NSMT’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ Delivers a Hopeful Holiday Extravaganza

December 8, 2021 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

David Coffee (Ebenezer Scrooge) and Alex Puette (Jacob Marley) in A CHRISTMAS CAROL at North Shore Music Theatre – Dec 2-23. Photos by Paul Lyden

By Mike Hoban

‘A Christmas Carol: A Musical Ghost Story’ – Adapted by Jon Kimbell. Based on the Novella by Charles Dickens; Director/Choreographer, Kevin P. Hill; Music Director, Milton Granger. Presented by the North Shore Music Theatre, Dunham Road, Beverly through December 23^rd

Following a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the North Shore Music Theatre returns with its own special spin on the Christmas Carol holiday classic with the 30^th anniversary presentation of A Christmas Carol: A Musical Ghost Story – and delivers the heartwarming tale of redemption with a terrific score along with a dose of pyrotechnics. The NSMT adaptation retains much of the dialogue and storyline of the original, as cold-hearted Ebenezer Scrooge is transformed into a loving and fully realized human being with the help of some friendly (and frightening) spirits showing him the way.

Gamm Theatre’s ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is Wonderful Indeed

December 3, 2021December 3, 2021 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Lynsey Ford as Mary and Tony Estrella as George Bailey (foreground) in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life:A Live Radio Play’ at the Gamm Theatre. Photos by Peter Goldberg

by Mike Hoban

It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play – Adapted by Joe Landry; Directed by Damon Kiely; Music Direction by Emily Turtle; Set Design by Michael McGarty; Costume Design by Jessie Darrell Jarbadan; Lighting Design by Noah Beauregard. Presented by The Gamm Theatre, 1245 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick, RI. Through December 24^t^h, 2021

When I was a younger man, I watched It’s a Wonderful Life on PBS for the first time with my brother, long before it became a Christmastime staple. As the credits rolled, we sat motionless on either end of the couch, trying to hide our tears from one another, without success. It was a powerful experience, and one that was recreated multiple times during the holiday season for me and millions of others through the years. So the idea that that type of magic could be reproduced on stage – in the form of a radio play no less – seemed implausible at best. But miracle of miracles, the production of It’s a Wonderful Life:A Live Radio Play, now playing at The Gamm Theatre in Warwick, RI, delivers the same deeply gratifying sensation as the original movie, largely on the strength of the almost campy performances by its stellar cast, who embrace their radio star personas with wild exuberance.

Greater Boston Stage’s ‘All Is Calm’ Strikes the Perfect Chord

November 30, 2021November 30, 2021 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

*Cast of ‘All* *is Calm’ at Greater Boston Stage Company* – *Photos by Nile Scott Studios*

by Shelley A. Sackett

‘All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914’ – Written by Peter Rothstein; Vocal Arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach; Directed by Ilyse Robbins; Music Direction by Matthew Stern; Set Design by Erik D. Diaz; Lighting Design by Jeff Adelberg; Sound Design by Dewey Dellay; Costume Design by Bethany Mullins. Presented by Greater Boston Stage Company at 395 Main St., Stoneham through December 23, 2021.

From the first note of the first song in the remarkably affecting ‘All Is Calm,’ the choreography chops of its director, Ilyse Robbins, are indisputably evident. Two lines of uniformed men, distinguishable by their country’s military dress, slowly march to the front of the stage as they sing the Scottish folk song, “Will Ye Go to Flanders?” They briefly merge, forming a united single line, before those in the back row return to their original and separate positions. This powerful prologue literally sets the stage and tone for the next intermission-less 70 minutes. We have entered a holy place of unity where a folksong can become a hymnal and where men have the power and ability to come together as one, even if it is merely for a fleeting moment.

*Caleb Chew, David Jiles, Jr., Christopher Chew, and Zachary McConnel*

Apollinaire Theatre Company Shows Us ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’

November 24, 2021November 25, 2021 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

*Cast of* *‘The Importance of Being Ernest’* *by Apollinaire Theatre Company at the Chelsea Theater* (*Photos by Danielle Fauteux Jacques*)

by James Wilkinson

‘The Importance of Being Ernest’ – Written by Oscar Wilde. Directed by Danielle Fauteux Jacques. Musical Direction/Sound Design: David Reiffel. Costume Design: Elizabeth Rocha. Scenic Design: Marc Poirier. Dialect Coach: Christopher Sherwood Davis. Produced by Apollinaire Theatre Company at the Chelsea Theater, November 19-December 19, 2021

Apollinaire Theatre’s The Importance of Being Ernest is a stately affair. The cucumber sandwiches are cut neatly into precise triangles with the crust removed. The porcelain tea sets sparkle under the stage lights. The hats come with a variety of plumage and sit atop actors who have been upholstered into their costumes, (quick shout out to costume designer Elizabeth Rocha, whose period work is excellent). The mood is loose and silly without ever tumbling into full-on goofy territory. Without question, it manages to do absolutely everything you expect an Oscar Wilde play to do. I’ll confess to walking into the show hoping to see the creative team take a bigger swing on the material but getting distracted by the show that could have been does a disservice to the charms of the show that’s in front of you. There’s a good-heartedness to the production. You feel warm toward the endeavor. We’re not being sold anything. It’s not making any promises it can’t fulfill. The actors on stage are working as honestly as they can and offering up their best. “Let’s just have a laugh at frivolous things and have some fun,” they seem to be saying. Indeed, why not? It may appear a small matter, but it’s a kernel of an idea reminding us why we go to the theater in the first place.

Lyric Stage’s ‘The Last Five Years’ Explores Joy and Pain of Love

November 18, 2021November 23, 2021 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

*Jared and Kira Troilo in Lyric Stages “The Last Five Years” Photos by Mark S. Howard*

by Mike Hoban

‘The Last Five Years’ – Written byJason Robert Brown; Directed by Leigh Barrett; Scenic Design by Jenna McFarland Lord; Lighting Design by Karen Perlow; Sound Design by Andrew Duncan Will; Costume Design by David Lucey. Presented by The Lyric Stage Company of Boston at 40 Clarendon St., Boston through December 5^th, 2021

As anyone who has gone through a divorce or bitter breakup can tell you, there are few things in life that can generate such deep emotional pain. Fortunately for music and theater fans, it’s also a great source of material for creative artists. Jason Robert Brown’s The Last Five Years mines this fertile territory via a clever framing device that allows the audience to witness the joy of a young couple’s budding romance while simultaneously experiencing the soul-crushing agony of their breakup.

Central Square Theatre Gives The Half-Life of Marie Curie

November 17, 2021 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

*Lee Mikeska Gardner & Debra Wise in “The Half-Life of Marie Curie” at the Central Square Theatre Photos by Nile Scott Studios*

by James Wilkinson

‘The Half-Life of Marie Curie’ – Written by Lauren Gunderson. Directed by Bryn Boice. Scenic Designer: Lindsay Genevieve Fuori. Costume Designer: Leslie Held. Lighting Designer: Whitney Brady-Guzman. Props Designer: Jennifer Butler. Sound Designer: Elizabeth Cahill. Presented by The Nora at Central Square Theater through December 12, 2021

I may eat these words by the end of the review but for now I’ll say that it’s hard to get too worked up about Central Square Theatre’s production of The Half-Life of Marie Curie; the play is so unassuming in its intentions. It seems content to keep its head down and do the work that it’s trying to do. So why not let it? Surely no one is going to be irreparably harmed by spending ninety minutes in its company. (I’ve yet to hear a credible story about anyone getting beheaded at the theater.) I’m not convinced that you’re going get anything substantial out of it, but while watching I did eventually reach a mindset of “Go on, take a few whacks at the pinata and see if anything tumbles out.” Is that something? The play by Lauren Gunderson is a loving portrait of the entwining of science and female friendship that’s quite possibly a bit too loving for its own good. It has an agenda, (which isn’t a crime, most plays do), and manages to clamp its teeth down so hard on that agenda that nothing else can get in. The title is a reference to the elemental decay studied by its characters, but in its own ironic way becomes strangely apt to the whole project. We’re only getting half of what we could be out of its subject.

Lee Mikeska Gardner & Debra Wise in “The Half-Life of Marie Curie” at the Central Square Theatre. Photos by Nile Scott Studios

Fear in Having ‘Gone Nowhere’ at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre

November 10, 2021November 10, 2021 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Marc Pierre and Sam Warton in ‘Gone Nowhere’ at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre

by James Wilkinson

‘Gone Nowhere’ – Written by Daniel C. Blanda. Directed by Noah Putterman. Scenic Design: Adam Hawkins. Lighting Design: Kevin Dunn. Sound Design: Nicholas Y. Chen. Costume Design: Sandra Zhihan Jia. Presented by Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, 949 Commonwealth Ave. Boston through November 14

Boston Playwrights’ Theatre’s Gone Nowhere passes through the mind so quickly that you’re going to have to remind yourself it was ever there. Even now I’m having difficulty conjuring up scenes to write about. It’s a whisp of an experience made all the more disappointing because, I actually went into the production with high hopes. We’re in the middle of a strange time in Boston theater where everything being offered to audiences is trapped in the death grip of respectability. Come on in and feel better. Let us remind you how important theatre is. Cynical as it may sound, I don’t say that as a knock against quality; some of the recent shows post-pandemic have been quite good. But being stranded in a sea of noble intentions does make you long for something that breaks the mold a bit and indulges in some trashy fun for its own sake. Gone Nowhere, with its promises of eerie atmosphere and pulpier materialseemed poised to liven things up. Is it unfair for me to expect the play to be something that it isn’t? Perhaps. But then you fall into the frustrating puzzle of trying to figure out just what the play’s intentions really are.

Whitney White and Friends Deliver a Rockin’ ‘MacBeth’ at the A.R.T.

November 1, 2021November 5, 2021 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

*Whitney White, Phoenix Best, Reggie D. White, and Kira Helper in ‘Macbeth In Stride’ at the A.R.T. Photos by Lauren Miller*

by Mike Hoban

‘Macbeth in Stride’ – Created and performed by Whitney White; Directed by Tyler Dobrowsky and Taibi Magar; Choreography Raja Feather Kelly; Orchestrations by Steven Cuevas and Whitney White; Music Director, Steven Cuevas; Scenic Design, Dan Soule; Sound Design, Alex Giorgetti; Lighting Design, Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew; Costume Design, Qween Jean. Presented by American Repertory Theater at the Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Cambridge, through November 14.

Shakespeare has never been particularly kind to women, with many of his tragic “heroines” not making it through to the end of the play. Whether they died by their own hand, accident, or were murdered, the common thread has always been that they were generally partners to powerful men that were grossly insecure, paranoid or outright lunatics (Romeo aside). Lady Macbeth, the most brutally determined of all of Shakespeare’s women, is the driving force behind her husband’s ascension to the throne, convincing him to commit murder, but is rewarded for her blind ambition by going mad and committing suicide – offstage no less.

The Hope and Despair of ‘Witch’

October 23, 2021October 26, 2021 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

*Javier David Padi*lla, *Nick Sulfaro, Barzin Akhavan, and Gina Fonseca in Huntington Theatre’s ‘Witch’*

by Michele Markarian

“Witch” – Written by Jen Silverman. Directed by Rebecca Bradshaw. Presented by the Huntington Theatre Company, Calderwood Pavilion, Boston Center for the Arts, through November 14^h.

Jen Silverman is my new favorite playwright. Their voice is unique, yet the way their plays are layered with deeper meaning and intent underneath some very smart, very funny dialogue is reminiscent of Edward Albee. Witch, aided by a strong cast, lively direction and excellent production values is no exception.

“I’m not arguing for the end of the world – but then again, maybe I am”, Elizabeth Sawyer (Lyndsay Allyn Cox) tells us in her opening monologue. Elizabeth is a lonely, friendless woman, who has, for reasons unbeknownst to her, been labeled a “witch” by the local villagers. In the same village, a devil named Scratch (Michael Underhill) is granting townspeople wishes in exchange for their souls. Two surrender easily – Cuddy (Nick Sulfaro), the effeminate son of local bigwig Sir Arthur Banks (Barzin Akhavan) and Frank Thorney (Javier David Padilla), an ambitious farmer’s son whose easy masculinity has compelled Sir Arthur to take him under his wing. Frank Thorney possesses a secret childhood girlfriend, Winifred (Gina Fonseca), who has sacrificed her dignity to work as a maid in Sir Arthur’s home to be near her beloved. She is in love with Frank, Cuddy is in love with Frank, and Frank is in love with himself.

ISLE Theater Company’s ‘DO NOT MOVE STONES’ Goes Global with a Digital Premiere

October 20, 2021 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

By Linda Chin

DO NOT MOVE STONES – Performed live at the Settlement Quarry, Deer Isle, Maine in August 2021. Anna Fitzgerald and Marvin Merritt IV, Co-writers and Co-Directors, Lemmons, Composer, Angie Stemp, Costume Designer, Alexander Turanski, Set Designer, Oliver Randall, Videographer, Jay Michaud, Audio Engineer, Ian Cust, Audio Technician.

In the last nineteen months, theater companies across the country have been beleaguered by the parallel pandemics of coronavirus and structural racism. Theatres cancelled performances and painfully pivoted into unfamiliar virtual territory, furloughed staff and filled out applications for relief funds, crafted COVID safety compliance and diversity, inclusion and equity plans. Sadly, the casualties have started to mount; Watertown MA’s New Repertory Theatre suspended operations for the 2021-22 season, and NYC’s The Lark Theatre, a leader in incubating new plays and championing playwrights of color, is closing after 25 years. For many theater artists the lack of employment opportunities, increased responsibilities on the home front, and weight of everything going on in the world has resulted in creative pauses.