Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

Welcome to the turn of the century with “Ragtime”, the closing musical of Trinity Rep’s season. This 1998 hit musical is based on E.L. Doctorow’s novel. Trinity begins the show in a contemporary room setting and from there we go back in time to 1905 with the epic sweep of this musical being captured in the opening prologue, a nine minute kaleidoscope of fictional characters mingling with historical figures from the early twentieth century. The cast is in current day costumes during most of Act 1 to reflect that what happened back then is happening now, too. As the story continues, we meet pianist Coalhouse Walker Jr. and his child’s mother, Sarah being taken in by a respectable WASP family in New Rochelle, NY. This family is ruled by “Father”, a patriarchal figure who dominates his household and submissive wife, “Mother” with his overbearing presence. Parallel storylines of the Jewish Latvian immigrant Tateh who unwittingly finds himself involved in the birth of the motion picture industry after inventing a flipbook for his young daughter as well as the real life entertainer, Evelyn Nesbit, the magician Harry Houdini, J.P. Morgan and the anarchist Emma Goldman eventually mingle and merge. This epic production boasts stellar performances from this talented cast with phenomenal insight and direction by Curt Columbus, Trinity’s artistic director, musical director, Michael Rice and choreographer, Sharon Jenkins as they capture the flavor and essence of the early 1900’s being comparable to current day happenings. Their combined expertise garners the entire cast a resounding standing ovation at the close of this breathtaking musical extravaganza.

Read more “Trinity’s “Ragtime” a Breathtaking Musical Extravaganza”

 

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

Trinity Repertory Company’s newest production of their 54th season is “Othello” by William Shakespeare. This show is about friendship and betrayal, love and jealousy. Once Othello’s most trusted confidante, Iago’s envy-fueled passions unleash a betrayal with catastrophic results for Othello and his beloved bride, Desdemona. Shakespeare’s profound tragedy is an enduring story of race, love, envy, gender inequality and repentance. This stripped-down retelling is the portrait of an unraveling mind amid a society engulfing and destroying its very best.

Read more “Trinity’s Modern Day ‘OTHELLO’ Brings Energy and Vitality to Classic”

 

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

The latest show at Trinity Repertory Theatre is “Into the Breeches” by George Brant. This show is set in Providence in 1942 and there is a problem at the Oberon Play House. The director and the leading men are all off to war. Determined to press on, the director’s wife sets out to produce an all female version of Shakespeare’s “Henry V”, assembling an increasingly unexpected team united in desire, if not in actual theatre experience. Together they deliver a delightful celebration of collaboration and persistence when the show must go on. It takes a delightful look at women’s experiences during World War II.

Read more “The Show Must Go On in Trinity Rep’s Hilarious ‘INTO THE BREECHES’”

 

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

Trinity Repertory Company ushers in the holiday season for their 40th Anniversary of their production of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens and adapted by Adrian Hall and Richard Cumming. The show’s underlying themes of charity, forbearance and benevolence are universal and are equally relevant to people of all religions and backgrounds especially with the unsettling events in this country and around the world. This familiar tale is about the curmudgeonly miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, who is visited by the ghosts of Jacob Marley, Christmas Past, Present and Future who hope to change his destiny and save his soul to ultimately discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Read more “Trinity Rep’s 40th Anniversary “A CHRISTMAS CAROL” A Holiday Gem”

 

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

 

The opening show of Trinity Repertory Company’s 54th season is “Death of a Salesman”, a 1949 play by Arthur Miller. It was the 1949 recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play. The play premiered on Broadway in February, 1949 and ran for 742 performances, and has been revived on Broadway four times, winning three Tony Awards for Best Revival. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest plays of the 20th Century. It explodes with poignancy and relevance. In 1947 Brooklyn, Willy Loman desperately craves success for himself and his two sons, but stark reality cannot live up to his dreams.The wall of delusions that he has constructed quietly crumbles around him while a devastated and demoralized man searches in vain for a hidden path to greatness. Director Brian McEleney takes this masterpiece of a show and makes it relevant to contemporary audiences so they can see each person’s struggle to achieve their ambitions and dreams is universal and not confined to the 1940’s. They can apply lessons learned from the past into their own lives during these uncertain and turbulent times. Beware of the past for if you don’t learn from it, it will come back and bite you on the butt. Brian not only blocks the show brilliantly but with his keen eye and insight into these characters brings out the best in his very talented cast, too. This show is electrifying and is the must see show of this season.

Read more “Trinity Rep’s “DEATH OF A SALESMAN” is a Masterpiece”