Charming, Engaging, and Clever — A.R.T.’s Musical ‘Two Strangers’ Has It All!

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

Sam Tutty and Christiani Pitts in A.R.T.’s ‘Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)’.
Photos: Joel Zayac

‘Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York).’ Written by Jim Barne and Kit Buchan. Directed and Choreographed by Tim Jackson. Scenic and Costume Design by Soutra Gilmour; Lighting Design by Jack Knowles; Sound Design by Tony Gayle and Cody Spencer; Orchestrations by Lux Pyramid; Music Direction by Jeffrey Campos. Presented by A.R.T.’s Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Cambridge through June 29.

By Shelley A. Sackett

Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), in its American debut at the American Repertory Theatre,is the perfect antidote to our bleak, cold spring. This sunny, upbeat two-hander musical romantic comedy is as beguiling as it is impeccably acted, directed and produced. In short, it is a full-blown fabulous evening of musical theater at its finest.

Central Square’s ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ Works Wonders

June 1, 2025April 10, 2026 Charlotte SnowLeave a comment

The cast of ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ at Central Square. Photos by: Nile Scott Studios

‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ – George Bernard Shaw. Directed by Eric Tucker. Stage Management by Fanni Horváth. Scenic Design by David Gammons. Sound Design by Nate Tucker. Lighting Design by Jeff Adelberg. Costume Design by Leslie Held. Video Design by Maxwell Mandell. Intimacy Coordination by Jesse Hinson. A collaboration between Bedlam and Central Square Theater, ‘Mrs. Warren’s Profession’ runs from May 29th to June 22nd at 450 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139.

By Charlotte Snow

As much as I love a period piece, I’ve found my fondness for them tainted due to the current administration’s efforts to place Victorian-style restrictions upon inalienable human rights. So, I was fully dreading a night full of corsets and bell skirts. To my relief, I walked into the theater and found the stage set with a faux rustic conference table, tricked out with rolling chairs, and above, a floating screen flashing disparate numbers. I sighed a deep breath of relief reminiscent of the first vape hit at the start of the play. I remained curious as to how the meaning of the playwright’s words would be changed when placed out of the context he originally intended.

Ogunquit Playhouse’s Exuberant ‘Come From Away’ Epitomizes the Phrase “It Takes a Village”

May 21, 2025April 10, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Cast of ‘Come From Away’ at Ogunquit Playhouse

Come From Away. Book, music, and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. Directed and choreographed by Richard J. Hinds. Music Direction by Sam Groisser. Scenic Design by Nate Bertone. Lighting Design by Richard Latta. Costume Design by Michelle J. Li. Sound Design by Kevin Heard. Wig/Hair & Make-Up Design by Emilia Martin. Presented by Ogunquit Playhouse, Maine, through June 14, 2025.

By Linda Chin

The award-winning musical Come From Away tells the remarkable true story of the tiny town of Gander (population 9,000) in Newfoundland, Canada – approximately 1,500 miles from NYC – that garnered global attention nearly 25 years ago. In 2001, the isolated community played host to nearly 7000 ‘come from aways’ (what Newfoundlanders called non-locals) on 38 international flights that were diverted there when the skies over the United States were shut down on September 11.

Doherty’s Dynamite Dolly Electrifies Lyric’s ‘Hello Dolly!’

May 21, 2025April 10, 2026 Theater Mirror1 Comment

Aimee Doherty (center) and cast in Lyric Stage’s ‘Hello Dolly! Photos by Mark S. Howard

‘Hello, Dolly!’ – Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman; Book by Michael Stewart; Based on “The Matchmaker” by Thornton Wilder; Directed by Maurice Emmanuel Parent; Music Direction by Dan Rodriguez; Choreography by Ilyse Robbins; Scenic Design by Janie E. Howland; Costume Design by Kelly Baker; Lighting Design by Karen Perlow; Sound Design by Alex Berg. Presented by Lyric Stage Company at 140 Clarendon St., Boston, through June 22^nd.

By Mike Hoban

In a world that seems to add a new layer of black clouds with each 24-hour news cycle, the Lyric Stage has gifted theatergoers with a joyous revival of the Jerry Herman-Michael Stewart Broadway classic Hello Dolly! The production, directed with panache by Maurice Emmanuel Parent, is essentially the theatrical equivalent of a blast of nitrous oxide – delivering laughter and euphoria in large doses. In a show usually defined by the star power of its leading lady, Aimee Doherty (as Dolly) seizes the role and makes it her own in an endearing performance that ranks up there with any of her multiple Norton and IRNE Award-winning musical theater performances. And she is well-supported by a cast of ringers and talented (relative) newcomers.

Speakeasy’s ‘Jaja’ Combines Comedy and Harsh Reality

May 14, 2025April 10, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

MaConnia Chesser (center) and the cast of *Jaja’s African Hair Braiding* at SpeakEasy.
Photos by Nile Scott Studios

‘Jaja’s African Hair Braiding’ – Written by Jocelyn Bioh; Directed by Summer L. Williams; Scenic Design by Janie E. Howland; Costume Design by Danielle Domingue Sumi; Lighting Design by Christopher Brusberg; Sound Design by Aubrey Dube. Presented by SpeakEasy Stage Company. At Roberts Studio Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion, Boston Center for the Arts. Through May 31.

By Mike Hoban

On its surface, Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, now being presented by the Speakeasy Stage Company, is a bubbly slice of life comedy. Set in a women’s hair salon in Harlem that specializes in African hair braiding, the play offers a glimpse into the lives of a half-dozen West African women who work at the salon and their American customers. But bubbling just under the surface is a much weightier concern, one that has become increasingly relevant since the play debuted on Broadway in 2023 and has dominated recent headlines.

‘Kimberly Akimbo’ Is Musical Theater at Its Absolute Best!

May 10, 2025April 10, 2026 Shelley SackettLeave a comment

Cast of ‘Kimberly Akimbo’ at the Emerson Colonial Theatre. Photos by Joan Marcus

‘Kimberly Akimbo.’ Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire. Music by Jeanine Tesori. Based on the play by David Lindsay-Abaire. Directed by Jessica Stone. Music Supervision by Chris Fenwick. Choreographed by Danny Mefford. Presented by Broadway in Boston at the Emerson Colonial Theatre, 106 Boylston St., Boston, through May 18.

By Shelley A. Sackett

Kimberly Akimbo should not be as enjoyable as it is. The show tells the tragic story of a lonely teenage girl, Kimberly Levaco (Carolee Carmello), who suffers from a condition similar to progeria that causes her to age at a rate that is four and a half times as fast as normal. Only one in 50 million people is so afflicted, and Kimberly has the appearance and bodily breakdown of an elderly woman with a lifespan that rarely exceeds 16 years.

At Merrimack Repertory Theatre, A Stirring ‘What You Are Now’ Resonates Deeply

May 8, 2025April 10, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Sonnie Brown, Pisay Pao in MRT’s ‘What You Are Now’

‘What You Are Now’ by Sam Chanse. Directed by Steve Cosson. Scenic Design by Neil Patel. Costume Design by Yao Chen. Lighting Design by Brian J. Lilienthal. Sound Design by David Remedios. Presented by Merrimack Repertory Theatre, 50 E. Merrimack St., Lowell, MA, through May 11, 2025.

By Linda Chin

With a stirring production of What You Are Now closing a stellar seven-show season, Merrimack Repertory Theatre demonstrates its commitment to cultivating new works and community. Sam Chanse’s powerful play had its world premiere in NYC three years ago, but its current run (and New England premiere) at MRT carries special significance: this story about a young neuroscientist whose interest in traumatic memories stemming from her family’s history is actually set in Lowell, Massachusetts, and is bound to resonate deeply with diverse audiences.

Umbrella Arts’ ‘Spitfire Grill’ a Small Gem with a Big Heart

May 7, 2025April 10, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Shonna McEachern, Liza Giangrande, and Kerry A. Dowling in Arts Umbrella’s ‘Spitfire Grill’
Photos by Jim Sabitus

The Spitfire Grill – Written by Fred Alley and James Valcq; Music by James Valcq; Lyrics by Fred Alley; Director and Choreographer Ilyse Robbins; Music Director Jack Cline; Lighting Design by Karen Perlow; Sound Design by Alex Berg; Scenic Design by Janie E. Howland; Costume Design by Kelly Baker.Presented by The Umbrella Stage Company at 40 Stow St., Concord, through May 18.

By Mike Hoban

If you’ve been disappointed by the artistic emptiness of the string of popular movies that Broadway has turned into mediocre shows in recent years (A Christmas Story, Mean Girls, etc.), the Umbrella Stage Company and director Ilyse Robbins are offering up a charming exception to the genre with the quietly beautiful The Spitfire Grill. Based on the 1996 movie starring Ellen Burstyn, this touching musical has what its glitzier counterparts lack – a genuine heart. Spitfire Grill asks the musical question, “If a wound goes real deep, (will) the healing of it hurt almost as bad as what caused it?” The production answers the query with a blend of thoughtfully crafted folk and Americana tunes, performed brilliantly by an outstanding cast of Boston musical theater stalwarts and relative newcomers.

Emerson Colonial’s ‘Mean Girls’ Is More Meh Than Mean

May 5, 2025April 10, 2026 Shelley SackettLeave a comment

Cast of ‘Mean Girls’ at Emerson Colonial Theatre

‘Mean Girls.’ Book by Tina Fey. Music by Jeff Richmond. Lyrics by Nell Benjamin. Based on the Paramount Pictures film “Mean Girls.” Directed by Casey Cushion. Choreography by John MacInnis; Scenic Design by Scott Pask; Costume Design by Gregg Barnes; Lighting Design by Kenneth Posner; Sound Design by Brian Ronan; Music Direction by Julius LaFlamme; Orchestrations by John Clancy; Music Coordination by John Mezzio; Hair Design by Josh Marquette. Presented by Emerson Colonial Theatre, Bolyston St., Boston. Run has ended.

By Shelley A. Sackett

Tina Fey’s Mean Girls has certainly milked its appeal. When it first appeared in 2004 as a film starring Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried, it was a runaway hit. Its 2018 transformation into a Broadway musical fared less well and the 2024 remake of the film fared even worse.

Moonbox’s ‘Crowns’ Raises the Roof

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

Cast of Moonbox Productions’ “Crowns” at Arrow Street Arts. Photos: Chelcy Garrett

Moonbox Productions presents ‘Crowns’ by Regina Taylor, adapted from the book by Michael Cunningham and Craig Mayberry. Regine Vital, Director. David Coleman, Musical Director. Davron Monroe, Associate Director. Kurt Douglas, Choreographer. Isaak Olson, Lighting Designer. Baron E. Pugh, Scenic Designer. James Cannon, Sound Designer. Danielle Ibrahim, Props Designer. E Rosser, Costume Designer. Schanaya Barrows, Wig Designer. At Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Cambridge, through May 4, 2025.

By Shelley A. Sackett

In Crowns, playwright Regina Taylor’s paean to the Black women who held their families, churches and communities together, gospel music, fanciful hats and swanky dresses take center stage. For 90 intermission-less minutes, this jukebox musical rocks the intimate Arrow St. Arts with two dozen songs and a narrative that traces the history of Blacks in America, from slavery to the Jim Crow south to the Civil Rights movement to present-day Black-on-Black violence in Brooklyn’s tougher neighborhoods.