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 18th 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 Léonideshares 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.
What comes before you is not as powerful as what comes next. Forging ahead has never been more difficult for Adiaha in The Grove.
Abigail C. Onwunali in The Huntington’s production of Mfoniso Udofia’s The Grove, directed by Awoye Timpo; photo by Marc J. Franklin. Running February 7 – March 9, 2025 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA (527 Tremont St, Boston, MA, 02116).
With skillful direction by Awoye Timpo and captivating choreography by Adesola Osakalumi, The Huntington presented the world premiere of The Grove, the second of Ufot’s nine-play family cycle, live and in person at The Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 9 and is currently available to stream online. This intriguing bilingual production in English and Ibibio runs 1 hour and 45 minutes with one intermission. The Ufot Family Cycle features three Ufot Nigerian-American family generations. Click here for more information and how to steam this production.
The cast of The Huntington’s production of Mfoniso Udofia’s The Grove, directed by Awoye Timpo; photo by Marc J. Franklin. Running February 7 – March 9, 2025 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA (527 Tremont St, Boston, MA, 02116).
Jumping from 1978 in The Sojourners to Worcester, Massachusetts in 2009, The Grove explores family roots, identity, and more as Adiaha’s struggles under the anxiety of facing her extended family as she carries a secret that she fears is against her Nigerian heritage and will ruin her family’s expectations.
Lit brilliantly by Reza Behjat, a silvery, translucent and multipurpose carousel backdrop not only serves as an extension into other scenes, but as a mysterious window into another world which features allegorical figures and inspiration for Abigail C. Onwunali as introspective perfectionist Adiaha Ufot, the eldest daughter in the Ufot household. The production opens to the Ufot family cooking and meticulously housecleaning to prepare for Adiaha’s master’s degree graduation under the direction of Ufot’s father and patriarch Disciple, depicted with righteous enthusiasm by Joshua Olumide. A grandfather clock, wooden stove, living room with sofa and chairs provide a portion of Jason Ardizzone-West’s sleek and innovative set.
Janelle Grace and Ekemini Ekpo of The Huntington’s production of Mfoniso Udofia’s The Grove, directed by Awoye Timpo; photo by Marc J. Franklin. Running February 7 – March 9, 2025 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA (527 Tremont St, Boston, MA, 02116).
The Grove has a strong cast sharing a tight family bond, each holding their own deep convictions within an umbrella of expectations. In spite of his Disciple’s objections, Amani Kojo as Adiaha’s little brother Ekong Ufot dares to embrace the world around him and adopt American culture. Kojo as determined Ekong seems an unconventional voice of reason within the family remaining vigilant under his father’s pressure.
Left to right: Janelle Grace, Joshua Olumide, Abigail C. Onwunali, and Patrice Jean-Baptiste in The Grove; directed by Awoye Timpo; photo by Marc J. Franklin
Olumide as Adiaha’s orthodox father Disciple, a PhD scholar himself, staunchly urges his oldest daughter Adiaha forward through higher education in hopes of marrying her off so she can carry on Nigerian tradition in her own family. Disciple’s insistent nature and urgency reverberates with Onwunali’s Adiaha as she anxiously follows another path weighed down by the fear of disappointing him. Onwunali encapsulates this role in her pleading demeanor exemplified by her nervous and short answers attempting to tow the line for her family and what is expected of her. Adiaha’s plight to be who her family wants and her own dreams are being squashed within and it is impossible not to feel for this young woman.
Left to right: Paul-Robert Pryce, Makuda Steady, and Joshua Olumide in The Grove; directed by Awoye Timpo; photo by Marc J. Franklin
Aisha Wura Akorede as Toyoima Ufot shares a credible sibling rapport with Onwunali as Akorede delivering teasing yet tough love. Akorede brings lightheartedness and some laughter as the subject matter intensifies.
Patrice Johnson Chevannes is impressive as conflicted Abasiama, exhibiting Abasiama’s struggles and trauma with quiet and harrowing strength as a traditional Nigerian wife and mother in a sly and powerful scene with Adiaha. Abasiama also shares some amazing scenes with Disciple recalling their long and complex history.
Abigail C. Onwunali and Patrice Johnson Chevannes in The Huntington’s production of Mfoniso Udofia’s The Grove, directed by Awoye Timpo; photo by Marc J. Franklin. Running February 7 – March 9, 2025 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA (527 Tremont St, Boston, MA, 02116).
A journey of discovery, The Grove delivers a familiar storyline in a distinctive and fascinating manner. Its artistry, symbolism and multi-layered style of storytelling embellish every aspect of the production into a new and refreshing experience.
The Huntington presented the world premiere of The Grove at The Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 9 and is currently available to stream online. Click here for more information and how to steam this production.
This may not be a direct quote from Jane Austen, but Emma’s remark certainly encapsulates the essence of love and timing as Actors’ Shakespeare Project presents Kate Hamill’s delightfully interactive romantic comedy Emma based on Jane Austen’s classic novel live and in person at the elegant Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts through December 15. Directed insightfully by Regine Vital, Emma runs approximately two hours and twenty-five minutes including one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.
Alex Bowden and Josephine Moshiri Elwood in Actors’ Shakepeare Project’s ‘Emma’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios
Love is not just in the air in this inviting Emma, but this immersive experience includes the cast often addressing the audience and presents a sweet purpose for the noisemakers that are distributed to the audience with tea offered at intermission in case you are not already charmed by Austen’s style.
The sophisticated Multicultural Arts Center which includes a marvelous wrap around balcony, marble floors and finely-detailed staircase is an ideal location for the garden parties, tea and affluence taking place in the English countryside prevalent in this production and enhances Saskia Martinez’s lovely set design which includes multicolor sashes, mini models of mansions and sparkling brass chandeliers. Whether it is in the vine climbing wrought-iron stadium seating or at the decorated tables on the floor, the show does not offer a bad seat in the house. However, the more fortunate attendees are at the decorated tables on the floor immersed in the play front and center of the action.
Costume designer Nia Safarr Banks infuses colorful attire from the Regency era blending vintage and contemporary costumes ranging from watercolor to floral empire waist gowns with bows, Spencer jackets, corduroy coats, pearls, lace, crinoline and top hats as well as baseball caps and glittering denim. Anna Drummond’s intriguing sound design also mixes classical with contemporary music featuring uplifting club songs between scenes and subtle instrumental versions of love songs from pop artists such as Taylor Swift and Cyndi Lauper.
Liza Giangrande and Josephine Moshiri Elwood in Actors Shakespeare Project’s ‘Emma’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios
Jane Austen’s Emma has been restaged, restyled and recalibrated many times over the years for television, theatre and film. It became an age of Austen in the mid 90s after Sense and Sensibility hit the big screen in 1995 followed by Clueless, considered a modern retelling of Emma starring Alicia Silverstone, which hit the big screen in 1996 while a traditional Emma starring Gwyneth Paltrow also premiered that same year. More recently, a streaming adaptation of Emmapremiered on Amazon Prime starring Anya Taylor-Joy to some critical acclaim in 2020.
Dev Luthra as Mr. Weston and Mara Sidmore as Mrs. Weston in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s ‘Emma’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios
In most adaptations, beautiful Emma leads a spoiled and privileged life and mostly gets whatever she wants, but she was also seemingly well meaning in her confidence that she knows what is best for everyone in her life. In Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s Emma, having matched Mr. and Mrs. Weston by way of introduction, Josephine Moshiri Elwood as Emma is more self assured than ever that she knows what is best and intends to work her magic on her newest project Harriet, portrayed with wide eyed naiveté, excitability and awkward charm by Liza Giangrande, who she thinks has been misled in the ways of love and status.
Josephine Moshiri Elwood and Liza Giangrande in Actors Shakespeare Project’s ‘Emma’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios
Elwood’s Emma is pricklier, sharper, more outspoken, snobby, and dramatic, making no apologies as she exclaims “onward and upward.” With a conspiratorial laugh, she is tempestuous and controlling and much more antihero than heroine. This Emma needs to be better understood than needs to change which is a fun part to play and Elwood revels in it. She boasts fiery chemistry with Alex Bowden as George who is also a man of means and seems a bit more reasonable, but they match each other in stubbornness. Elwood also shares some fascinating scenes with Lorraine Victoria Kanyike who shines as refined and humble Jane as does Bowden who shares a comic rivalry with Fady Damian as enigmatic Frank Churchill.
Josephine Moshiri Elwood and Mara Sidmore in Actors’ Shakepeare Project’s ‘Emma’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios
Most of this talented cast depicts dual roles and the entire cast display a great deal of compelling physical and self aware humor, especially between Elwood and Giangrande as well as Kanyike and Damian. Romantic, endearing, spicy and wonderfully entertaining, Hamill leaves room for more than one transformation in this production and it is refreshing to see how she infuses some contemporary ideas about society into each of these classic characters while still maintaining this classic tale of the Austen you know and love.
Matchmaking, mixed signals, love triangles and more than a few surprises take center stage as Actors’ Shakespeare Project presents Kate Hamill’s delightfully interactive romantic comedy Emma based on Jane Austen’s classic novel live and in person at the elegant Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts through December 15. Click here for more information and for tickets.
Music is the foundation for so many amazing aspects of life.
As GBH’s newly appointed Head of Music, Sam Brewer discusses music’s remarkable impact and how he started in the industry. He also shares where to listen to live concerts around Boston after work for free, insight into GBH’s extraordinary studios, and the revolutionary ways GBH is connecting artists to viewers and listeners.
Sleepless Critic: Just to clarify, GBH’s Head of Music primarily covers classical and jazz music?
Sam Brewer: Yes, it is the jazz and classical team. GBH Music is a multi-platform production team housed inside GBH with twelve full time and almost as many part time employees. Our biggest commitment and what everyone knows us for is CRB Classical 99.5 Boston. CRB produces over 50 broadcasts a year and we have a live concert every single week from Symphony Hall or Tanglewood. That includes concerts from the Boston Pops too.
General Manager of GBH Music Sam Brewer Photo by Meredith Nierman/GBH
We also program Jazz on 89.7 FM on the weekends and weekend overnights. For the past five years, we’ve had a series of about eight GBH Music Presents concerts at the Fraser Performance Studio or Calderwood Studio here at GBH. In person, streaming, and recorded performances are used on other platforms. Obviously they stream and may end up as an In Concert production.
Classical.org is the website for the radio station and a rich source of multimedia content about classical music, social media channels, and two newsletters which is one on jazz and one on classical and so much more.
From the GBH music perspective, we recently launched GBH Jazz Nights which are once a month performances at the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square. We’ve teamed up with JazzBoston to present jazz music the second Thursday of every month from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. It’s a free event and we want to capture people after work to stop by for an hour or two and get a beer and listen to music. It’s really to raise the profile of everything that we are doing in jazz. For the past few years we have done these studio jazz shows about four a year and we are looking have four again in the spring. We’ll have four in the spring to help us build up an audience, the excitement, and the anticipation for that and we feature a great lineup of performers.
Beyond December, we will be looking at a series of jazz performances at Fraser Performance Studio. Fraser is gorgeous and really the jewel of the production facilities at GBH. Antonio Oliart is our recording engineer on the GBH Music Team and he had a hand in designing the space and it’s his home along with Téa Mottolese who is our other recording engineer.
Antonio recorded an album at Fraser with violinist Hilary Hahn which was just named the Gramophone record of the year. It’s a huge honor and I think he’s won three or four Grammys from records he’s produced in that space. We host a lot of these GBH jazz and classical music events at Fraser and you’re really sitting with maybe 90 or 100 people in a multi-camera shoot in an acoustically perfect music space.
Ulysses Quartet perform at an event celebrating the leadership of Tony Rudel, General Manager GBH Music on October 1, 2024 at GBH Headquarters in Brighton, Mass. Photo by Meredith Nierman/GBH
The Boston Symphony Chamber Players came and recorded this beautiful video show in Fraser and then we streamed. It was in person and it will also become a radio broadcast in a week or two. Somebody came up to me after the performance and told me they have known this musician their whole life and have never seen this person up close playing like this.
SC: Oh, I love those experiences.
SB: That’s the real benefit of this space. You get a sort of intimacy with the music that you don’t really get in any other venue in Boston because of the size and how it is structured. It’s also how we host shows. Brian McCreath, the host of the BSO broadcasts, hosted this program. He’s a proxy for the audience and brings the audience into the stories behind the music in such a unique way.
SC:We know each other from the Boston Pops. What piqued your interest from the Boston Pops to make the transition over to GBH? I know it all starts with classical music.
SB: That’s a great question. I was a publicist at the BSO for about 10 years and started at the box office selling tickets. I was just looking for the next step in my career and there’s such a crossover between the GBH audience and the Boston Symphony audience and in an effort to sort of promote other types of content and other stories, I was drawn to the work in public media and found a happy home for the last six years working quite closely with the newsroom here. Of course the GBH Music team was my other main client here and pulled it back into the beauty, power and the rich, artistic life of classical music and jazz. That’s how I found myself working even more closely with the GBH Music Team.
SC:You must also find yourself working with some famous musicians. Which particular person stands out for you that you couldn’t believe you were working with them?
SB: There are countless people, but recently opera bass-baritone Davóne Tines. We had someone scheduled for the Getting into Opera program and it was a wonderful event open to the public. We are eventually going to turn it into a series for YouTube. We’ve done two of these before and we have another one coming up. We unfortunately lost the soprano who was scheduled to host this master class. The concept here is people get into opera by seeing how great vocal performances are shaped. So it’s a master class between a master teacher and a student.
The star soprano who was supposed to lead the performance had to cancel about 36 hours before. Davóne Tines came in and I had the opportunity to pick him up in a car and drive him over quickly before the performance was about to begin.
I was blown away how even at the last minute, he wanted to reshape what we were doing to put the artists in the center and focus on them as humans and people before he got to hear them sing or work with them as a coach. So, there are countless examples of artists I have met and been star struck or really moved by, but this one recently is just one of the benefits everyone on this team has which are these really close encounters with musicians as people and then get to share their stories with broader audiences. It’s of interest to any type of consumer of any media, but I think music in particular because it can be abstract and one of things we specialize in is sharing an artist’s story behind the music.
SC:How do you think your prior experience has prepared you for what you are doing now?
SB: Two of the trends in my career have been music and communications and I think they will be thoroughly employed in this role. Being so new to it, I can already tell one of the real joys of this role is working with all the people on this team. I think anyone in a leadership position is responsible for supporting the team’s work. It is really exciting to come to work every day with people who are ready to pitch new and creative ideas and try to find ways for those little seeds of ideas to grow to support the work of a lot of creative professionals. So, I suppose having a lot of experience as a communicator, in public relations, and then in public media has put me in a good position to help the team bring all this creativity to the forefront and to find things that resonate with audiences. I’m excited to see how we can keep growing this incredible foundation here.
SC:Music is the connection to everything.
SB: I agree with you.
SC:Speaking of which, what is your favorite music and kinds of artists you like to listen to for GBH?
SB: I think from a very early age, I’ve always loved orchestral music. I will just say broadly classical music encompassing classical, romantic, and baroque. We play on CRB Classical 99.5 over 500 years of this incredible compendium of artistic styles. It’s just so easy to get deeply lost in it and imagine your own stories.
It’s funny because I have certainly listened to all sorts of music. My wife and I went to the Weezer concert in Boston. It was great fun, but I also had this experience where we were all the way up in the nosebleed section. I don’t know what the capacity of TD Garden about 20,000 and it was a wonderful performance and I was thinking if I can just get one percent of these people to turn on CRB and find this intentional listening experience in the genres we promote, I think everyone would grow so tremendously. A lot of what we program on this station is intentional to capture people who find a familiar sound in what we do and discover that they like classical music. For example, Renaissance pieces that would be four minutes long and to someone who is just tuning in, it could sound like a folk song. There could be an energy to Telemann perfect for driving down the road. I’ve always loved orchestral music. The challenges and the fun of this role is to just to find people in this vast swath of people and find out who might want to come and join us and be part of this tribe.
SC:Classical is the foundation of so many other genres of music. The epic Clair de Lune is a famous classical piece you know that you don’t know that you know.
SB: I agree with you and I think there is also a willingness that there wasn’t ten or fifteen years ago to cross between genres and like what they hear without knowing what the label is. I just find there is a tremendous opportunity to turn more people into classical music and such growth potential there. I’m glad we’re focused on that central part of it and our goal is just to spread that out and make people fall in love with it.
One of CRB’s next events will be the GBH Music Holiday Spectacular taking place at Calderwood Studio. Be the first to learn about GBH’s upcoming music events through classical newsletter The Note and GBH’s Jazz newsletter.
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.
Music lifts, transports, comforts, brings people together, and provides its own therapy to the happy and the hurt. Though the Boy, depicted with earnest and imaginative optimism by Errol Service Jr., is not aware of it yet, a force much bigger than him is going to lead the way to his destiny.
Errol Service Jr. in ‘The Boy Who Kissed the Sky’ Photo by Erin-Crowley
Directed inventively by Summer L Williams with funky musical direction by David Freeman Coleman, joyfully choreographed by Victoria Lynn Awkward and loosely based on legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix’s life, Company One presents Idris Goodwin’s celestial and groovy The Boy Who Kissed the Sky live and in person at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester, Massachusetts and now streaming through Saturday, August 12. This far out production is 70 minutes with no intermission and pay what you can tickets are available. Part of what makes Company One’s The Boy Who Kissed the Sky special is its commitment to the community and social change by partnering with a number of community organizations including Project Bread, Zumix, and Boston Music Project through this production. Click here for more information and tickets.
Adriana Alvarez, Errol Service Jr. and Martinez Napoleon in ‘The Boy Who Kissed the Sky’ Photo by Erin Crowley
In many ways, musician Jimi Hendrix was deemed ahead of his time. Part biography, part musical and part fantastic trip through time, the cosmos, and through hardship, The Boy Who Kissed the Sky envisions possibly how Hendrix got there. It is noteworthy that Service’s boy is never referred to as Hendrix and can be translated into any dreamer’s potential.
This production boasts a wealth of various projections by Rasean Davonte Johnson including traffic and misty rain as well as kinetic water colored special effects and cosmic imagery. Through all of the pizzazz and psychedelic special effects lies an inspirational tale built for any dreamer attempting to overcome challenging circumstances. Set in Jimi Hendrix’s hometown of Seattle, Washington, It also delivers a strong message about the value of hard work, keeping an eye on the prize, and believing in one’s boundless potential.
The cast of ‘The Boy Who Kissed The Sky’ Photo by Erin Crowley
The Boy Who Kissed the Sky’s energetic cast is lead by Errol Service Jr. referred to only as The Boy. Much of the cast plays more than one role. Service’s Boy is amiable, sympathetic, imaginative and inquisitive as he waits for his mother, depicted warmly by Yasmeen Dunkin. Cedric Lilly is enigmatic and forthright as the boy’s veteran father, Mel and Keira “Kee” Prusmack delivers a humorous yet kindhearted performance as Mrs. Newton, the boy’s nosy neighbor.
L-R Martinez Napoleon and Errol-Service Jr. in ‘The Boy Who Kissed the Sky’ Photo by Erin Crowley
However, grooving through time and space backed by some of Hendrix’s music history and influences is Martinez Napoleon who soars as J. Sonic. With excellent vocals, mystical charisma, and an easy rapport with Service Jr, Napoleon sweeps through the production with a smooth yet caring demeanor as Martinez attempts to demonstrate that the boy, using a broom as a guitar, is more powerful than the boy ever thought possible.
The cast of ‘The Boy Who Kissed The Sky’ Photo by Erin Crowley
Backed by Eugene H Russell IV and Divinity Roxx’s uplifting rock n roll and blues-inspired score especially for numbers A Feeling Without A Name and Way Back, The Boy Who Kissed the Sky is a musical celebration elevated by Jimi Hendrix’s iconic fashion sense and Danielle Dominique Sumi’s dramatic and galactic 60s-inspired costume design. An epic and renowned onstage band trio jams high above the production’s stage alongside a gigantic moon and Wooden Kiwi Productions constructed the rock n roll set equipped with giant wooden amplifiers and stereo speakers under Danielle DeLaFuente’s scenic vision.
Idris Goodwin’s ‘The Boy Who Kissed the Sky’ is appropriate for all ages and a wonderful production to anyone could use a little inspiration.
Directed inventively by Summer L Williams with funky musical direction by David Freeman Coleman, joyfully choreographed by Victoria Lynn Awkward, and loosely based on legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix’s life, Company One presents Idris Goodwin’s celestial and groovy The Boy Who Kissed the Sky live and in person at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester, Massachusetts and now streaming through Saturday, August 12. This far out production is 70 minutes with no intermission and pay what you can tickets are available. Click here for more information and tickets.
One is nicknamed Zebra and another knows everything there is to know about Zebras….except how Zebras feel.
Zebra 2.0 is technological ice breaker and a breakthrough unlike any other. An interesting meet cute for the modern age, AnomalousCo, Wistaria Project, and Romanian Cultural Institute’s sci-fi rom com Zebra 2.0 was presented at New Ohio Theatre’s ICE Factory in NYC and is now streaming through August 12. The show runs for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Click here for more information and how to stream the film.
Alina Mihailevschi and Tim Craig in ‘Zebra 2.0’
Photographer: Jarrett Robertson
A computer and a woman meet in a lab. She calls it Al and Al nicknames her Zebra 2.0. As Al coordinates a line of numbers, inquisitive Zina, energetically depicted by Alina Mihailevschi, realizes that Al, portrayed with intellectual charm by Tim Craig, have much more in common than either of them realized. Zebras are only the beginning.
Zebra 2.0 has an enchanting way of delving into various topics such as the environment, biology, science, books, music, immigration, standardized tests, employment, and the nature of being human in a clever and fascinating manner. Though Zina only chance meets Al as she cleans up a laboratory, her friendly and candid conversations with Al spark some compelling results. Written by Saviana Stanescu and directed by Jeremy Goren, Zebra 2.0 combines method and sentiment into a sweet, intense, and astute production with resounding messages about humanity. Tim Craig is impressive, gradually molding Al into a charismatic and sympathetic character and Mihailevschi epitomizes lonely, zealous, friendly, rebellious, and imaginative Zina who longs for knowledge and dreams of a better life.
Tim Craig and Alina Mihailevschi in ‘Zebra 2.0’
Photographer: Jarrett Robertson
John Jannone, Michi Zaya, and Amy Liou’s luminous projection and video, Duncan Davies’s incredible multicolor lighting and Ras Badejo’s epic music and sound combine to make Al into a dazzling, fervent, and a powerful entity that blurs fantasy and reality inside a pristine, windowless, and futuristic space by Xinan Helen Ran. These special effects display some of the most exciting scenes in the production only second to Craig and Mihailevschi’s humorous and engaging chemistry that just might deliver greater meaning than anything Al can calculate.
Alina Mihailevschi and Tim Craig in ‘Zebra 2.0’
Photographer: Jarrett Robertson
Written ambitiously by Saviana Stanescu with elevated direction by Jeremy Goren, AnomalousCo, Wisteria Project, and Romanian Cultural Institute’s sci-fi rom com Zebra 2.0 was presented at ICE Factory in NYC and is now streaming through August 12. The show runs for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Click here for more information and how to stream the film.
Imagine seeing a relative’s picture for the first time. Ever wonder what was happening when that moment was captured? What is the significance behind it and what was going on through their mind? Photos from the past bring up a great deal of curiosity and Deadclass Ohio imagines some of these possibilities as a woman attempts to pay tribute to long lost relatives who were Holocaust survivors in a Jewish cemetery.
Based on Tadeusz Kantor’s documentary Umarla Klaza and directed with experimental complexity by Mitchell Polonsky and Chloe Claudel, The Goat Exchange’s Deadclass Ohiooffers various perspectives on a photo and situation with a mix of humor and poignancy as it tackles loneliness, grief, and disconnection while capturing a harrowing time in history. It also explores the nature of the past.
Paul Lazar Photo credit Hana MendelChloe Claudel and Marcus Amaglo Photo credit Hana Mendel
A lone bench, an escalating pile of laundry, a dining room table, a scrambled TV set and a floral arrangement is the foundation of two unique and related scenes on a dark and minimal stage. Two people enter a cemetery and commiserate about a photo of a woman’s grandmother as they contemplate what is behind the photograph and what happened when the photo was taken. Featuring Paul Lazar, Marcus Amaglo, Chloe Claudel, and Juliana Sass with Jim Fletcher, Deadclass Ohio holds many revelations which should not be unveiled here except it invites a sense of déjà vu and reaching into history.
Marcus Amaglo and Chloe Claudel Photo credit Hana MendelPaul-Lazar Photo credit Hana Mendel
Each skilled member of this intimate cast faces a challenging task of bringing emotional depth to each scene as well as presenting a new perspective to each scenario. This is all while the plot progresses in unexpected ways. Little nuances of each actor’s performance shift the perspective and the production becomes more personal while it simultaneously delves into the unusual. Two memorable scenes metaphorically explore the nature of pigeons while the other echoes a haunting rendition of Too Young by Nat King Cole.
Photo credit to Mitchell Polonsky
Mitchell Polonsky’s vivid sound and media design and Abraham E.S. Rebello Trujillo’s quirky costume design lends to the production’s mysterious atmosphere. Enhanced by a poignant violin score performed by Sasha Yakub, Deadclass Ohio contains some absurd and meaningful humor through some clever blocking, but it also keeps the viewer guessing at different points during the production. The show does not always make its intentions clear, but it does deliver the stirring emotional weight of loneliness, loss, disconnection, and a longing to be understood which becomes more prevalent as the production continues.
New Ohio Theatre’s ICE Factory continues streaming The Goat Exchange’s Deadclass Ohio through August 12. The production is approximately one hour. Click here for more information and how to view this play.
Zora Howard seems to have perfected this particular recipe because Stew embodies in structure and storyline while enhanced with metaphorical seasoning and home style hospitality the unpredictability of cooking a stew and how it relates to the chaos and disarray of life.
Gloucester Stage Company’s ‘STEW’ Cheryl Singleton as Mama, Sadiyah Dyce Stephens as Lil Mama Breezy Leigh as Lillian and Janelle Grace as Nelly Photo Credit to Jason Grow Photography
Directed conscientiously by Rosalind Bevan, Gloucester Stage Company continues Zora Howard’s renowned drama Stew live and in person at Gloucester Stage in Gloucester, Massachusetts as well as a streaming option through Sunday, July 23. The show is 90 minutes without an intermission and discusses some adult themes. Click here for more information and for tickets.
Isn’t it a wonder that whenever guests or family visit, they usually end up in the kitchen? The kitchen represents more than just preparing a meal. It is a haven where people convene to share stories, gossip, and build camaraderie in a mutual place while also representing an opportunity to help each other.
Gloucester Stage Company’s ‘STEW’ Cheryl Singleton as Mama, Sadiyah Dyce Stephens as Lil Mama, Janelle Grace as Nelly Photo credit to Jason Grow Photography
Taking place entirely in Mama’s kitchen, Pulitzer Prize finalist Stew focuses on four generations of Tucker women who are all dealing with their own secrets as they mill around the kitchen. In many ways, these four women also ‘stew’ with worry over what they have hidden away. However, what is most intriguing about Stew is the liberating nature in which the cast interacts from the calling up or down the stairs, the bickering, the fast paced family dialogue that practically runs over the other’s sentences, and frank conversations to the loving manner in which these four women act toward one other. Some with respect and then in scenes where there should be far more respect. The pacing of events also parallels the progression of a stew. It begins at a mild pace, simmers, and as the tension escalates, the stew begins to boil.
Gloucester Stage Company’ ‘Stew’ cast Photo credit Jason Grow Photography
This tight knit cast creates tangible tension and yet also reflects a familiar family dynamic fueled in this inviting atmosphere. Cheryl D. Singleton portrays Mama, a God-fearing, wise, stern, stubborn yet generous woman who annually invites her family to prepare a big meal for her church group. Singleton is as capable in her joyous moments as she is in her stark silences. In one scene, Singleton could have leveled the room with her eyes and her silences speak much louder than her words. Mama is a reminder of any mother who is trying to bind the family together, but look out when a certain line is crossed.
Gloucester Stage Company’s ‘STEW’ Sadiyah Dyce Stephens as Lil Mama and Cheryl Singleton as Mama, Breezy Leigh as Lillian Photo credit to Jason Grow Photography
Breezy Leigh depicts Mama’s daughter Lillian and the mother of Janelle Grace as rebellious Nelly and Sadiyah Dyce Janai Stephens as Lil Mama. Leigh depicts outspoken, talkative, and restless Lillian with depth and complexity as she attempts to navigate life with headstrong and rambunctious daughters. Leigh has some intriguing and relatable moments with Janelle and Sadiyah who often try their mother’s patience. Sadiyah and Janelle share some humorous scenes as squabbling sisters and Sadiyah is compelling in Lil Mama’s precocious moments while Janelle impressively depicts any haughty teenager’s attitude on the brink of turning 18.
Gloucester Stage Company’s ‘Stew’ Breezy Leigh as Lillian and Cheryl Singleton as Mama Photo credit Jason Grow Photography
Elevating the intrigue of each scene is Aubrey Dube’s bluesy single bass guitar and soundtrack and Kat C. Zhou’s evocative and occasionally harrowing lighting that exude a troubling aura. Jenna McFarland Lord’s hospitable and functioning kitchen builds on the production’s realism as the stove comes alive and the counter is strewn with ingredients. In colorful head wraps and flowing, casual wear indicative of each generation’s personality, KJ Gilmer’s relaxed costume design completes this homespun feel as the daughters slide in socks and cotton pajamas.
Howard’s characters are richly developed, fleshing out their strengths as well as their flaws. The revelations in the production, once the stew thickens, are swift and astonishing. It is a memorable production delivered so cleverly, it urges conflicted contemplation long after the show is over.
Directed conscientiously by Rosalind Bevan, Gloucester Stage Company continues Zora Howard’s renowned drama Stew live and in person at Gloucester Stage in Gloucester, Massachusetts as well as a streaming option through Sunday, July 23. The show is 90 minutes without an intermission and discusses some adult themes. Click here for more information and for tickets.
Medicine and faith and faith versus fear as a pandemic is looming.
These powerful topics should all be more than vaguely familiar in this day and age. However, the most recent pandemic is not when Taylor Mac’sJoy and Pandemic takes place though from its urgent dialogue, it all seems like yesterday.
Directed meditatively by Loretta Greco, The Huntington presents the World Premiere of Taylor Mac’s Joy and Pandemic live and in person as well at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, May 21. It is also available digitally through June 4. The show is two hours with one 15 minute intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.
Stacy Fischer, Breezy Leigh, and Ryan Winkles of The Huntington’s production of Taylor Mac’s Joy and Pandemic; photo: T Charles Erickson. Running from April 21 to May 21, 2023 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, South End.
Joy and Pandemic delves into a number of topics and it is not surprising that this production is running through and beyond Mother’s Day. It has an increasing intensity around the pandemic of 1918 in Philadelphia, but it also focuses on the shaping and influence mothers have on their daughters. What about doubt? What if a mother casts a shadow over what is right and wrong?
Though the show can meander and its formal dialogue is a bit muddled at times, Joy and Pandemic presents some important viewpoints that tip the scales on what is important in times of crisis. It is not preachy and delves into extreme behavior of those who make decisions strictly based on faith who might benefit from a bit more common sense.
Joy and Pandemic is about a passionate, independent and hardworking Christian Science mother and artist named Joy, her new husband Bradford and her excitable, impressionable and eccentric daughter Pilly. They are running a fine arts school for children and plan to have an open house on the same day the town is holding a parade, even through whispers of the Spanish flu to the dismay of Joy’s mother in law Rosemary.
Arnulfo Maldonado’s transformative, layered, and eye opening scenic design is strewn with paintbrushes, framed art work, shelves full of assorted pottery and art books as crown molding and retro wallpaper adorn the walls and brass, vintage chandeliers hang overhead. Just as impressive is the astounding sound effects and presentation of the parade with booms and pops by Fan Zhang and lighting by Jen Schriver. Zhang also effectively rewinds the clock with American Standards by Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra.
Stacy Fischer and Ryan Winkles of The Huntington’s production of Taylor Mac’s Joy and Pandemic; photo: T Charles Erickson. Running from April 21 to May 21, 2023 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, South End.
Even while exploring themes like faith, illness, medicine, life, and death, the cast manages to bring some occasional and much needed relatable humor to the production. Marceline Hugot brings gravitas and hardnosed practicality as Joy’s mother in law Rosemary and Ryan Winkles is formidable as Joy’s mysterious husband Bradford. Due to a portion of the show’s clever casting, it is best not to say more except that Stacy Fischer, Ella Dershowitz, and Breezy Leigh fit smoothly into their perspective roles. Joy and Pandemic is not so much about joy itself though it does touch upon it outside its moments of intensity, poignancy, and insightful dialogue. Somewhere along the way lies hope.
Stacy Fischer and Breezy Leigh of The Huntington’s production of Taylor Mac’s Joy and Pandemic; photo: T Charles Erickson. Running from April 21 to May 21, 2023 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, South End.
The Huntington presents the World Premiere of Taylor Mac’s Joy and Pandemic live and in person at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, May 21 and will continue streaming through June 4. Click here for more information and for tickets.
