‘Murder for Two’ Is A Goofy, Musical Valentine to Classic Whodunits.

November 1, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Will McGarrahan and Jared Troilo in “Murder for Two” at Greater Boston Stage
Photos: Niles Scott Studios

‘Murder for Two’ — Book and Music by Joe Kinosian. Book and Lyrics by Kellen Blair. Directed by Tyler Rosati. Music Direction by Bethany Aiken; Scenic Design by Katy Monthei; Lighting Design by Matt Cost; Sound Design by Adam Smith. Presented by Greater Boston Stage Company, 395 Main St., Stoneham, MA through Nov. 9.

By Shelley A. Sackett

Murder for Two is a loving parody of classic murder mysteries. A two-person musical, the 100-minute (no intermission) production is more vaudevillian revue than its genre’s prototypes, relying on gimmicks, songs, and quick changes to tell a familiar story in a new way.

Speakeasy’s ‘Lizard Boy’ Artfully Combines Indie Rock with Comic Book Sensibility

October 29, 2025October 30, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Chelsie Nectow, Keiji Ishiguri, and Peter DiMaggio in ‘Lizard Boy’ at SpeakEasy Stage.
Photos by Benjamin Rose Photography.

‘Lizard Boy’ – Book, music, and lyrics by Justin Huertas. Directed by Lyndsay Allyn Cox; Music Direction by Violet Wang; Scenic Design by Qingan Zhang; Sound Design by Sean Doyle; Costume Design by Zoë Sundra, Lighting Design by Deb Sullivan. Presented by SpeakEasy Stage at the Calderwood Pavilion. Through Nov. 22.

By Mike Hoban

There are any number of musicals that examine the hardships of not fitting in − from the 1960s Rankin-Bass television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Nose Reindeer to Wicked to Bat Boy: The Musical. The challenges of “being different” and the struggle to be accepted can be compelling fodder for any storytelling vehicle, and SpeakEasy’s delightfully silly but poignant Lizard Boy is no exception.

“Tick, Tick…Boom” Delivers a Dynamic Exploration of Love, Loss and Adulthood

October 28, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Anthony Pires Jr, Vanessa Calantropo, Johnny Shea in Umbrella Stage Company’s ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’

“Tick, Tick…Boom”. Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson. Directed and Choreographed by Ilyse Robbins. Lighting Design by Ben Rush; Sound Design by Alex Berg
Scenic Designer by Erik D. Diaz. Music Direction by Jordan Oczkowski. Presented by The Umbrella Stage Company, 40 Stow Street, Concord, through November 23.

By Michele Markarian

The world of childhood promises an open road, where any and all dreams are possible, ignoring any pesky variables, like personality, talent, looks, connections, socioeconomics, and, well, fate. Which, as Carl Jung said, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate”. At some point in our twenties, we decide what kind of people we want to be and the kind of life we would like to live, as it dawns on us that we really can’t have it all. We are forced to choose, and the choosing isn’t always easy, especially for those of us who have our hearts set on a career in the performing arts.

NSMT’s ‘The Cher Show’ Showcases Bob Mackie’s Costumes and the Woman Who Made Them Famous

October 25, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

The cast of THE CHER SHOW at North Shore Music Theatre. Photo©Paul Lyden.

‘The Cher Show’ — Book by Rick Elice. Original Broadway Production by Flody Suarez, Jeffrey Seller and Cher. Original Cher Costumes by Bob Mackie. Directed by Kevin P. Hill. Presented by North Shore Music Theatre, 54 Dunham Road, Beverly, through Nov. 2.

By Shelley A. Sackett

The Cher Show has a lot to offer those who love razzle-dazzle, energetic performances, vibrant costumes, and Cher, an Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy-winning New York Times best-selling author who has sold over a hundred million records. A portrayal of Cher’s life and career through three different actresses representing different stages of her life, the show spans seven decades of the resilient star’s career and features 35 of her biggest hits, including “Believe,” “Turn Back Time,” and “Strong Enough.”

For those who like dramatic depth, more than arms’-length emotion, and productions that run fewer than 3 hours, this might not be quite your cup of tea.

ASP’s ‘Macbeth’ Is a Muddled Mashup of Time, Place and Tone

October 23, 2025October 23, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Omar Robinson, Brooke Hardman in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s ‘Macbeth’
Photos by Benjamin Rose Photography.

‘Macbeth’ — Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Christopher V. Edwards. Presented by Actors’ Shakespeare Project at Mosesian Center for the Arts, Watertown through October 26.

By Shelley A. Sackett

Ten minutes into ASP’s production of Macbeth, my friend leaned over and whispered, “I thought we were seeing Macbeth.”

He wasn’t being a smart aleck; he was astutely stating the obvious. While it seems au courant (at least in Boston) to catapult timeless Shakespeare into other eras with disco, hip hop, and gratuitous references to current headlines, Actors Shakespeare Project, under the direction of Christopher V. Edwards, proves definitively that it is possible to overreach and completely miss your mark.

‘Mother Mary’ Drives Radical Kindness into Hearts and Minds

October 21, 2025October 23, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Tara Forseth, Adriana Alvarez in BPT’s ‘Mother Mary’. Photos by Benjamin Rose Photography

‘Mother Mary’ – KJ Moran Velz. Directed by Elaine Vaan Hogue. Stage Managed by Jess Brennan. Scenic Design by Cristina Todesco. Lighting Design by Darius Knight Evans. Costume Design by Nora Kempner. Sound Design by Mackenzie Adamick. Prop Design by Courtney Licata. Dramaturgy and Cultural Consulting by Carla Mirabel Rodríguez. Intimacy Direction by Jessica Scout Malone. ‘Mother Mary’ runs from October 9th – 26th at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, 949 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215.

By Charlotte Snow

“Birthing a play in collaboration with a playwright is a journey into the unknown,” director Elaine Vaan Hogue begins her director’s note. Every playwright hopes that when their baby (the play) has its world premiere, that audiences will love the play as much as they do. That’s the hope; the reality is they are usually bombarded with “I think that could be changed,” “I didn’t like the ending,” or “what you should really be writing about is…” It’s rare that an audience can so clearly see the playwright’s dreams and intentions. Speaking for my audience (my partner and I), we belong to the former category and fell in love with KJ Moran Velz’s Mother Mary.

Whoa! Wow! The Big Apple Circus Returns to Boston

October 15, 2025October 16, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

The Bingo Troupe in ‘The All-New Big Apple Circus: The World’s Best Under Our Big Top’.

‘The All-New Big Apple Circus: The World’s Best Under Our Big Top’. Director & Choreographer: Renaud Doucet; Scenic & Costume Design: Andre Barbe; Technical Director: Guy Simard; Sound Design: JP Perreaux; Music Director: Rob Slowik. Presented by The Gold Group, EMC presents BAC, and Circus Vazquez at Suffolk Downs, 525 McLellan Highway, East Boston, through November 2, 2025

By Mike Hoban

From the very opening sequence, with a thundering pop-rock score playing behind an array of jugglers, hula hoopers, flying acrobats, and dancers, the Big Apple Circus grabs your attention and doesn’t let go, generating a chorus of “Whoas!” and “Wows!” throughout the performance. The latest show, returning to Boston after a six-year hiatus, blends circus arts (trapeze, aerial ropes, various forms of juggling, acrobatics, and a tightrope act), clowning, and dog acts with a light show and an eight-piece orchestra to deliver a “one-ring” circus that brings out the kid in all of us.

Huntington’s ‘Sardines’ A Work of Amazing Grace

October 14, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Chris Grace in ‘Sardines’ at The Huntington. Photos by Eric Michaud

‘Sardines (a comedy about death)’. Written and performed by Chris Grace. Directed by Eric Michaud. Kevin Becerra, Associate Director of Artistic Programming and Activation. Kendyl Trott, Production Coordinator. At The Maso Studio at The Huntington Theatre, 264 Huntington Ave, Boston, through November 16.

By Linda Chin

At The Huntington Theatre, attendees of Sardines (a comedy about death) will be treated to sixty minutes of the sweet sounds of Amazing Grace. Not the comforting hymn that’s popular at funerals, but the words and voice of playwright-actor Chris Grace (NBC-TV’s Superstore) in a solo stage show about family, grief, and loss that he’s written and performs.

Manual Cinema Brings Playful Puppetry to Wheelock Family Theatre with ‘Leonardo!’

October 12, 2025October 21, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Cast of ‘Leonardo!’ at Wheelock Family Theatre

Leonardo! A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster, based on the books by Mo Willems; directed and adapted by Sarah Fornace and Drew Dir; 2D paper puppet and prop design by Drew Dir; music, lyrics, and sound design by Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter; hand and rod puppet design by Lizi Breit; costume and wig design by Mieka Van der Ploeg; lighting design by Trey Brazeal with Nick Chamernik; dramaturgy by Megan Alrutz; stage managed by Maydi Díaz; created by Manual Cinema; presented by Wheelock Family Theatre in Boston, MA through October 19, 2025.

by Julie-Anne Whitney

Manual Cinema is a Chicago-based performance collective that specializes in cinematic shadow puppetry. For Leonardo! A Wonderful Show About a Terrible Monster, presented by Wheelock Family Theatre, the troupe transforms two books by beloved children’s author Mo Willems into a unique live-action cinematic experience.

Central Square Theatre’s “Silent Sky” Shines – with Occasional Flickers.

October 11, 2025October 11, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Lee Mikeska Gardner, Jenny S. Lee, Erica Cruz Hernández in Central Square’s ‘Silent Sky’
Photos by Nile Scott Studios

‘Silent Sky’ – Lauren Gunderson. Directed by Sarah Shin. Stage Management from Fanni Horváth. Lighting Design by Eduardo M. Rameriz. Costume Design by Leslie Held. Sound Design by Kai Bohlman. Props Design by Julia Wonkka. Central Square Theatre’s ‘Silent Sky’ ran from September 11th – October 5th.

By Charlotte Snow

(Editor’s Note: Charlotte Snow designed the costumes for their 2025 production of SPACE at Central Square Theater)

Lauren Gunderson, who has penned such hits as I and You, The Book of Will, and Émilie: La Marquise Du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight, has been the nation’s most produced playwright for several years now. To me, her writing is the antithesis of David Mamet’s (which is her second greatest accomplishment). I have long harbored a love-hate relationship with her writing style. While love that she often focuses on intelligent, independent, and resourceful female heroines who strive to break into the sciences and/or other male-dominated fields, I frequently groan and cringe at her over-reliance on humor and sickeningly sweet faux sincerity. Central Square Theatre’s production of Silent Sky only furthers this love-hate relationship, even though the production is quite well done.