Holiday Mashup of Dickens and Holmes is Both Familiar and Surprising

November 27, 2025April 8, 2026 CJ WilliamsLeave a comment

Jon-Vellante, Paul-Melendy, and Christopher-Chew in Lyric Stage’s ‘A Sherlock Carol’.
Photos by Nile Hawver

‘A Sherlock Carol’ – Written by Mark Shanahan; Directed by Ilyse Robbins; Featuring Paul Melendy; Leigh Barrett; Christopher Chew; Jon Vellante; Mark Linehan; Michelle Moran; Scenic Design by Erik D. Diaz; Costumes by Sophia Baramidze; Lighting Design by SeifAllah Solotto-Cristobal; Sound Design by Alex Berg; Presented by Lyric Stage Boston, Boston, MA running November 14 through December 21.

By C.J. Williams

Famously, Dickens’ A Christmas Carol opens with the line, “Marley was dead: to begin with.” Playing now at the Lyric Stage until December 21st, A Sherlock Carol, opens to the tune of “Moriarty was dead: to begin with”. The famous consulting detective is in a black, offensive, depression (throwing out friends and spitting “Bah!”). Moriarty is dead, and Holmes, self-obsessed and shut in on Christmas Eve, refuses all invitations from Watson to partake in holiday cheer…and Moriarty is dead. But that might just as easily have been said of Scrooge at the opening of his story, and Holmes, as we enter A Sherlock Carol, are dead themselves: They’ve both lost the thing that gives hope to the human heart.

Scrooge was essentially brought back to life. Can Holmes be?

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

November 20, 2025April 8, 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).

Strong Performances Lift Theatre Uncorked’s ‘Blood Brothers’

November 18, 2025April 8, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Zach Fuller, Michael Mazzone, and Laurel Casey in Theatre Uncorked’s ‘Blood Brothers’

‘Blood Brothers’ − Book, Lyrics, and Music by Willy Russell. Directed by Audrey Seraphin; Music Direction by Gina Naggar; Set Design by Leonard Chasse; Sound Design by Tim Rose; Lighting Design by Erik Fox and Amber Kovacs; Costume Design by Richard Itczak; Presented by Theatre Uncorked at the BCA Plaza Theatre, 539 Tremont St, Boston, through November 23rd.

By Mike Hoban

At a time when the gap between the haves and have-nots is again approaching levels not seen since the Gilded Age, Theatre Uncorked’s powerful production of Blood Brothers could not be more well-timed. The stark difference between those who are “comfortable” and those who will struggle daily to meet their basic needs was driven home during the recent governmental shutdown. Food banks were overwhelmed, and the harsh reality of a paycheck-to-paycheck existence exposed the class divide in the world’s wealthiest nation. Blood Brothers may be set in 1960s and 1970s Liverpool, England, but it could easily be any city in post-industrial Western civilization.

“Kim’s Convenience” Overflows with Drama and Love

November 14, 2025April 8, 2026 Michele MarkarianLeave 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, 2025April 8, 2026 Charlotte SnowLeave 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, 2025April 8, 2026 Julie-Anne WhitneyLeave 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.

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

October 23, 2025April 8, 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.

‘Mother Mary’ Drives Radical Kindness into Hearts and Minds

October 21, 2025April 8, 2026 Charlotte SnowLeave 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.

Huntington’s ‘Sardines’ A Work of Amazing Grace

October 14, 2025April 8, 2026 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.

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

October 11, 2025April 8, 2026 Charlotte SnowLeave 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.