Muggles Marvel At Magic Tricks in Emerson Colonial’s ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’

November 20, 2025April 10, 2026 Shelley SackettLeave a comment

Cast of ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ at Emerson Colonial Theatre
Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.’ Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany. A new play by Jack Thorne. Directed by John Tiffany. Presented by Emerson Colonial Theatre at 106 Boylston St., Boston through Dec. 20.

By Shelley A. Sackett

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is handicapped before the curtain even rises. It is based on the Harry Potter series, a seven-book global phenomenon created by J.K. Rowling. The novels chronicle the lives of a young wizard, Harry Potter, and his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The main story arc concerns Harry’s conflict with a dark wizard (Lord Voldemort) who intends to become immortal, overthrow the wizard governing body, and subjugate all wizards and Muggles (non-magical people).

Boston Ballet’s ‘Jewels’ Is A Real Gem

November 17, 2025April 10, 2026 Shelley SackettLeave a comment

Boston Ballet in George Balanchine’s ‘Jewels’ ©The George Balanchine Trust, photo by Rosalie O’Connor courtesy of Boston Ballet

‘Jewels’ — Choreography by George Balanchine. Music by Gabriel Fauré, Igor Stravinsky, and Peter Tchaikovsky. Costumes by Karinska. Lighting by Brandon Stirling Baker. Presented by Boston Ballet. With the Boston Ballet Orchestra conducted by Mischa Santora. Run has ended.

By Shelley A. Sackett

It’s easy to understand why George Balanchine’s Jewels has endured for more than 50 years. An abstract work, the triptych is not shackled to the narrative constraints of traditional ballet. Rather, each of its three pieces — “Emeralds,” “Rubies,” and “Diamonds” — is a pure sensorial feast of luscious music and stunning choreography. The work is easily appreciated by audiences new to the genre, yet also presents challenges for experienced dancers and critical aficionados.

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

November 1, 2025April 10, 2026 Shelley SackettLeave 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.

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

October 25, 2025April 10, 2026 Shelley SackettLeave 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, 2025April 10, 2026 Shelley SackettLeave 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.

Don’t Throw Away Your Shot to See Broadway in Boston’s Spectacular ‘Hamilton’

October 9, 2025April 10, 2026 Shelley Sackett1 Comment

Cast of Broadway in Boston’s ‘Hamilton’. Photos: Joan Marcus

‘Hamilton’ — Book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Inspired by Ron Chernow’s “Alexander Hamilton.” Directed by Thomas Kail. Choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler; Music Supervision and Orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire. Presented by Broadway in Boston at Citizens Opera House, Boston through Nov. 2.

By Shelley A. Sackett

How lucky are we that Lin-Manuel Miranda decided to pack Ron Chernow’s biography, “Alexander Hamilton,” when preparing his bag to take on his first vacation in seven years after the Broadway run of his smash hit, In the Heights. He plowed through the 800+ page book and was mesmerized by Hamilton, particularly his story as a poor immigrant rising to power.

“The moment my brain got a moment’s rest, Hamilton walked into it,” he told Ariana Huffington in an interview.

‘The Mountaintop’ Is A Gripping Rendering of MLK’s Last Night

October 2, 2025April 10, 2026 Shelley SackettLeave a comment

Dominic Carter as MLK in *Front Porch Arts Collective*‘s ‘The Mountaintop’

The Mountaintop – Written by Katori Hall. Directed by Maurice Emmanuel Parent. Presented by The Front Porch Arts Collective in collaboration with Suffolk University at Modern Theatre, 525 Washington St., Boston, through October 12.

By Shelley A. Sackett

Playwright Katori Hall couldn’t have asked for a better production of his Olivier Award-winning play, The Mountaintop, than the one it is receiving at the Modern Theater at Suffolk University. Under Maurice Emmanuel Parent’s pitch-perfect direction, its two stars, Dominic Carter and Kiera Prusmack, deliver impeccable performances as civil rights and social justice leader, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Camae, a motel employee. Ben Lieberson’s set is straightforward and literal, a classic 1960s era, no frills, wood-paneled motel room.

‘The Ceremony’ Revisits and Rewrites the Ufot Legacy

September 30, 2025April 10, 2026 Shelley SackettLeave a comment

Lumanti Shrestha, Khadaj Bennett in CHUANG Stage’s ‘The Ceremony’
Photos by Ken Yotsukura

‘The Ceremony’ — Written by Mfoniso Udofia. Directed by Kevin R. Free. Presented by CHUANG Stage at Boston University’s Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre, 820 Commonwealth Ave., Boston through October 5.

By Shelley A. Sackett

Playwright Mfoniso Udofia’s nine-play Ufot Family Cycle follows the various members of the Nigerian Ufot family across three generations, starting with the brutal Nigerian Civil War (also known as the Biafran War) of 1967-1970. With the world premiere of The Ceremony, the sixth in the series, Udofia brings the family firmly into the present (2023) with all its contemporary social mores and cultural pressures.

Lyric Stage’s ‘Our Town’ Is A Classy Production of A Timeless Classic

September 25, 2025April 10, 2026 Shelley SackettLeave a comment

Will McGarrahan as the Stage Manager in Lyric Stages’ “Our Town”
Photos by Nile Hawver

‘Our Town’ – Written by Thornton Wilder. Directed by Courtney O’Connor; Scenic Design by Shelley Barish; Costume Design by Rachel Padula-Shufelt; Lighting Design by Deb Sullivan; Sound Design by Andrew Duncan Will. Presented by The Lyric Stage Company of Boston, 140 Clarendon Street, Boston, through October 19.

By Shelley A. Sackett

Our Town, Thornton Wilder’s 1938 Pulitzer Prize-winning play, is set in the fictional New Hampshire town of Grover’s Corners. Narrated by a Stage Manager (Will McGarrahan, excellent in the sober yet not dispassionate part), this classic uses a minimal set to explore universal themes of life, love, and death. Described by Edward Albee as “the greatest American play ever written,” it presents the fictional American town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, between 1901 and 1913. Through its citizens, and especially the Webb and Gibbs families, Wilder celebrates our shared humanity and the importance of appreciating the present moment, especially the glimmers of community and connection that keep us grounded and give our lives meaning.

And who couldn’t use a glimmer of light during dark times, whether it’s 1938 or 87 years later?

CST’s ‘Silent Sky’ Aims for The Stars But Falls Short

September 22, 2025April 10, 2026 Shelley SackettLeave a comment

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

‘Silent Sky.’ Written by Lauren Gunderson. Directed by Sarah Shin. Scenic Design by Qingan Zhang; Costume Design by Leslie Held; Lighting Design by Eduardo M. Ramirez; Sound Design and Composition by Kai Bohlman. A Catalyst Collaborative@MIT Production. Presented by Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge through October 5.

By Shelley A. Sackett

Lauren Gunderson’s career as a playwright (she is also a screenwriter and short story author) has largely focused on stories about iconoclastic women in history, science and literature. She is one of the top 20 most produced playwrights in the country, with over twenty plays produced. (Lyric Stage Boston’s 2022 production of her The Book of Will was a knockout).

With Silent Sky, a Catalyst Collaborative@MIT Production presented by Central Square Theater through October 5, she turns her attention to the story of Henrietta Swan Leavitt, a young astronomer whose scientific brilliance and curiosity led to her discovery of the relationship between luminosity and the period of Cepheid variables (a star that pulsates).