“BEEHIVE” (Theatre by the Sea)

May 13, 2017June 3, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Bill Hanney’s Theatre by the Sea’s first musical of their 84th season is “Beehive”, the 1960’s musical. This musical is a wild toe-tapping, head shakin’ musical tribute to the rockin’ women who made the 60’s and 70’s so special. It includes everyone from Lesley Gore to Janis Joplin, from the Shirelles to the Supremes, Aretha Franklin to Tina Turner and everyone in between. “Beehive” will have you dancing in the aisles. It starts off with Beehive hairdos and long skirts to free flowing hair and hippie fashions.

Praxis’ “Jesus Hopped the A Train” a Tense, Provocative Journey

May 13, 2017May 13, 2017 michaelhoban3 Comments

by Michele Markarian

“Jesus Hopped the A Train”. Written by Stephen Adly Guirgis. Directed by Dayanne C. Byron Walters and Daniel Boudreau. Presented by Praxis Stage at the Dorchester Art Project, 1486 Dorchester Avenue through May 21.

Walking into the tiny, bare bones space at 1486 Dorchester Avenue, where Praxis Stage is performing “Jesus Hopped the A Train”, I was immediately filled with a stab of homesickness for those theater spaces that used to thrive in Boston and Cambridge before the gentrification of theater prevailed – The Leland Center. The Piano Factory. Little Flags Theater. Without large budgets and grants, theater artists had to rely less on production values and more on sheer energy and talent – which this production has an abundance of.

THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (The Players, Barker Playhouse, Providence, RI)

May 12, 2017May 12, 2018 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

The Players last show of their 109th season is “The Mystery of Edwin Drood”, the musical mystery by Rupert Holmes based on Charles Dickens unfinished novel. It gives the audience a chance to solve the mystery because author Charles Dickens passed away before he could finish the novel. He suffered a fatal stroke on June 8, 1870 and died the next day after finishing Chapter 22 of the novel. The show opened on Broadway on December 2, 1985 and ran for 603 performances, winning 3 Tony Awards for Rupert Holmes. This musical will remind you of “My Fair Lady”, “Sweeney Todd” and “Phantom of the Opera” with its score. In Holmes version the audience decides the ending to the show, who killed Drood or is Drood really dead? “Drood” is a play within a play about an acting troupe from the Music Hall Royale. The darker side of the plot involves the “disappearance” of a young architect, Edwin Drood after a Christmas Eve night of festivities. He has been promised to Rosa Bud, a voice student of his obsessed uncle, John Jasper. The audience meets several unsavory characters during the proceedings. The energetic and talented cast under the direction of Joan Dillenback and musical direction of Joe Carvalho as well as the incredible and dynamic choreography of Michael Maio win appreciative and thunderous applause at the close of the show. You must also try to solve the whodunnit aspect of this musical with a clever twist.

“YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN” (Norton Singers, Wheaton College)

May 12, 2017June 3, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

“YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN”

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Norton Singers summer musical this season is “Young Frankenstein”, the musical. Based on the classic film directed by Mel Brooks and written by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder, the tribute to the Frankenstein movies of the 1940’s is an hilarious spoof of this genre. The story follows bright young Frederick Frankenstein (that’s Fronkenstein) as he attempts to finish his grandfather’s unfinished masterwork of bringing a corpse back to life.

“THE DINING ROOM” (The Arctic Playhouse – West Warwick, RI)

May 11, 2017May 27, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

The latest show at The Arctic Playhouse is the “The Dining Room” by A.R. Gurney from 1982. This comedy is set in a dining room of a well to do household and covers decades of upper middle class families in New England starting in 1930. The action is comprised of 18 brief vignettes where 6 performers,3 women and 3 men play 57 multiple roles.

Ragtime (Little Theatre of Fall River)

May 11, 2017May 11, 2018 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Little Theatre of Fall River’s closing musical of their season is the 1998 hit musical “Ragtime” which is based on E. L. Doctorow’s 1975 novel. The epic sweep of this musical is captured in its opening prologue, a nine minute kaleidoscope of fictional characters mingling with historical ones. At the dawn of the twentieth century, everything is changing and anything is possible. Set in the volatile melting part of turn of the century, New York, three distinctly American tales are woven together, that of a stifled upper class wife, a determined Jewish immigrant and a daring young Harlem musician. They are all united by their courage, compassion and belief in the promise of the future. Together they confront history’s timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, hope and despair, and what it means to live in America. This epic musical is excellently directed by Aaron Gendreau-Visco, Deb Sadler and Bobby Perry. They capture the flavor and the essence of early 1900 New York. This is definitely one show not to be missed.

SPRING AWAKENING (Wilbury Theatre Group – Providence, RI)

May 10, 2017May 21, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

“SPRING AWAKENING”

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Wilbury Theatre Group’s closing show of their season is “Spring Awakening”, the 2007 Tony Award winning musical by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater which won 7 Tonys. This musical ran for 888 performances on Broadway and is a fusion of morality, sexuality and rock n’ roll that explores the journey from adolescence to adulthood. The musical is an adaptation of the controversial 1891 play with the same name by Frank Wedekind which was banned in Germany due to its portrayal of abortion, homosexuality, rape, child abuse and suicide.

Stoneham’s “Gabriel” is Gripping Theater

May 9, 2017May 9, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

by Michele Markarian

‘Gabriel’ – Written by Moira Buffini. Directed by Weylin Symes. Presented by Stoneham Theatre, 395 Main Street, Stoneham, through May 14.

It’s a rare piece of writing that immerses you in its world so intensely that to leave it is almost a shock to the system. Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend series is this kind of writing. Throw in a five-star cast with superlative direction, lights, sound and set, and you have Stoneham Theatre’s masterful production of “Gabriel”.

“King Elizabeth” at the Gamm (Pawtucket, RI)

May 7, 2017May 10, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

By Richard Pacheco

The Gamm is doing a new version of Frederich Schiller’s “Mary Stewart” adapted and directed by Gamm Artistic Director Tony Estrella. While there are some slow moments in it, the acting is excellent and vibrant.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (Stadium Theatre, Woonsocket, RI)

May 6, 2017May 6, 2018 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Shining Light’s spring production this year is “Beauty and the Beast” by Disney. The musical first opened on Broadway on April 19, 1994 and ran for 5,464 performances, closing on July 29, 2007. It is based on the 1991 animated Disney movie, the show tells of a spell cast on a Prince which transformed him into a ferocious beast. He must love and be loved before the final petal falls from the rose or he will be a beast forever. Into his life comes beautiful, bookish Belle. They must learn to love each other after he makes her a prisoner in his desolate castle. Belle could melt the ice and even his heart but will she be able to see through his facade in time? Throw in many colorful characters including her inventor father, Maurice, the town strongman, Gaston, his crazy sidekick, Lefou and the numerous enchanted humans turned into household fixtures at the Beast’s castle and you have the makings for this sensational musical presentation. Director Mike Landry, musical director Alex Tirrell and choreographer Matthew Parello cast this show excellently, winning these hard working performers a resounding standing ovation at the end of the night.