Speakeasy’s ‘POTUS’ Mines Chaos, Laughs in the Oval Office

September 19, 2023April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Cast of SpeakEasy Stage’s production of “POTUS.” (Courtesy Nile Scott Studios)

“POTUS; Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive” – Written by Selina Fillinger. Directed by Paula Plum. Scenic Design by Jenna McFarland Lord; Sound Design by Audrey Dube; Lighting Design by Karen Perlow; Costume Design by Rebecca Glick; Fight Choreography by Angie Jepson. Presented by Speakeasy Stage Company at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St., Boston, through October 15

by Mike Hoban

There’s a lot to like about POTUS, the opening production for Speakeasy Stage’s 2023-2024 season. Featuring not only an all-female cast but an all-female production team, this lightning-paced farce sends up the absurdity of a crew of over-qualified, under-appreciated women propping up a misogynistic boob as he bumbles his way through his leadership role. Only in this case, it’s not an American corporation or institution; it’s the most pressure-packed job on the planet – the U.S. presidency.

“TOPDOG, UNDERDOG” at the Gamm Theatre

September 13, 2023April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Gamm Theatre’s opening show of their 39th season is “Topdog/Underdog,” the 2002 Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Suzan-Lori Parks, the first African-American woman to win the prize. In 2023 this show won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. This play is about brotherly love, sibling rivalry, and surviving the American Dream. The story centers on two fiercely competitive African-American brothers with a troubled past who share a room in a squalid boardinghouse. The two brothers are Lincoln and Booth. Lincoln is an ex-card shark now working a “straight” job impersonating Abraham Lincoln at an arcade, while Booth is a petty thief set on surpassing his older brother’s reputation as a notorious three-card Monte hustler. Director Cliff Odle casts these two roles splendidly and elicits multilayered performances from both actors. They fully embody these two characters, displaying what makes them the way they are. The audience discovers where they’ve been and how each has either changed or stayed the same. It examines how these two brothers live in dire economic circumstances and how they try to navigate them differently. As Lincoln and Booth, Anthony Goss and Marc Pierre display great depth of emotions as these two siblings. Their brilliant performances propel the audience to their feet at the end of the show. Bravo on jobs well done.

With “The Half-God of Rainfall,” A.R.T. Once Again Breaks New Production Ground

September 13, 2023April 11, 2026 Shelley SackettLeave a comment

Cast of “The Half-God of Rainfall,” at A.R.T. Credit: Lauren Miller

‘The Half-God of Rainfall’ – Written by Inua Ellams. Directed by Taibi Magar. Movement Direction by Orlando Pabotoy. Scenic Design by Riccardo Hernández. Lighting Design by Stacey Derosier. Sound Design and Music Composition by Mikaal Sulaiman. Projection Design by Tal Yarden. Orisha Movement Consulting/Choreography by Beatrice Capote. Costume Design by Linda Cho. Presented by American Repertory Theater in co-production with New York Theatre Workshop. At Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Cambridge, through Sept. 24.

By Shelley A. Sackett

Will we ever become inured to the other-worldly team at American Repertory Theater and its ability to sprinkle fairy dust on Boston’s theater scene? With “The Half-God of Rainfall,” now in production through September 24, the answer is a resounding “No!”

It helps that Nigerian native Inua Ellam’s sinuous play is a masterful blending of unlikely ingredients: Greek mythology and Nigerian Yoruba spirituality, a war between mortals and gods, basketball, toxic patriarchy, white supremacy, female empowerment, and maternal love. Couple that with a script crafted as an epic poem, a stellar cast that works as a seamless ensemble, and breathtaking choreography, lighting, and sound designs, and well, you have all the makings for a night of unparalleled theatrical pageantry.

The scope and ambition of Ellam’s work is staggering.

Trinity Rep’s “The Good John Proctor”

September 3, 2023April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

by Tony Annicone

Trinity Repertory Company’s opening show of their 60th season is “The Good John Proctor” by Talene Monahan. The show is a prequel to Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible” as Monahan imagines the inner lives of the four young girls whose accusations led to the witchcraft trials in Salem, MA, in 1692. The girls were pre-teens, but in this show, they are portrayed by adult actors and told from their viewpoint. All the girls in real life were actually much younger; Abigail Williams was 11 years old; her cousin, Betty Parris, was nine years old; young high-strung Mercy Lewis sought solace in alcohol while Mary Warren was an epileptic orphan. When Abigail started working for 60-year-old farmer John Proctor, their lives started to unravel from playing with poppets and churning butter into something completely unexpected. However, John Proctor doesn’t appear in this play at all. Director Kimberly Senior casts these four roles beautifully and elicits stunning performances from all of them.

Becky Nurse Of Salem Bewitches at Trinity Rep

August 31, 2023April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

The cast of *Becky Nurse of Salem*. Photos by Mark Turek.

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Trinity Rep’s second show, performed in repertory with “The Good John Procter,” is “Becky Nurse of Salem” by Sarah Ruhl, which is the better one of the two. Becky is a descendant of Rebecca Nurse from the Salem witch trials and was also a character in “The Crucible”. This Becky is plagued with a curse of bad luck that she needs to be exorcised so she can get on with her life. She is a poor 52-year-old grandmother who is raising her granddaughter and struggling to make ends meet. The cast sings “Sweet Children Mine,” and then we first meet Becky as a museum docent as she tells the “high school” audience the tales of witchcraft in the city and where Rebecca Nurse was hung either at what is now Dunkin Donuts or at Walgreen’s. She also drops some F-bombs in front of the nuns and is she is fired from her job. The audience follows her roller coaster journey from there to the end of the show, where we all learn the most important thing in life is to love and be loved. The audience leaped to their feet at the end of the extremely poignant and comic show, masterfully presented by director Curt Columbus and his extraordinary and talented seven-member cast. Brava to leading lady Angela Brazil on her breathtaking performance, who never left the stage in this two-hour and fifteen-minute show.

Short Take: A Sweet and Salty ‘Margaritaville’ at North Shore Music Theater

August 20, 2023April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Wes Williams (Tully) and the cast of Jimmy Buffett’s “Escape To Margaritaville” playing at North Shore Music Theatre thru August 27. Photo © Paul Lyden

‘Margaritaville’ –Book by Greg Garcia & Mike O’Malley. Music & Lyrics by Jimmy Buffett. Directed & Choreographed by Charlie Sutton. Musical Direction by Robert L. Rucinski. Scenic Design by Nate Bertone. Costume Design by Kelly Baker. Lighting Design by Corey Whittemore. Sound Design by Alex Berg and Don Hanna. Wig & Hair Design by Rachel Padula-Shufelt . At North Shore Music Theater, Beverly, through August 27.

By Linda Chin

North Shore Music Theater closes its summer 2023 trifecta (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, The Sound of Music) with Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville. Like a perfect margarita – a six-part combination of tequila, triple sec, and fresh-squeezed lime juice in a 3:2:1 ratio, sweetened with a simple syrup and served in a glass rimmed with salt, NSMT’s production is perfect for a hot summer evening. Though the show’s book is on the weak side, the company of 18 talented triple threats – ensemble members and six principals in a 2:1 ratio – deliver a strong performance.

Gloucester Stage’s Thought-Provoking ‘The Ding Dongs’ is a Theatrical Tour-de-Force

August 15, 2023April 11, 2026 Shelley SackettLeave a comment

Erica Steinhagen, Karl Gregory, and Nael Nacer in Gloucester Stage Company’s ‘The Ding Dongs’

‘The Ding Dongs’ — Written by Brenda Withers. Directed by Rebecca Bradshaw. Costume Design by Camilla Dely; Lighting Design by M. Berry; Sound Design by Julian Crocamo. Presented by Gloucester Stage, 267 East Main St., Gloucester, through August 27.

By Shelley A. Sackett

We’ve all been there. That split second when we realize that all may not be as it seems, that we have misread a vital clue and that all is about to go south. The Ding Dongs, in production at Gloucester Stage through August 27, takes that moment and straps it to a steroid drip.

Don’t be put off by the title, as I almost was. (Is it a tribute to Hostess? To a bebop group? To the comedic wrestling duo?) The Ding Dongs will keep you on the edge of your seat for its entire 75 minutes from lights up to fade out and leave you dying to talk about it to anyone within earshot.

When is the last time theater had that kind of visceral effect?

Company Theatre’s “Born To Do This” Rocks

August 2, 2023April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Liza Giangrande and cast of “Born to Do This” at Company Theatre. Photos by Mike Scott

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Company Theatre is known for doing epic musicals, and their current summer show is “Born to Do This,” about Joan of Arc, an original Rock Opera. Zoe Bradford wrote the book and lyrics, and the music and additional lyrics were by Melissa Carubia. This massive show was directed and blocked by Zoe and Sally Ashton Forrest. The show examines the life of Joan and tells of her heroic story of a young girl who fought against oppression and women’s rights centuries ago. They decided to write this show as a sung-through musical. To quote Melissa, “Rock is the music of rebellion.” These 31 talented cast members with an incredible 14-piece orchestra bring this meaningful show to life. The music contains powerful anthems, pretty ballads, and a comic song or two. It is reminiscent of “Les Miserables” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.” To quote Joan, “I am not afraid; I was born to do this,” as were Zoe and Melissa on this enormous task. Brava! They delve into her childhood with her parents and two brothers. They collaborated with Michael Hammond during their writing sessions and realized this 600-year-old story is still relevant. At the start of the show, we see Young Jeanne with St. Michael, who delivers an important message about how her life will unfold in the song “The Messenger,” and the harmonies in the chorus are perfect. Musical director Robert McDonough taught the talented cast all these numbers and conducts and plays lead keyboards with his splendid orchestra. Jeri Sykes did the orchestration for this show. This show is dedicated to The Company Theatre co-founder Jordie Saucerman, who always encouraged us to do what we were born to do.

Gloucester Stage Serves Up More Than Good Food in ‘Stew’

July 19, 2023April 11, 2026 Shelley SackettLeave a comment

‘STEW’ – Written by Zora Howard. Directed by Rosalind Bevan. Scenic Design by JennaMcFarland Lord. Costume Design by KJ Gilmer. Lighting Design by Kat C. Zhou. SoundDesign by Aubrey Dube. Presented by Gloucester Stage, 267 E Main St, Gloucester, MAthrough July 23.

By Shelley A. Sackett

Stew is any dish that is prepared by “stewing” — that is, submerging the ingredients with just enough liquid to cook them through on a low flame in a covered pot for a longtime. It is also a synonym for brooding. One who is in an extreme state of worry and agitation is said to be “stewing.”

At North Shore Music Theatre, ‘The Sound of Music’ Makes the World Go Round

July 17, 2023April 11, 2026 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Cast of ‘The Sound of Music at NSMT’. Photos by David Costa Photography

‘The Sound of Music’ – Music by Richard Rodgers. Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. Directed by Kevin P. Hill. Music Direction by Milton Granger. Choreography by Briana Fallon. Scenic Design by Kyle Dixon. Costume Design by Kelly Baker. Lighting Design by Jose Santiago. Sound Design by Alex Berg. Wig & Hair Design by Rachel Padula-Shufelt. At North Shore Music Theatre, Beverly, MA through July 23, 2023.

By Linda Chin

Let’s start at the very beginning. When crystal chandeliers in a circular formation descend from up high, Maestro Granger lifts his baton, the orchestra and nuns of Nonnberg Abbey open Act 1 with the hauntingly beautiful “Praeludium,” and the theatre comes alive with glorious sounds of music, all seems right with the world. But those familiar with The Sound of Music or European history (or who like me, learn about people and cultures from theater as well as textbooks) know that in 1938, in Nazi-occupied Austria at the cusp of World War 2, all is not harmonious.