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REVIEW: A ferocious song of desire in American Repertory Theater’s musical, ‘Black Swan’

Posted on June 27 by The Sleepless Critic

“Attack it! Attack it!”

In Darren Aronofsky’s 2010 psychological thriller horror film Black Swan, Nina’s ballet instructor urges Nina to show him a side to her that she has never known. It’s the side that lets go.

American Repertory Theater’s musical Black Swan may be a bit different than the movie in some respects, but the message remains the same.

With Sonya Tayeh’s taut direction and dynamite choreography and Or Matias’s foreboding music direction, American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) continues the world premiere of psychological thriller horror musical, Black Swan live and in person at Loeb Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Sunday, July 12. The action is not limited to the stage and this mature production within a production runs approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes with one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Melanie Moore and members of the company of A.R.T.’s world-premiere production of Black Swan.
Credit: Hawver and Hall.

The arts can be brutal, competitive and fickle. Especially with the art of ballet, it requires a unique kind of discipline, sacrifice and determination under the constant pressure of perfection.

Black Swan started out as a 2010 Academy award-winning psychological thriller horror film featuring a stellar cast that included Natalie Portman as Nina, Mila Kunis as Lily, Winona Ryder as Beth and the incomparable Barbara Hershey as Nina’s mother Barbara. It’s a mesmerizing yet unsettling film loaded with literal and figurative twists and turns through the eyes of sweet dancer Nina whose reality sporadically becomes skewed as the film progresses.

In the process of making the film, Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis endured rigorous training and followed a strict diet. Kunis had never danced in her life. Both trained for four months on an intense schedule seven days a week and five hours a day which also included Portman swimming a mile every day. Portman lost 20 pounds from her already tiny frame and Kunis tore a ligament, dislocated her shoulder and has visible scarring from training. Kunis also vowed she will never dance again and it was the hardest thing she had ever done.

Based on Jen Silverman‘s book of this musical, a story by Andres Heinz and the Academy Award-winning psychological thriller horror film, this world premiere musical boasts some lighter and more humorous moments while its intensity is laid out from the first scene featuring ambitious characters consistently competing with each other. They are driven by the arduous drive to survive, succeed, and gain power. It is no wonder that the lyrics and dialogue in this new musical are rife with powerfully visceral action words such as tear, scratch, scrape, twist, elongate, crack and attack as the dancers rehearse on a grueling three week deadline for a new production. It makes the audience feel this painstaking process.

Amber Iman and members of the company of A.R.T.’s world-premiere production of Black Swan.
Credit: Hawver and Hall.

For those who have not seen the brilliant yet disquieting film, the film and musical are not a musical for the faint of heart. They explore the dark crevices of mental illness and obsession while emphasizing the struggle and ferocious determination it takes to become the best.

However, the Black Swan musical does not just speak to the art of ballet, but the savage journey one takes to become the best at their craft which often involves relentless focus, determination and sacrifice.

AMP featuring Marissa Todd’s vast and layered Scenography accompanied by Chris Fisher and Skylar Fox’s masterful illusion design exacts a ballet studio with moving Barres, a regal gala featuring a tremendous and glimmering chandelier, a wild psychedelic club scene with a dizzying disco ball, and a transformative and ominous forest. I was fascinated to see how various illusions from the film would translate into a stage production and the results are riveting combined with Lillis Meeh’s stunning blood imagery and Ida Saki’s powerful and athletic performance.

Isabella Byrd’s crackling and flashing lighting devastates and intrigues in this moody tale alongside Kai Harada’s haunting and foreboding fiddle laden rhythms. Shiona Turini’s colorful and dynamic wardrobe varies from silk and sequined gowns to creatively daring statement ensembles.

Melanie Moore in A.R.T.’s world-premiere production of Black Swan.
Credit: Hawver and Hall.

In a pastel leotard, Melanie Moore climbs into the skin of anxious and gentle Nina, a New York City ballet dancer aspiring to become the company’s principal dancer. A perfectionist wrapped in a cluster of timid uncertainty, Nina is childlike, delicate, naïve, impressionable and sheltered under the guidance of her protective mother Barbara, in an increasingly searing performance by understudy Mehry Eslaminia (usually depicted by Kate Jennings Grant). Barbara is fixated on Nina becoming the star ballerina she was prevented from becoming and Nina longs to please her mother. Moore is excellent as Nina, a beautiful dancer and her sympathetic naiveté draws you into her world of uncertainty and longing.

When a bold new choreographer LeRoy, portrayed with easy charm, charisma and sharp comic timing by Amber Iman, arrives to stage a new version of Swan Lake, Nina thinks this might be her chance to shine. When Jada Simone Clark breezes in as mysterious and effervescent free spirit dancer Lily, she catches Nina and LeRoy’s attention. LeRoy is driven by something to prove and Iman and Thom Sesma as company director Jacques share a tense and interesting power dynamic underneath their lighter and more humorous moments.

Tory Trowbridge delivers a chilling performance as worn principal dancer on edge, Beth McIntyre. Consistently aware of her position, McIntyre is sympathetic in her desperation to hold onto her place in the company and her distressed exchanges with Moore will leave you on tenterhooks.

Ava Noble, Martell Ruffin, Adrian Lee, Anthony Santos, and Caleb Marshall lift
Melanie Moore in A.R.T.’s world-premiere production of Black Swan.
Credit: Hawver and Hall.

While the film draws a clearer picture of Nina’s journey, Black Swan musical is intense, haunting, visceral and intriguing deciphering Nina’s precarious state of mind and how it is executed onstage. The conclusion remains stunning. I agree with the moderate differences in the musical than the film for the most part. However, much of the film hinges on the traditional ballet production than a modern new vision which seems like it doesn’t quite fit. In the film, Aronofsky takes the dark nature of this renowned classic and turns it on its ear while enhancing this dancer’s journey running intermittent parallels with Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Aronofky also produces this musical so I am surprised by this change. Though this musical is no romance, it is no less a transformational piece rooted in the desire to become who you believe you are meant to become at whatever the cost.

American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) continues the world premiere of psychological thriller horror musical, Black Swan live and in person at Loeb Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts through Sunday, July 12. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Irresistible rhythms get North Shore Music Theatre’s ‘On Your Feet’

Posted on June 10 by The Sleepless Critic

“Washing cleans the clothes. Singing washes the soul.”

Leave it to music trailblazers Gloria and Emilio Estefan to make even folding laundry an exciting event.

With lively direction and chorography by Marcos Santana and Jose Delgado’s upbeat music direction, North Shore Music Theatre presents On Your Feet live and in person at Bill Hanney’s North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 14. This theatre-in-the-round bilingual production runs 2 hours and 20 minutes with one intermission and the action is not limited to the stage. Click here for more information and for tickets.

From its first few powerful notes flowing under multicolored club lights, On Your Feet is a party from the start. Cuban dancers emerge pounding bongo drums which kick off Gloria’s music fueled upbringing that resonates even in the midst of ordinary chores. North Shore Music Theatre’s distinct theatre-in-the-round and rotating stage brings plenty of surprises as scenes rise from the floor and appear in various parts of the theatre. Santana’s upbeat choreography frames every aspect of this international true story with flair and gusto.

On Your Feet has an equal share of wild, quick, and intense music with complex fancy foot work including Cuban tap as well as poignant and inspiring moments within a few of Gloria Estefan’s famous ballads. Gloria and Emilio Estefan are behind the Latin rhythms, touching original compositions, and orchestrations of some of Gloria Estefan’s biggest hits. This captivating production not only showcases Latin culture and a peek into its history, but Gloria and Emilio’s tenacious struggle to break out into the American music scene.

Costume designer Emilio Sosa skillfully replicates Gloria’s sparkling and iconic outfits featured in her memorable concert appearances. The Estefans’ worldwide travel brings together the colorful styles of the 60s, 80s, and 90s from casual and vibrant floral summer wear to elegant nightclub attire. Jack Mehler’s often romantic scenic design and dynamic vivid spotlight lighting depicts Havana to Miami’s palm tree silhouettes to the glare of the spotlight.

Prior to the show, an array of projected Estefan family photos deliver a personal and authentic touch by Pamela Hersch that permeates throughout the musical. On Your Feet not only explores Gloria and Emilio’s budding romance and their mutual dreams, but their aspirations to pursue music as Latin performers. One of the most fascinating aspects of this musical is Marcello Audino as Emilio and Isabel Leoni as Gloria’s sheer dogged determination to thrive. Audino offers a charming yet driven performance as business minded and determined Emilio with smooth and rich vocals. He delivers a touching rendition of Gloria Estefan’s hit, Don’t Want to Lose You Now and an original song co-written by Gloria Estefan’s daughter, If I Never Got to Tell You, a stirring duet with Karmine Alers as Gloria Estefan’s mother, Gloria Fajardo. Audino is intense, charismatic, and always planning one step ahead.

It is easy to see why Leoni as Gloria has such natural and endearing chemistry with Audino. Leoni as Gloria complements Emilio’s drive through her vibrant, shy, and creative personality. Curly haired and slim with inflections of Gloria Estefan’s distinctive vocals, Leoni is well suited to depict the award-winning singer-songwriter. She engages the audience with a glowing smile while skillfully handling the quick pacing and complex choreography of this production, often breaking out into song and dance on a dime. From a ‘can’t-help-but-sing’ child doing chores in Cuba portrayed sweetly by Massachusetts local Kendall Rivera to a timid woman taking the stage, Gloria’s charismatic stage presence in undeniable. Together, Gloria and Emilio are a force to be reckoned with in their uphill battle to become a music sensation. Their tender song, Here We Are and powerful duet, To Keep From Loving You are particular highlights, showing off their sweet chemistry.

Alers delivers a memorable performance as Gloria Fajardo, Gloria’s protective mother. Alers portrays strong willed Fajardo with passion and soaring vocals, especially during the flirtatious number Mi Tierra sung in a Havana nightclub. Alers as Fajardo is stubborn and hard on Gloria, but with a giving spirit toward Henry Gainza as Gloria’s loving war veteran father, Jose.

On Your Feet not only quite literally encourages the audience to dance to some of Gloria’s most catchy numbers such as 1-2-3, Rhythm is Gonna Get You, Conga and Dr. Beat while also unveiling the journey and sorrows of following a dream including its family turmoil, challenges and past resentments. It also boasts its share of humorous moments in Sydia Cedeño-Genat as Gloria’s heartwarming and discerning grandmother, Consuelo, in her unwavering support of her granddaughter while delivering a few sharp one liners. However, most importantly, On Your Feet certainly brings the beat to this uplifting music celebration.

North Shore Music Theatre’s On Your Feet continues live and in person at Bill Hanney’s North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 14. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Boston Ballet’s exhilarating ‘Winter Experience’ glows in anticipation

Posted on March 12 by The Sleepless Critic

Especially amid winter’s bitter isolation and bleakness, one cannot help but anticipate the crackle and rising glow of spring. Through these two bold works, Boston Ballet shows how to appreciate the wonder of winter and glow in spring’s glorious awakening.

Boston Ballet’s Winter Experience continues live and in person at Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 15. The production is one hour and 50 minutes with one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Boston Ballet’s ‘Le Sacre Du Printemps’ Photos by Liza Voll
Dancers: Ji Young Chae, Viktorina Kapitonova, Lia Cirio, Seo Hye Han, WanTing Zhao, Haley Schwan, Chisako Oga, Chyrstyn Mariah Fentroy

With a wealth of expectation and powerful expression, Boston Ballet’s wondrous Winter Experience features a visceral pair of complementary works infusing innovative ballet which envisions the intensity of the season as well as the increasing promise of spring in Jorma Elo’s bold classic Le Sacre Du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) and Crystal Pite’s contemporary favorite, The Seasons’ Canon.

Boston Ballet’s ‘The Seasons’ Canon’ Photos by Liza Voll
Dancers: Schuyler Wijsen, Daniel R. Durrett, Henry Griffin, Jeffrey Cirio, WanTing Zhao, Tyson Ali Clark, Lia Cirio, Lasha Khozashvili, Viktorina Kapitonova, Haley Schwan

Boasting Jorma’s Elo’s sharp and versatile choreography, Le Sacre Du Printemps depicts rich beauty as dancers shift and sway to Stravinsky’s commanding score that ebbs and flows from tender to thunderous. With incredible choreography by Crystal Pite and exhilarating music by Max Richter, The Seasons’ Canon finale remains one of the most amazing pieces that I have ever witnessed from the Boston Ballet.

Boston Ballet’s ‘Le Sacre Du Printemps’ Photos by Liza Voll
Dancers: Schuyler Wijsen, Daniel R. Durrett, Henry Griffin, Jeffrey Cirio, WanTing Zhao, Tyson Ali Clark, Lia Cirio, Lasha Khozashvili, Viktorina Kapitonova, Haley Schwan

Stravinsky’s Le Sacre Du Printemps is a striking exploration of a ritual dance believed to usher in the spring season. Adorned in Charles Heightchew’s vibrant sequined burgundy costumes as a band of brimming color rises amid a black layered latticed backdrop, dancers slice the air, trot, tick and lunge in pas de deux and in groups delivering unruly yet synchronized grace in their athletic, sharp and intimate steps.

Stravinsky’s powerful drum and horn-infused rhythms ebb and flow from soft and mischievous to urgent and rebellious which reflect in the dancers as they intricately link and divide and in Brandon Stirling Baker’s symbolic and transformative lighting. Pairs form daring and unique patterns as well as mirror each other as Stravinsky’s wielding drive animates dancers from rigid and mechanical to surprising to occasionally humorous within its more spontaneous moments to haunting as the dance intensifies.

Under a gleaming, crackling and morphing gold light by Jay Gower Taylor and Tom Visser, the Boston Ballet unveils a vision like none other with The Seasons’ Canon. Crystal Pite’s intricate and meticulously detailed chorography to Max Richter’s version of Vivaldi’s mesmerizing The Four Seasons makes The Seasons’ Canon a superlative experience. An incredible vision in every sense of the word, The Seasons’ Canon is innovative and unique as dancers pulse, sway, and tumble with intricate fluidity and precision while methodically spilling onto the stage. Moving like one sinewy organism as if waking from hibernation and molding into magnificent shapes, the sheer exactitude and congruent nature of these movements cannot be overstated. An exciting, uplifting and commanding piece with bursts of energy as the landscape transforms into shades of silver, orange, and gold, is exquisite in every season. It is a haunting and brilliant performance sure to stay with you long after the piece has ended.

Boston Ballet’s ‘The Seasons’ Canon’ Photos by Rosalie O’Connor and Brooke Trisolini
Dancers: Sangmin Lee, Chisako Oga, Ji Young Chae, Jeffrey Cirio, Daniel Rubin, Sage Humphries

Boston Ballet’s Winter Experience continues live and in person at Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 15. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Innovatively illustrating rage and star crossed love, Boston Ballet closes its season with Jean-Christophe Maillot’s moving ‘Roméo et Juliette’

Posted on June 6, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

Rage, passion, confrontation, betrayal, longing, death and young love are just a few of the compelling elements of this classic Shakespearean love story that has fascinated generations.

Having made its world premiere almost 30 years ago and set in Verona, The Boston Ballet evokes playfulness, blossoming love, visceral rage and shattering tragedy into Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette step by step while delivering new insight to this star-crossed tale.

Sangmin Lee and Seo Hye Han in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette Photos by Gabriel Lorena

With captivating staging by Noelani Pantastico, evocatively choreographed by Jean-Christophe Maillot and embellished by Sergei Prokofiev’s lush, triumphant and striking rhythms, Boston Ballet concludes its current season with Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette live and in person at Citizens Opera House in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 8. This powerful production runs 2 hours and 15 minutes including a 20-minute intermission. It may be helpful to read the summary inside the program for deeper insight into this aesthetic tale. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Cinematic elements in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s ‘Roméo et Juliette’ with conductor Mischa Santora and orchestra Photo by Rosalie O’Connor

Dominique Drillot infuses contemporary cinematic elements into this production through a translucent and multitasking hazy screen which unveils the production’s opening credits featuring a cast of characters alongside a white building symbolizing the Montague and Capulet Houses. Drillot’s meticulous lighting ranges from isolated streams to haunting fragments in foreboding and suspenseful tones.

Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette is brought to life with pristine white sliding backdrops and a transforming corridor by scenic and costume designer Ernest Pignon-Ernest makes way for the bold, flowing and Italian Renaissance-inspired costumes in velvets, silks, gold lame and sophisticated masks with a contemporary edge.

Sangmin Lee, Seo Hye Han Patrick Yocum and cast in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette Photo by Gabriel Lorena

This well paced production runs the gamut of emotions right from the start immediately illustrating both conflict and love in every form including naïve, unscathed, willful, endless and true love delivered by Seo Hye Han as Juliette and Sangmin Lee as Roméo . Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette focuses on two clans at war between the Capulets and the Montagues. When Sangmin Lee as Roméo Montague sets his eyes on Seo Hye Han as Juliet Capulet, it is love at first sight. Then things take an unforeseen turn.

Sangmin Lee and Seo Hye Han in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette Photo by Gabriel Lorena

Having seen Shakespeare done in various capacities, this ballet interpretation of this dramatic tale is raw, playful and at times spellbinding. One does not have to be a Shakespeare fan or know Shakespeare to comprehend this production’s nuanced interpretation. It depicts playful camaraderie within the Montague clan through improvisation and sweeping movements as well as the turmoil, tension, and sheer rage between houses through fight choreography led by Capulet leader Lasha Khozashvili as threatening and tempestuous Tybalt. Khozashvili is an imposing, mocking and antagonizing figure whose charisma will immediately draw you in much to the dismay of Patrick Yocum in a larger role as Friar Laurence. Huddled in a corner or slicing the air in angular and fluttering movements and faltering gestures, Friar empathetically feels the anguish and stinging torment of adolescence and uncontrolled emotions grappling with two acolytes portrayed by forceful bookends Gearóid Solan and Sam Stampleman as well as the violence just beyond his reach brewing between these two houses.

Patrick Yocum and Seo Hye Han in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette Photo by Gabriel Lorena

Classic and contemporary dance blend together at times delivered in freeze frame and slow motion during celebration and tense moments. The women are strong, confident and glamorous and the men are often instigators when they are not at play. The production boasts some warm and comical moments and an underlying flirtatious tone through teasing and seemingly improvisational gestures.

The Masked Ball in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette Photo by Gabriel Lorena

Viktorina Kapitonova grandiosely depicts Juliette’s life of the party mom Lady Capulet, but Lady Capulet is much more than she seems in a memorably harrowing scene taking place later in the production. Daniel R. Durrett is another standout as Mercutio. Durrett is teasing and playful with dark undertones as Roméo’s best friend and shares some mischievousness with Ángel García Molinero as handsome and earnest Benvolio.

Viktorina Kapitonova as Lady Capulet in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette Photo by Gabriel Lorena

The playful intimacy between Han and Lee blossoms and intensifies as the production progresses. Passionate Roméo and virtuous Juliette not only share some amorous love scenes, but genuine humor in their mutual admiration. The way they intertwine and their mirrored movements shift as one, reflecting their delightful chemistry. The pas de deux during the innovative and iconic balcony scene is joyful and resplendent as they tumble and frolic. When Roméo takes his hand away and Juliette takes it back, it is teasing but also illustrates an irresistible force bringing them together.

Alexis Workowski and Seo Hye Han in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette Photo by Gabriel Lorena

In layered garments, Alexis Workowski gives a compassionate performance as Nurse who shares such a lovely and impish rapport with Seo Hye Han’s Juliette. Workowski is protective and more maternal than Juliette’s own mother and it is moving to witness her unwavering belief in Roméo and Juliette’s love despite their names and backgrounds. It is a belief that could prevent a lot of suffering onstage and off.

Seo Hye Han in Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette Photo by Gabriel Lorena

Featuring a spirited and charismatic cast, parting is such sweet sorrow as Boston Ballet presents Jean-Christophe Maillot’s Roméo et Juliette in three acts live and in person through Sunday, June 8 at Citizens Opera House in Boston, Massachusetts. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Actors’ Shakespeare Project envisions a wildly mischievous ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

Posted on April 28, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

It may not be the lusty month of May yet, but Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s contemporary A Midsummer Night’s Dream has it covered by the time it arrives. This is one wild ride.

It is not difficult to see why A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of Shakespeare’s most performed and beloved plays. It is everything but tragic and can be interpreted in a variety of ways. It features magic, mischief, romantic comedy, action, and it was a perfect way to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday on April 23.

Eliza Fichter and Dan Garcia in ASP’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

With bold direction by Maurice Emmanuel Parent, Actors’ Shakespeare Project continues A Midsummer Night’s Dream live and in person through Sunday, May 4 at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown, Massachusetts. The show’s action is not limited to the stage with two platforms immersed in the audience and runs 1 hour and 40 minutes with no intermission. Discounted tickets are available. Click here for more information and for tickets.

The Cast of Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

A Midsummer Night’s Dream has multiple story lines, but the cast translates Shakespeare’s work with a lively affinity for the text with some improvisation and pop culture references along the way. Part play within a play, part fantasy, and part comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream essentially explores love in all of its forms from unrequited to desire to true love to romantic comedy gone awry due to some mystical love potions. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is also the source of some of Shakespeare’s most famous reflections on love such as ‘True love does not see with the eyes, but the mind’ and ‘The course of true love never did run smooth.’ Shakespeare’s witty dialogue is an intriguing reminder that his classic story lines can translate seamlessly into a wide variety of contemporary scenarios.

Kody Grassett, Doug Lockwood, and Bobbie Steinbach in ASP’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Scenic designer Ben Lieberson’s multilevel and industrial scaffolding not only provides a club atmosphere, but a somewhat blank canvas for lighting designer Brian Lilienthal’s multicolored illumination as a glimmering disco ball hangs overhead. Seth Bodie’s distinctive costumes feature a wide array of 90s and turn of the century looks from refined to over the top in splashy, glimmering, feathered and suggestive club wear to edgy street attire in fringe, pleather and denim to lavish upscale suits. Sound designer MacKenzie Adamick also sets a 90s and 2000s vibe with a mix of original and popular club beats for both comic relief and setting the scene.

ia Giatrelis, Eliza Fichter, Evan Taylor, Doug Lockwood, and Kody Grassett in ASP’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Coy, bold, and chock full of passion, Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream establishes a world of status and fantasy featuring a cast of powerful and absorbing characters determined to fight for what they want and aren’t shy about absurdity demonstrated by Doug Lockwood as the enthusiastic and bombastic Nick Bottom along with Bobbie Steinbach as resourceful Quince and a group of madcap and dedicated mechanicals offer more than silly humor before the final curtain.

Bobbie Steinbach and The Mechanicals in ASP’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

These mature characters are tougher and have experienced life’s hardships which is a valuable attribute for love is fickle. Michael Broadhurst as Lysander may seem sweet and adoring sharing an endearing chemistry with Thomika Marie Bridwell as Hermia, but Broadhurst also has a chance to explore another side of this character. Athletic Alan Kuang is remarkable as wild, mischievous, and break dancing Puck and his conspiring moments with Dan Garcia as Oberon make for street savvy and cunning pair.

Thomika Marie Bridwell and De’Lon Grant in ASP’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

The women in this production are strong, beautiful, and fierce. Eliza Fichter takes on dual roles as powerful Hippolyta as well as glamorous and seductive Titania. Thomika Marie Bridwell is wonderful as headstrong, comically tough and fearless Hermia while Deb Martin is a scene stealer and redefines crazy in love wild eyed Helena. Martin’s physical comedic prowess and the arduous lengths she goes through to get what she wants would be inspiring if she was not so unhinged and she shares some madcap moments with De’Lon Grant as impulsive Demetrius. However, one intense scene between Martin and Bridwell going head to head becomes so hilarious and well executed that it stands as my favorite scene in this production.

De’Lon Grant and Deb Martin in ASP’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

One of the liveliest adaptations I’ve ever seen, Actors’ Shakespeare Project continues A Midsummer Night’s Dream live and in person through Sunday, May 4 at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown, Massachusetts Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: ‘Riverdance’s 30th Anniversary: The New Generation’ combines mesmerizing visuals and fancy footwork to a show stopping rhythm

Posted on April 20, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

‘Tall and straight my mother taught me. This is how we dance.’

Flourishing Celtic landscapes, glimmering international city sidewalks, star studded cosmic atmospheres, and mystical seaside sunsets as well as a journey frolicking through roaring fire, threatening lightening, and changing seasons are just a few of the spectacular settings that unfold through driving rhythms while integrating other forms of captivating dance along the way. Accompanied by a partial onstage orchestra, Riverdance is as innovate and imaginative as ever marking three decades of sparkling toe tapping zeal and ethereal vocals with memorably dramatic flair.

Audaciously directed by John McColgan and composed by Bill Whelan, Riverdance 30^th Anniversary: The New Generation was live and in person at the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, April 13, but continues on its national tour all over the country. The show is approximately two hours including one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Whether battling the elements or showing off their skillful steps, Fergus Kirkpatrick and Olivia Nachtigal are among the leads in this enthusiastic and daring dance troupe as drummer Mark Alfred, fiddler Haley Richardson, saxophonist Emma McPhilemy, and Cathal Croke on Uilleann Pipes with Michael O’Gorman’s immersive sound design combine to deliver a mix of modern and traditional Irish works through Ireland and beyond.

Whether performing solo or playfully challenging other band members and the dancers, these harmonious instrumentalists set the varying tone from serene ballads to rhythmic beats. Richly narrated with Celtic history and poetry as angelic vocals lift, Riverdance has a unique way of building excitement through razor sharp Ceili formations and urgent melodies. Adorned regally in silvery tiaras, detailed velvet flowing dresses, tailored shirts vests and tights by Joan Bergin, the dancers exude confidence exacted in heads held high and the militant precision of their movements gathering in rows, circles and two hand reels.

Riverdance Countess Cathleen with lead dancer Maggie Darlington

In Firedance, Rosio Dusmet commands the stage swirling in a shimmering red gown as fire surrounds her and the flames progressively turn blue to a driving beat. Adventurous, freeing and empowering, Dusmet’s amazing performance is equal parts grace, athleticism, and charisma flowing through the scene.

Alan Farquharson’s fantastical and compelling set design with innovative motion graphics by Cosmo AV and Andrew Voller’s stellar lighting in scrupulous perfection enhance tappers Darmesh Patel and Kenji Igus who perform to rollicking rhythms in street clothes with Fergus Kirkpatrick showing off their skills under the bright city lights. In Trading Taps, they all demonstrate fantastic footwork with charm and exuberance to rousing applause and stands as a particular highlight of this production.

Riverdance, Amy Mae Dolan and Will Bryant

Through a variety of dynamic rhythms, Riverdance’s 30^th Anniversary: The New Generation is a whimsical, thrilling and visually splendid journey steeped in Celtic charm while integrating other forms of dance that keeps it refreshing and imaginative. Having seen it for the first time and watching it with someone who has witnessed it since Riverdance began, it remains a joyous and impressive experience for the whole family.

Riverdance 30^th Anniversary: The New Generation was live and in person at the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, April 13, but continues on its national tour all over the country. The show is approximately two hours including one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: The Mark Morris Dance Group, presented by Global Arts Live, displayed a mostly fetching ‘Look of Love’

Posted on February 2, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

You may be familiar with far more Burt Bacharach songs than you realize.

That was certainly my experience watching The Mark Morris Dance Group’s pre-Valentine’s Day and retro- inspired music dedication to Burt Bacharach, The Look of Love.

Named after Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s Academy Award-nominated song for the 1967 James Bond film, Casino Royale originally sung by Dusty Springfield, Global Arts Live presented The Mark Morris Dance Group’s The Look of Love for a limited engagement from January 23 to 25 at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. Click here for more information, here for more on Global Arts Live and here for Mark Morris Dance Group’s next tour destination.

The Look of Love Jacobs Pillow 2023 Christopher Duggan

Burt Bacharach was an Oscar, Golden Globe, Grammy, and Emmy-winning composer and songwriter boasting an array of hits including songs from various movie soundtracks such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Arthur, Alfie, Promises Promises, My Best Friend’s Wedding, and interestingly enough, the strangely comical and catchy novelty tune to B horror flick, The Blob.

His songs are so memorable that they slip into contemporary culture in amazing ways as he continued releasing new songs into 2020. Who could forget the iconic, comedic and uplifting moment in My Best Friend’s Wedding when Rupert Everett started crooning I Say a Little Prayer before the whole table started singing along or when Kristen Wiig awkwardly started singing That’s What Friends are For at her best friend’s engagement party in Bridesmaids?

The Look Of Love Santa Monica 2022 Skye Schmidt

Burt Bacharach passed away in February 2023 so it was more than fitting to perform this dedication at the almost two-year anniversary of his passing. Kicking off with the Grammy award-winning and what Bacharach said was his favorite composition Alfie, The Mark Morris Dance Group embarks on a vivid journey in song and dance through an array of Bacharach’s popular hits.

Blaire Reinhard and Clinton Curtis create mellifluous harmony from the orchestra pit as dancers inhabit the stage for What the World Needs Now amid Nicole Pearce’s multicolored lighting which is at times luminous against Isaac Mizrahi’s multicolored assortment of flowing costumes and other times, overwhelming which can be a suitable description of love itself, striking a barrage of color before coming into luminous focus. The dancers are what coming into focus as brightly colored metal chairs and matching pillows complete this minimal set.

Bacharach has an array of peppy and sophisticated songs such as Do You Know the Way to San Jose, but Reinhard and Perry are at their best articulating heartache. Reinhard has an amazing belt and throws herself into Don’t Make Me Over and delivers charged vocals for Walk on By as dancers stride in rows concluding on a poignant moment of a woman looking on in the distance. Her expressive vocals for Are You There (With Another Girl) and Anyone Who Had a Heart in bold red lighting emphasize the pain of lost love, rejection and heartache while Curtis’s smooth vocals rise for The Look of Love in a dizzying display as dancers drift and sway in a green and purple backdrop punctuated by a tender embrace.

Ethan Iverson’s unique music arrangements deliver a fresh and exciting use of Bacharach’s work exemplified in the tapping and gradually athletic and urgent pace as light flashes overhead for Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head.

This performance boasts mini situational love scenes depicted in Mark Morris’s storytelling choreography which includes a lip syncing karaoke singer for Message to Michael and other times dancer spin, leaping and soar at times quite literally depicting the lyrics in spreading wings or miming making a call.

The foreboding, kooky and funky vibe for The Blob reveals shadows of dancers possessed by a catchy beat. It is oddly comical in its red hued essence with the group in on the camp not to be taken too seriously.

UCSB Arts & Lectures – Mark Morris Dance Group “The Look of Love” 5/6/23 The Granada Theatre

The full company unites on a high note for I Say a Little Prayer with a joyful, fluttering, and sweet display amid a vibrant purple backdrop and a warm embrace much like the show began with a message of love, hope and support amid life’s suffering and struggles.

Though at times it can be visually overwhelming, The Mark Morris Dance Group provides an uplifting tribute to the genius that is Burt Bacharach and why his universal appeal and lasting impact will be celebrated for many generations to come.

Global Arts Live presented The Mark Morris Dance Group’s The Look of Love for a limited engagement from January 23 to 25 at the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. Click here for more information, here for more on Global Arts Live and here for Mark Morris Dance Group’s next tour destination.

REVIEW: From smooth to spirited, Malpaso Dance Company, presented by Celebrity Series of Boston, lights up a rhythmic nation

Posted on January 23, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

Malpaso Dance Company brings vibrancy to a crescendo saving the best for last.

Artistically directed by Osnel Delgado and co-founded by Delgado and Fernando Sáez, Malpaso Dance Company delivers a multi-faceted performance in three distinct pieces infusing jazz and a variety of international rhythms to create an upbeat, smooth, comical, and lively look at the many international cultures infused into Cuban dance.

Celebrity Series of Boston presented Malpaso Dance Company for three exclusive performances during one weekend only from January 17 to 18 live and in person at Emerson Paramount Center in Boston Massachusetts and is currently on tour. This energetic and layered production ran approximately 90 minutes with one intermission. Click here for more information, here for more on Celebrity Series of Boston’s upcoming events and here to find out where is Malpaso Dance Company’s next tour destination.

Malpaso Dance Company’s Osnel Delgado, Esteban Aguilar, Esven Gonzalez in Ephrat Asherie’s Flor…y Ando. PHOTO by Robert Torres

Simply staged and fueled by Manuel Da Silva’s moody haze and filtered spotlight, the production kicks off to a smooth start with Ephrat Asherie’s dynamic choreography featuring dance trio Esteban Aguilar, Osnel Delgado, and Esven González in street clothes and sneakers as they interconnect nimbly to Aldo López Gavilán ‘s piano-infused and ballet-inspired jazz rhythms. Floor..y Ando is a fresh, brief and low key piece offering a building transition with the pieces that follow which gradually transcends into rollicking, drumming, and pulsing rhythms.

Malpaso Dance Company in Ronald K. Brown’s Why You Follow PHOTO by Robert Torres

Exploring a wide spectrum of cultures, Why You Follow is a long form dance by Ronald K. Brown that delves into upbeat, rolling and mellifluous rhythms from subtle to joyous. Clifton Taylor’s warm and multi-colored lighting featuring red embellished tones boasts an inviting quality with each step. Featuring a black backdrop and street clothes embossed by a red flourish, the full company joins together for a combination of freestyle, in sync, and competing moves clapping, sliding, leaping and spinning in bare feet to an array of memorable and catchy rhythms that span from music artists Zap Mama to The Heavy Quarterz. Breaking off into different groups, these infectious and groovy rhythms make a statement while bringing a brighter spring into each well crafted step by Esteban Aguilar, Daileidys Carrazana, Osnel Delgado, Dayron Dominguez, Esven González, Liz Marian Lorenzo, Laura Rodríguez, Iliana Solis, Jennifer Suárez Ramos, Carlos Valladares, and Greta Yero.

Malpaso Dance Company members Carlos Valladares, Laura Rodriguez, Esven Gonzalez in Osnel Delgado’s A Dancing Island. PHOTO by Robert Torres

Each individual piece builds in mood and intensity and A Dancing Island serves as a grand finale with a bolder, playful, energetic and theatrical performance steeped in horn-infused rhythms and island sounds. Featuring a variety of warm, flirtatious and subtle comedic moments, A Dancing Island rides a string of lighthearted emotion demonstrated in trembling knees as well as fluttering, winding, and galloping dance moves. Featuring the full cast, this grand finale mixes the traditional with the contemporary in a string of sporadic humor, tender moments, Osnel Delgado’s tight choreography and playful intonations. Manuel Da Silva’s animated lighting design sparks to the rhythm while transforming into luminous blues, pinks, and reds. Featuring high socks, suspenders, and flowing skirts included in Guido Gali’s vibrant costume design, A Dancing Island delivers breezy charm in traditional Cuban dances to piano and horn-infused rhythms which includes spoken word and silent dance.

Malpaso Dance Company members Esven Gonzalez, Daile Carrazana in Osnel Delgado’s A Dancing Island. PHOTO by Robert Torres

From subtle to catchy to exuberant, Malpaso Dance Company can have moments of repetition, but more often delivers uplifting charm and athletic precision to vivid and compelling cultural rhythms.

Malpaso Dance Company member l-r Iliana Solis, Liz Marian Rodriguez, Laura Rodriguez, Dayron Dominguez and Daile Carrazana in Osnel Delgado’s A Dancing Island. PHOTO by Robert Torres

Celebrity Series of Boston presented Malpaso Dance Company for three exclusive performances during one weekend only from January 17 to 18 live and in person at Emerson Paramount Center in Boston Massachusetts. Click here for more information, here for more on Celebrity Series of Boston’s upcoming events and here to find out where is Malpaso Dance Company’s next tour destination.

REVIEW: The Martha Graham Dance Company, presented by Celebrity Series of Boston, demonstrates its lasting impact

Posted on December 6, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

Americana played a significant role in a number of meaningful dance performances as Celebrity Series of Boston presented Martha Graham Dance Company for two exclusive performances from Friday, November 22 to Saturday, November 23 live and in person at the Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. The show ran 1 hour 40 minutes with one intermission. Click here for more information and where Martha Graham Dance Company will perform next nearing its centennial year and here for Celebrity Series of Boston’s upcoming events.

Martha Graham Dance Company in Graham’s “Dark Meadow Suite” PHOTO by Robert Torres for Celebrity Series of Boston

Exploring dance through various generations, The Martha Graham Dance Company delivered an intriguing mix of traditional and contemporary performances infusing an array of music genres including classical and tambourine-tinged Americana through storytelling and vivid and symbolic imagery. From comical to sensual to bold, this distinct selection of dance performances shared some common themes while making a rich and unique impression during each of the four performances.

A leader in the Modernist movement, Martha Graham Company’s Dark Meadow Suite explores a Mexican feel featuring a burnt orange landscape lit by Nick Hung and dancers are adorned in matching burnt orange, black and white layered gowns. Carlos Chávez’s oboe and fiddle-infused rhythms brings poignancy to the music’s powerful tempo. It is a sweeping and sensual piece boasted by sharp and sweeping movements as dancers entwine and lean on each other in an elegant trio of pas de deux.

Martha Graham Dance Company in Graham’s “Dark Meadow Suite” PHOTO by Robert Torres for Celebrity Series of Boston jpg

Lloyd Knight and Anne Souder’s pas de deux evokes a flourishing intensity hastening and pulsing in unison as the fiddle grinds and they both gazed upward. Lloyd’s solo is full of athletic charisma in sharp and carefully executed movements and occasionally dancing on his heels.

Agnes DeMille’s Rodeo combines bluegrass, tap and folk in an upbeat and exuberant piece by Cecil B. DeMille’s niece that first made its debut in 1942. A famed dancer and choreographer, De Mille demonstrates her multifaceted skills not only through this beautifully choreographed ballet, but through compelling storytelling that could have easily translated to film as it does onstage.

Martha Graham Dance Company in Agnes de Mille’s “Rodeo” PHOTO by Robert Torres for Celebrity Series of Boston

Set in various western settings including a prairie, Rodeo focuses on a cowgirl captivatingly portrayed by Laurel Dally Smith who bursts onto the scene galloping with lively authenticity and endearing comic charm marching to the beat of her own drum. Dressed as a cowboy and remarkably expressive, the cowgirl finds herself not quite fitting in anywhere. Smith’s confidence and rambunctiousness seems to come off awkwardly with the ladies and not quite acceptable to the cowboys. Smith’s self-assured individuality displays her earnestness and determination yet leads her to daydream in isolation.

Aaron Copland’s jubilant score and heart thumping rhythms with a country twang keeps this short tale lighthearted as Smith brings a sympathetic and fanciful nature to this role. Surrounded by happy couples, Smith is taken by the romance of it all and displays not an ounce of jealousy, but soaking in her surroundings as she craves to belong.

The complementary array of Oana Botez’s pastel colored western attire and period pieces embroidered in floral patterns with distinct hats beautifully stand out against each of Beowulf Boritt’s picturesque settings. Accented by clapping and jubilant dance, Lloyd Knight’s sporadic instructions to the beat lead the dance as Square Dance Caller. They are the only spoken words in the piece and lends to the carefree and romantic atmosphere prevalent in this performance. De Mille creates a dreamlike and fanciful world as the cowboys flirt and skirt chase in lively dance routines that include couples partnering in sweeping pas de deux.

Richard Villaverde and the Martha Graham Dance Company in Agnes de Mille’s “Rodeo” PHOTO by Robert Torres for Celebrity Series of Boston

Richard Villaverde as The Champion Roper not only delivers some sweet scenes with Smith, but an excellent tap dancing solo to heart thumping rhythms.

Rodeo’s conclusion is unexpected and somewhat indicative of the time the piece was performed. It is a comical, heartfelt and romantic piece sharing some similarities to De Mille’s artistry in Oklahoma while it explores discovering your place in the world.

Martha Graham’s Lamentation proves that a piece does not need to be long to have a lasting impact. Originally performed in 1930 and infused with fiddle-infused rhythms by Zoltán Kodály, So Young An depicts powerlessness and grief perfectly and poignantly barefoot and bogged down by her clothing in limiting dress and engulfed in its masses and yet reaching out.

So Young An in Martha Graham’s “Lamentation” PHOTO by Robert Torres for Celebrity Series of Boston

When one is speechless, say it through art. We the People, choreographed with a catchy country tinge by Jamar Roberts this year, makes powerful statements in various segments that kick off in dance before the music begins. At once playful, then winding, but consistently commanding the stage, We the People is a powerful array of tight, unified and symbolic chorography on a black backdrop. In Karen Young’s denim-inspired attire, the dancers seemingly get swept up in the music as they twist, stomp, and slice the air to infectious tambourine-tinged and fiddle-induced rhythms. Bold and tenacious, performers clap and spin to a driving beat creating vivid imagery and making a lasting impact about the modern world.

Martha Graham Dance Company in Jamar Roberts’ “We The People” PHOTO by Robert Torres for Celebrity Series of Boston

Celebrity Series of Boston presented Martha Graham Dance Company for two exclusive performances from Friday, November 22 to Saturday, November 23 live and in person at Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts. Click here for more information and where Martha Graham Dance Company will perform next nearing its centennial year and here for Celebrity Series of Boston’s upcoming events.

REVIEW: Speakeasy Stage delivers crackling chemistry and lots of ‘Laughs in Spanish’

Posted on October 2, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

Down in Wynwood, Miami, Florida, Mari is in a panic.

On the eve of one of the most important events of her art career, Mari’s gallery Studio 6 has been robbed.

However, those surrounding Mari are not reacting in quite the same way. Uptight, stressed and just about at her wit’s end, Rebekah Rae Robles as Mari is determined to get to the bottom of it and somehow salvage the event. In braids and silky loungewear, Luz Lopez as intern Caro and Daniel Rios, Jr. as Caro’s boyfriend Officer Jaun take note of what is happening, but seem a little more interested in each other.

Rebekah Rae Robles, Daniel Rios Jr. and Luz Lopez in SpeakEasy Stage’s ‘Laughs in Spanish’

Directed exuberantly by Mariela Lopez-Ponce and in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, SpeakEasy Stage Company opened its 34^th season with Alexis Scheer’s lively comedy Laughs in Spanish continuing live and in person at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts through Saturday, October 12. This quick witted production has strong language and is 90 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Rebekah Rae Robles, Brogan Nelson, Luz Lopez and Daniel Rios Jr. in SpeakEasy Stage’s ‘Laughs in Spanish’

Rebecca Glick’s stylish costumes feature bold colors and vibrant patterns indicative of each character’s personality and especially prevalent of Robles as Mari in a serious gray suit. Alexis Scheer boasts a refreshing script with good pacing, surprising revelations, and a wild dose of complicated family dynamics as well as a comical cast with crackling chemistry. Robles as Mari seems as wound about as tightly as her celebrity, model, and movie star mother Estella is vivacious and carefree. Making quite the grand and unconventional entrance, dramatic, spectacular, and self-centered Paola Ferrer as Estella appears to revel in her role as the adventurous life of the party. Quick thinking, reposed and resourceful, there is much more to Ferrer’s Estella who delivers a standout performance embellished by a poignant and heartfelt monologue later on in the production. Robles and Ferrer share a natural, relatable and yet complicated mother and daughter dynamic as these seeming opposites humorously searching for common ground. Lopez as intern Carol and Rios Jr. as Officer Juan are adorable and genuinely funny as they bicker and flirt attempting to help Mari, but finding themselves in complications of their own.

Paola Ferrer and Rebekah Rae Robles in SpeakEasy Stage’s ‘Laughs in Spanish’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

With an uplifting Latin-inspired dance soundtrack, Laughs in Spanish boasts a multipurpose split set by Erik D. Diaz featuring an array of tropical greenery with wicker-infused furniture adorned with twinkling lights on one side and a pristine white and mustard colored studio with missing canvases, modern furniture and soft lighting on the other setting a sophisticated yet festive city tone. This split set doubles the laughs as action often occurs simultaneously on both sides, especially in a notable performance by Brogan Nelson as Estella’s giddy and awkward assistant Jenny in a memorable solo piece of silent, physical humor as cast members converse in the other room.

Rebekah Rae Robles and the cast of ‘Laughs in Spanish’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios.

If you are looking for an upbeat, playful, and lighthearted piece of theatre with some interesting twists, modern pop references and a bit of mystery and family dysfunction with Latino flair, SpeakEasy Stage delivers plenty of Laughs in Spanish.

The cast of SpeakEasy Stage’s ‘Laughs in Spanish’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Directed exuberantly by Mariela Lopez-Ponce and in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, SpeakEasy Stage Company continues Alexis Scheer’s lively comedy Laughs in Spanish continuing live and in person at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts through Saturday, October 12. This quick witted production has strong language and is 90 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.