WFT ‘s Spins Delightful ‘Charlotte’s Web’ with New Staging

May 2, 2017May 4, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

(Glenn Cook photo)

By CJ Williams

‘Charlotte’s Web’ by E.B. White in adaptation by Joseph Robinette; Scene Design by Jim Byrne; Directed byEmily Ranii; Stage Management by Katie Graves; Choreographed by T. Lawrence-Simon; Costume Design by Zoe Sundra; Lighting Design by Frank Meissner Jr; J Sound Design by Josh Northcutt, playing at Wheelock Family Theater, 80 Riverway, Boston, MA 02215 through May 14th

‘Charlotte’s Web’, now playing at Wheelock Family Theater, is a delight up and down. But just because it’s delightful, doesn’t mean it doesn’t run deep. In fact, anyone who knows E.B. White’s charming classic knows the themes dance from levity to despair, new life to the ever-threatening shadow of death, humor to poignancy. All the same, if you’ve seen a story, you’ve seen it, right?

Maybe not.

“The Best of Everything” at 2nd Story (Warren, Rhode Island)

May 1, 2017May 10, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

By Richard Pacheco

“The Best of Everything” at the 2^nd Story Theatre is a play based on the Rona Jaffe controversial best selling novel about sexual politics in 1960’s Manhattan. Set in the pre-women’s liberation era, “The Best of Everything”, tells the story of five young and impressionable secretaries who are new to Manhattan and publishing and their adventures to find a nice boy to take them out to dinner, and possibly lasting love while dodging the garter snappers and lotharios at Fabian Publishing. While it was highly provocative and controversial at the time, it seems rather tame and mild today.

“VICTOR VICTORIA” Ocean State Theatre Company

May 1, 2017May 4, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

The current musical at Ocean State Theatre Company is “Victor Victoria”, the 1995 musical which is based on the 1982 movie starring Robert Preston and Julie Andrews. The 1982 movie was a remake of movie from 1933 called “Viktor Viktoria”, a German film comedy. A penniless soprano, named Victoria Grant, colludes with a struggling gay impresario to disguise herself as a man named Victor, who entertains as a female impersonator known as “Victoria.” This down on her luck singer finds fame as a drag queen.