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REVIEW:  Exiled Theatre’s disquieting and a bit fuzzy trilogy thriller ‘Hauntings I Have Lived Through’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Three lost women.  One embraces it, one denies it, and one leans into it.

In their first show since the pandemic, Exiled Theatre presented Hauntings I Have Lived Through, a trilogy thriller that took place live and in person at Boston Playwrights Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, November 19.  Written and directed by James Wilkinson, the show was 80 minutes without an intermission.  Click here for more information on future performances.

From L to R: Laura Crook Waxdal, Morganna Becker, and Alex Alexander in Exiled Theatre’s ‘Hauntings I Have Lived Through’ Photo credit to James Wikinson

The set, which included a water pitcher and empty glass on a wooden desk sitting on top of a colorful Egyptian rug, is simply staged but each character handles the set differently.  The harp-laden, eerie music fits the ominous aura between scenes.

Hauntings I Have Lived Through may hint at a collection of ghost stories especially since it was delivered just after Halloween, but this is not entirely the case.  Three separate women recall enduring unique types of trauma.  However, coping with occasional moments of dark humor, their reactions are relatable even in the darkest of circumstances. 

In The Hanging Tree, an increasing anxious and somewhat disheveled woman approaches the desk.  She admits to coming off a tough breakup, though the breakup is mostly incidental to the show’s real story. The real story develops from an offhanded remark about a mysterious Sycamore tree in her woodsy backyard of a house she is becoming increasingly uncomfortable residing in.  With darting eyes, increasingly shaking hands, and a pale and stricken expression as she utters the anxiety laden yet humorous remark, ‘Pause for effect’ is effective as a rare light in Alex Alexander’s character’s bleak testimony before veering into an unpredictable direction.

Alex Alexander in Exiled Theatre’s ‘Hauntings I Have Lived Through’ Photo credit to James Wilkinson

Morganna Becker’s character has been through a lot, but her frank, sarcastic and chatty tone hints of denial as she recalls a macabre event in the show’s second part, Nora (All Over).  This chapter is a bit muddled and at times difficult to follow, but there is no denying that this woman has also been through defining trauma.  As Becker recounts her story as if incidentally recalling the difficulties of a typically tough day, there is a fear behind her engaging, yet guarded demeanor.  This story is particularly graphic and gory while Becker takes it in as if she is a spectator in her own life.  Her subtle fear keeps her sympathetic as if she will at any minute grasp the gravity of what she has experienced.

Morganna Becker in Exiled Theatre’s ‘Hauntings I Have Lived Through’ Photo credit to James Wilkinson

The finale, The Dark Lady Gospels, delves into experienced trauma, but does not seem to belong with the other parts of the trilogy.  Laura Crook Waxdal delivers a strong performance as a twisted evangelist, but this compassionate woman does not practice what she preaches.  This part seems more parlor trick and diatribe than what could have been a meaty exploration into this complicated and abandoned woman’s character.  Perhaps her practices are a veiled attempt to cope with trauma, but even so, what she preaches seems beside the point and bereft of hope.  As a woman with a considerable amount to live for, it does not fit squarely into the show’s premise and gradually strays too far from its focus hinging more on fear than exploration.

Laura Crook Waxdal in Exiled Theatre’s ‘Hauntings I Have Lived Through’ Photo credit to James Wilkinson

Exiled Theatre presented Hauntings I Have Lived Through, a trilogy thriller that took place live and in person at Boston Playwrights Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, November 19.  Written and directed by James Wilkinson, the show was 80 minutes without an intermission.  Click here for more information on future performances.

REVIEW:  The Wonder of ‘Phillis in Boston’ presented by Revolutionary Spaces

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

What does a promising poet who is also a slave do to become a beacon of hope under seemingly impossible circumstances?

Anything she can and beyond.

Revolutionary Spaces presents original play ‘Phillis in Boston’ through December 3.

Based on a true story and in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, Revolutionary Spaces presents Ade Solanke’s semi-immersive original play Phillis in Boston continuing at the historic Old South Meeting House in Boston, MA live and in person through December 3.  With enlightening direction by Regge Life, this historical and educational drama runs 90 minutes with no intermission and without a bad seat in the house.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

The world should know more about visionary, promising poet and slave Phillis Wheatley.

Phillis in Boston is simply staged surrounded by Old South Meeting House’s regal setting and embellishes Chloe Moore and Athena Parkman’s detailed and authentic colonial prewar costumes in lace, wool, and cotton.  Phillis’s colorful and distinctive gown is a particular highlight.

Old South Meeting House setting of ‘Phillis in Boston’ Photo credit to Revolutionary Spaces

Set in late 1773, this groundbreaking, world premiere production delves into the lives of a group of dynamic individuals who set out to make an extraordinary difference at a pivotal time in history.  Very likely taking place at the historic Old South Meeting House which is also celebrating its 300th anniversary, Adreyanua Jean-Louis as Phillis, Bobby Cius as John Peters, Joshua Olumide as Prince Hall, and Serenity S’rae as Obour Tanner must ban together on a mission to be heard. 

Adreyanua Jean-Louis as Phillis and Serenity S’rae in ‘Phillis in Boston’ Photo credit to Revolutionary Spaces

Named after a slave ship and at the center of this production is Phillis herself portrayed with optimistic integrity by Adreyanua Jean-Louis,  Phillis in Boston offers a unique and heartfelt perspective of this courageous woman.  In spite of her struggles, Jean-Louis as Phillis remains humble yet forward thinking with a constant vision of breaking through boundaries.  Instantly likable and through powerful faith, Phillis sees that narrow path to success and ardently reaches for it.  Not so sure is Phillis’s caring and genuinely loyal Rhode Island confidante Obour Tanner, delivered with an impressive mix of dry humor and solemn reason by Serenity S’rae.  S’rae conveys some chilling and hard truths as she carefully counsels Phillis about pursuing this seemingly impossible dream.  Intense and focused Prince Hall depicted charismatically by Joshua Olumide, and Bobby Cius as charming yet mysterious John Peters gradually reveal their own part in Phillis’s uncertain future.

Joshua Olumide as Prince Hall, Adreyanua Jean-Louis as Phillis and Serenity S’rae as Obour Tanner in ‘Phillis in Boston’ Photo credit to Revolutionary Spaces

While a show like Revolution’s Edge delivered immediate intensity, Phillis in Boston relies on a gradual and reassuring build, culminating in a powerful confrontation between Jean-Louis and Priscilla Manning as needy, grieving, stubborn and conflicted Susanna Wheatley.  Jean-Louis’s nurturing nature towards Manning is multi-faceted but also enforced. The history of Jean-Louis and Manning’s complex connection comes to light in an enthralling, intense, and pivotal scene where both actresses are at their brightest.  With Brendan F. Doyle’s versatile array of immersive sound effects and a notable version of Amazing Grace, it is difficult to imagine that Phillis of Boston could not have a significant effect on us all.

Bobby Cius, Serenity S’rae, Adreyanua Jean-Louis, and Joshua Olumide in ‘Phillis in Boston’ Photo credit to Revolutionary Spaces

Based on a true story and in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, Revolutionary Spaces presents Ade Solanke’s semi-immersive original play Phillis in Boston continuing at the historic Old South Meeting House in Boston, MA live and in person through December 3.  With enlightening direction by Regge Life, this historical drama runs 90 minutes with no intermission and without a bad seat in the house.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Boasting a superb and jovial cast, Boston Lyric Opera’s Boston-based ‘La Cenerentola (Cinderella)’ conjures practical magic

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

This Cinderella keeps it local and conjures a bit more practical magic.

Stage directed with charm and finesse by Dawn M. Simmons and infused with Gioachino Rossini’s lively and whimsical music, Boston Lyric Opera presented Jacopo Ferretti’s Italian libretto La Cenerentola (Cinderella) live and in person at Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston, MA for one weekend only through Sunday, November 12.  Click here for more information and for a closer look at Boston Lyric Opera’s new season.

Move over glass slipper and fairy godmother and hello fashionistas and Amazon drivers.  Cinderella is getting the city treatment with a few contemporary twists, but keeping its sparkling delivery and timeless moral message from a modern penthouse apartment overlooking the city of Boston.

ANGELINA (CECELIA HALL) MAKES HER ENTRANCE TO THE ROYAL BALL IN BOSTON LYRIC OPERA’S PRODUCTION OF LA CENERENTOLA (CINDERELLA) Photo by Nile Scott Studios

The Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre’s ornate theatrical setting is so fitting for Jenna McFarland Lord’s sophisticated and elaborate set design featuring two towering lit lamp posts.  From a pristine, lightly furnished penthouse apartment to a starlit, fantasy masquerade garden party embellished with vines chasing the walls, a wrought iron staircase, and twinkling lights, Lord builds up the fanciful spirit of this modern fairy tale.

La Cenerentola, spoken in Italian with English subtitles, is a spin of the traditional fairytale Cinderella and centers around an imaginative woman who lives with the Baron and his two daughters and must cater to their every whim.  When Don Ramiro shows up at the Baron’s doorstep, change just might be in the air.

DON MAGNIFICO, (BRANDON CEDEL, L.) IS THE WICKED STEPFATHER TO TISBE (ALEXIS PEART, C.) AND DANA LYNNE VARGA IN BOSTON LYRIC OPERA’S PRODUCTION OF LA CENERENTOLA (CINDERELLA) Photo by Nile Scott Studios

However, some things haven’t changed in soprano Dana Lynne Varga as Clorinda and mezzo soprano Alexis Peart as Tisbe, Cinderella’s self-absorbed, scornful, and gold digging wicked stepsisters who can barely see beyond their mirrors (or in this case, their phones and selfie rings).  The duo possesses certain regality in their bookend statures, if it was not for their disdain for others.  Feathers, diamond encrusted bowties, crushed velvet, lace, and floral embroidery is just a portion of Trevor Bowen’s glittering, extravagant and fanciful costume design.  Cecelia Hall as Angelina seems to simply float in her idyllic emerald gown.  Don Magnifico, otherwise known as The Baron depicted with scene stealing glee by bass baritone Brandon Cedel, shares his daughters’ conceitedness decked out in rings, an earring, and carefully coiffed hair.  Cedel waltzes around the apartment in self congratulatory bliss unless something or someone ruffles his flawless feathers.  Though Cedel’s Baron does have a threatening side, Cedel spends much more time as a humorous ham as he flirts and shows off fun loving comic charm.

ANGELINA (CECELIA HALL) DREAMS OF A NEW LIFE FAR FROM WHERE SHE LIVES IN BOSTON LYRIC OPERA’S PRODUCTION OF LA CENERENTOLA (CINDERELLA) Photo by Nile Scott Studios

In suspenders and doo rag cap, mezzo soprano Cecelia Hall gracefully portrays modest, tactful, and compassionate Angelina with agile vocals, shining especially in the production’s quieter moments.  A sidelong glance, demure blush, and a barely concealed impish smile and gaiety escape her while she tends to her endless household duties, especially in the charismatic presence of tenor Levy Sekgapane as Don Ramiro.  Sekgapone’s dazzling vocals and captivating rapport with Hall make for some of the production’s most delightful moments and Ferretti’s libretto wisely delves further into Ramiro’s persona than other Cinderella productions. 

CLORINDA AND TISBE (DANA LYNNE VARGA, LEFT AND ALEXIS PEART, RIGHT) ARE CHARMED BY DANDINI (LEVI HERNANDEZ), WHILE DON RAMIRO (LEVY SEKGAPANE, R) LOOKS ON IN BOSTON LYRIC OPERA’S PRODUCTION OF LA CENERENTOLA

Hall also shares a sweet camaraderie with bass baritone James Demler through a good deed as humble and quick witted Amazon driver and part narrator Alidoro.  Both Demler and Levi Hernandez as Dandini are immediately likable from the start.  Demler’s gravitas and commanding vocals deliver some wondrous surprises while baritone Hernandez’s soaring vocals as Dandini show they are much more than meet the eye.

CLORINDA AND TISBE (DANA LYNNE VARGA, LEFT AND ALEXIS PEART, RIGHT) ARE CHARMED BY DANDINI (LEVI HERNANDEZ), WHILE DON RAMIRO (LEVY SEKGAPANE, R) LOOKS ON IN BOSTON LYRIC OPERA’S PRODUCTION OF LA CENERENTOLA

Gioanchino Rossini’s urgent rhythms, quick pacing, and playful, melodic dialogues enchant while the lightning speed of some of the libretto demonstrate the collective and extraordinary skill of this engaging cast.  With a few more refreshing twists and turns than in Cinderella’s traditional tale, Boston Lyric Opera’s La Cenerentola (Cinderella) embarks on a humorous and jovial journey while emphasizing the power of love and grace in all circumstances.

CLORINDA AND TISBE (DANA LYNNE VARGA, LEFT AND ALEXIS PEART, RIGHT) ARE CHARMED BY DANDINI (LEVI HERNANDEZ), WHILE DON RAMIRO (LEVY SEKGAPANE, R) LOOKS ON IN BOSTON LYRIC OPERA’S PRODUCTION OF LA CENERENTOLA

Stage directed with charm and finesse by Dawn M. Simmons and infused with Gioachino Rossini’s lively and whimsical music, Boston Lyric Opera presented Jacopo Ferretti’s Italian libretto La Cenerentola (Cinderella) live and in person at Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston, MA for one weekend only through Sunday, November 12.  Click here for more information and for a closer look at Boston Lyric Opera’s new season.

REVIEW:  Hub Theatre Company of Boston’s ‘Book of Will’ is storytelling at its best

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

‘Good stories make for good lives.’

Just one of the many insightful musings that Lauren Gunderson injects into The Book of Will which is a rollicking, meaty and glorious tribute to Shakespeare and storytelling.  Get thee to The Book of Will! 

Lauren Elias and the cast of Hub Theatre Company of Greater Boston’s ‘The Book of Will’ Photo by Hub Theatre Company of Boston

Directed exquisitely by Bryn Boice, Hub Theatre Company of Boston continues Lauren Gunderson’s The Book of Will live and in person at The Boston Center for the Arts through Sunday, November 12.  The show is approximately two hours with one intermission and always, a pay what you can production.  Not a bad seat in the house.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

The show begins with a comedic flourish and keeps its energetic pacing throughout the production.  It is three years after Shakespeare’s death and a group of men gather and contemplate Shakespeare’s genius as well as the butchery and liberties that some theatres have taken since to depict his work over a pint at a tap house next to the famous Globe Theatre in London.  How to keep Shakespeare’s work alive the way it should be remembered?

Jessica Golden and the cast of Hub Theatre Company of Boston’s ‘The Book of Will’ Photo credit to Hub Theatre Company of Boston

The Book of Will offers commentary on many aspects of Shakespeare’s work and delivers some Shakespeare references and quotes passionately, but it is not necessary to be a Shakespeare fan to enjoy the humor and sheer love of the written word and theatre.   

The famous skull and brethren in Hub Theatre Company of Boston’s ‘The Book of Will’ Photo credit to Hub Theatre Company of Boston

The cast has crackling chemistry with commanding as well as shrewd comedic timing.  No one is afraid to go too far for a laugh or to capture meaningful moments.  Some of the performers take on dual roles which will not be revealed here.

Jessica Golden and Cleveland Nicoll are an adorable young couple while Laura Rocklyn and Brendan O’Neill are powerful and wise as they deal with challenging aspects of their long term marriage.  Rocklyn and O’Neill evoke a different form of endearing relationship.  Rocklyn, Nicoll, and O’Neill later share a powerful and beautiful sequence, especially demonstrated by O’Neill, as Nicoll and O’Neil contemplate the meaning of love and life.  Rocklyn is just one of many wise and wonderful female characters in this production.

Cleveland Nicoll’s shows off sharp comedic timing through his scene stealing expressions, eye rolls, stubbornness and outrage while Dev Lutra delivers a commanding and charismatic performance as Burbridge, the head of the King’s Men.   John Blair also offers a fascinating performance as Poet Laureate and Shakespeare’s ‘frenemy’ Ben Johnson.

Hub Theatre Company of Boston’s ‘The Book of Will’ set Photo by Hub Theatre Company of Boston

Payton Tavares’s straightforward set design features a timely wooden half moon stage, two tables and surrounding stools with barrels in the background and enhanced by rope.  Ellie De Lucia’s authentic Elizabethan era costumes feature gold trimmed vests and buttons, silky grand gowns, Venetian breeches, wingtip shoes, spectacles, corsets, peasant blouses with some rich colors and patterns.

What else is there to say but see this wonderful production that shall bring as much joy as it will stir the soul.

Directed exquisitely by Bryn Boice, Hub Theatre Company of Boston continues Lauren Gunderson’s The Book of Will live and in person at The Boston Center for the Arts through Sunday, November 12.  The show is approximately two hours with one intermission and always, a pay what you can production.  Not a bad seat in the house.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Imaginary Beasts conjures a boisterous ‘The Spider and the Fly’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

With a collection of zany characters such as a Moth, a Praying Mantis, a Gossamer Fairy, Figment, a Land Octopus, and a sleepy constable named Bluebottle, it is clear that The Spider and the Fly has no shortage of zealous imagination.

With so many productions that rely on the zip and zing of digital effects, CGI, and AI, it is exhilarating to see director Matthew Woods solely rely on homespun creativity and audience interaction to bring to life a vivid and unpredictable gothic children’s tale.

Imaginary Beasts ‘The Spider and the Fly’ cast Photo by Matthew Woods

Directed artfully by Matthew Woods, Imaginary Beasts presents live and in person Kiki Samko and Matthew Woods’s The Spider and the Fly or the Tangled Web (a gothic pantomime) through October 29 live and in person at Chelsea Theatre Works in Chelsea, Massachusetts.  The show is one hour and 40 minutes with a 10 minute intermission and is recommended for children 5 and up.  Click here for more information and for tickets that are quickly selling out.

Blending vintage with the contemporary, The Spider and the Fly is quite the inquisitive adventure with lots of high jinks, scheming, plotting, sleuthing, and memorable and poetic dialogue that delivers a meaningful message about inspiration, friendship, and doing what is right.  A panto is a form of wintertime family entertainment in the UK that weaves in puns, wordplay, jokes, and more.  The Spider and the Fly is somewhat a panto within a panto as the cast embarks on an ardent journey to inspire a writer inside the writer’s own head.

Brooks Reeves as King Cumbercrown in Imaginary Beasts ‘The Spider and the Fly’ Photo by Matthew Woods

Brooks Reeves relishes in the part of King Cumbercrown who will stop at nothing to stop the Panto from happening, even if it means corrupting everyone in his path.  Reeves is up to no good and his scheming and crafty behavior is such fun to watch as Reeves’s blue face scowls and sneers at the any sign of happiness and joy behind hypno spiral goggles.

The black and purple painted set design by Jason Taschereau has a vintage and mesmerizing quality while Cotton-Talbot-Minkin’s captivating and colorful costumes exude a gothic, fanciful and vintage edge with a dash of steam punk.  As the look is inspired by silent films, outrageous patterns combine with bow ties, top hats, sparkling converse sneakers, lace, corduroy, pearls, flowered shoes and boots.   Though it is gothic, it is not scary, but creative, inviting, and imaginative. 

Laura Detwiler as the Great Author and Brooks Reeves as King Cumbercrown in Imaginary Beasts ‘The Spider and The Fly’ Photo by Matthew Woods

The continual audience engagement fuels this wild tale that does meander and veer off course occasionally, but it is difficult to notice with such a lively cast of characters that weave in some random contemporary pop and winking adult references.  The Wednesday dance challenge, Rhianna, and random television show references are just a few examples. 

Jamie Semel as Young Woodby and Evan Turissini as Madame Bijou in Imaginary Beasts ‘The Spider and the Fly’

Some of the cast depicts more than one role.  Evan Turissini is all drama and also relishes in the part of lovelorn, flirty, and attention-seeking Madame Bijou, especially while vying for the attention of Bluebottle, portrayed with British flair by Colin McIntire.  Sophia Yael Koevary as Daisy Mae and Jamie Semel as Young Woodby share some sweet scenes.  With choreographer Laura Detwiler’s dynamic choreography, Camille Charlier as the Gossamer Fairy and Lindsay Eagle as The Ghost of Mary Whosie-Whatsit perform a  harmonious rendition of Mills Brothers’ The Glow Worm.  Another memorable tune comes straight from the audience as the cast invites the crowd to believe in a spark, depicted by Erin FM and navigated by Beth Owens.

For a show about inspiration, The Spider and the Fly doesn’t need much coaching as it delves into this exciting production with a quick pace with lots of heart.

Imaginary Beasts presents live and in person Kiki Samko and Matthew Woods’s The Spider and the Fly or the Tangled Web (a gothic pantomime) through October 29 at Chelsea Theatre Works in Chelsea, Massachusetts.  The show is one hour and 40 minutes with a 10 minute intermission and is recommended for children 5 and up.  Click here for more information and for tickets that are quickly selling out.

REVIEW:  Between laughter and rage, the Huntington Theatre, Alliance Theatre, and Front Porch Arts Collective’s leaves food for thought with ‘Fat Ham’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Whether in a kingdom or a small town, rumors still fly.

However, at this small town barbeque and with the audience as small town witnesses, Juicy has to overcome more than a Fat Ham to make things right within his wild and dysfunctional family.

Based partially on Shakespeare’s classic production Hamlet and conscientiously directed by Stevie Walker-Webb, the Huntington Theatre in association with Alliance Theatre and Front Porch Arts Collective presents James IJames’s semi-interactive dramedy Fat Ham through Sunday, October 29 live and in person at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, MA.  This Pulitzer prize-winning show is 90 minutes with no intermission and contains mature themes and strong language.  Click here for more information and tickets.

Marshall W. Mabry IV, Lau’rie Roach. The Huntington’s Fat Ham by James Ijames. Directed by Stevie Walker-Webb. Photo by T Charles Erickson.

What is refreshing about this contemporary iteration of Hamlet is not only is it much more of a comedy than a tragedy, but it also roots itself far more into the family dynamic than even Shakespeare portrayed.  Watching Hamlet, one assumes that the king and his son had a traditional and loving father-son relationship.  What if it everything was far more complicated?  What if the father is not the model dad that a child grows to admire?  Fat Ham bears a resemblance to the classic production in key plot points, but then flips the script and transitions into its own entity that delves into the cycle of intergenerational trauma swinging from ruthless, creepy and suspenseful to not taking itself too seriously. 

Rather than Hamlet standing for Juicy, the metaphorical star of this production is just what one roasts during a barbecue, a fat pig as a grill takes center stage.  However, there is a struggle of who is king of this house as Juicy’s father has just died and Juicy’s uncle suspiciously soon after marries Juicy’s mom, Tedra. 

Victoria Omoregie, Thomika Marie Bridwell, Lau’rie Roach, Amar Atkins, Marshall W. Mabry IV. The Huntington’s Fat Ham by James Ijames. Directed by Stevie Walker-Webb. Photo by T Charles Erickson.

Fat Ham is humorously set in ‘Virginia or Maryland or Tennessee’ and in a small town where gossip travels fast.  Luciana Stecconi’s working class set design boasts tiny, multi-functional and mood setting white lights that adorn a large tree on a dilapidated back porch strewn with arbitrary clothes hanging on a disheveled clothesline.  Baby shower balloons, a tire swing, grill and a fire pit surround a half decorated picnic table and chairs.  Costume designer Celeste Jennings leans on frenetic colors and patterns to accentuate the essence of each character.  Aubrey Dube’s rich sound design, Xiangfu Xiao’s sharp lighting, and Evan Northrup’s amazing illusion design all team up to illustrate some startling, eerie, foreboding, and pivotal revelations. 

Marshall W. Mabry IV. The Huntington’s Fat Ham by James Ijames. Directed by Stevie Walker-Webb. Photo by T Charles Erickson.

In some key ways, Fat Ham’s cast improves on the Shakespeare’s classic play and Ijames diligently exposes the hypocrisy of each character.  The casting is also particularly astute as Juicy, depicted with timid and burdened inquisitiveness by Marshall W. Mabry IV and Lau’rie Roach portrays lively and wisecracking cousin Tio who buries insightfulness in raunchy humor.  Ebony Marshall-Oliver as self centered Tedra still shares a nurturing and sympathetic rapport with Mabry while flaunting spicy swagger with Vincent Ernest Siders as Rev/Pap.  A particular scene in which Marshall-Oliver and Mabry both shine is a dynamic musical interlude that shows off their individual charisma and prowess. 

James T. Alfred, Ebony Marshall-Oliver, Victoria Omoregie, Thomika Marie Bridwell. The Huntington’s Fat Ham by James Ijames. Directed by Stevie Walker-Webb. Photo by T Charles Erickson.

Vincent Ernest Siders stepped in as Rev/Pap and punctuates his performance with a domineering sneer as well as savage and manipulative taunting.  Victoria Omoregie as Opal and Thomika Marie Bridwell as Rabby deliver a relatable and hilarious mother-daughter relationship while Amar Atkins bears his own burdens as Opal’s seemingly straight laced brother Larry.

Victoria Omoregie, Thomika Marie Bridwell, Lau’rie Roach, Amar Atkins, Marshall W. Mabry IV. The Huntington’s Fat Ham by James Ijames. Directed by Stevie Walker-Webb. Photo by T Charles Erickson.

Sometimes it takes something big for life to change.  Fat Ham explores overcoming betrayal and one’s supposed lot in life against all odds to forge a new path in a crazy world.

Based partially on Shakespeare’s classic production Hamlet and conscientiously directed by Stevie Walker-Webb, the Huntington Theatre in association with Alliance Theatre and Front Porch Arts Collective presents James IJames’s semi-interactive dramedy Fat Ham through Sunday, October 29 live and in person at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, MA.  This Pulitzer prize-winning show is 90 minutes with no intermission and contains mature themes and strong language.  Click here for more information and tickets.

REVIEW: Arlekin Players Theatre divulges vivid, twisty and gripping ‘Just Tell No One’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Arlekin Players has multiple secrets to tell.

Arlekin Players ‘Just Tell No One’ Benjamin Evett Photo credit to Arlekin Players

In a world saturated by news, war, and strife, Just Tell No One shares a few conflicts up close and personal and each are a matter of life and death.  Magnified by multiple television screens while a script lies among the tattered and charred papers littering black film on the floor, Arlekin Players reaches into Natal’ya Vorozhbit’s Bad Roads translated by Sasha Dugsdale, Natal’ya  Vorozhbit’s Three Rendezvous translated by John Freedman with Natalia Bratus, and Just Tell No One from Oksana Savchenko’s full-length play Night Devours Morning translated by John Freedman to illustrate a number of brutal revelations with a sort of abandon.

Arlekin Players ‘Just Tell No One’ Anne Gottlieb Photo credit to Arlekin Players

In Partnership with Worldwide Ukrainian Play Readings which is part of CITD’s Hope Initiative, The Arlekin Players (zero-G) Lab reaches into the dark recesses of the human condition with staged reading benefit Just Tell No One  live and in person at the Arlekin Players in Needham Heights, MA through October 14.  This show has adult themes, explicit language and graphic imagery. The show runs 65 min without an intermission and without a bad seat in this intimate, theatre in the round setting.  Click here for more information and for tickets that are selling fast.

Arlekin Players ‘Just Tell No One’ Gene Ravvin and Polina Dubovikova Photo credit to Arlekin Players

With ruefully clever direction by Igor Golyak, Just tell No One is a raw, intense, and unyielding journey with moments of grim humor stemming from mysterious motivations.  No ordinary staged reading, Just Tell No One latches onto the audience through its powerful cast consisting of Lucas Boniface, Irina Bordian, Daniel Boudreau, Polina Dubovikova, Benjamin Evett, Rimma Gluzman, Anne Gottlieb, Alexander Petetsky, Gene Ravvin, Julia Shikh, and Robert Walsh.  Gene Ravvin as He is crude, menacing, and frightening as he circles alert, calculating, and shrewd Polina Dubovikova as She in a fight for their lives in the shadows of a dank basement as Eric Dunlap’s immersive video and multi-media effects with Tyson Miller’s eerie blue lighting punctuate the filthy and isolated atmosphere.  Dunlap and Miller’s innovative skills later generate a fantastical and notable icy setting.   Lines become blurred as they both struggle for power over the situation.  Alex Petetsky as Vasya the farmer and Julia Shikh as Vasya’s wife make amusing conspirators hinging onto a naïve and young girl’s guilt, depicted impressively by Irina Bordian. Bordian’s anxiety is palpable as she faces the couple.

Arlekin Players ‘Just Tell No One’ Irina Bordian as The Girl Photo credit Arlekin Players
Arlekin Players ‘Just Tell No One’ Alex Petetsky as Vasya the farmer and Julia Shikh as Vasya’s wife Photo credit Arlekin Players

Benjamin Evett depicts sympathetic and humble The Man with questionable motives and Anne Gottlieb introduces the chill in the air as she opens the show with masterful and thought provoking prose as The Woman.  Each vivid, suspenseful and unflinching scenario tells so much and yet so little and now it’s best to say no more.

Arlekin Players ‘Just Tell No One’ The Women Photo credit Arlekin Players

The Arlekin Players (zero-G) Lab reaches into the dark recesses of the human condition with staged reading benefit Just Tell No One live and in person at the Arlekin Players in Needham Heights, MA through October 14.  This show has adult themes, explicit language and graphic imagery. The show runs 65 min without an intermission and without a bad seat in this intimate setting.  Click here for more information and for tickets that are selling fast.

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: Boston Lyric Opera’s ‘Madama Butterfly’ a mesmerizing and surprising metamorphosis

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

‘I gave my tears into the earth, now it must give me back flowers.’ 

This is just a hint of Puccini’s masterful lyrics that encapsulates profound love and loss in Puccini’s epic classic 1904 Italian libretto Madama Butterfly presented live and in person at Emerson Colonial Theatre through Sunday, September 24.  This expansive production was 2 hours and 25 minutes with one 20-minute intermission after Act 1.  Click here for more information and more about Boston Lyric Opera’s season.

After their onstage wedding Butterfly’s Karen Chia-Ling Ho and Pinkerton’s Dominick Chenes love spills out onto the San Francisco streets PHOTO BY KEN YOTSUKURA

With heartrending direction by Phil Chan and stirring choreography by Michael Sakamoto, Madama Butterfly was delivered with an altered setting and contemporary flair over a period of time from 1941 to 1983.  Puccini’s Madama Butterfly is a searing and brilliant love story and the source material for the Tony award-winning Broadway musical, Miss Saigon.  This time, Madama Butterfly’s settings ranged from Hawaii to San Francisco to Arizona.  Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew’s multifaceted lighting not only reflected the shadows and watercolor reflection in a lively nightclub but the rich purple and rose of the horizon at daybreak as moving set pieces transported the audience to contrasting settings. Featuring multicolor fans, contemporary yellow crowns, and regal military uniforms, Sara Ryung Clement’s distinctive, silky, and shimmering costumes in bursting color embellished the festivities of the Club Shangri-La in Chinatown in San Francisco, where Navy officer B. F. Pinkerton, depicted with enigmatic sweetness by tenor Dominick Chenes and soprano Karen Chia-Ling Ho as naïve, proud, bubbly and devoted Butterfly or Cio-Cio San meet in 1941.  It will be a night they never forget.

Uncle Bonze Hyungjin Son center makes a shocking revelation about Butterfly Karen Chia-Ling Ho in BLOs new production of MADAMA-BUTTERFLY PHOTO BY KEN YOTSUKURA

Boston Lyric Opera’s production of Madama Butterfly had the audience gripped in a full range of emotions as the eye level live orchestra led by Annie Rabbat articulated Puccini’s moving array of arias punctuated by magnificent drums.  Boasting angelic vocals, Chia- Ling Ho blossomed as Madama Butterfly, her coy yet fragile depiction poignant and buoyant as she navigated through a plethora of challenges during World War II and Pearl Harbor.  Chenes and Chia-Ling had captivating chemistry only enriched by powerful vocals and enthralling dialogue.  Mezzo soprano Alice Chung at first offered an understated performance as steadfast and loyal Suzuki, but Chung’s depiction gradually culminated into one of the most endearing characters of the production alongside Troy Cook as compassionate and protective Sharpless.   Baritone Junhan Choi had a reduced role as Commissioner/Registrar in Madama Butterfly compared to the engineer’s meaty role in Miss Saigon, but Choi left his mark during each of his memorable scenes in a charismatic portrayal of dark humor and dastardly wit.

Suzuki Alice Chung l. laments the news Pinkerton Dominick Chenes brings with him in BLOs new production of MADAMA BUTTERFLY PHOTO BY KEN YOTSUKURA

Michael Sakamoto’s dynamic choreography ranged from delicate to fitful, most notably as Butterfly took the stage in a traditional dance with the Club Shangri-La performers and later in a stirring dance featuring Cassie Wang.  Wang’s symbolic performance was peculiar, heartfelt, foreboding and so riveting that it may remain ingrained into the psyche long after the performance has ended.

During a visit from Officer Sharpless Troy Cook r. Butterfly Karen Chia-Ling Ho center reveals a secret in BLOs new production of MADAMA BUTTERFLY PHOTO BY KEN YOTSUKURA

Boston Lyric Opera’s Madama Butterfly took some liberties from the classic libretto that dealt in immigration, bigotry, and patriotism in a surprising array of twists and turns and proved to be a production that will not soon be forgotten.

Boston Lyric Opera presented Puccini’s Madama Butterfly through Sunday, September 24 live and in person at Emerson Colonial Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts.  This expansive production was 2 hours and 25 minutes with one 20-minute intermission after Act 1.  Click here for more information and more about Boston Lyric Opera’s season.

REVIEW: Sparkle and charm fuel Titusville Playhouse’s ‘The Prom’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Having been invited to The Prom for the second time this year, it seemed best to celebrate this time around in a frilly dress. It was especially appropriate catching a show while away on vacation and with Jordyn Linkous’s festive and glittery wig and costume design, it was easy to fit right in.

Innovatively directed and creatively staged by Niko Stamos with lighthearted choreography by Jordyn Linkous, Titusville Playhouse presents musical dramedy The Prom live and in person in Titusville, Florida through October 1.  This show contains some strobe lighting and special effects.  It runs two hours and 25 minutes with one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Mandy Kerridge as Dee Dee Allen, Steven J. Heron as Barry Glickman and cast in ‘The Prom’ Photo credit to Titusville Playhouse

The Prom should sound a least a little familiar since its 2020 Netflix film adaptation debut with an abundance of its own star power including Meryl Streep as Dee Dee and James Corden as Barry.  Inspired by a true story, anxious Emma, depicted with self effacing humility by Delaney Sue McGough, invites a date to the Prom with none other than Myanell Enriquez as popular Alyssa, the daughter of the head of the Parent Teacher Association.  Once a group of egocentric Broadway celebrities gets wind of this human interest story, they decide to make a difference in this small Indiana town.  The Prom is a satirical blend of inspired true story and over the top musical comedy set in New York as well as in Edgewater, Indiana.  The Prom delivers plenty of humor ranging from silly to satirical with a sincere and underlying message about helping others.

Mandy Kerridge as Dee Dee Allen and Delaney Sue McGough as Emma Nolan in ‘The Prom’ Photo credit to Titusville Playhouse

With extraordinary music direction by Spencer Crosswell, The Prom boasts strong vocals from an amiable cast.  Glamour takes center stage with Mandy Kerridge as Dee Dee Allan, a self absorbed and award-winning actress.   Kerridge’s impressive vocal range and wonderful belt is on full display for It’s Not About Me and The Lady’s Improving.  Along with Steven J. Heron as warm, lovable, and lauded actor Barry Glickman, Danny Sanchez as no nonsense PR rep Sheldon, Corey Evans as openhearted Trent, and Sarah Ruth Joyner as inspirational Angie Dickinson, these seemingly shallow thespians bring some humorous moments, but their real charm is exposed by the people they meet in this fish out of water production.

Lit with soft and cheerful multicolored lighting by Davis Vande Steeg , The Prom features a dynamic set design by Niko Stamos including a digital screen that transforms settings in an instant including the store front of a 711, a monster truck rally, and the glittering festivities of a Prom.  Some clever staging includes the transformation of an Applebee’s to a balcony seat during a beautiful rendition of We Look to You as well as veiled and translucent staging for the number, Tonight Belongs to You.

Steven J. Heron as Barry Glickman and the Executive and Artistic Director of the Titusville Playhouse and Delaney Sue McGough as Emma in ‘The Prom’ Photo credit to Titusville Playhouse

The Prom deals with some serious topics including betrayal, but balances it well with the show’s overall optimistic tone.   It is positive throughout, even in the face of Emma’s most difficult challenges.  McGough’s chiming vocals in forlorn yet earnest number Just Breathe is a compelling revelation while Holly Fuller’s tight lipped delivery proves fitting for tough and immutable antagonist Mrs. Greene.  Emma’s high school classmates are painted as shallow and insensitive and as far as storytelling, it might have been nice to have at least one of them sympathetic to Emma’s plight from the start.

Cast photo Photo credit to Titusville Playhouse

The Prom contains a wealth of welcome, inside Broadway humor and references as well as notable choreography including a sweet rendition of You Happened and the Fosse-inspired choreography of Zazz.  The Prom provides a message driven and sparkling escape to fun and frivolity if only temporarily from the realities of life.  

Titusville Playhouse presents The Prom live and in person in Titusville, Florida through October 1.  This show contains some strobe and special effects and runs two hours and 25 minutes with one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.