Central Square Theater & Front Porch Arts Collective Questions Societal Standards in “Next to Normal”

June 17, 2024April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Anthony Pires, Jr., Sherée Marcelle, Diego Cintrón in Central Square’s ‘Next to Normal’.
Photos by Maggie Hall

“Next to Normal.” – Book and Lyrics by Brian Yorkey. Music by Tom Kitt. Directed and choreographed by Pascale Florestal. Voice and music directed by Katie Bickford. Scenic design by Erik D. Diaz. Costume design by Kiara Escalera. Lighting design by Michael Clark Wanson. Sound design by James Cannon. Stage Managed by Deirdre Benson. Presented by Central Square Theater & the Front Porch Arts Collective at Central Square Theater, 484 Mass. Ave through through June 30^th, 2024

By Helen Ganley

Father rushes off to work, and mother is in the kitchen preparing lunches while daughter and son get ready for school. Peering into this world, one might see an archetypal family busy with the ups and downs of suburban life. Looks, however, can be deceiving. Central Square Theater & Front Porch Arts Collective’s production of “Next to Normal” illuminates the hidden depths of a seemingly perfect life.

A Heartwarming and Roof-Raising ‘tick, tick…Boom!’ at The Cape Playhouse

June 12, 2024April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Cast of *tick, tick…Boom!* at the Cape Playhouse

The Cape Playhouse presents TICK, TICK… BOOM! Book, Music and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson. Directed by Eric Rosen. Costume Design by Demario D. Simmons. Lighting Design by Paul Miller. Sound Design by Jeff Sherwood. Projections Design by Steve Arnoczy. At The Cape Playhouse, Dennis Village, Cape Cod, MA, through June 15, 2024.

By Linda Chin

Since its inception in 1927, The Cape Playhouse in Dennis, MA, the longest-running professional theater in the country, has attracted world-class talent to Cape Cod. The New York Times has referred to it as the “Place Where Broadway Goes to Summer,” and the summer of 2024 is no exception.

A Special Creation of ‘La Cage Aux Folles’ at Trinity Rep

June 9, 2024April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Cast of ‘La Cage Aux Folles’ at Trinity Rep. Photos by Mark Turek.

‘La Cage Aux Folles‘ – Book by Harvey Fierstein. Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman. Based on the Play by Jean Poiret. Directed and Choreographed by Taavon Gamble. Music Direction and Orchestration by Andrew Smithson. Set Design by Janie E. Howland. Costume Design by Olivera Gajic. Lighting Design by Erica Lauren Maholmes. Sound Design by Larry Fowler, Jr. At Trinity Repertory Company, 201 Washington Street, Providence, RI, through June 30, 2024.

By Linda Chin

Trinity Rep proudly celebrates its 60th anniversary season for the entirety of Pride Month 2024 with Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman’s La Cage Aux Folles, the 1984 Tony Award-winning Best Musical about being who you are and loving who you want. With inspired direction and choreography by Taavon Gamble and a spirited artistic team, cast and orchestra, Trinity Rep’s production is a very special creation indeed.

A Fresh and Exciting ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ for the Ages at NSMT

June 7, 2024April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Jeremy Radin and the cast of “Fiddler on the Roof” at North Shore Music Theatre.
Photos by Paul Lyden

‘Fiddler On The Roof’ – Book by Joseph Stein. Music by Jerry Bock. Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. Direction by Robert W. Schneider. Music Direction by Miles Plant. Original Broadway Choreography by Jerome Robbins reproduced by Josh Assor. Scenic Design by Ryan M. Howell. Costume Coordination by Kelly Baker. Lighting Design by Jack Mehler. Sound Design by James Cannon. Hair & Wig Design by Rachel Padula-Shufelt. At North Shore Music Theatre, Beverly, through June 16, 2024.

By Linda Chin

A fresh and exciting production of one of the world’s most beloved musicals – Fiddler on the Roof – is at the beloved North Shore Music Theatre in the round, giving patrons of all ages and abilities access to the action from no further than 12-15 rows from the stage. Jerome Robbins’ original Broadway choreography, which has been faithfully recreated by Josh Assor, is exuberantly performed by the 35-member cast. The circle dances of Jewish culture, inclusive of community rather than exclusively for couples, feel right at home on the circular stage.

Sullivan Rep’s Sumptuous ‘A Little Night Music’

June 6, 2024April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Cast of Sullivan Rep’s ‘A Little Night Music’ at Newton City Hall

Sullivan Rep presents ‘A Little Night Music’. Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Book by Hugh Wheeler. Direction and Choreography by Dan Sullivan. Music Direction by Jenny Tsai. Lighting Design by Erik Fox. Properties Design by Rick Grenier. Costume Design by DW. Hair and Makeup Design by Bridget Sullivan. Sound Design by Paul Roach. At Newton City Hall, Newton, MA, through June 8, 2024.

By Linda Chin

For two weekends in June, Sullivan Rep presents the second show of its inaugural season – A Little Night Music by the late musical genius Stephen Sondheim. Like his more popular musicals – the macabre Sweeney Todd or the fanciful Into the Woods, A Little Night Music has the masterful score and brilliant lyrics that are Sondheim’s trademark and is a story about love, longing, and romantic pairings that don’t have fairy tale endings. With a book penned by Hugh Wheeler, A Little Night Music is part operetta, part social commentary, and part bedroom farce and includes melancholic and laugh-out-loud moments.

Gloucester Stage’s ‘Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike’ Sends Up Middle-aged Family Dysfunction

June 5, 2024April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Cast of Gloucester Stage’s ‘Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike’. Photos by Jason Grow

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike – By Christopher Durang; Directed by Rebecca Bradshaw. Set Design by Kristin Loeffler; Costumes by Chelsea Kerl; Lighting Design by Anshuman Bhatia; Sound Design by Melanie Chen Cole. Presented by Gloucester Stage Company, 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, through June 23

By Mike Hoban

In the opening scene of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Gloucester Stage Company’s first offering of its 34^th season, we meet Sonia (Adrianne Krstansky) and Vanya (Diego Arciniegas), having coffee in their picturesque farmhouse overlooking a pond in Buck’s County, PA. Although they are brother and sister (Sonia is adopted), they banter like an eccentric middle-aged (50s) married couple: The fire’s gone out, but they’re too indifferent to move on. Sonia has turned wallowing in self-pity into an Olympic sport, while Vanya seems more resigned to his fate. The pair has spent the last 15 years of their life taking care of their elderly, now deceased, parents. They lament not what could have been but how meaningless their lives are, particularly in contrast to their sister Masha – the B-list movie star who rose to fame as the protagonist of the wildly popular B-movie “Sexy Killer,” which she milked for four sequels.

Addiction Recovery-Centered Theater Group to Feature Storytelling at Huntington’s Annual Fundraiser

May 20, 2024April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

2nd Act’s Annual Encore: Celebrate Artists in Recovery, our spring fundraiser, which will be held on Tuesday, May 21st, 2024, at 7:00 pm at The Huntington Theatre (264 Huntington Avenue, Boston) in the Maso Studio.

By Mike Hoban

Boston – 2nd Act, a collective of theater artists in recovery who use theatre, film, and drama therapy to address the impact of substance use, will hold its annual fundraiser, Encore: Celebrate Artists in Recovery, at the Huntington Theatre this Tuesday. The troupe’s motto, “We believe in a world where all stories are honored, recovery is celebrated, and everyone gets a second act,” clearly defines its mission, will feature monologues by troupe members on the impact that 2^nd Act has had on their lives as performers and people in recovery. The evening will also include a video of 2^nd Act’s Social Emotional Learning Theatre Curriculum at Ostiguy HIgh School, Boston’s recovery high school.

Not Your Parents’ ‘Romeo & Juliet’ by Actors Shakespeare Project

May 19, 2024April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Evan Taylor and Chloe McFarlane in Actors Shakespeare Project’s ‘Romeo & Juliet’

Actors Shakespeare Project presents ROMEO & JULIET. Written by William Shakespeare. Directed by Marianna Bassham. Movement Choreography by Ilya Vidrin. Lighting Design by Deb Sullivan. Costume Design by Lisa Coleman. Props Design by Grey Rung. Scenic Design by Saskia Martínez. Sound Design by Jesse Hinson. At the Roberts Studio Theater, Calderwood Pavilion, 527 Tremont Street, Boston, through June 2, 2024.

By Linda Chin

The works and words of William Shakespeare can be difficult to appreciate – and some may say, stay awake for – but after seeing their accessible production of Romeo and Juliet, I felt grateful that Actors Shakespeare Project chose to present this story this season (they last staged it a decade ago), and is part of the Boston arts and culture ecosystem in general. As seen in last year’s As You Like It, ASP intentionally blends stage (and Shakespearean) veterans with younger actors from local conservatories and communities, an ensemble of diverse storytellers playing diverse human characters – as I like it.

Ogunquit Playhouse’s ‘Waitress’ is Love At First Taste

May 17, 2024April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Cast of ‘Waitress’ at Ogunquit Playhouse. Photos: Nile Scott Studios

‘Waitress’ – Book by Jessie Nelson. Music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles. Based on the motion picture by Adrienne Shelly. Direction by Abbey O’Brien. Choreography by Cost n’ Mayor. Music supervision by Ryan Cantwell. Music directed by Leigh Delano. Original scenic design by Scott Pask. Lighting design by Richard Latta. Original costume design by Suttirat Anne Larlarb. Sound design by Kevin Heard. Wig design by Roxanne De Luna. At Ogunquit Playhouse, 10 Main Street, Ogunquit, Maine, through June 8, 2024.

By Linda Chin

Whether you’ve seen the original movie version starring Keri Russell, the musical’s world premiere at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Broadway transfer, and/or national tour – or aren’t yet familiar with this story – Ogunquit Playhouse’s production of Waitress, deftly directed by Abbey O’Brien and choreographed by Cost n’ Mayor, is a smart choice from the current menu of New England theater offerings.

‘Dial M For Murder’ a Worthy Addition to GBSC’s Murder Mystery Canon

May 15, 2024April 11, 2026 Theater Mirror1 Comment

Lily Kaufman, Robert Murphy, Kimberlee Connor and Michael Ryan Buckley in Greater Boston Stage’s “Dial M for Murder.” Photos: Maggie Hall Photography

‘Dial M For Murder’ – Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original play by Frederick Knott; Directed By Weylin Symes; Lighting Design by Jeff Adelberg; Scenic Design by Katy Monthei; Costume Design byDeirdre Gerrard; Sound Design by Andrew Duncan Will. Presented by the Greater Boston Stage Company at 395 Main St, Stoneham, through May 19

by Mike Hoban

The Greater Boston Stage Company has long been a go-to venue for musicals, including classics like 42^nd Street, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and last year’s Eliot Norton Award winner, Ain’t Misbehavin’, with fan favorite Guys and Dolls set to go up in June. In recent years, though, they’ve delved into another niche genre: murder mysteries, including a pair of Miss Holmes productions (starring Marge Dunn as a kind of neurodivergent Sherlock Holmes) as well as a riotous version of The 39 Steps in 2021 (although it was far more comedic than mystery) and Clue, another murder mystery comedy.