yuck (Beurk)’, Nicolas Keppens’s ‘Beautiful Men,’ ‘In the Shadow of the Cypress’ and Daisuke Nishio’s ‘Magic Candies’

Posted on March 3, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

Please note that the Academy Award for Best Animated Short film winner was In the Shadow of the Cypress announced at the 97^th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 2. All the Academy Award nominated films including the winner are available online and now playing at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, Massachusetts through Thursday, March 6. Click here for more information and for tickets.

From loneliness to love struck, this year’s Oscar nominated Animated shorts mixed lighthearted comedy and tragedy covering a wide range of issues including the effects of trauma, bullying, and PTSD.

Nina Gantz’s dutch and international stop motion animated short Wander to Wonder is a poignant and strange reflection of days past. It runs 14 minutes.

Though the short is about a children’s show, it is not for young children and features some disturbing content.

Flies swarm as a group of tiny performers are trapped inside an old studio and fighting for survival where 80s Belgium children program Wander to Wonder was filmed after its originator Uncle Gilly, depicted by Neil Savage, passes away. Wander to Wonder has a sorrowful and dank feel to reflect how much time has passed since the gleam of this beautiful and eccentric, if not widely watched children’s show was on the air. Delivering moments of wacky humor, Toby Jones as Fumbleton, Amanda Lawrence as Mary and Terrance Dunn as Billybud express an inherent yearning as they reflect upon the fond memories of the program and make an awkward attempt to recreate some of them while trying to survive which can be bereft, odd and gruesome. I felt for their sad situation, but didn’t find myself invested enough in the characters as they struggle to adapt.

Written and directed by Loïc Espuche featuring bright and inviting two dimension animation, French short film Yuck! (Beurk) is a 13 minute long sweet tale about discovering first love.

A group of children revel in spying on others at summer camp and are disgusted as they watch couples kiss. However, Leo discovers he has a crush on his friend Lucie. Yuck explores the discovery, joy, confusion and heartache of life through the eyes of a child. It is a brief and endearing tale that is worth every minute.

What if you can learn the truth about life around you?

Written by Baek Heena and directed by Daisuke Nishio, Magic Candies is an insightful 21 minute Japanese CGI animated short about a lonely boy named Dong Dong who purchases a pack of mysterious candies and runs 21 minutes. However, these colorful candies have a compelling and unexpected power that takes Dong-Dong by complete surprise.

With the exception of the distinctive characters, the settings are incredibly realistic. From Dong-Dong’s textured jeans to each detailed strand in the dog’s fur to the layered patterns in Dong-Dong’s wrapped blanket to sweeping fall foliage, Magic Candies unfolds is an aesthetically pleasing manner and is a must see film that is funny, moving, silly, clever and heartwarming.

Directed by Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi, Iranian short film In the Shadow of the Cypress, winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Short, delves into the strained relationship between a father who suffers from PTSD as the result of war and his daughter which is nearing a breaking point.

Both live together in an isolated seaside house. The two dimensional 20 minute animated film boasts finely delicate details that enhance the rippling waves, the slender and stylized design of each of the characters right down to the father’s long striped beard. Its remarkable sound design embellishes a storm of seagulls, an alarming ship ablaze, and the subtle triggers that set the father off as he struggles with his harrowing conflict within. It can be slow at times, but it is worth watching for its captivating conclusion.

How far would you go to look your best?

Balding brothers Steven, Bart, and Koen travel to Istabul to have hair transplants. However, it is quickly discovered that only one appointment is available. It traces each character’s nature, insecurities, and how they handle the situation as this error becomes known.

Nicolas Keppens’s Beautiful Men is a two dimension 19 minute international comedy drama short which combines cut out stop motion and white board animation and contains some adult content and nudity. It is at times a candid short that explores just how far one would go for self improvement.

Each of Academy Award nominated films including the winner is available online and at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, Massachusetts through Thursday, March 6. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Love takes a spectacular turn in Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston’s picturesque ‘An American in Paris’

Posted on August 15, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

Beneath the elegant puddle iron rivets of Paris’s Eiffel Tower on the River Seine, lies a romantic tale among an array of artists at the end of World War II where tension still resides as recalled by narrator and composer Adam in a multi-layered performance by Jared Troilo. An American in Paris is an eloquent and classic tale, but its true emotional core in Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston’s adaptation lies in Gershwin’s rich lyrics and Rachel Bertone’s sweeping choreography.

With book and lyrics by legendary composers George and Ira Gershwin with Rachel Bertone’s multi-faceted direction and choreography, Reagle Music Theatre saved the best for last in its 55^th summer season with An American in Paris continuing through Sunday, August 18 live and in person at the Robinson Theatre in Waltham, Massachusetts. This gorgeous production is approximately two hours 30 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Adam Hochberg (Jared Troilo) and Lise (Samantha Barnes) and Ensemble in Reagle Music Theatre’s ‘An American in Paris’ Photo Credit Robert Pascucci

By the end of An American in Paris’s opening musical montage as people reunite with their loved ones while war tension is still in the air during the stirring number Concerto in F, Bertone’s powerful choreography has unexpectedly brought me to tears. Ranging from delicate to lively to showy to humorous, each superb dance montage expands into a stunning progression of the production while connecting a timeless statement about our world. Dancers utilize brightly-colored parasols, hats and scarves while Bertone’s choreography flows effortlessly and lightheartedly with each scene.

A love story as well as a ballet within a musical, An American in Paris is a treasure trove of some of Gershwin’s classic tunes including They Can’t Take That Away from Me, But Not for Me, I Got Rhythm, S’Wonderful and Shall We Dance. In the past, I have been disappointed in the context of how some classic numbers actually apply to a particular musical, but each one of these classic tunes are lively, joyous, stirring and absolutely memorable. Without giving much away, a particular highlight is watching the cast make some makeshift music during I Got Rhythm. It’s simple and yet absolutely extraordinary.

Cameron McEachern’s watercolor-inspired sets are portraits in motion highlighted by a scene where detailed gold frames become props and also get swept up in a dance. Franklin Meissner’s soft yet vibrant multi-colored lighting not only enhances each beautiful skyline but depicts silhouettes, illuminates street lights, and keep the sparkling Seine visibly flowing in the background. Floral enhancements, Parisian furniture and an integral piano are elegantly swept on and off stage in the fanciful style of the Golden Age of Musicals. From flowing dresses to glittering gowns to various looks that come right out of the film of the same name, Emerald City Theatricals once again enlivens each landscape with personality and zeal.

Pictured Henri Baurel (Christopher Lewis) and Ensemble in Reagle Music Theatre’s ‘An American in Paris’ Photo credit Robert Pascucci

It was a brand new experience watching Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston’s An American in Paris having not seen a stage production or the astronomically lauded, 1951 Academy Award-winning film featuring dance dynamos Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron. However, anyone who knows of Gene Kelly or Leslie Caron’s work is aware that those are big shoes to fill. Without hesitation though, Jack Mullen as former GI turned artist Jerry Mulligan and Samantha Barnes as promising dancer Lise Dassin are a wonderful pair and fill those shoes with grace, brilliant charm and proficiency.

Pictured Lise Dassin (Samantha Barnes) and Jerry Mulligan (Jack Mullen) in Reagle Music Theatre’s ‘An American in Paris’ Photo credit Robert Pascucci

Jack Mullen as Jerry possesses a bit of Tom Holland charm, glowing charisma and an easy going demeanor which eases the pressures and aspirations that Barnes as Lise often feels to become as skilled a dancer as her lauded ballet dancer mother. They have endearing and playful chemistry right from Mullen’s teasing number I’ve Got Beginner’s Luck. Mullen rises to the challenge of the sheer stamina of this role, highlighted by a mischievous jazz-inspired number called Fidgety Feet in an enchanting and rollicking chair dance.

Jared Troilo, a fabulous dancer in his own right, takes on the part of narrator and composer Adam who has a disability and is often observing and composing the beauty in other people’s lives. It is a meaty role and Troilo’s humble and self-effacing delivery is never more moving than in the sympathetic number, But Not For Me.

Pictured l to r Milo Davenport (Rebekah Rae Robles) and Jerry Mulligan (Jack Mullen) in Reagle Music Theatre’s ‘An American in Paris’ Credit Robert Pascucci

With an amazing belt and unshakable self confidence, Rebekah Rae Robles shines as Milo Davenport, a woman ahead of her time especially for the potent number Shall We Dance. Carolyn Saxon as Madame Baurel and Jean-Alfred Chavier once again make a sweet pair reuniting as Henri’s parents in this production having portrayed a pair of love interests in Reagle’s All Shook Up. It took a minute to recognize him, but Christopher Lewis as secretive, anxious yet sophisticated Frenchman Henri also starred in Reagle’s All Shook Up as the Elvis figure Chad. Lewis again proves his wonderful comic timing and soaring vocals sharing some boisterous camaraderie with Troilo and Mullen for S Wonderful as a trio of inseparable friends, performs a grand and splashy version of (I’ll Build a) Stairway to Paradise, and a lovely rendition of The Man I Love with Barnes.

Pictured_ l to r- Jerry Mulligan (Jack Mullen), Adam Hochberg (Jared Troilo), and Henri Baurel (Christopher Lewis) in Reagle Music Theatre ‘An American in Paris’ Photo credit Robert Pascucci

Boasting an amazingly talented cast, Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston’s An American in Paris is elegant, meaningful, and an absolute delight! Get swept up in this beautiful musical as soon as you can.

With book and lyrics by legendary composers George and Ira Gershwin and Rachel Bertone’s multi-faceted direction and choreography, Reagle Music Theatre saved the best for last in its 55^th summer season with An American in Paris continuing through Sunday, August 18 live and in person at the Robinson Theatre in Waltham, Massachusetts. This gorgeous production is approximately two hours 30 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Toting brilliant performances, Theater UnCorked’s ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ a twisty, no holds barred stunner

Posted on December 13, 2023 by The Sleepless Critic

George and Martha are unhappy.

As they say, nothing good happens after 2 a.m. In the early morning hours in 1961, George and Martha arrive home from a faculty party, but their evening is far from over. Theater UnCorked offered an up close and personal peek into the brewing chaos of their living room as astonishing events begin to unfold on the grounds of this small New England college.

Nimbly directed by Ben Delatizky, Theater UnCorked presented Edward Albee’s Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf for one weekend only from December 6-10 live and in person at the BCA Plaza Black Box Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. This show is divided in three parts, is a meaty 2 hours and 30 minutes with two intermissions, and is appropriate for mature audiences. Click here more information and for more on Theater UnCorked’s upcoming performances.

The cast of Theater UnCorked’s ‘Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ Photo Credit: Gary Ng

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf was also famously adapted into a 1966 Academy Award-winning motion picture starring powerhouse couple Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as well as Sandy Dennis and George Segal. While all four actors were nominated for Academy Awards, only Taylor and Dennis won for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress.

The show opens with Martha dramatically recalling one famous Bette Davis quote, but another Bette Davis quote, ‘Fasten your seatbelts! It’s going to be a bumpy night!’ might be more accurate. Her husband, George is not amused.

Each member of this small cast depicts their characters with searing finesse. Edward Albee’s renowned and controversial script adds a darkly comedic tone to these multifaceted characters and the events that follow. At times, the show is sympathetically funny and at others, one cannot help but laugh nervously at the growing tension. This moving, complex, and raw production successfully hinges on Albee’s meticulous pacing and critical chemistry between each of these dynamic characters.

Brooks Reeves as George and Shana Dirik as Martha in Theater Uncorked’s ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ Photo credit: Leonard Chasse

Without a bad seat in this intimate theatre, the audience was nearly immersed in the action onstage. Mike Mcteague’s horn-infused sound design maintains a foreboding tension and melancholy between each scene while Sehnaz (Shana) Dirik’s scholarly and sophisticated retro set and props include a wet bar, large bookcases, globe, couch and dark wooded vintage style end tables with ashtrays seemingly right out of the 60s. Popular albums of the era and turntable are on display and a particularly notable Sinatra album, My Way is cheekily front and center. Even the doorbell has a vintage and nostalgic chime. From darkly bold to flowered pastels, Richard Itczak’s multicolor costume design accentuates each character’s unfolding disposition.

The 60’s set of Theater UnCorked’s ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ Photo Credit Gary Ng

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf is lengthy, but anything but boring. These are highly intelligent and substantial individuals who share cerebral conversations, each with a veiled agenda. With a condescending cackle, Sehnaz (Shana) Dirik portrays vivacious but worn Martha. Dirik has remarkable chemistry with her perceptive and calculating Associate Professor husband, George, depicted by Brooks Reeves. Reeves has a talent for bringing to life complicated characters with a dark underbelly and he and Martha teeter from malevolent to bickering to seeming adoration at the drop of a hat. Brooks and Dirik deliver powerhouse performances because Albee’s script invites no less. The physicality, the endurance, and the sheer energy that it takes to capture these characters can be exhausting and yet, Brooks and Dirik are more than up to the challenge. At one point, Reeves and Dirik are so invested in the sheer magnitude of this twisty production that one cannot help but be moved by the tracks of Reeves’s tears and Dirik’s wild yearning.

Brooks Reeves as George Shana Dirik as Martha Anthony Rinaldi as Nick and Brooke Casanova as Honey in Theater Uncorked’s ‘Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ Photo credit: Gary Ng

Anthony Rinaldi portrays affable department professor Nick while Brooke Casanova depicts naïve Honey, a polite married couple from the Midwest. Both comically reflect what the audience might be thinking at first and at one point, Casanova as Honey is literally clutching her pearls. They make an amiable and fascinating pair as their motivations gradually come to light in unexpected ways.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf has many layers and one cannot think of how dangerous it can be to know someone all too well. George and Martha have been together for 23 years and they know exactly which button to push for what they want. Some marriages do not always have the other’s best interest at heart and this coupling for the ages.

REVIEW: Greater Boston Stage Company delivers a heartfelt ‘Boulevard of Bold Dreams’

Posted on March 15, 2023 by The Sleepless Critic

Arthur and Dottie had big dreams beyond what 1939 could dream up. Then Hattie McDaniel arrived.

During Hollywood’s Golden Age, 1939 was deemed one of the greatest years in motion picture history. Gone with Wind was among a long list of acclaimed classic films that premiered that year including Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Wizard of Oz, Stagecoach, Wuthering Heights, Gunga Din, Ninotchka, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, and Dark Victory. However, Gone with the Wind also marked an indelible moment in history. At the 1940 Academy Awards, Hattie McDaniel was the first African American to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Samantha Jane Williams and Stewart Evan Smith in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Boulevard of Bold Dreams’ Photo credit to Nile Scott Studios

Directed warmly by Taavon Gamble, Greater Boston Stage Company delivers a perfectly timed, heartfelt tribute to one of the greats with the east coast premiere of Boulevard of Bold Dreams by LaDarrion Williams live and in person at Greater Boston Stage Company in Stoneham, Massachusetts and streaming through Sunday, March 19. The show is 90 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

This year’s 95^th annual Academy Awards marked a revolutionary year as Everything Everywhere All at Once not only dominated the night winning Best Picture, Best Direction, and Best Screenplay but also delivered a historic win for Michelle Yeoh as the first Asian actress to win an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role. One of the actresses that presented Yeoh’s Oscar was none other than Halle Berry who was the first African American to win an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role. When Berry won in 2002 she declared, “This moment is so much bigger than me.”

Michelle Fenelon, Stewart Evan Smith and Samantha Jane Williams in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Boulevard of Bold Dreams’ Photo credit to Nile Scott Studios

Hattie McDaniel’s groundbreaking Oscar win as Mammy in Gone with the Wind garnered acclaim and ongoing recognition for the barriers she broke as well as controversy while she paved the way for Halle and many other actresses including Viola Davis, Whoopi Goldberg, Diahann Carroll, Jennifer Hudson, Regina King, Octavia Spencer, Lupita Nyong’o, and Ariana DeBose. Those actresses were able to write their own acceptance speeches, sit with their cast, and although some aspects of Boulevard of Bold Dreams is fictionalized, the show delivers some eye-opening facts about McDaniel within segregated Hollywood. Facing a tough road, McDaniel had had the foresight and tenacity to make sure her name was on that Oscar ballot.

Michelle Fenelon and Stewart Evan Smith in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Boulevard of Bold Dreams’ Photo credit to Nile Scott Studios

Boulevard of Bold Dreams also boasts a memorable and tenacious cast. Bartender Arthur Brooks, an imaginative and aspiring director in a standout performance by Stewart Evan Smith, has big dreams well beyond his current occupation. Smith’s candor, charisma, and enthusiasm brighten each scene and his unflappable vision for his future makes it easy to root for his success in the face of any obstacle. Maid Dottie Hudson, a cynical, yet aspiring singer portrayed with wit and humor by Michelle Fenelon, has her feet planted closer to the ground. Smith and Fenelon strike a delicate balance of resourcefulness, wishful thinking and persistence when they arrived in Hollywood with little money and big ambitions. However, things are more complicated than they appear. In a distinctive and glittery blue gown, Samantha Jane Williams gracefully captures Hattie McDaniel’s humble and frank demeanor with an underlying anxiousness as she faces a potentially life changing night. Fenelon and Williams have quick and complex camaraderie as their strong vocals combine for a playful and impromptu duet.

Boulevard of Bold Dreams Samantha Jane Williams Michelle Fenelon and Stewart Evan Smith in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Boulevard of Bold Dreams Photo credit to Nile Scott Studios

Kiara Escalera’s meticulous costume design recreates McDaniel’s look with precision as well as the vintage sophistication of the 1940s. Enhanced by red and gold jacquard curtains and distinguished black and gold doors, scenic designer Rachel Rose Burke elegantly recreates a section of the Ambassador’s Coconut Grove Night Club in Los Angeles.

Boulevard of Bold Dreams not only depicts life’s possibilities through McDaniel, but the extent of the segregation and racism of that time and the struggle to make their dreams come true. Whether or not a fan of the Academy Awards or Hollywood, Boulevard of Bold Dreams tells an inspiring story for all the dreamers of how one person can create lasting change one step at a time.

Greater Boston Stage Company’s Boulevard of Bold Dreams by LaDarrion Williams live and in person at Greater Boston Stage Company in Stoneham, Massachusetts and streaming through Sunday, March 19. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Creativity runs wild in Andrew Garfield’s Oscar-nominated portrayal as Jonathan Larson in Netflix’s ‘tick, tick…BOOM!’

Posted on February 17, 2022 by The Sleepless Critic

Though at times he has traveled under the radar from stage to screen aside from his turn as our friendly neighborhood Spiderman, Andrew Garfield has most deservedly been on the map lately. Though he was sadly overlooked by the Academy as the emotional center of David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin’s 2010 acclaimed drama, The Social Network, Garfield has finally scored an Academy Award-nomination for the musical hit, tick tick…BOOM! available on Netflix. Garfield has a knack for dynamic performances and though everyone is looking at Jessica Chastain as Tammy Faye Bakker in The Eyes of Tammy Faye, Garfield also brought a wealth of humor, quirkiness, and manipulative prowess to his portrayal of TV Evangelist Jim Bakker.

Once an Off-Broadway play, tick, tick…BOOM’s film adaptation is available now on Netflix and directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The film is currently Oscar-nominated for Best Actor for Andrew Garfield and Best Film Editing and Garfield has a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

As Lin-Manuel Miranda was once a struggling writer himself, it is not surprising he is the director of the Academy Award-nominated musical tick, tick…BOOM!, a fascinating semi-autobiographical story about Jonathan Larson, a struggling writer living in New York City years before he created his hit rock musical, RENT. A writer writes about what one knows and so much of this story offers glimpses into Larson’s inspiration for that wildly-successful musical.

However, this is about the struggle and this musical film is brimming with it. The painstaking work of creativity and all that could go wrong illuminates tick, tick…BOOM! as Larson struggles to keep it all together to achieve what at times seems impossible, especially in New York City. tick, tick…BOOM! is not only about Jonathan Larson’s frantic life, but it is also an ode to the writer and the struggle to live that extraordinarily competitive dream while just skirting out and skimming by trying to get a chance.

At its center is narrator and lead Andrew Garfield who brings a driving intensity and delivers an electrifying performance as the frenetic Larson on the eve of Larson’s 30^th birthday. The unconventional, deeply creative, and quick-thinking Larson divides his time between writing and working at the Moondance Diner. Look for Lin-Manuel Miranda as a short order cook. However, music and writing naturally pours out of Larson’s soul and he is often consumed by it at the expense of everything else. For forward-thinking Larson, turning 30 is a looming chasm that soaks up every ounce of his time until that odious deadline as he demonstrates in the catchy and memorable number, 30/90. Thirty is not old, but maybe Larson always felt like he was running out of time.

The musical features a dynamic, infectious, and multi-dimensional soundtrack about living in your 20s in New York City and how life changes. RENT’s influence is unmistakably evident in the lighthearted and humorous numbers, Boho Days and No More. It is also easy to recognize the roots that will develop Larson’s future work. Inside the Moondance Diner, Sunday features beautiful harmonies that include some of Broadway’s biggest stars. Therapy is a fantastic and humorous number about the miscommunication of love. The rap-infused Play Game depicts the struggle between living out the uncertainty of your dream or entering the corporate world which is a prevalent theme throughout the film.

tick, tick BOOM! explores the little victories, the bigger victories, and the gut-wrenching defeats in Larson’s personal and professional world. However, what is genuinely important becomes painfully clear and what truly inspires his work changes as the film progresses.

tick, tick BOOM! is currently streaming on Netflix. Click here for more information on RENT’s 25th Anniversary Farewell Tour.

REVIEW: One con deserves another as South Shore Theatre Works continues with lively ‘Chicago the Musical’

Posted on April 19, 2019 by The Sleepless Critic

With the recent premiere of the highly-anticipated FX biographical miniseries, Fosse/Verdon about the sizzling creative and romantic partnership between legendary filmmaker and choreographer Bob Fosse (Sam Rockwell) and spectacular Broadway dancer Gwen Verdon (Michelle Williams), it seems Fosse and Verdon’s influence is still everywhere. So, it is not surprising that South Shore Theatre Works (SSTW) is taking on what SSTW’s Executive Director and President Richard Bento called, “a dream production of mine to direct,” Chicago the Musical continuing through Saturday, April 20 at Abigail Adams Middle School in Weymouth, MA. This show is not for young audiences. Click here for more information and tickets.

One of Fosse’s most popular creations was a dark satire dealing with corruption and murder during the Jazz age called Chicago the Musical. This Tony award-winning production continues to thrill audiences as one of the longest running Broadway musicals and its most recent 2002 film adaptation was the 2002 Academy award-winning film starring Renee Zellwegger (Roxie), Catherine Zeta-Jones (Velma) and Richard Gere (Billy Flynn) garnered a few Academy Awards.

The cast of ‘Chicago the Musical’ Photo by Annabella Valle/South Shore Theatre Works

How has Chicago the Musical earned its longevity? The proof is in its clever, satirical storytelling that isn’t afraid to occasionally shock, its sizzling choreography, memorable characters, catchy music, and its frank, timeless message about humanity. With an impressive, semi-interactive fifteen-piece orchestra led by conductor Doug Gerber that elevates the action onstage plus additional songs not featured in its most recent film adaptation, this darkly humorous production is off to a good start.

With a modest set featuring vintage theatre lights that illuminate the stage, director Richard Bento keeps this production in classic Fosse form dressing his dancers in black. The close-knit, tight choreography by co-choreographers Richard Bento and Amy Valle Wallace includes some dance crazes of the Jazz Age that make for some visual sizzle. Though the classic number Cell Block Tango needs a bit more snarl, clever Razzle Dazzle boasts some sleek staging.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Headlining this colorful cast is Stephanie Wallace as desperate, hot tempered and fast-living Roxie Hart. With a great scowl and energetically navigating Roxie’s myriad of emotions, it is easy to see how Wallace relishes this character. She is never better than during her natural and engaging signature song, Roxie Hart.

Jaclyn Cleary lends a mix of sharp sophistication and mayhem to Velma Kelly, a former dancer turned criminal. Her wild, light eyes reveal a smugness and unsteadiness that will keep you guessing her next move. Having seen Chicago the Musical quite a few times, I admire Jaclyn Cleary’s sleek vocals and not so by-the-numbers rendition of All That Jazz. She and Matron Mama Morton, portrayed charismatically by Hanna Ford, have great chemistry. They are two sides of the same coin in their rendition of Class.

Staring down her glasses with an ironically sophisticated air is Hannah Ford as Matron Mama Morton. With a belt that certainly packs a punch, her rendition of When You’re Good to Mama clearly shows she knows how to pull some strings and depicts Mama in a different and refreshing way.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Wielding a cane, Aaron Stolicker masterfully navigates the cast and the audience as suave, shrewd, and debonair Billy Flynn, sharply dressed in a black tuxedo. He’s full on smirking charm in the number, All I Care About is Love and quite the storyteller in his rendition of They Both Reached for the Gun, a complex, energetic number with strong choreography. J. Merlo adds some humor and some serious pipes as journalist Mary Sunshine.

South Shore Theatre Works continues Chicago the Musical through Saturday, April 20 at Abigail Adams Middle School, 89 Middle Street in Weymouth, MA. Click here fore more information, tickets, and how to support South Shore Theatre Works, an organization that recently celebrated its third anniversary. Click here for more information about South Shore Theatre Works and its Executive Director and President, Richard Bento.

Itamar Kubovy of modern dance troupe, ‘Pilobolus,’ discusses fascinating footwork and Celebrity Series of Boston return

Posted on October 24, 2017 by The Sleepless Critic

Ever since Celebrity Series of Boston’s annual, free season opener Let’s Dance Boston at Dewey Square on September 13 featuring dancers that brought the audience to its feet, the 2017-18 has been a non-stop celebration. Adding to the excitement from Friday, October 27 through Sunday, October 29, international modern dance troupe, Pilobolus, returns to Boston to share their distinctive, always fascinating moves in Pilobolus Maximus: Beyond the Limits of Dance at the Boch Center Shubert Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Celebrity Series of Boston - PIL-MAX-KEY-ART

Photo courtesy of Grant Halverson/Celebrity Series of Boston

Pilobolus has taken the stage in over sixty countries and thrilled audiences with television appearances at the Academy Awards, the Oprah Winfrey Show and the Olympics as well as made film appearances in Little Miss Sunshine, The Devil Wears Prada and Snakes on a Plane. Executive Producer of Pilobolus, Itamar Kubovy, discussed Pilobolus’s fascinating footwork, its unique name, and the troupe’s love for Boston.

Sleepless Critic: This is your 12th performance with Celebrity Series of Boston. You must know Boston pretty well.

Itamar Kubovy: We love performing in Boston and that’s not just lip service. We’ve always found our audience to teach us a huge amount about our work. The laughs, gasps, and paper rattling teach us about the work we are making. In Boston, we encounter a crowd that makes us better at what we do and allows us to sharpen our performances.

Celebrity Series of Boston - Pilobolus Maximus

From the program, ‘Branches’ Photo courtesy of Ben McKeown

SC: Pilobolus is named after speedy barnyard fungus. In the dance, I can see the symbolism behind the name. Is there an interesting story behind it?

IK: Jonathan Wolken, the co-founder who named the company, had a scientist dad studying the Pilobolus fungus in his biology lab, an organism about ¼ of an inch tall that grows in cow dung and has a large eye at its tip that always leans toward light. When the time is right to reproduce, the fungus shoots its head off of its body at the fastest acceleration known in nature. This alacrity and attraction to the light inspired Jonathan to name their first dance and the fledgling company after the phototropic fungus.

SC: It seems like a quite a physically demanding job for these dancers. What kind of routine keeps the dancers in shape and how do they best prepare for a performance?

IK: When our dancers are in the studio, they work 9 to 5 Monday through Friday. They are lifting each other and working with tremendous physical intensity for close to 40 hours a week. The additional prep involves body maintenance, stretching, group work, and yoga. Regarding the prep right before the show, we warm-up with an open curtain so the audience coming in watches the dancers move on the stage. Both the audience and dancers need some time to prepare and we try to share that time. It makes the show all the more exciting when the lights go down.

Celebrity Series of Boston 1807-Pilobolus-pc-Grant_Halverson

International dance troupe, Pilobolus in Pilibolus Maximus: Beyond the Limits of Dance Photo courtesy of Grant Halverson

SC: I imagine live performances and sometimes dangerous stunts can hold some surprises every once in a while.

IK: They do, but the work these people do together day in and day out really limits the risk based on the trust they build between one another. Most importantly, these dancers know how to instantly adjust when something goes wrong. While we certainly have our moments of injury, we have a great deal of confidence going into every show.

From the program, ‘On the Nature of Things’ Photo courtesy of Ben McKeown

SC: Improvising is invaluable. How is trust developed between other members of the group?

IK: Trust is mysterious, but there is no doubt in my mind that the physical giving of one’s weight and balance to another person, literally putting yourself entirely in their hands over and over again speeds that process up. Some of the principals in which our process is based is the human physical connection by sharing, giving, and taking weight. Trust is a powerful by-product of caring touch.

From the program, ‘Echo in the Valley’ Photo courtesy of Ben McKeown

Pilobolus Maximus: Beyond the Limits of Dance will take the Boch Center Shubert Theatre stage at 265 Tremont Street in Boston, Massachusetts from Friday, October 27 through 29, as part of their national tour. A free, post artist performance artist talk moderated by Peter DiMuro of the Dance Complex will be held on opening night. Click here for more information and for tickets. Click here for more information on Celebrity Series of Boston, their full schedule, and how to support them during their 79^th season. Learn more about their season and get updates through Facebook and Twitter.

Bay Players of Duxbury presents the Tony Award-winning play, ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’

Posted on June 18, 2017 by The Sleepless Critic

Its Academy Award-winning film adaptation was not only hauntingly memorable, but was named by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest films of all time. Based on the novel of the same name by Ken Kesey, Louise Fletcher’s tyrannical, indelible performance as Nurse Ratched at psychological warfare with defiant Jack Nicholson as Randle P McMurphy delivers a riveting message and stands as one for the ages.

Bay Players of Duxbury proudly presents the unforgettable drama, Dale Wasserman’s One Flew Over the Cukoo’s Nest for two weekends only on Fridays June 23 and 30 and Saturdays June 24 and July 1 at First Parish Church in Duxbury, Massachusetts at 8 p.m. Click here for more information and for tickets.

A play set at Pacific Northwest Mental Asylum, Randle P McMurphy is a carefree, charismatic man who becomes an inmate at the asylum after getting arrested. What lies in store for him and his surrounding erratic inmates is much more than he ever anticipated.

Directed by Phil Markella, produced by Nicki Bowser, and starring local talent Stephen Bradford Doherty as Randle P McMurphy and Sara Camden Daly as Nurse Ratched, see the captivating drama, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest kicking off on Friday, June 23, part of Bay Players of Duxbury’s 60^th season. All performances take place at First Parish Church, 842 Tremont Street in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Click here for further details and tickets. Discounted student and senior tickets are available.

Bay Players of Duxbury is also holding a five-week acting workshop with veteran Equity actor Gary S. Martinez called, Creating a Character kicking off on Thursday, June 29. Click here for further details and registration information. For more information on Bay Players of Duxbury, follow them on Facebook for their upcoming events, auditions, and more.

REVIEW: Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston’s lighter ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ a stunner

Posted on June 16, 2017 by The Sleepless Critic

Kicking off their 49^th annual summer musical series with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s uplifting Joseph and the Amazing Technical Dreamcoat, Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston unveils an everlasting world in rich, glorious color. An interactive, endearing, and humorous production, Joseph nears its 50 year mark with exuberance and a bit of modern subtlety stirred in the funniest and unlikeliest of places.

Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston proudly presents Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat through Sunday, June 18 at Robinson Theatre, 617 Lexington Street in Waltham, Massachusetts. Based on the Book of Genesis, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat explores the incredible journey of Joseph and his brothers as Joseph discovers his destiny. Click here for more information and tickets.

Bursting with vibrant, dynamic costumes by Goodspeed Musicals, wardrobe supervisor Amelia Fitch not only rose to the occasion, but makes a distinct, daring, and memorable impression in each spectacular ensemble and most notably in Joseph’s magnificent coat. From stunning, glimmering headdresses to brightly colored, heavily-embroidered designs that recalled another era, the costumes were consistently remarkable. The scenic design by Peter Colao and Richard Shreiber and David Wilson’s lighting design further enhance the show’s visually spectacular nature in multi-colored lights and innovative sets. The versatile and brilliant music, by the Academy Award-winning team of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, offers a wide spectrum of music for every taste from calypso to rock and roll, accompanying the unique retelling of a sacred tale of treachery and unceasing hope.

With wide eyes and an unassuming demeanor, Peter Mill portrays humble, yet forthright Joseph with instant likability. Peter gives a multi-dimensional, powerful performance as a naïve outsider who is transformed by his destiny. Peter’s versatile, soothing, vocals master signature numbers Any Dream Will Do and Close Every Door, his tone heart rendering and sympathetic.

Waltham native, singer, and American Idol contestant Ayla Brown returned and delivers a powerful performance as Narrator, ten years after she last performed Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Reagle. Clever, sunny, and engaging, silvery soprano Ayla Brown has a relaxed charm with each cast member, but was particularly sweet with the Children’s Choir, a small group of boys and girls. Carefully arranged as a coordinated rainbow in pinks, greens, purples, blues, yellows, reds, the choir’s angelic, soaring voices blend in perfectly at different points in the songs. Their choreography, helmed by Susan Chebookjian, mix well with Ayla during the number, Go, Go, Go, Joseph, as the kids performed the hand jive. It is also worth mentioning that one of the child singers at intermission was dressed like a mini-Joseph, wearing a lit multicolored hat and a cleverly designed mini Technicolor Dreamcoat made entirely of beach towels.

Courtesy Reagle Music Theatre/©Herb Philpott Ayla Brown (right) as NARRATOR with children’s chorus performing A Pharaoh’s Story.

Charming and funny even whether they are rejoicing or scheming, the united choreography between Joseph’s eleven brothers reflects the wonderful camaraderie between each of them. This was most evident during a country themed tune, One More Angel in Heaven with Bernice Baldassaro, who does a wonderful job chewing the scenery as Judah. Another excellent number that depicts the brothers’ united front was delivered by Taavon Gamble as Naphtali, a catchy, amusing song called Benjamin Calypso.

Bernie Baldassaro (center) as JUDAH with male ensemble.

Rock n roll royalty takes on a new meaning in the show’s rollicking, show stopping number, Song of the King, featuring Andrew Giordano’s always impressive comedic talent and zany charisma as Pharoah. It’s a shimmering display in blue and gold as Andrew flawlessly captures the essence of a certain king in a high energy number not to be revealed here. It is one of the great highlights of the show in every joyous, silly moment.

The cast wearing sunglasses and a unconventional journey to Egypt are just a few of the subtle, modern touches added to this lighthearted production that had its share of stirring moments, but offers so many more uplifting, spirited moments, it’s difficult to feel down for long.

Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat continues at the Robinson Theatre in Waltham, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 18. Click here for more information, tickets, group rates, and more. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter to get updates on its stellar summer musical season.