Central Square Theater

REVIEW:  Calculations, connection, possibilities and their impact in Central Square Theater’s notable ‘Breaking the Code’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

A burglary is far more complicated than it seems.

Methodically directed by Scott Edmiston and based on Andrew Hodges’s critically-acclaimed best-selling biography Alan Turing: the Enigma, Central Square Theater continues Hugh Whitemore’s biographical drama Breaking the Code live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Sunday, May 3.  This engaging A Catalyst Collaborative@MIT Production contains some adult content and runs 2 hours and 30 minutes with an intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

I first learned about Alan Turing’s incredible life and accomplishments through the riveting 2014 biopic, The Imitation Game starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley.  It is a shame that before seeing this eye opening film, I hadn’t been taught about this remarkable and renowned British mathematician, coder and computer scientist as part of my academic history. 

Dom Carter, Matthew Beagan and Eddie Shields in Central Square Theater’s ‘Breaking the Code’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Edmiston does not necessarily present Turing’s story in chronological order, but through segments or scenes enhanced by enigmatic typewritten statements that become clearer as the production progresses.  Scenic designer Janie E. Howland and SeifAllah Salotto-Christobal cleverly weave together innovation with vintage elements as projections of definitions to garden settings to calculations vibrantly illuminated by Karen Perlow as tilted shelves stuffed with books, manuals, vintage electronic parts, old telephones and much more hang overhead.  Classic three piece suits, scholarly cardigans and colorful dresses are just a portion of Chloe Moore’s fittingly traditional 50’s era costumes.

Set in England 1952, Eddie Shields as Alan Turing meets Dom Carter as unwavering and discerning detective Mick Ross to report a mysterious burglary at Turing’s home.  When something seems amiss, Carter and Turing skillfully execute their increasingly tense cat and mouse game to a stunning conclusion.

Eddie Shields and David Bryan Jackson in Central Square Theater’s ‘Breaking the Code’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Eddie Shields embodies inquisitive, driven, blunt, painfully lonely and socially awkward Alan Turing who once considered numbers his imaginary childhood friends.  The deep connection Turing possesses with numbers and technology are elements he longed for in other people. From Turing’s distinctive stutter and tics to his innate inquisitiveness to his distracted social awkwardness, Shields is exemplary as Turing.  David Bryan Jackson adds easygoing humor as instantly likable and mildly muddled Dilwyn Knox who provides a good dose of lightheartedness during this often heavy production.  Jackson also demonstrates his ample range as intimidating John Smith and Jackson’s dual role challenges Turing in distinct ways.

Eddie Shields and Matthew Beagan in Central Square Theater’s ‘Breaking the Code’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Turing is a relentlessly focused individual who walks a fine line between confidence and arrogance while facing obstacles thinking outside of the box.  Turing’s driven nature and eccentricity rarely meets his match until two significant people enter his life. One is Matthew Beagan who portrays a number of roles including warm and charming Christopher, a man that Turing describes as someone who makes everyone else seem ordinary.  The other is Josephine Moshiri Elwood as fellow coder Pat Green who shares a remarkable rapport and intellect that challenges Turing.  Elwood beautifully depicts sweet, sympathetic and intuitive Pat with an earnest and unassuming sincerity.  Their strongest moments are not in what is said but in the silences of what is left unsaid.

Breaking the Code Eddie Shields and Josephine Moshiri Elwood in Central Square Theater’s ‘Breaking the Code’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Paula Plum weaves an endearing mix of propriety, amiability and good humor as Turing’s mother Sara Turing who expresses interest and admiration of Turing’s various pursuits.  However, a later pivotal and memorable scene between Plum and Shields is when both actors are at their best.

Paula Plum and Eddie Shields in Central Square Theater’s ‘Breaking the Code’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Not only is Turing the father of the computer and played a crucial role in World War II, but his forward thinking ideas back then about technology address the possibilities we are ever closer to making a reality today.  It is fascinating to see just how this production presents technology’s rapid advancement while also making a profound statement about how we experience it in the world today.

Though I might have liked the show to have taken a closer look at how Turing accomplished his monumental feats, the production focuses more significantly on what drives him as well as his personal experiences and hardships that impacted his life.  Turing’s calculations changed the world as we know it and yet, he suffered many unimaginably cruel injustices. 

 Imagine what more he could have done.

Central Square Theater continues Hugh Whitemore’s biographical drama Breaking the Code live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Sunday, May 3.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW:  Searing and stunning, Central Square Theater’s ‘The Moderate’ makes a lasting impact

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

To say it is riveting is an understatement.

 The Moderate is sure to alter your perspective on the digital world as much as it impacts each member of this small and likable cast.  Be sure to see The Moderate as much for its engulfing state of the art technology as for its stunning emotional core.

Innovatively designed and directed by Jared Mezzocchi, Central Square Theater continues Ken Urban’s The Moderate live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 1.  This immersive production includes graphic and disquieting but necessary content including nudity and runs 80 minutes with no intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Nael Nacer in Central Square Theater’s ‘The Moderate’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

The Moderate is not shared chronologically which helps to make this production a mesmerizing digital journey from its very first frame.  Rewinding the clock to March 2020, a humble yet determined Frank Bonner, powerfully and evocatively portrayed by Nael Nacer, interviews for a job as an internet moderate while the world is in COVID isolation.

The Moderate packs a lot into its brief and swiftly moving timeframe.  It delves into a wide spectrum of themes including loneliness, isolation, family strife, trauma, the gravity of internet addiction, abuse, the dark web, racism, social media, the raw and exhibitionist side of human nature and the lengths one would endure to provide for family.

Nael Nacer and Jules Talbot in Central Square Theater’s ‘The Moderate’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

We live in an encompassing digital world and it is not likely to change any time soon and this technology is depicted in brilliant and meticulous ways.  The show is wisely served up with no intermission which elevates this production’s immersive and gripping style of storytelling. Captivatingly set up and directed, Christian Frederickson’s robust sound design, Mezzocchi’s Multimedia design, and Sibyl Wickersheimer’s distinctive set design invites the audience into not only into what Nael Nacer as Frank sees, but how each character is experiencing one another digitally and in real time.  You are not just an observer, but experiencing each frame navigating right along with the cast between the digital world and reality.

Nael Nacer and Celeste Oliva in Central Square Theater’s ‘The Moderate’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

This amazing show boasts an impressive cast.  Celeste Oliva is intense and relatable as Frank’s estranged and levelheaded wife, Edyth.  Nacer and Oliva fall into difficult and various misunderstandings and both still manage to remain sympathetic under their strained circumstances.  Nacer’s Frank is darkly humorous, naïve and charming in his frustrations over technology.  Jules Talbot brings a mix of lighthearted and dark humor as Rayne, a young maverick union fellow moderate who offers Nacer’s Frank valuable insight into the digital world.  Greg Maraio portrays Frank’s level headed manager Martin who is all too aware of the difficulty and dangers of their positions and the impact it is sure to have on their lives and Sean Wendelken makes a stunning impression as Gus.

Sean Wendelken in Central Square Theater’s ‘The Moderate’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

However amazing the show’s technology is delivered, what truly sets this show apart is its humanity.  It does have genuine lighthearted and humorous moments while remaining unflinching of its emotional toll and remarkably and honestly lays bare the cast’s individual vulnerability and urge to make a difference. Through this shared experience, you may empathize with what they are going through as well and have a better understanding of our real and unpredictable digital landscape.

Jules Talbot and Nael Nacer in Central Square Theatre’s ‘The Moderate’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Central Square Theater continues Ken Urban’s The Moderate live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 1.  This immersive production includes graphic and disquieting but necessary content including nudity and runs 80 minutes with no intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW:  A summer not soon forgotten in Central Square Theater’s ‘Summer, 1976’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Some friendships are instant and others form through an inexplicable connection at just the right time. 

The latter is the case for Laura Latreille as free spirited Alice who meets Lee Mikeska Gardner as intellectual Diana through a babysitting co-op with their two daughters.  The daughters become fast friends and these unfulfilled mothers, fascinated with each other, become friends unexpectedly even in the face of their apparent differences. 

Paula Plum’s engaging direction explores friendship, societal expectations and much more in David Auburn’s dramedy, Summer, 1976 which ran at Central Square Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Sunday, November 30.  This candid two hander production contains adult content and runs 90 minutes with no intermission.  Click here for more information about Central Square Theatre and more on their upcoming production, Yellow Bird Chase.

Laura Latreille and Lee Mikeska Gardner in Central Square Theater’s ‘Summer, 1976’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Set in Columbus, Ohio during the Summer of 1976, two households sit side by side.  One is a cheerful yellow while the other is composed of sensible brick.  These distinctive houses by set designer Kristin Loeffler reflect two seemingly contrasting mothers’ personalities destined to become friends.

Justin Lahue’s colorful projections with Deb Sullivan’s illuminative lighting offers vibrancy to Kristin Loeffler’s summer set design through fireworks, sunsets, fireflies, clear blue skies and stoner psychedelic imagery.

Summer, 1976 is a reflective piece driven by a unique narrative.  Instead of two women recalling their own memories individually onstage, they share the stage and react to each other’s animated memories conversationally while correcting and playfully ribbing each other along the way.  The narration is a novel approach and it certainly draws on the compelling chemistry between Latreille’s Alice and Gardner’s Diana.  Their joys, heartbreaks, mischievousness and secrets unfold as the other is engulfed in the other’s story. 

Latreille portrays winsome, bold and seemingly carefree married housewife Alice exuberantly who tries not to think too far ahead while Gardner depicts immaculate, studious and practical single mother Diana who is always thinking ahead and encourages Alice to carefully think about her own future.  Occasionally engaging with the audience, Gardner and Latreille challenge each other while exposing one another’s hypocrisies and mutual stubbornness with a clever twist which changes the way you witness this tale.  It’s an important twist and revelation crucial to keeping this style of storytelling fresh.  From migraines to life changing decisions, these two sincerely root each other on and some of the most fulfilling friendships thrive with tough love under the best intentions.

Laura Latreille in Central Square Theater’s ‘Summer, 1976’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Taking place during a pivotal and role shifting era for women from the 50s to the 80s, Summer, 1976 insightfully explores these two mothers and their life choices who long to see and understand each other clearly.  It is the kind of familiar camaraderie prevalent in so many important relationships.  I admire the way the production takes a relatable look at friendship and how it evolves throughout the years through a combination of comic and somber moments.  Exploring the joyous and bittersweet, Summer, 1976 delivers a summer not soon forgotten.

Laura Latreille, and Lee Mikeska Gardner in Central Square Theater’s ‘Summer, 1976’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

David Auburn’s dramedy, Summer, 1976 ran at Central Square Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Sunday, November 30.  This candid two hander production contains adult content and runs 90 minutes with no intermission. Click here for further details and more on their upcoming production, Yellow Bird Chase.

REVIEW:  Notes on greed and scandals in Central Square Theater’s thought provoking ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Let the negotiations begin.  This is big business and with cigar in hand, Vivie Warren thinks she is ready for anything.

Set Designer David R. Gammons designates a perfect place for negotiations for the head and heart using a long conference table in a board room for this rich and enigmatic drama.

With sharp direction by Eric Tucker, Bedlam, Central Square Theater presents George Bernard Shaw’s satirical drama Mrs. Warren’s Profession live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts extended through Sunday, June 29. This production lasts two hours with one 15 minute intermission.  It boasts open captions that come in handy during the performance and the content has some adult themes.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

What is Mrs. Warren’s profession?                                                                                                

Herein lays one of a few mysteries among this group of complex and formidable characters who are keeping a few secrets of their own.  Condescending and at times, downright smug, Barlow Adamson steps into the expensive shoes of Sir George Crofts who declares himself a friend of Vivie’s mother, Mrs. Warren.  The show’s fascinating opening scene features Adamson and Luz Lopez as Vivie in an intellectual exchange proving that Vivie can certainly hold her own.  Even through Adamson’s humorous mansplaining, Vivie is a female force to be reckoned with.

Barlow Adamson and Luz Lopez in Central Square Theater’s ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Mrs. Warren’s Profession is primarily steeped in at times heavy, but steadily shrewd and satirical comedy and social commentary.  Adamson impressively portrays Crofts with a mix of sardonic wit and charisma as he carefully sizes up seeming competitors including Nael Nacer as kindly Praed, Wesley Savick as alarmed and tight lipped Reverend Samuel Gardner, and Evan Taylor as young, impulsive and perhaps loose cannon Frank Gardner.  Nacer as Praed and Adamson as Crofts embark in cagey and captivating exchanges while smirking and belligerent Taylor as Frank cuts his father, Savick as Reverend Gardner down to size when Frank is not shamelessly flirting with both Mrs. Warren and Vivie.  Each man approaches Vivie and Mrs. Warren with their own motivations knowing that these strong willed women are also limited by a woman’s oppressive place in society.

Melinda Lopez, Wesley Savick, Nael Nacer, Evan Taylor, Luz Lopez and Barlow Adamson in Central Square Theater’s ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Just three years after the publication of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, George Bernard Shaw published Mrs. Warren’s Profession in 1893.  These works feature women ahead of their time fighting against the limitations of a woman in that era.  Creating tension and isolation, Tucker seamlessly blends the classic with the contemporary through a notably vintage piece of staging reminiscent of Hedda Gabler where the whole cast is present, but not part of the action taking place onstage.  In this pivotal scene, the negotiation table doubles as a stage as Jeff Adelberg’s moody  and rhythmic multipurpose lighting gauges time is money as stock market projections flash above the stage.

Nael Nacer Evan Taylor Melinda Lopez and Barlow Adamson in Central Square Theater’s ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Mrs. Warren’s Profession delves into status, conspiracy, hypocrisy, morality and complex family dynamics wrapped up in a couple of significant mysteries that directly affect the complicated relationship between absentee mother Mrs. Warren and her daughter, Vivie.  Costumer Leslie Held puts the cast in their business finest with the exception of Sam in a vestment, callow Frank and Vivie.  Standing out in a braid and classic business casual attire,  Lopez’s poker faced Vivie might be at the negotiation table, but she is ultimately in it for more.

Melinda Lopez and Evan Taylor in Central Square Theatre’s ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Luz Lopez portrays idealistic Vivie, a modern, unwaveringly sensible, and fiercely independent and innately mature woman who is meeting with her mother and woman of the hour, Mrs. Kitty Warren, depicted with critical yet measured affection by Melinda Lopez, for the first time in many years.  Vivie feigns a certain indifference to her mother, but feels displaced and lonely.  Though Kitty attempts to be more than cordial, Vivie keeps her mother at arm’s length for reasons that gradually unfold.  Bickering, mincing words, and pressing each other’s buttons, Melinda and Luz skillfully navigate their unstable mother and daughter dynamic which veer from a cold handshake to hospitable and then changing once again as guilt and promises are stealthily presented amidst negotiations. 

Melinda Lopez and Luz Lopez in Central Square Theater’s ‘Mrs. Warrens Profession’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Mrs. Warren’s Profession is considered a classic play and much of the quick witted content can be translated with ease into today’s society.  Suspenseful and intriguing, these chilling revelations may not be as scandalous as they might have been in 1893, but no less impactful, especially as negotiations go awry.

Nael Nacer and Wesley Savick in Central Square Theater’s ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Central Square Theater presents George Bernard Shaw’s satirical drama Mrs. Warren’s Profession live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts extended through Sunday, June 29. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW:  Searching for reconnection in Central Square Theater with Front Porch Arts Collective’s world premiere of Mfoniso Udofia’s intensely heartfelt ‘Her Portmanteau’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Sundays are Abasiama’s good day. 

It is on a Sunday that Jade A. Guerra as Iniabasi arrives to New York from Nigeria to reunite with family she has not seen in many years.  However with a misunderstanding from the start, reconnecting will prove to more of a challenge than anyone could have imagined.

Profoundly directed by Tasia A. Jones, Central Square Theater with Front Porch Arts Collective continues the world premiere of Mfoniso Udofia‘s Her Portmanteau, the fourth production in the Ufot’s  nine-play family cycle which features three Ufot Nigerian-American family generations, live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Saturday, April 20.  This intense bilingual production in English and Ibibio runs 90 minutes with no intermission.  It is fascinating to see how these families progress over these nine plays, but you can witness and enjoy one without having seen the others.   Click here for more information and for tickets.

Victoria Kanyike and Jade A. Guerra in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s ‘Her Portmanteau’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

Scenic designer Shelley Barish emphasizes family with an Ufot personal touch displaying framed family photos and gold embellishments around Adiaha’s New York City apartment in January 2014.  Having seen Ufot’s second production The Grove, it was wonderful to see the progression in the Ufot Family from the earlier production in 2009 evident in the set such as Kimberley’s portraits lying by the door.  This stylish apartment is enlivened with splashes of vibrant color in the kitchen and living room as well as gold ropes surrounding it as if symbolically anchoring it in place.  Arshan Gailus’s urgent and at times roaring scenic design emphasizes the family’s building tension, making their surroundings occasionally overwhelming.  However, the family silences are more deafening that any outside activity.  Enclosed in this city apartment, the past is bound to come out.

Jade A Guerra and Patrice Jean-Baptiste in Central Square and Front Porch Arts ‘s Collective ‘Her Portmanteau’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

Her Portmanteau continues to build Udofia’s rich characters in each piece and from the moment Jade A. Guerra as serious and direct Iniabasi appears, though she is in the same room as her mother and half sister, they seem continents away.  At first, you wonder if this is due to a language barrier or something more.  Iniabasi is as short, awkward and defensive as Lorraine Victoria Kanyike as Adiaha is thoughtful, chatty and earnest in making Iniabasi comfortable.  Kanyike and Guerra share some notably humorous moments as they struggle to understand each other sharing quips and slights comparing their contrasting upbringing.  With an occasional nervous chuckle, Kanyike’s Adiaha exhibits anxious and yet it is interesting to witness charisma and confidence in Adiaha who has clearly come into her own while Patrice Jean-Baptiste depicts Abasiama, their loving yet complicated mother. 

Victoria Kanyike and Patrice Jean-Baptiste in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s ‘Her Portmanteau’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

Family tension and strain is palpable right from the start and it is intriguing to watch this impressive cast try to break it in a mix of humorous, intense, and painfully relatable moments.  Jean-Baptiste exhibits a carefully executed mix of excitement, curiosity and apprehension as she searches for avenues of reconnection while still dealing with her own struggles and trauma with quiet and harrowing strength.  Patricia Jean-Baptiste and Guerra share stirringly complex scenes in their strained conversations and Udofia’s moving dialogue.  Rooted in love, anger, brokenness and resentment, they misunderstand each other in vast and impactful ways searching to a sense of belonging speaking from different worlds and yearning for middle ground. 

Patrice Jean-Baptiste and Lorraine Victoria Kanyike in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s ‘Her Portmanteau’ Photo by Maggie Hall Photography

Her Portmanteau is a remarkably moving chapter about family.  It contains struggles and conflict as well as surprising and heartwarming discoveries that were simply wonderful to watch unfold.

Central Square Theatre with Front Porch Arts Collective continues the world premiere of Mfoniso Udofia ‘s Her Portmanteau live and in person at Central Square Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Saturday, April 20.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW:  Navigating a dream in Central Square Theater’s ‘SPACE’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

For some aviators, space is so close and yet so far away.

The journey for breakthrough can span generations and Space examines the rocky path to bring women to space by taking leaps and bounds through time while unveiling a mix of accomplished and still some hidden figures.

A Catalyst Collaborative@MIT production written by LM Feldman with innovative direction by Larissa Lury, Central Square Theater continues SPACE live and in person through Sunday, February 23 at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  The performance is not limited to the stage, contains some mature themes and runs approximately two and a half hours including one intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Barlow Adamson and Kaili Y Turner in Central Square Theater’s ‘SPACE” Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Prior to SPACE, make your way to a star-filled, adjacent room to study an array of promising and bright aviators featured in this production.   Some who became astronauts and others who attempted to break through barriers while making strides for others. 

Introduced by Kaili Y. Turner as the first African-American woman to travel to space Mae Jemison and Barlow Adamson as JFK, Central Square Theater’s SPACE transcends 100 years bringing together aviation legends whose paths may have never crossed in reality, but gathered together in this production where anything is possible.

Catherine K. Slusar, Kaili Y. Turner, Hui Ying Wen, and MK Tuomanen in Central Square Theater’s ‘SPACE’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Qingan Zhang’s simple yet expansive set design with John R. Malinowski’s transformative lighting and Nate Tucker’s immersive sound design combine for a celestial experience.  The journey to become an astronaut is a physical and mental rollercoaster and this production articulates that rigorous and complicated path in an unconventional and effective manner.  This multilayered production maintains a swiftly moving pace through simultaneous conversations and detailed commentary while stylistically evolving from scene to scene with a zippy narrative. 

The cast’s fascinating rapport explores the similarities and differences these women might have shared had they existed in the same time period, especially when they put their heads together.  It is unique method of examining their individual backgrounds and how they might have interacted if time and space had no barriers.  The production discusses each of these dynamic women’s accomplishments (some who were self taught) and delves into aspects of their personal lives, interests and tragedies which those in charge unreasonably deem to affect their ability for the program compared to male candidates. 

Catharine K. Slusar, Hui Ying Wen, Valencia Proctor and Monica Risi in Central Square Theater’s ‘SPACE’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Some of the strongest scenes of the production include the arduous testing involved for this group of women test candidates in the 1961 Mercury 13 space program.  Led by Barlow Adamson as a testing official, the candidates physically pile together through clever human choreography during testing, symbolizing a bond with the other women who may have never met in reality, but share a common dream.

MK Tuomanen and Mitra Sharif in Central Square Theater’s ‘SPACE’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

MK Tuomanen delivers a memorable performance as daring and carefree Sally Ride and aptly articulates the panic and pressure of being NASA’s special consultant Geraldyn Cobb in a dual role.  Listing jaw dropping accomplishments, Catherine K. Slusar avidly depicts Jackie Cochran’s sheer vigilance in a difficult position navigating the system as a Woman Airforce Service pilot, spokesman, and sponsor of the Mercury 13 space program.  Adamson portrays an inspiring and exacting JFK and juggles a number of other characters with finesse and occasional humor while Turner delivers a fervent performance as Mae Jemison.

Mitra Sharif, Hui Ying Wen, Catherine K Slusar, Valencia Proctor, MK Tuomanen and Monica Risi in Central Square Theater’s ‘SPACE’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

At one point in the production, it is mentioned that there is no ceiling in space.  Learning about these brilliant women who reached and fought tirelessly through generations for their mutual dream to innovate beyond the system through changes, blockages and rejection to explore space stands an as an inspiration for any dreamer to persist no matter what until that dream is a reality.

Central Square Theater continues SPACE live and in person through Sunday, February 23 at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  The performance is not limited to the stage, contains some mature themes and runs approximately two and a half hours including one intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW:  A stellar cast leads Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s extraordinary ‘next to normal’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Diane’s world looks different and although it seems like an ordinary day, she is on the brink.

One would never know what Sherée Marcelle as Diane is going through at first glance.  It seems a typical day in the lives of The Goodman family as they roam around the house, caught up in an average school morning.  The mundane and stressful routines do not hint of what is in store for Diane during the bustling and humorous number, Just Another Day.  However, this particular day will be different and it will affect everyone around her.

Sherée Marcelle in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of ‘next to normal’ Photo by Maggie Hall

Astutely directed and symbolically choreographed by Pascale Florestal with excellent musical direction by Katie Bickford, Central Square Theater co-produced by Front Porch Arts Collective continues the Pulitzer Prize-winning and multiple Tony Award-winning rock musical, next to normal live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 30.  This fascinating production contains adult themes and is approximately two hours and 20 minutes with one intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

Anthony Pires, Jr. Sherée Marcelle, and Diego Cintrón in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of ‘next to normal’ Photo by Maggie Hall

With significant Easter eggs floating above Erik D. Diaz’s meaningful and multi-tiered set connected notably by a spiral staircase and a central door, most of the scenes take place inside the Goodman household with the exception of the living room that doubles as an office space.  Mark Clark Wonson’s evocative lighting pulses and radiates on this production’s veering emotional journey and Kiara Escalera’s vibrant costumes often complement each other in stripes, patterns and shades between Anthony Pires Jr. as Dan and Marcelle and most notably in shades of blue later depicted between Cortlandt Barrett as Natalie and Dashawn McClinton as Henry.

Next to normal is a well paced and revealing musical journey about a troubled family who hides it well.  It delves into dysfunction and disorders with a bittersweet and relatable gusto and Brian Yorkey’s thought provoking script with dynamic and captivating music by Tom Kitt work together to unravel the nature of Diane’s illness and how each character is affected in Diane’s struggle.  I have seen quite a few great performances lately, but helmed by Sherée Marcelle as Diane, this is a powerhouse.  Each one of the next to normal cast delivers compelling performances with the vocal chops to prove it while conscientiously revealing their unique way of managing the complexity of their lives.

Anthony Pires, Jr. and Sherée Marcelle in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of ‘next to normal’ Photo by Maggie Hall

With glassy eyed confusion and shaking fingers, Sherée Marcelle as Diane is overwhelmed by her life.  Marcelle evokes the anxiousness, disillusionment, trauma, and the submersion Diane faces as bipolar and her yearning vocals unleash the suffering she endures living in her head searching for relief in I Miss the Mountains.  Marcelle is amazing as Diane who feels trapped wherever she is.  Numb or overdrive where reaching for normal never feels quite right. 

The catchy and dark satirical parody, Who’s Crazy / My Psychopharmacologist and I paints and infuses humor into a reeling picture of her battle while also providing a peek into how this affects those around her like her concerned grounded husband portrayed charismatically and sympathetically by Pires Jr. as Dan whose patience is quickly unraveling in his search for answers.  Ricardo “Ricky” Holguin in a dual role is hilarious as a deadpan doctor, wild, then later poignant full of compassion and concern. 

Ricardo “Ricky” Holguin and Sherée Marcelle in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of ‘next to normal’ Photo by Maggie Hall

Pires Jr. and Marcelle is an enthralling pair mastering complex and rhythmic harmonies as well as visceral emotions with zeal and intensity.  In one of the production’s lighter moments and next to normal contains as much humor as it does drama, Pires Jr. nails the giddy and quick-paced number It’s Gonna Be Good  in helpless wonder and perfect harmony with the rest of the cast. 

Cortlandt Barrett and Dashawn McClinton in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of ‘next to Normal’ Photo by Maggie Hall

Cortlandt Barrett’s impressive vocals expel a painful cadence as the struggling, often neglected and perfectionist daughter, Natalie.  Barrett and Marcelle share their frames of mind in Wish I Were Here and with the cast in an absorbing Make Up Your Mind/Catch Me I’m Falling. Barrett also shares warm chemistry with Dashawn McClinton as persistent and earnest Henry who is instantly lovable in an intriguing rendition of Perfect for You.  Diego Cintrón is lively and memorable, especially in an eerie rendition of There’s a World and with Marcelle and Barrett for a poignant and revealing rendition of Superboy and the Invisible Girl.  

Sherée Marcelle and Cortlandt Barrett in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of ‘next to normal’ Photo by Maggie Hall

Next to Normal has a few bombshell revelations and the production not only paints an authentic and educational picture of mental illness, but love’s carefree but oftentimes arduous journey with humor, heart and hope.  Mental illness makes it difficult to escape from inside one’s head so it shuts people out.   As the daughter of a person with depression, it was eye-opening to see a reflection of these challenges within the family and to witness someone so well loved struggling for the strength to see beyond the pain and find the other side.

Anthony Pires, Jr. Sherée Marcelle Diego Cintrón in Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of ‘next to normal’ Photo by Maggie Hall

Astutely directed and symbolically choreographed by Pascale Florestal with excellent musical direction by Katie Bickford, Central Square Theater co-produced by Front Porch Arts Collective continues the multiple Tony Award-winning rock musical, next to normal live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 30.  This fascinating production contains adult themes and is approximately two hours and 20 minutes with one intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW:  Central Square Theater reveals ‘Angels in America Part 1: Millennium Approaches and Part 2: Perestroika’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

For a show about grief, life springs forth briskly inside the pristine walls of hospital quarters that house only a few scattered chairs.   The radio comes to life with a few select news and pop culture references signaling its 80s setting.  Much of what is portrayed isn’t what it seems and Director Eric Tucker and scenic designer Deb Sivigny provide order to the disarray as props twist, sashay, and sway in the semi-interactive chaos at a terrific pace.  In a particular highlight, members of the cast physically pile together to form a bed as they rely on each other for support while the dialogue flows and it all works beautifully.  Angels in America:  Millennium Approaches somehow makes sense of it as it embraces the manic nature of the world and in this genius and raw staging, consistently propelling it forward.

Eddie Shields as Prior Walter and Zach Fike Hodges as Louis Ironson in Central Square Theater’s ‘Angels in America Part 1’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Central Square Theater and Bedlam present Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-winning Angels in America Part 1:  Millennium Approaches and Part 2:  Perestroika at select times through Sunday, October 8 live and in person at Central Square Theatre in Cambridge, MA.  This is a review of Part 1 which is three and a half hours including two intermissions and contains adult content, nudity, and some graphic scenes.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

This multi-talented, collaborative cast not only demonstrate physical prowess with its integral props and settings for each energetic and urgent scene, but some depict a mix of complex and sympathetic characters which intersect into different storylines.  Debra Wise slips into a beautiful Yiddish accent as a Rabbi tasked with officiating a funeral, a significant phantom from the past, and later as a stern Mormon mother.  The Rabbi’s terse, wry wit and candid delivery highlight Wise’s apt skills before she later manifests Hannah Pitt’s guarded and concerned motherly misgivings.  One looks death in the eye, one has faced death and the latter is afraid to watch.  At one point, the Rabbi examines an immigrant’s journey by exclaiming, ‘You do not live in America.  No such a place exists.’ 

Central Square Theater Angels in America Part 1 Debra Wise Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Angels in America takes off with the hustle and bustle of death and business that zings and marches as acclaimed lawyer and power broker Roy Cohn, depicted with biting wit and magnetic, yet morbid cynicism by Barlow Adamson meets his new Mormon assistant from Salt Lake City, Joe Pitt, portrayed with principled diffidence by Alexander Platt.  Adamson and Platt are quick to establish a mentorship as they learn more about each other.

Maurice Emmanuel Parent, Zach Fike Hodges, Kari Buckley, and Eddie Shields in Angels in America Part 1 Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Angels in America addresses many complex questions including the nature of love, grief, religion, freedom, and the state of the world where hope is so hidden and nearly bereft of existence.   John R. Malinowski’s menacing lighting is at once investigative and haunting as it veers and shifts so cleverly that it is difficult to tell if it is shedding light in a dark world or exposing the dark with light.  The show profoundly tackles loneliness in most of its characters and how each one of them copes with their present circumstances.  Eddie Shields as Prior Walter gets the brunt of it physically and psychologically as he is faced with HIV.  Using humor and escapism to mask his inner turmoil, Shields delivers a bold and heartrending performance facing obstacle after obstacle. 

Maurice Emmanuel Parent, Helen Hy-Yuen Swanson and Kari Buckley in Central Square Theater’s ‘Angels in America Part 1’ Photo By Nile Scott Studios

Kari Buckley suffers a quieter battle as agoraphobic Harper.  Buckley’s gleaming smile, endearing and quirky inquisitiveness, and denial masks her own inner turmoil as she turns to medication for relief and as a life raft for her unhappiness.  Harper muses, ‘People are like planets.  You need a thick skin.’ Buckley and Maurice Emmanuel Parent as Mr. Lies share some whimsical scenes that cleverly act as a relief from the heavier material.  Maurice Emmanuel Parent also portrays supportive, compassionate, and reasonable Belize who levelheadedly sets the record straight in a debate about love and politics with Zach Fike Hodges as Louis who is doing everything he can to avoid the truth about Prior’s condition.   Hodges weaves impulsively in out of the five stages of grief and in his suffering further complicates things.

Central Square Theater Angels in America Part 1 Maurice Emmanuel Parent and Zack Fike Hodges Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Angels in America is not for the faint of heart.  It is rueful, witty, cynical, sobering, and unflinchingly unearths the shadows and heartache of the boundaries of freedom in a world gone mad before it sheds some light.  Though both parts of Angels in America can exist on their own, Part 1’s conclusion leaves plenty of room for Part 2.

Helen Hy-Yuen in Central Square Theater’s ‘Angels in America Part 1’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Central Square Theater and Bedlam present Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-winning Angels in America Part 1:  Millennium Approaches and Part 2:  Perestroika at select times through Sunday, October 8 live and in person at Central Square Theatre in Cambridge, MA.  Part I is three and a half hours including two intermissions and contains adult content, nudity, and some graphic scenes.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Central Square Theater brings Lloyd Suh’s ‘The Chinese Lady’ to light

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Afung Moy is majestic, idealistic, and beautiful. In 1834, she has set foot on American soil from China at just 14 years of age to share her background, culture, and experiences. However, the details behind her arrival as well as her time and purpose in the United States is where the real story lies.

Directed impressively by Sarah Shin and in partnership with the Chuang Stage, Central Square Theater reveals a little known yet impactful figure in Lloyd Suh’s The Chinese Lady live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through December 11. This semi-interactive production is 90 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Sophorl Ngin as Afung in ‘The Chinese Lady’ Photo credit to Nile Scott Studios.

The Chinese Lady is gripping from the start and much of that is due to its two powerful leads that at first share amiable banter, humor, and building tension. With bright and expressive eyes, Sophorl Ngin depicts Afung Moy with compelling curiosity as she gradually discovers the life that has been set out in front of her. Ngin’s sweet and understated ingenuity beams adorned in exquisitely-detailed gold embroidered lavender and lilac attire crowned with a colorful guan by costume designer Sandra Zhihan Jia.

Scenic designer Qinan Zhang has a meticulous eye for detail and each piece of furniture and prop provides a significant purpose. Nothing in this vast room is just for show. Translucent curtains blanket the room and add a mysterious quality to the space. Steel structures hang above a Chinese floral blossoms arrangement and the matching end tables and chair quickly become essential to this historical account.

Jae Woo as Atung and Sophorl Ngin as Afung Photo credit to Nile Scott Studios

From China’s history of inventing tea to the gruesome details of foot binding, Ngin delivers her lines pragmatically and with a cheery glow, treating her time onstage at first an adventure with delusions of grandeur. With a wide eyed countenance, Ngin brilliantly depicts Afung from her imaginative humor and naivete to the subtle evolution in her ripened demeanor, weary walk, and her conflicted style of speaking as years gradually progress. The Chinese Lady is confronted with the ugly side of humanity and lays it bare as her time slowly fades into a land she has little choice but to adapt to it.

Ngin as Afung and Jae Woo as her older translator and guide Atung illustrate their absorbing camaraderie as they embody their complex characters, particularly exemplified in a chilling scene with the President. This intense and carefully executed scene is riveting and difficult to witness, but punctuates the sheer marvel of these two together onstage. Jae Woo portrays Atung as mysterious, subdued, polite, and unassuming as he keeps himself as minimal as the furniture. He is kind, protective, and squarely knows his place, but hints at a painfully buried intensity. Woo handles this complicated and austere character with tight lipped finesse in spite of or more hauntingly, because of all he has been through.

Sophorl Ngin as Afung and Jae Woo as Atung Photo credit to Nile Scott Studios

The Chinese Lady is best experienced without revealing the true nature of the story. Afung’s endearing personality provides a temporary distraction of what is actually happening onstage. Director Sarah Shin and author Lloyd Suh’s clever unfolding of historical and contemporary events and the actors’ subtle navigation in their performances on issues that are anything but subtle are weaved into a striking and message driven historical work that peels away that subtlety piece by piece and by the final act, leaves everything astonishingly and unsettling bare.

Jae Woo as Atung and Sophorl Ngin as Afung Photo credit to Nile Scott Studios

Central Square Theater reveals a little known yet impactful historical figure in Lloyd Suh’s The Chinese Lady live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through December 11. This semi-interactive performance is 90 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and tickets.

REVIEW:  Central Square Theater and Front Porch Collective’s ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ The Fats Waller Musical’ dazzling, engaging, and sensational fun

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Whether it was a wink, a smile, Anthony Pires Jr’s mischievous laugh, the crackling chemistry and snappy asides among this multi-talented, finely adorned cast or Central Square Theater’s transformation into a vivid vintage Harlem nightclub, Ain’t Misbehavin’ certainly knows how to throw a roaring party.

Innovatively directed with stellar choreography by Maurice Emmanuel Parent and Ilyse Robbins with musical arrangements by Luther Henderson, Central Square Theater and The Front Porch Arts Collective continues sensational Ain’t Misbehavin:  The Fats Waller Musical live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA through Sunday, May 29 before moving to the Greater Boston Stage Company in Stoneham, MA from June 9 to June 26.  Click here for more information and tickets.

Jackson Jirard and Christina Jones in Central Square Theater’s ‘Ain’t Misbehavin” Photo credit to Nile Scott Studios

With festive lighting by Jeff Adelberg, red cocktail tables and lamps lining a gold-embroidered stage that frames the intimate, big band orchestra while eye-catching portraits hang on each side of the stage, Jon Savage’s alluring set design immediately sets the mood for an interactive, carefree, spontaneous, and humorous concert event fueled by Fats Waller’s tremendous talent.

The cast of ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ The Fats Waller Musical’ Photo credit to Nile Scott Studios

Accented by Elizabetta Polito’s distinctive costumes from furs to glimmering garments to slick pinstripe suits and bowler hats, Ain’t Misbehavin’ seamlessly rewinds the clock to the roaring 20s where Harlem nightclubs and speakeasies sprung up for a boisterous night of revelry during the Prohibition era.  Kicking off the show with a recording from Fats Waller himself, Ain’t Misbehavin’ reveals Waller’s catchy musical repertoire ranging  from exuberant romance to humorous irreverence to playful flirtation while also addressing significant and sobering issues of the era that remain rife today.  This incredible cast depicts it all with clever and mesmerizing swagger as well as some measure of illuminating heartache.

Led and enhanced by conductor Dan Rodriguez’s swift and extraordinary piano work especially for the thrilling stride piano number, Handful of Keys, this fiery, six-piece orchestra masters every brass-tinged and drum-laden beat with finesse. 

The cast of Central Square Theater and Front Porch Arts Collective’s ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ The Fats Waller Musical’ Photo credit to Nile Scott Studios

With an vocal aptitude for exciting, big band numbers as well as ardent crooning, a few of this show’s many highlights include Lovely Hoffman’s clever and moving Mean to Me and the sheer energy and vibrant vocals in Yacht Club Swing and The Joint is Jumpin.’ 

Ain’t Misbehavin’s  crackling chemistry is well demonstrated between Lovely Hoffman and Anthony Pires Jr as they deliver a playful duet for the light and amorous number, Honeysuckle Rose.  Christina Jones and Jackson Jirard take the stage for a sweet version of I Can’t Give You Anything But Love and Sheree Marcelle and Anthony Pires Jr deliver an equally charming duet for I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter.  Accented by Jirard’s limber movements and amazing choreography through hazy lighting, the show takes on a captivating, psychedelic turn as Jirard sings The Viper’s Drag.  Anthony Pires Jr shows off big personality and comedic sass for Your Feets too Big before the cast gathers for a heartrending Black and Blue.

The cast of Central Square Theater and Front Porch Collective’s ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ The Fats Waller Musical’ Photo credit to Nile Scott Studios

The only thing more exciting than the music are the side smirks, irritated looks and onstage antics clearly hinting of the juicy drama happening between cast members behind the scenes, though it is all part of a show that thrives on the audience’s enthusiasm and interaction.   Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a riveting musical celebration for a multi-talented musician clearly ahead of his time.

Central Square Theater and The Front Porch Arts Collective continues sensational Ain’t Misbehavin’  The Fats Waller Musical‘ live and in person at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA through Sunday, May 29 before moving to the Greater Boston Stage Company in Stoneham, MA from June 9 to June 26.  Click here for more information and tickets.