romantic | The Sleepless Critic

REVIEW: Featuring a solid cast, North Shore Music Theatre’s ‘Waitress’ freshly bakes humor and heart in and out of the kitchen

Posted on June 11 by The Sleepless Critic

North Shore Music Theatre’s heartwarming and meaningful musical Waitress shows life’s most important answers can be found in a pie.

Mixed with Kevin P. Hill’s innovative direction, Ashley Chasteen’s uplifting chorography, and Milton Granger’s mellifluous music direction, North Shore Music Theatre serves up musical dramedy Waitress live and in person at Bill Hanney’s North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 15. This immersive production runs 2 hours and 35 minutes with a 15 minute intermission and the action is not limited to the stage. Click here for more information and for tickets.

he cast of WAITRESS at North Shore Music Theatre thru June 15. Photo©Paul Lyden

Since screenwriter Adrienne Shelly brought Waitress to the big screen in 2007 starring Keri Russell as Jenna, Waitress has enjoyed an enduring history. With book by Jessie Nelson, music and lyrics by Grammy award-winning and Tony award-nominated singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, Waitress has since been adapted into a musical and debuted on Broadway in 2016 before going on a national tour and in 2023, hit theatres as a filmed stage musical starring Bareilles as Jenna.

Full of heart, Waitress strikes a delicate balance between the sweetness and sobering realism of life, delving into the lives of a group of colorful and comical individuals who dream of a better life. Baker and waitress Jenna, portrayed with humble and self deprecating charm by Christine Dwyer, expresses her moods and philosophies through the humorous titles she gives to Joe’s daily Diner Pie of the Day. When Jenna finds herself pregnant, she quickly realizes that it’s time for a change. Impressive songs range from catchy to reflective and numbers like Opening Up to the soft melodious whispers of What’s Inside are sure to stay with you long after the show is over.

Maggie Elizabeth May (Dawn) and the cast of WAITRESS at North Shore Music Theatre thru June 15. Photo©Paul Lyden

What makes North Shore Music Theatre unique is its theatre-in-the-round staging and director Kevin P. Hill makes the most of the aisles and multiple platforms to deliver an encompassing experience. The ensemble not only depicts diner customers, but often surrounds the stage lending musical accompiament and interacting with the action onstage. From a bright chrome neon sign, chalkboard easel listing pies, and linoleum flooring to worn recipes and a mouthwatering Diner menu, scenic and lighting designer Jack Mehler’s rising and sliding set pieces shift seamlessly to occasionally portray multiple scenes simultaneously from various locations around the theatre with the majority of Waitress set inside picturesque Joe’s Pie Diner. Glancing at the appetizing selections and hearing about Jenna’s incredibly creative and delectable pie ingredients made me long for lunch or dessert and inspiring me to bake my own pie.

Christine Dwyer (Jenna) and Brandon Kalm (Dr. Pomatter) in WAITRESS at North Shore Music Theatre thru June 15. Photo©Paul Lyden

Christine Dwyer delivers an inspiring and relatable vulnerability as Jenna. Dwyer portrays Jenna’s complex web of emotions and generational trauma with a blend of dark humor and a note of optimism. Her voice is as rich as the pies she bakes and her intense rendition of She Used to Be Mine is one of the show’s greatest highlights. Her awkward exchanges, humorous misunderstandings, and beautiful harmony with handsome and geeky Brandon Kalm as Dr. Pomatter are prevalent in the playful It Only Takes a Taste which is one of three duets, flirtatious Bad Idea and a tender rendition of You Matter to Me.

Dressed in a plaid shirt, worn jeans, and work boots, Matt DeAngelis is a standout as gruff and manipulative Earl. With a guttural growl punctuating his rock n roll vocals for You will Still be Mine, DeAngelis seems to relish in the role through dark humor and creative in the character’s thoughtlessness.

Matt DeAngelis as Earl in WAITRESS at North Shore Music Theatre thru June 15. Photo©Paul Lyden

Brandi Chavonne Massey delivers a great deal of comic relief as outspoken and wise cracking waitress Becky, especially in Massey’s sharp exchanges with Arnold Harper II as Cal. Passionate, direct, and sympathetic, Massey shines in the soaring number, I Didn’t Plan It.

Christine Dwyer (Jenna) and Brandi Chavonne Massey (Becky) in WAITRESS at North Shore Music Theatre thru June 15. Photo©Paul Lyden

In bright red glasses, Maggie Elizabeth May portrays waitress Dawn with her own magnetic and giddy comedic timing. Dreamy and shy, Dawn deems herself ‘a woman of many passions’ and is enchanting performing the yearning number, When He Sees Me as imaginary suitors line up to meet her. Alongside Courter Simons as scene stealing Ogie, they are a comedic force to be reckoned with. Dawn, Becky, and Jenny are a compelling trio making marvelous harmony together for A Soft Place to Land.

Maggie Elizabeth May (Dawn), Christine Dwyer (Jenna) and Brandi Chavonne Massey (Becky) in WAITRESS at North Shore Music Theatre thru June 15. Photo©Paul Lyden

Gleeful and goofy with a habit of over sharing, Courter Simmons is confident and awkwardly charming with a bungle of flawless, unsuppressed energy as Ogie, especially during the steadfast number, Never Getting Rid of Me.

Courter Simmons (Ogie) and Arnold Harper II (Cal) in WAITRESS at North Shore Music Theatre thru June 15. Photo©Paul Lyden

In a colorful suit and tie, Keith Lee Grant is curmudgeonly eloquent as difficult customer and diner owner, Joe. A complicated and perceptive storyteller, his conversations and rapport with Jenna are full of humor and openness, especially during a bright and spirited rendition of Take it from an Old Man. Speaking to the uplifting spirit of this engaging production, Joe proclaims, ‘Baking a pie is a magical experience.’

Christine Dwyer (Jenna) and Keith Lee Grant (Joe) in WAITRESS at North Shore Music Theatre thru June 15. Photo©Paul Lyden

Life is a little sweeter with North Shore Music Theatre’s Waitress continuing live and in person at Bill Hanney’s North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts through Sunday, June 15. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Love reigns supreme in The Huntington’s whimsical ‘The Triumph of Love’

Posted on April 3, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

Witness impassioned lovers and the loved overwhelmed.

Directed shrewdly by Loretta Greco, this is the language of love in Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux’s French romantic farce, The Triumph of Love continuing live and in person at the Huntington Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, April 6. This whimsical tale runs two hours and 15 minutes with one intermission and Joanna Strapp stepped in for Marianna Bassham as Léonide for this performance. This production is also available to stream. Click here for more information and for tickets.

The cast of The Triumph of Love; directed by Loretta Greco; photo by Liza Voll

The Triumph of Love waxes poetic about love and then some in this elaborate love story that contains as many declarations of love as lighthearted comedy. Though The Triumph of Love was written in 1732, it contains insightful ideas, humor, and a classic storyline that connected with its era just as effectively as it does a contemporary audience in delightful ways.

If love is a battlefield, Alison Altman as confident, passionate, and outspoken Léonide is a commander. In a layered and juicy love story, Princess Léonide pursues naïve and sheltered Agis, portrayed nobly by Robert Kellogg, who is sequestered in Hermocrate’s country retreat. However, in order to get close enough to Agis, Altman and Avanthika Srinivansan as her humorous maid Corine must disguise themselves as men and execute a delicate, devious, absurd and yet brilliant scheme to win her true love by using all the wiles she knows how.

Left to right: Allison Altman, Rob B. Kellogg in The Triumph of Love; directed by Loretta Greco; photo by Liza Voll

Junghyun Georgia Lee’s serene scenic design boasts a lovely garden landscape embellished with lemon trees, florals, vine covered walls, and a stone bench while Fan Zhang intertwines classical and contemporary French flair to Zhang’s original music and sound design. The painted skyline fades from turquoise to pastels to aquamarine through Christopher Akerlind’s romantic lighting expressing the progression of the day. Lee also demonstrates 18^th century French fashion beautifully in elegant silk gowns with petticoats, fingerless gloves, colorful cravats, refined vests and boots as well as finely detailed frock coats with gold embellishments and multicolor garments.

Left to right: Marianna Bassham, Allison Altman, Vincent Randazzo in The Triumph of Love; directed by Loretta Greco; photo by Liza Voll

Led by Alison Altman as Princess Léonide whose complex character is somewhat of an antihero, The Triumph of Love champions a remarkable cast and Marivaux’s script offers each character an opportunity to shine during the production. Occasionally addressing the audience, Altman’s relentlessly determined Léonide has some earmarks of both hero and villain. She is conscious of her power to influence and manipulate while pulling the strings of each character for love’s sake. Resisting her charms is near impossible and Altman masters this multidimensional character with finesse though you may be occasionally torn about her decisions.

Left to right: Marianna Bassham, Nael Nacer in The Triumph of Love; directed by Loretta Greco; photo by Liza Voll

Altman’s Léonide shares enchanting chemistry with nearly everyone, but her brief encounters with Kellogg as Agis are sweet and splendid. They are adorable together and it’s easy to root for this pair. The plot thickens pretty quickly and most of this lighthearted farce is not meant to be taken seriously.

Strapp as Léontine and Nael Nacer as Hermocrate portray virtuous and staunchly reasonable siblings who have shut out the world with their nephew Agis to pursue the intellectual life. The entire cast delivers sharp comic timing and while Vincent Randazzo as Harlequin get his share of laughs, Strapp and Nacer’s moments of exasperation, panic and self aware humor is first rate as exemplified in one instance where Nacer looks around and softly wonders, ‘Why am I standing here?’ With realizations so innocent and captivating, it won’t take you long to love them both.

Left to right: Patrick Kerr, Vincent Randazzo in The Triumph of Love; directed by Loretta Greco; photo by Liza Voll

Statements such as ‘God forbid there should be love in that house’ and ‘Perhaps if I could be hilarious for awhile, I could amuse myself to death’ are just a couple of the hilarious quips uttered by Vincent Randazzo as Harlequin, Hermocrate’s valet. Rambunctious and mischievous, Randazzo’s frank delivery and gossipy nature are only outdone by his comical facial expressions. With Patrick Kerr as practical gardener and straight man Dimas, they make a wonderfully humorous duo.

Madcap and absorbing, bring love to the front lines with The Triumph of Love continuing live and in person at the Huntington Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, April 6. This production is also available to stream. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Greater Boston Stage Company turns on the charm for ‘Guys and Dolls’

Posted on June 27, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

What a Guy wouldn’t do for some doll.

A sky high bet, a saintly woman, and a group of gamblers are all on the line in a musical comedy custom made in New York City. Guys and Dolls is lighthearted and bustling with some of the most popular songs of Musical’s Golden Age such as Luck Be a Lady, Fugue for Tinhorns, I’ve Never Been in Love Before, Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat and its beloved title track.

Directed and choreographed by Ceit Zweil, Greater Boston Stage Company continues Frank Loesser’s musical comedy classic Guys and Dolls live and in person at Greater Boston Stage Company in Stoneham, Massachusetts through June 30. This slick production is approximately two hours and 30 minutes with one 15 minute intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Arthur Gomez, Mark Linehan, Stephen Markarian and Greater Boston Stage Company ‘Guys and Dolls’ cast Photo by Gillian Gordon

Set on Broadway between Times Square and Columbus Circle, Greater Boston Stage Company reveals a little cozy but snazzy set by John Savage including vintage 1950s illustrated signs lit by marquis lights and an illuminated moving cityscape back drop. With lively music direction and conducted by Dan Rodriguez, this glitzy version of Guys and Dolls has a bit of a concert vibe with the orchestra performing center stage amidst all the action.

Arthur Gomez and Sara Coombs in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Guys and Dolls’ Photo by Gillian Gordon

The show is as zippy as these fast talking gamblers ready for the next crap game. In stylish hat and a pinstriped suit, Arthur Gomez as lovable but scheming Nathan Detroit is always cooking up a plan and usually one step ahead, but now he is short on money to hold his next floating crap game. Enter Jared Troilo as smooth talking and high stakes gambler Sky Masterson and suddenly, Nathan has a new and seeming surefire plan to win big and finally marry his long suffering girlfriend, Miss Adelaide. However, Sky discovers he is in for much more than he ever bargained for.

Jared Troilo and Sarah Coombs in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Guys and Dolls’ Photo by Gillian Gordon

Guys and Dolls is a classic for a reason. Not only did the 50s film adaptation star Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra, but it’s an upbeat musical full of charm about love, the Big City vibe, taking risks and saving souls not necessarily in that order. The characters are all likable in spite of their shady ways because most of them can humorously talk their way out of just about anything.

Stephen Markarian and Mark Linehan in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Guys and Dolls’ Photo by Gillian Gordon

In glasses and a bowler hat, Stephen Markarian captures the cheery and good natured charm of Nicely-Nicely Johnson from the slick and catchy harmonies in Fugue for Tinhorns with Mark Linehan as Benny and Christian David as Rusty Charlie. Their goofy chemistry and antics set the stage well along with the title track and bookended by Stephen Markarian’s exuberant and exciting classic number Sit down You’re Rocking the Boat which is not to be missed.

Allison Russell, Kaedon Gray and the cast of Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Guys and Dolls’ Photo by Gillian Gordon

Sara Coombs as Miss Adalaide could easily have entered over the top caricature territory, but Coombs sticks with dramatic yet a bit more realistic subtlety for Adelaide’s Lament. Hailing from Rhode Island, Miss Adelaide is not to be underestimated and knows exactly what she wants playing a long game of her own as Nathan’s girlfriend. She shares some endearing chemistry albeit with some understandable bickering with Nathan as they perform a quick paced and intense rendition of Sue Me. Alongside Hot Box dancers Hannah Shihdanian, Allison Russell and Abigail Martin, Coombs delivers some flirtatious and humorous scenarios decked out in Dierdre Gerrard’s timely, sparkling and playful costumes kicking off with a country coy Bushel and a Peck. Russell and Shihdanian both perform triple roles with Russell notably as the infamous big time, tough talking gambler Big Jule.

Sara Coombs, Abigail Martin, Allison Russell, and Hannah Shihdanian in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Guys and Dolls’ Photo by Gillian Gordon

In a blue pinstripe suit and gleaming white shoes, Troilo depicts Sky Masterson with smooth talking swagger and shares some great scenes with Lisa Kate Joyce’s straight-arrowed and head of the Save-a-Soul Mission band, Sarah Brown. Joyce’s angelic and silvery soprano vocals nail the delightful If I were a Bell and I’ve Never Been in Love Before alongside Troilo in a lovely duet. Joyce also has a brief but memorable scene with Chip Phillips as lovable Arvide for the tenderhearted number, More I Cannot Wish You.

Lisa Kate Joyce and Chip Phillips in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Guys and Dolls’ Photo by Gillian Gordon

Jared Troilo shines in My Time of Day, but nothing beats Troilo’s determined earnestness teetering toward desperation with the rest of the cast for Luck Be a Lady embellished by Ceit Zweil’s tight choreography and Corey Whittemore’s vivid and flashy lighting which just about brings down the house.

Jared Troilo and the cast of Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Guys and Dolls’ Photo by Photo by Gillian Gordon

REVIEW: Glitzy ‘Pretty Woman the Musical’ is vivacious fun

Posted on February 29, 2024 by The Sleepless Critic

Based on the hit film adaptation starring breakout star Julia Roberts and then megastar Richard Gere, Pretty Woman put a fairy tale spin on a story about a clever prostitute who charms a rich guy. The film is produced by Disney no less and solidly directed by the late esteemed Garry Marshall. With natural elegance, pitch perfect comic timing, and tangible chemistry with Gere who she went on to star with in other film projects due to their thriving and bankable chemistry, Julia Roberts instantly became America’s Sweetheart at just 21 years old.

A lot of big box office movies adapt into musicals and Garry Marshall is behind Pretty Woman the Musical.

Directed with upbeat choreography by Jerry Mitchell, music by award-winning singer-songwriters Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, and based on the book by Garry Marshall and J.F. Lawton, Pretty Woman the Musical continues live and in person at the Emerson Colonial Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 3. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Pretty Woman The Musical – Chase Wolfe and Ellie Baker credit Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade

Featuring Chase Wolfe as Edward and adorable Ellie Baker as Vivian creating their own winning chemistry, Pretty Woman the Musical is a feel good adaptation with some memorable musical numbers and includes the beloved and iconic moments that charged the 1990 romantic comedy classic.

Tall metallic palm trees with Hollywood store signs warmly lit by Kenneth Posner and Philip S. Rosenberg bring glitzy California to life by scenic designers David Rockwell and Christine Peters. The rolling set cleverly transforms from energetic city streets to picturesque elegance as silk drapes adorn a gold embroidered balcony with extravagant detailed furnishings including the film’s iconic black baby grand piano.

Pretty Woman The Musical – Bethany McDonald , Ellie Baker, and Taylor M. Sheppard credit Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade

From colorful street clothes to flowing runway fashion to majestic gowns that include Vivian’s iconic red dress, costume designer Gregg Barnes exacts the splashy nature and 80s vibe of this fantasy fairy tale. Commanded by Lauren Esser’s soaring vocals boasted by a powerful rock growl stepping in for Rae Davenport as Kit, fashion bursts onto the scene in the flashy number Rodeo Drive infused with a guitar-tinged rock n roll vibe oozing in the sophistication of many shoppers’ fondest dreams.

Pretty Woman The Musical – Adam Du Plessis credit Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade

One spectacular performer who does a lot of the heavy lifting is Adam Du Plessis as Happy Man. He not only delivers candid and fun-loving charisma to the neon glow of Hollywood Boulevard for What’s Your Dream, a catchy opening number with a tropic tinge, but watch for Du Plessis to pop up unexpectedly and delightedly in various sequences throughout the production boasting sharp comic wit and dynamic spontaneity. Whether in a colorful Hawaiian shirt under a flowing trench coat or dressed to the nines, Du Plessis has quite the range as Happy Man. He shares an endearing rapport with Connor Kabat depicting Giulio with scene stealing goofy sweetness reminiscent of night elevator operator Patrick Richwood from the film.

Ellie Baker has a lot to live up to and successfully makes the role her own through those signature red curls. Baker infuses a unique and goofier free spirit and effervescence to Vivian more playful than Roberts’s engaging portrayal. Julia Roberts had more of an established elegance in her role, even when she is trying to look tough. Baker has bubbly comic timing and a snigger as charming as her beautiful face. She performs a stirring rendition of This is My Life, created from one of Vivian’s monologues to Edward. She also delivers a heightened and powerful solo for I Can’t Go Back.

In a black suit, maroon tie, and a stubbly beard, Chase Wolfe portrays a more rugged, contemplative, and serious businessman in Edward apart from Richard Gere’s subtle charm. Wolfe offers a separate lightness to the role and shares playful chemistry with Baker particularly for You’re Beautiful. Edward’s character is developed further than in the film, especially during his insightful solo, Freedom which is a nice addition drawn from Edward’s monologue in the film to Vivian.

With thick pink eye shadow, studded black skirt and biker jacket, Lauren Esser’s distinct accent and tough facade as Kit uplifts Luckiest Girl in the World alongside Baker as Vivian and in the bright and catchy number, Never Give Up on a Dream. Kit’s spitfire persona and shoot-from-the hip attitude is a tougher version of Laura San Giocomo’s benchmark performance, but here Kit is a more established character and given a larger arc than in the film. She and Baker share a strong and protective bond evident from Kit’s first scene.

Pretty Woman The Musical – The Company of Pretty Woman The Musical credit Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade

Jason Alexander has said that his opportunity for George from Seinfeld came from Pretty Woman and it was a hard fought battle for him to play the role of Edward’s lawyer and friend, Phillip Stuckey. However, in this version, Mikey Marmann is more of what director Garry Marshall originally had in mind for Stuckey’s intimidating, slimy, and snarky persona and Ellie Barker as Vivian’s updated and more welcoming interactions with him are a little different this time around.

Whether it is Sara Wang’s astounding vocals or even the beautiful rendition of You and I which has an unmistakable Bryan Adams influence, Pretty Woman the Musical is an uplifting musical journey that will please fans of the film or anyone experiencing it for the first time.

Directed with upbeat choreography by Jerry Mitchell, music by award-winning singer-songwriters Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, and based on the book by Garry Marshall and J.F. Lawton Pretty Woman the Musical continues live and in person at the Emerson Colonial Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 3. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Sara Bareilles serves up music and pie for film version of ‘Waitress the Musical’

Posted on December 15, 2023 by The Sleepless Critic

Perhaps love is like a pie. It’s comforting, fluffy, messy and sometimes forbidden.

When Joe’s Diner offers 27 varieties of pie including ‘White Knuckle Cream Pie’ and ‘In the Dark, Dark Chocolate Pie,’ love can get complicated.

Fathom Events presents a heartwarming and meaningful musical comedy, Waitress the Musical, a show that proves the greatest secrets in life might just be found in the kitchen. A lively production that made a splash on both Broadway and on a national tour, this filmed stage version is particularly special because it stars Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles, the woman behind the music and lyrics to the production. Waitress the Musical boasts an all female production team and is based on the book by Jessie Nelson and screenplay by the late and great Adrienne Shelly. This film is dedicated to Shelly’s memory.

With a cast of colorful and comical characters and based on the 2007 film of the same name starring Keri Russell, Waitress the Musical film version is serving its best at select movie theatres for a limited time and will soon be available for streaming and video on demand. The show has some mature themes. Click here for more information and tickets.

L to R: Charity Angel Dawson as Becky, Sara Bareilles as Jenna and Caitlin Houlahan as Dawn in ‘Waitress the Musical’ Photo credit to Fathom Events

REPORT THIS AD

From a bright neon sign and red chrome booths to clever choreography that brings diner dancing a fresh, new meaning, the majority of Waitress is set inside the vintage and picturesque Joe’s Pie Diner as patrons and musicians interact onstage. Impressive songs range from catchy to reflective and numbers such as When He Sees Me and Opening Up are sure to stay with the audience long after the show is over.

Full of heart, what Waitress the Musical achieves is a delicate balance of the sweetness and realism, delving into the lives of a group of dynamic characters who dream of a better life. Sara Bareilles depicts diner baker Jenna who finds herself pregnant and falling in love with her doctor. Jenna expresses her thoughts on life through the humorous titles she deems to Joe’s Diner Pie of the Day.

REPORT THIS AD

It is impressive to watch mezzo soprano singer-songwriter Bareilles take the stage though it is sometimes difficult to separate her from her music. Sara Bareilles delivers a natural and inspiring performance as Jenna with her offbeat daydreams among the most memorable highlights of the film. Bareilles depicts Jenna’s complex web of emotions with dark humor and a spark of hope. Her smooth and familiar vocals offer an emotional rendition of A Soft Place to Land and She Used to Be Mine.

Bareilles as Jenna shares playful chemistry and beautiful harmony with compassionate and mysterious Drew Gehling as Dr. Pomatter in Bad Idea and the tender You Matter to Me. Lanky and a bit neurotic, Gehling doesn’t immediately seem so suave, but his compassion and quirky persona give him a fascinating charm. Dressed in a plaid shirt, worn jeans, and an acoustic guitar, Joe Tippett as Earl is manipulative, possessive, and at times chilling, especially for the rock tinged number, ‘You Will Still be Mine.’ Tippett is also ironically Sara Bareilles’s real life fiancé.

With oversized earrings, wild hair, and tiger prints, Charity Angel Dawson offers a great deal of comic relief as outspoken, wise cracking, and supportive waitress Becky. Spirited and direct, Becky captivates for the number, I Didn’t Plan It and her onstage charisma will have the audience hanging on her every word including her sarcastic and priceless reactions to her surroundings.

REPORT THIS AD

In bright red glasses, Caitlin Houlahan portrays Dawn with her own endearing comedic timing and shines as a yearning bundle of nerves for the catchy tune, When He Sees Me. Imaginative and shy while she rhythmically shoots ketchup into the mustard bottle, Dawn awkwardly deems herself ‘a woman of many passions.’ With Christopher Fitzgerald as scene stealing Ogie, they are a comedic force to be reckoned with. Gleeful and goofy yet determined, Fitzgerald shows the power of love has sharp comedic rhythm in a bungle of flawless and unsuppressed energy.

Boasting a wonderful laugh and a curmudgeonly personality, Dakin Matthews portrays difficult customer and diner owner, Joe. A darkly comical storyteller, Joe’s conversations with Jenna are frank, open, and offer sage advice. Take it from an Old Man is tender, paternal, and moving number. Matthews as Joe also captures the uplifting spirit of the production as he remarks, ‘Baking a pie is a magical experience.’

With a cast of colorful and comical characters and based on the 2007 film of the same name starring Keri Russell, Waitress the Musical is serving its best at select movie theatres for a limited time and will soon be available for streaming and video on demand. The show has some mature themes. Click here for more information and tickets.

REVIEW SpeakEasy Stage’s ‘Once’ a celebration even within its quiet moments

Posted on March 25, 2019 by The Sleepless Critic

Dancing fiddlers and a rollicking music celebration is only the beginning. Directed by Paul Melone and adapted from the 2007 romantic musical film of the same name, The SpeakEasy Stage Company presents the Tony Award-winning musical, Once extended through Sunday, April 7 at the Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Welcoming early arrivals to the show is a lively, comical, pre-show band that is also part of the talented Once cast. Each cast member is also a musician and they all get their moment to shine. With naturally flowing choreography by Ilyse Robbins, stomping guitarists and dueling fiddlers joyfully romp in a freestyle dance with the drummer. The band has such personality and the performance is a wonderful preface to a quietly beautiful love story about a pair of lonely musicians who long for their place in the world.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Eric Levenson’s absorbing set design enhances the production’s soulful atmosphere, featuring instruments hanging around a brick arch while musicians pop up sporadically during the production. Though Once is set in Dublin, takes a lot at Czech and Irish traditions. Guy is a lonely, sensitive street performer from Northside Dublin. Portrayed with tight lipped earnestness by Nile Scott Hawver, Guy expresses his raw emotion through his songwriting, immediately leaving an impact with his first number, Leave.

Guy meets Girl, a talkative Czech pianist portrayed with quirky charm by Mackenzie Lesser-Roy. Their immediate, humorous chemistry and her heartening, compassionate demeanor toward him is a particular highlight only topped by their remarkable duets, heightened during the show’s signature song, Falling Slowly.

Hawver does an impressive job portraying Guy’s gradual vulnerability while showing off his comic chops, especially during the song Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy, but it is Lesser-Roy who shines, her chiming voice delivering a stirring rendition of The Hill and If You Want Me. She carries a longing and loneliness she recognizes in Guy and her plucky, irrepressible optimism leaves a mark on everyone she meets.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Once also has its share of amusing moments. Billy Butler is hilarious as hot blooded, macho music shop owner, Billy. Jeff Song is a delight as Bank Manager in a wildly enthusiastic version of Abandoned in Bandon. Jacob Brandt and Kathy St. George are charming as perpetual dreamer Andrej and as candid, strong-willed Girl’s mother Baruska respectively.

The songs on Once’s acoustic, fiddle-laden soundtrack contain timeless, contemplative messages and the ensemble certainly contributes to its playful moments, but Once’s greatest strength is its subtle nuances and the impalpable stillness within this simple tale, most evident in the ensemble’s lovely, a capella version of Gold. Love can a simple, quiet declaration that lingers long after the show is over.

SpeakEasy Stage presents the Tony Award-winning musical, Once extended through Sunday, April 7 at the Calderwood Pavilion, 539 Tremont Street in Boston, Massachusetts. Click here for more information and for tickets. Click here for a closer look at the SpeakEasy Stage and its 2019 season.

Flutist Sarah Paysnick delves into Grand Harmonie’s rollicking ‘March Madness’ concerts

Posted on March 17, 2017 by The Sleepless Critic

For a musician, choosing the right instrument is the key to success. For Grand Harmonie flutist and co-founder Sarah Paysnick, family and Sesame Street played a big part in her choosing the right one. When a group of successful musicians got together to pursue something new and exciting, the innovative and eclectic music ensemble, Grand Harmonie was born.

Grand Harmonie in action Photo courtesy of Sarah Paysnick

Grand Harmonie will deliver March Madness, two exciting and inventive concerts that mixes a little bit of everything. Featuring conductor Scott Allen Jarrett and soprano Jacquelyn Stucker with horn by Yoni Kahn, March Madness kicks off on Friday, March 24 at Arts at the Armory in Somerville, Massachusetts at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, March 26, March Madness will take the stage at the Second Church of Newton in West Newton, Massachusetts at 3 p.m.

Grand Harmonie Scott Allen Jarrett conductor

Grand Harmonie conductor Scott Allen Jarrett Photo courtesy of Scott Allen Jarrett

Sarah Paysnick discusses her music career, Grand Harmonie’s educational outreach, the excitement behind Grand Harmonie, and a closer look into March Madness. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Jeanne Denizard: What first sparked your interest in music and what inspired you to pursue it as a music career?

Sarah Paysnick: In kindergarten, many of my friends started learning piano. They would teach me what they were learning, so I begged my mom for piano lessons. I remember wanting to quit after a short time, but my mom told me I had to finish the year. A few years later, many of my friends started learning string instruments. I have a cousin my age that played the violin and she’d teach me when we got together. When I told my mom I also wanted violin lessons, she said that I have two cousins who play the violin and I should pick something else. Watching Bob on Sesame Street and because another cousin was learning it, I decided on the flute.

In 4th grade, when asked what we wanted to be when we grew up, I said I wanted to be a cantor because Judaism and music were important to me. I didn’t have proper training as a singer. Something told me, over the next few years, it would exclusively become a music career even though Judaism is still important to me. I never really thought about doing anything outside of music, though my music path has taken me in a variety of directions. Ultimately, it led me to historical performance on flutes and teaching piano to children.

JD: How did you become a founding member of Grand Harmonie and what do you enjoy most about this group?

SP: I knew Yoni Kahn, our horn player and soloist for this concert! With Yoni Kahn and a couple of other founding members, we were interested in starting something new and exciting. Though my favorite music to perform falls a bit earlier than Grand Harmonie’s core repertoire, I am constantly inspired by my colleagues who push me every day to be a better musician and honored to be an organizing member of the kind of ensemble people enjoy working with. Everyone has such a positive, generous attitude and it’s infectious!

Yani Kahn, horn Photo courtesy of Grand Harmonie

JD: Grand Harmonie is very versatile and can transform from a symphony orchestra to an opera orchestra, or even become a chamber ensemble. Is the unexpected part of what sets Grand Harmonie apart from other groups?

SP: Yes, Grand Harmonie is a bit of a moving target. People attempt to put us into a box and we don’t fit into one. Every performance is different, but it also makes anything possible!

JD: Grand Harmonie will be touring through Somerville and Newton on March 24 and 26 for March Madness. Is this Grand Harmonie’s first time performing March Madness? Where did the idea come from?

SP: This is our first time doing this performance as well as splitting up the movements of a symphony and sprinkling them throughout a concert. In the 19th century, performances were quite different than they are today. Maybe a full symphony wasn’t performed or it was performed in its entirety but not straight through. Perhaps a small chamber ensemble gave listeners a break from the big symphonic sound or a soprano would delight everyone with her beautiful voice.

Grand Harmonie Jacquelyn Stucker Soprano

Jacquelyn Stucker, soprano for March Madness Photo courtesy of Jacquelyn Stucker

These concerts were a social event and audiences didn’t remain silent as they think they are expected to today. Grand Harmonie wants to break the tension and allow people to clap when they want to, explore the space around them, and enjoy the concert without fear of getting stared down if they clap at the wrong moment or make a noise during the music.

On Friday night, the cash bar at the Somerville Armory will be open all night. Through a generous donation from Aeronaut Brewing Company, the first 30 ticket purchasers will receive one free beer! On Sunday in Newton, we encourage people to relax and enjoy themselves, but the concert will not include alcohol and will be a more traditional performance.

JD: This concert will be a particularly intimate and uplifting concert experience since it will take place in-the-round. Additionally, Grand Harmonie will deliver classical pieces in an entirely unique and rollicking way. Putting something like that together must have been a lot of fun.

SP: Friday’s show is a really exciting experiment in how to make a “classical” concert more accessible and we can’t wait to experience it with our audience! Sunday’s show will be more traditional with the audience in pews and the orchestra in front, but we still expect it will be a rollicking good time!

JD: For March Madness, Grand Harmonie weaves Mozart, Beethoven, and Weber into one big concert. You have a unique way of breaking up Beethoven’s First Symphony during this “in the round” concert experience.

SP: It may sound unique to split up a symphony today but this was not unusual in the 19th century! Sometimes even a single movement was chosen for a particular program.

JD: Grand Harmonie also participates in educational outreach. Please tell me about that.

SP: Grand Harmonie has given master classes at the Longy School of Music at Bard College, MIT, and Harvard, among others. We have also given informational lecture/demonstrations at MIT and Yale’s Lewis Walpole Library. We love sharing what we’ve learned with musicians and music enthusiasts young and old! Audience members are very curious about our instruments and we are happy to engage with them.

JD: A few Grand Harmonie concerts are coming up before the end of the season. Please tell me about Grand Harmonie’s future plans.

SP: March Madness is the official close of our season, but we have plenty coming up! We will be performing Haydn’s The Creation with Edward Jones and the Harvard University Choir and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 2 Lobgesang with Edward Jones and the Harvard-Radcliffe Chorus. We have loved working with Ed at least once a year since we began and it’s fair to say we have a mutual admiration for each other. In NYC, we will be partnering with On Site Opera to perform a wind octet Harmonie arrangement of Mozart’s The Secret Gardener by our own Yoni Kahn on horn and Thomas Carroll on clarinet. Also, keep an eye out for us during the Boston Early Music Festival the second week in June!

Grand Harmonie group Photo courtesy of Hannah Shields

Click here for all of Grand Harmonie’s upcoming concerts and here for more on Grand Harmonie’s educational outreach. Follow Grand Harmonie on Facebook and Twitter for upcoming events and more.

REVIEW: Boston Ballet presents William Forsythe’s brilliantly compelling ‘Artifact’

Posted on March 2, 2017 by The Sleepless Critic

World-renowned choreographer William Forsythe, dressed in a baseball cap and modest attire, addressed an eager, mesmerized audience in a post-show talk with Boston Ballet’s acclaimed Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen after the evening performance of William Forsythe’s Artifact on Saturday, March 25. Mikko Nissinen introduced Forsythe with enthusiasm and said that working with him has been a lifelong dream fulfilled. William Forsythe and Boston Ballet’s Artistic Director Mikko Nissinen have a five-year partnership, working together to establish each season’s performances, highlighting one of Forsythe’s exceptional works each year.

The Boston Ballet Photo courtesy of Rosalie O’Connor/Boston Ballet

Friendly and unassuming, Forsythe spoke about his beautifully-unconventional production, Artifact, a piece he created over 30 years ago and a work that audiences and critics alike have embraced ever since. Veiled on the Boston Opera House stage and enhanced with minimal props, lies a complex, timeless, and thought-provoking masterpiece which makes a powerful statement on the essence of the art of ballet. Shown in its full length, Forsythe revised Artifact’s finale specifically for the Boston Ballet, which is a thrilling, compelling spectacle that blends classical and contemporary dance in a unique way.

Boston Ballet presents ‘Artifact’ Photo courtesy of Rosalie O’Connor/Boston Ballet

Boston Ballet presents William Forsythe’s Artifact through Sunday, March 5 at the Boston Opera House. Click here for tickets, call 617-695-6955, or visit the Boston Ballet box office at 19 Clarendon Street in Boston, Massachusetts. Take a closer look at William Forsythe’s Artifact here.

Blending humor, philosophy, drama, and a wide range of traditional and contemporary ballet, William Forsythe’s Artifact, since the show was introduced, set a significant precedent in the inspiring works that followed. A production packed with a wide range of welcome surprises, each distinct character offers their own insight into this mysterious tale. Featuring a shimmering backdrop that matched the majestic, glittering black gown worn by Dana Caspersen, a statuesque woman in grey portrayed by Caralin Curcio, and a dapper, yet frustrated older man with megaphone portrayed by Nicholas Champion, Artifact is an intensely fascinating work from its start.

Raina Sawai as Woman in Gray and Nicholas Champion as Man with Megaphone

Caspersen’s performance is full of jubilance and inquisitiveness from the moment she welcomed the audience with a peerless smile. Curcio delivers a haunting, athletic, and captivating non-verbal performance, her movements sharp, poised, and vigorous while she appears in unexpected places. Dignified and authoritative, Champion’s dynamic performance boasts comedic moments, especially in his interaction with Caspersen. While Champion’s musings are incomprehensible and muffled, Caspersen’s seem philosophical and poetic.

Artifact, divided into four parts like a symphony, features piano by Margot Kazimirska and delves into a full range of emotions as the piano seems to have a mind of its own, often breaking convention. The music, featuring J.S. Boch: Chaconne from Partita Nr. 2 BWV 1004 in D-Minor by Nathan Milstein, Sound Collage by William Forsythe, and music from composer and pianist Eva Crossman-Hecht, progresses from playful to somber then frantic to rhythmic.

Sao Hye Han and Paul Craig in William Forsythe’s ‘Artifact’ Photo courtesy of Rosalie O’Connor

Dressed in rich, vibrant color and launching into choreography ranging from romantic and sweeping to freestyle to stiff and regimented, the Boston Ballet often break convention under the direction of Curcio. A few of the highlights are ballet dancers breaking away into romantic, sweeping duets as they spin, sway, and soar. With a verbal countdown, they perform intrinsic dance combinations such as a row of dancers drop to the floor in unison, embracing. Another thrilling highlight is the ballet directs the curtain to lift and close, creating snapshots of various, choreographed scenes. As Artifact culminates into an unpredictable, uplifting, and magnificent finale, unified dancers are as mesmerizing as the dancers breaking away into frantic, dynamic arrangements, performing pirouettes to a wild rhythm, blossoming into a new entity.

Seo Hye Han and the Boston Ballet in ‘Artifact’ Photo courtesy of Rosalie O’Connor/Boston Ballet

Click here for tickets, call 617-695-6955, or visit the Boston Ballet box office at 19 Clarendon Street in Boston, Massachusetts. Subscriptions and group rates are also available. Follow the Boston Ballet on Twitter.

The Boston Ballet’s 2017-18 season boasts masterful works such as Kylian/Wings of Wax from March 23 through April 2, Robbins/The Concert from May 5 through May 27, Obsidian Tear from November 3 through November 12, and the return of Tchaikovsky’s beloved holiday classic, Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker from November 24 through December 31, 2017. Click here for a closer look at all of Boston Ballet’s 2017-18 season highlights.

Cohasset Dramatic Club will welcome 4th annual play festival, ‘Briefs’

Posted on February 2, 2017 by The Sleepless Critic

Why follow one story when Cohasset Dramatic Club offers several stories in two consecutive evenings? Cohasset Dramatic Club proudly presents their fourth annual show, Briefs a variety of ten-minute plays on February 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m. Briefs takes place every February with different directors that include drama, comedy, and much more. Click here for the full list of plays and for tickets.

Directed by Lisa Pratt, Brian Chamberlain, Kelly Hines, Andrew Lemieux, and Barbara Baumgarten, Briefs features a large cast of characters and audiences can enjoy cabaret-style seating serving snacks and beverages included in the ticket price. All performances are held at Cohasset Town Hall, 41 Highland Ave in Cohasset, Massachusetts. Call 617-922-0280 or click here for tickets, which will also be available at the door.

The Cohasset Dramatic Club’s debut of the innovative, romantic musical, If/Then is coming in March. Follow Cohasset Dramatic Club on Facebook for more information and updates.