Wheelock Family Theatre | The Sleepless Critic

REVIEW: Manual Cinema cleverly performed vibrant and layered children’s production ‘Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster’ at Wheelock Family Theatre

Posted on November 12 by The Sleepless Critic

Recently, Wheelock Family Theatre and Manual Cinema presented a vibrant tale about terrible monsters and the true meaning of kindness.

Based on books by Mo Willems and playfully choreographed by Sarah Fornace, Wheelock Family Theatre and Manual Cinema highlighted the inner workings of puppetry, voiceover and much more wrapped in two inspiring tales with Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster which continued through October 19. This lively, semi-interactive and captioned production ran 50 minutes with no intermission. Click here for further information and here to learn more about Wheelock Family Theatre’s upcoming productions including the classic musical Annie kicking off this month.

Kevin Michael Wesson and Kary Gesine Bergman in Manual Cinema’s ‘Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster’ at Wheelock Family Theatre Photo credit Manual Cinema

It was easy to sense the buzz from the audience and the building excitement from the children as everyone settled into one of Leonardo!’s final performances. Accompanied by multi-talented guitarist, narrator, character voices and vocalist Lily Emerson, Leonardo! Focuses on a monster named Leonardo, portrayed with bold yet self-effacing charm by Kevin Michael Wesson, who seems incapable of scaring anyone, so Leonardo sets out to become the monster everyone thinks he should be.

Leonardo! Is an engaging and sweet production, but what truly sets it apart is the amazing and transparent nature in which this show is put together. Taking place inside an onstage studio, witnessing everything being created live piece-by-piece with lighting, live action, illustrated projections and video makes it a remarkable behind-the-scenes learning experience. It was also refreshing to see innovative puppetry leaning away from CGI and strictly computerized methods and more towards book-influenced illustration.

The cast of ‘Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster’ Photo credit to Manual Cinema

Mieka Van der Ploeg’s textured costumes and chunky wigs are illustrations come to life as the audience has the option to focus on the projections of the finished product and/or the behind the scenes aspect of the production.

Fueled by a blend of light pop, inquisitive, echoing and effervescent music by Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter and spirited lighting by Trey Brazeal and Nick Chamernik, Lily Emerson is a marvel delivering this clever tale in all its swift transitions and voices alongside Karly Gesine Bergmann as pensive Sam, Sharaina Latrice Turnage as unexpected Kerry, and Wesson as Leonardo. It was also easy to see the enthusiasm from everyone involved.

Lily Emerson and cast and crew of ‘Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster’ Photo credit Manual Cinema

Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster was authentic, amusing, boisterous and brief enough to keep the young audience captivated while teaching them about life and making friends. I particularly appreciated a section of the story about the library and its various ‘suses’ and the expression, ‘Scare the tuna salad out of him.’

At just 50 minutes, both tales link seamlessly together building on themes such as bullying, social anxiety, sibling rivalry and appreciating one another’s differences. Leonardo! boasts a fascinating and layered universal message valuable to anyone from toddler to elder.

Sharaina Latrice Turage in Manual Cinema’s ‘Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster’ at Wheelock Family Theatre Photo credit Manual Cinema

Wheelock Family Theatre with Manual Cinema highlighted the inner workings of puppetry, voiceover and much more wrapped in two inspiring tales with Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster which continued through October 19. This lively, semi-interactive and captioned production ran 50 minutes with no intermission. Click here for further information and here to learn more about Wheelock Family Theatre’s upcoming events including the classic musical Annie kicking off this month.

REVIEW: Learning through a child’s eyes in Boston Arts Academy and Wheelock Family Theatre’s ‘Kufre and Quay’

Posted on July 25, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

Imagining your first day in a new place can bring excitement, anxiousness and dread.

However, Kufre is optimistic his first day will be wonderful as he arrives from Nigeria to his new home in Inwood, New Jersey. He daydreams about all the friends he will make and how much everyone will like him when he starts at a Harlem Youth Center in Harlem, New York. However, things do not turn out quite like he imagines.

Insightfully directed by John Adekoje, Boston Arts Academy with Wheelock Family Theatre continues the world premiere of Mfoniso Udofia‘s Kufre and Quay, the fifth production in the Ufot’s nine-play family cycle which features three Ufot Nigerian-American family generations, live and in person at Boston Arts Academy in Boston, Massachusetts through Saturday. July 26. This bilingual production runs approximately two hours with one intermission and boasts open captions that come in handy during the performance. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Levi Mngomezulu in Boston Arts Academy and Wheelock Family Theatre’s production of Kufre n’ Quay by Mfoniso Udofia, directed by John Oluwole ADEkoje. Running July 10 – July 26, 2025 at Boston Arts Academy Main Stage Theatre (174 Ipswich St, Boston, MA 02215). Photo credit Annielly Camargo.

Having seen Ufot’s second production The Grove and the fourth production Her Portmanteau, it was wonderful to see the progression in the Ufot Family after watching things from Iniabasi’s perspective in Her Portmanteau and seeing things through her son’s eyes in this production. However, you can witness and enjoy this production without watching the others.

Lighting designer Karen Perlow with Projection designer Justin Lahue innovatively lay out in multiple strips that elegantly reveal black and white photos of Harlem to framed family photos to the solar system to subtle streams to the green landscape of Nigeria. Cliff Notez’s rich and catchy sound also contributes to the transformative quality and cultural aesthetic of this production in daydreams and reality.

The cast of Boston Arts Academy and Wheelock Family Theatre’s production of Kufre n’ Quay by Mfoniso Udofia, directed by John Oluwole ADEkoje. Running July 10 – July 26, 2025 at Boston Arts Academy Main Stage Theatre (174 Ipswich St, Boston, MA 02215). Photo credit Annielly Camargo.

It’s the hottest day of the year on Sunday, July 21, 2018 and Levi Mngomezulu as 12 year-old Kufre, the son of Iniabasi Ekpeyong and grandson of Abasiama Ufot, is adorable right from the start. Bright eyed and charming, Mngomezulu as Kufre doesn’t realize the kind of impression he will make on the other kids and along with Ayannah Joseph as Aissatou, they have their own ideas about this new boy from Nigeria. Until Kufre meets Ngolela Kamanampata as warm and theatre loving 13 year-old Laquasha Price or ‘Quay’ and under the guidance of Jalyse Ware as counselor Miss Ey Yo Miss, Kufre has encountered more challenges than he ever expected.

Jackie Davis, Levi Mngomezulu, and Ramona Lisa Alexander in Boston Arts Academy and Wheelock Family Theatre’s
production of Kufre n’ Quay by Mfoniso Udofia, directed by John Oluwole ADEkoje. Running July 10 – July 26, 2025
at Boston Arts Academy Main Stage Theatre (174 Ipswich St, Boston, MA 02215). Photo credit Annielly Camargo.

Jalyse Ware beautifully portrays compassionate counselor Miss Ey Yo Miss, who helps to run Harlem’s The Zone Youth Center. As this production does, Miss Ey Yo Miss uses theatre though a talent show to establish connection and navigates this youth group with clever finesse. Composed of Zay Williams, Selah Thande, Jedrian Latimore, Ezra Schwartz-Bart, Londyn Lacy, Shai-Anne Neufville, Ja’Mon Johnson and Ayannah Joseph, the group shares a real rapport with each other as individuals and as a collective as they speak over one another and make humorous comments as they embark on new activities.

Ngolela Kamanampata and Levi Mngomezulu (in foreground) in Boston Arts Academy and Wheelock Family Theatre’s production of Kufre n’ Quay by Mfoniso Udofia, directed by John Oluwole ADEkoje. Running July 10 – July 26, 2025 at Boston Arts Academy Main Stage Theatre (174 Ipswich St, Boston, MA 02215). Photo credit Annielly Camargo.

Kamanampata is delightful as Quay as she attempts to bring Mngomezulu as Kufre out of his shell, especially demonstrated in an imaginative theatre activity that Kufre is hesitant to learn.

Ramona Lisa Alexander as Iniabasi Ekpeyong and Jackie Davis as Abasiama Ufot both deliver powerful performances as they discover more about Kufre and his experiences at the Zone.

Kufre and Quay is a moving coming of age tale that gradually increases in intensity, especially in the second act. It tackles language, misunderstandings, cultural disconnect, and how each generation affects another while discovering new ways to relate and grow together.

Levi Mngomezulu and Ngolela Kamanampata in Boston Arts Academy and Wheelock Family Theatre’s production of Kufre n’ Quay by Mfoniso Udofia, directed by John Oluwole ADEkoje. Running July 10 – July 26, 2025 at Boston Arts Academy Main Stage Theatre (174 Ipswich St, Boston, MA 02215). Photo credit Annielly Camargo.

Boston Arts Academy with Wheelock Family Theatre continues the world premiere of Mfoniso Udofia‘s Kufre and Quay, the fifth production in the Ufot’s nine-play family cycle which features three Ufot Nigerian-American family generations, live and in person at Boston Arts Academy in Boston, Massachusetts through Saturday. July 26. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Wheelock Family Theatre’s ‘The Prom’ delivers humor and frivolity into an inspired true story

Posted on May 29, 2025 by The Sleepless Critic

This time I chose comfort over a frilly dress for this Prom.

Similar to Maureen Keiller’s diva-esque Dee Dee Allen, my prom style resembled Allen’s stylish jumpsuits. It is one of Zoë Sundra’s many festive, glittering and characteristic-defining costumes displayed in this production, especially highlighted by Janis Hudson as Angie in a sparkling and show shopping red dress. I felt like I fit right in.

Gary Thomas Ng*, Janis Hudson, Maureen Keiller*, Elias Robles, Davron S. Monroe* in Wheelock Family Theatre’s ‘The Prom’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

With lighthearted direction and occasionally sashaying choreography by Larry Sousa as well as upbeat Music Direction by Jordan Oczkowski, Wheelock Family Theatre at Boston University rolls out the red carpet for musical comedy The Prom live and in person at Wheelock Family Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through June 8. Wheelock Family Theatre boasts open captions that come in handy during the performance which runs two hours and 25 minutes including one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Since The Prom premiered on Broadway in 2018, it was adapted into a Netflix film that boasted an abundance of its own star power including Meryl Streep as Dee Dee and James Corden as Barry. It has been brought to the stage locally over the last few years. Inspired by a true story, anxious Emma, earnestly portrayed by Siri Manju, invites a date to the Prom with none other than Annie Parrinello as popular perfectionist Alyssa, the daughter of the head of the Parent Teacher Association. However, their high school will not allow them to attend the prom together. Once a group of egocentric Broadway celebrities get wind of this human interest story, they decide to make a difference in this small Indiana town.

Annie Parrinello & Siri Manju in Wheelock Family Theatre’s ‘The Prom’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

The Prom is a satirical blend of inspired true story and over the top musical comedy set in New York as well as in Edgewater, Indiana. It delivers humorous moments ranging from silly to satirical with a sincere and underlying message about helping others.

The Prom boasts strong vocals from an amiable cast and lauded local talent. Maureen Keiller brings ego and attitude as Dee Dee Allan, a self absorbed award-winning actress. Keiller’s powerful belt is on full display for It’s Not About Me and The Lady’s Improving. Along with soaring vocals by Davron S. Monroe as warm and charismatic actor Barry Glickman, Gary Thomas NG as no nonsense and frazzled PR rep Sheldon, Elias Robles as openhearted Trent, and Janis Hudson as inspirational Angie Dickinson, these seemingly shallow thespians share some comical moments, but their real charm is exposed by the people they meet in this fish out of water production.

Lauren Velasco O’Donovan, Arabella Hardgrave & Ensemble in Wheelock Family Theatre’s ‘The Prom’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

SeifAllah Salotto-Cristobal’s soft and cheerful multicolored lighting cleverly divides high school and theatrical scenes by illuminating vintage stage lights for celebrity numbers. James Rotondo’s rolling and colorful set design are mainly set inside James Madison High School halls using some projections to transform settings from a 711 store front to a hotel to an Applebee’s.

David Jiles Jr.* & Maureen Keiller* in Wheelock Family Theatre’s ‘The Prom’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

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

Janis Hudson & Siri Manju in Wheelock Family Theatre’s ‘The Prom’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

The Prom contains a wealth of welcome, inside Broadway references as well as symbolic choreography during the pivotal number, Tonight Belongs to You and It’s Time to Dance reflecting how the tide turns during the production. Janis Hudson shines during the Fosse-inspired Zazz, an uplifting rendition delivering sparkle and encouragement. Manju shares a touching rapport with both Hudson and Monroe, sure to make you smile.

As David Jiles Jr. as serious, compassionate and theatre loving Principal Hawkins reflects, “A distraction is momentary. An escape helps you heal.” The Prom tells a complex and message driven story while also providing a temporary glittering escape from the realities of life.

The full cast and crew of ‘The Prom’ Photo by Nile Scott Studios

Wheelock Family Theatre at Boston University rolls out the red carpet for musical dramedy The Prom live and in person at Wheelock Family Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts through June 8. Click here for more information and for tickets.