“Kim’s Convenience” Overflows with Drama and Love

November 14, 2025December 29, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Ryan Jinn, Esther Chung, Ins Choi, Kelly Seo, and Brandon McKnight in *Kim’s Convenience*
at the Huntington Theatre

“Kim’s Convenience”, by Ins Choi. Directed by Weyni Mengesha. Adam Blanshay Productions presents the Soulpepper Theatre Company production in association with American Conservatory Theater, Calderwood Pavilion, 527 Tremont Street, Boston, through November 30^th.

by Michele Markarian

“Is it over?” asked my friend, a huge admirer of the “Kim’s Convenience” television series (which, admittedly, I’ve never seen, but judging from the crowd at the Huntington Theater, the series has a lot of enthusiastic fans). Indeed, the ending of the play, which ties up a lot of the show’s loose ends, feels abrupt and, to a large extent, unearned. The talented cast, however, makes “Kim’s Convenience” a sweet and enjoyable theatrical experience despite the compressed plot points.

Arlekin’s “The Dybbuk” Possesses Hearts and Minds

November 13, 2025November 26, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

‘The Dybbuk’ – Based on the play by S. Ansky. Written by Roy Chen. Additional Material by Joachim Neugroschel. Adapted by Igor Golyak and Dr. Rachel Marrill Moss. Directed and Scenic Design by Igor Golyak. Stage Management from Madison Perez. Lighting Design by Jeff Adlberg. Costume and Prop Design by Sasha Ageeva. Composition and Sound Design by Fedor Zhuravlev. Arlekin’s ‘The Dybbuk’ runs from October 30th – September 16th at The Vilna Shul.

By Charlotte Snow

What are we willing to risk for love? Perhaps it’s a job, a home, a previous relationship, or a lifestyle. Or, for the most ardent of lovers, perhaps we’re more than willing to risk our lives? In Arlekin’s The Dybbuk, a love story that spans the realm of the living and the dead, it uplifts and challenges the notion of ‘til death do us part.’

Arlekin, based in the suburbs of Needham, is a theatre company founded by immigrants from the former Soviet Union, who are driven to create and reimagine Russian theatre, with performances presented in English, Russian, or a combination of both. This production of ‘The Dybbuk’ is a remounting of the 2024 production, which garnered a pair of Elliot Norton awards. 

CST’s ‘Summer, 1976’: A Thoughtful Retrospective On a Friendship Found and Lost

November 9, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Laura Latreille, Lee Mikeska Gardner in CST’s ‘Summer, 1976′. Photos by Nile Scott Studios

‘Summer, 1976’ − Written by David Auburn; Directed by Paula Plum; Assistant directed by Ulrika Brand; Scenic Design by Kristin Leoffler; Lighting Design by Deb Sullivan; Costume Design by Sydney Hovasse; Prop Design by Lauren Corcuera; Sound Design by Aubrey Dube; Projection Design by Justin LaHue; Stage Managed by Charles Waite Clay. Presented by Central Square Theater (CST) at 450 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, MA, through November 30, 2025.

Julie-Anne Whitney

We’ve all had friendships that have petered out, some naturally and others painfully. Most of us have had moments of looking back, of longing for what was, of mourning what might have been.

In David Auburn’s Summer, 1976, two women, Diana (Lee Mikeska Gardner) and Alice (Laura Latreille), narrate their own – and each other’s – stories in a thoughtful retrospective about an unlikely friendship that fades over time. Auburn’s memory play traverses nearly 30 years of the women’s lives, from their time in Columbus when they were “forced” into friendship through their young daughters, to an unexpected meeting in Manhattan 27 years later. The play follows Diana and Alice as they recall the challenges, surprises, gifts, and pains of a friendship they both needed but failed to maintain.

Manual Cinema Continues to Enchant with ‘The 4th Witch’ at ArtsEmerson

November 3, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Manual Cinema’s ‘The 4th Witch” at ArtsEmerson. Photos: Katie Doyle

The 4^th Witch − Concept and direction by Drew Dir; Devised by Dir, Sarah Forance and Julia Miller; Original score and sound design by Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter; Mask Design by Julia Miller; Lighting Design by David Goodman‑Edberg; Costume / Wig Design by Sully Ratke. Presented by Manual Cinema at the Robert J. Orchard Stage, Emerson Paramount Center, 559 Washington St., Boston, through November 9.

By Mike Hoban

Manual Cinema has once again returned to the ArtsEmerson stages with their unfathomably unique brand of theatrical storytelling with The 4th Witch, a mind-bending work “inspired by” Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Told via shadow puppetry using live actors blended with silhouette cutouts beamed onto a movie screen by overhead projectors, the action is augmented by a haunting score played by a live ensemble with vocals. As the action is being projected onto the screen, the audience can simultaneously watch the actors and technicians dart around the stage to produce the images, while the three-piece ensemble (cello, violin, and keyboards), placed at the front of the stage, plays and sings.

‘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.