‘Parade’ at Emerson Colonial a Stark Reminder that Past is Prologue

March 15, 2025March 20, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Cast of the National Tour of ‘Parade’ at the Emerson Colonial Theatre. Photos by Joan Marcus

Parade – Book by Alfred Uhry; Music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown; Co-conceived by Harold Prince; Directed by Michael Arden; Choreography by Lauren Yalango-Grant & Christopher Cree Grant; Music direction by Charlie Alterman. At the Emerson Colonial Theatre, Boston, through March 23^rd.

by Mike Hoban

Theatergoers should prepare for a profoundly conflicted experience with the Broadway revival of Parade, now at the Emerson Colonial on its North American tour. The brilliant artistry of this production is undeniable, with its superb cast and creative staging, but the content is a painful reminder that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Although it’s set in the Deep South in 1913, the mob rule and the institutionalized demonization of the “other” look a lot like America in 2025.

Boston Playwrights’ Theatre’s ‘Recursion Of A Moth’ Flutters Listlessly

March 4, 2025March 4, 2025 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Jenny S. Lee in Boston Playwrights’ Theatre’s ‘Recursion Of A Moth’
Photo Credit: Scornavacca Photography

‘Recursion Of A Moth’ – Written by Brandon Zang. Directed by Katie Brook. Sound Design by Audrey Dube; Lighting Design by Grant Powicki; Scenic Design by Cleo Brooks; Costume Design by Cleo Needleham; Produced by Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, ‘Recursion Of A Moth’ runs from February 27st – March 9th at 949 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215.

By Charlotte Snow

The audience walks into the house, filled with incongruous electronic audio, to find a blank stage except for a leather chair adorned with notebooks, two podiums pushed upstage, and a constantly looming giant white semi-circle screen at the center. It’s a disarming and almost chilling effect that promises its audience a unique and singular theatrical experience. 

Strong Performances Lift Umbrella Arts’ Ambitious ‘Network’

October 2, 2024October 2, 2024 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Bill Mootos as Howard Beale in Umbrella Arts’ ‘Network’. Photos by Jim Sabitus

‘Network’ – Based on the screenplay by Paddy Chayefsky. Adapted for the Stage by Lee Hall. Directed by Ashley Kelly Tata. Scenic Designer, Afsoon Pajoufar; Lighting & Projections Designer, Seif Allah Salotto-Cristobal; Audio Designer, Aubrey Dube; Costume Designer, Nancy Leary. Presented by Umbrella Arts Center, Main Stage Theater40 Stow St, Concord, MA, through November 3

by Mike Hoban

It’s always a challenge to bring an iconic movie to the stage, even more so when its signature line, “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!” is one of the most recognizable in film history (#19 on the list of America’s Greatest Movie Quotes according to the American Film Institute). It’s also a lot of pressure to put on an actor, but as the network news anchor turned crazed prophet Howard Beale, Bill Mootos delivers, and he does so without mimicking the brilliantly maniacal performance of Peter Finch (who played Beale in the film). Instead, his portrayal of Beale is more of a world-weary “grand old man of the news” gone mad, and it works beautifully – without losing any of the intensity of the character.

A Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On at North Shore Music Theatre

September 29, 2024October 5, 2024 Theater Mirror1 Comment

‘Million Dollar Quartet’ – Book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutux. Directed and choreographed by Greg Santos. Music Director Sam Sherwood. Scenic Design by Kyle Dixon. Original Costume Design by Travis M. Grant. Lighting Design by Jose Santiago. Sound Design by Alex Berg. Hair and Wig Design by Rachel Padilla-Shufelt. Through October 6, 2024, at North Shore Music Theatre, 64 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA.

By Linda Chin

A million shout-outs to the uber-talented cast of the Tony Award-winning musical Million Dollar Quartet at Bill Hanney’s North Shore Music Theatre. For about a hundred minutes, actor-musicians Sam Sherwood (Carl Perkins), Blake Burgess ( Johnny Cash), Brandon Fillette (Jerry Lee Lewis), Noah Barnes (Elvis Presley), Joe Bentley (Brother Joy), Stephen Blauch (Fluke), Zach Cossman (Sam Phillips), and Hailie Lucille (Dyanne, the lone female character) teach us some history and gift us with a whole lot of musical magic.

Stoppard Gets Personal with ‘Leopoldstadt’ at the Huntington

September 21, 2024September 23, 2024 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Cast of ‘Leopoldstadt’ at the Huntington. Photos by Liza Voll Photography

‘Leopoldstadt’ – Play by Tom Stoppard. Directed by Carey Perloff. Scenic Design by Ken MacDonald; Costume design by Alex Jaeger; Original Music and Sound Design by Jane Shaw; Lighting Design by Robert Wierzel; Projection Design by Yuki Izumihara. Presented by The Huntington in association with Shakespeare Theatre Company at the Huntington Theatre, 264 Huntington Ave., Boston, through Oct. 13.

By Mike Hoban

As members of any marginalized group trying to integrate into an established community can tell you from firsthand experience, assimilation doesn’t necessarily mean acceptance. The sad truth is that all too often, money, education, physical attributes, or achievement cannot overcome the deep-rooted prejudices of those who cling to the privilege of their skin color, religion, or nationality. Just ask the Obamas.

Azúcar! Comedia y intensidad abound at Speakeasy Stage’s Laughs in Spanish

September 18, 2024September 18, 2024 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Cast of *‘Laughs in Spanish’* at Speakeasy Stage. Photos by Nile Scott Studios

‘Laughs in Spanish’ – Written by Alexis Scheer. Directed by Mariela López-Ponce. Scenic design by Erik D. Diaz. Costume design by Rebecca Glick. Lighting Design by Amanda E. Fallon. Sound Design by Anna Drummond. Presented by SpeakEasy Stage Company at 527 Tremont Street, Boston, MA, 02116, from September 13^th to October 12^th.

By Helen Ganley

Bright orange chairs sit below bare white walls bearing blank name cards for conspicuously missing paintings. Henry Fiol’s “Ahora me da Pena” (“Now I Feel Sorry”) wafts through the room as the part-telenovela, part-whodunit begins to unfold onstage. Written by Alexis Scheer, Laughs in Spanish is a contemporary play that explores the intersection of culture, identity, and family dynamics through humor. Scheer, a playwright and actress, debuted this work in 2019 at the Boston Playwright’s Theatre. Speakeasy Stage’s rendering is a high-energy and campy production that speaks to family, relationships, and the importance of connection.

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

August 20, 2023August 20, 2023 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.

All’s Well That Ends Well For Star-Crossed Lovers In ASP’s ‘As You Like It’

June 13, 2023June 13, 2023 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Genevieve Simon and the cast of Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s ‘As You Like It’. Photo by Nile Scott Studios

‘As You Like It’ – By William Shakespeare. Directed by Harold Steward. Associate directed by Brooke Hardman. Scenic Design by Ben Lieberson. Lighting Design by Amanda E. Fallon. Costume and Sound Design by Harold Steward. Props Design by Saskia Martinez. Associate Sound Design by Mackenzie Adamick. Presented by Actors’ Shakespeare Project in partnership with The Theater Offensive at Tufts University’s Balch Arena Theater, 40 Talbot Ave, Medford, MA through June 25

by Linda Chin

Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s current production of As You Like It, directed by artistic visionary Harold Steward, remains relevant and refreshing four centuries after it was first published in the Bard’s First Folio in 1623. This production also represents a first-time partnership between ASP and The Theatre Offensive.

North Shore Music Theatre’s ‘Beautiful’ is Full of Feels

June 10, 2023June 10, 2023 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

Elena Ricardo as Carole King in “Beautiful – The Carole King Musical” at North Shore Music Theatre thru June 18, 2023. Photo @ Paul Lyden

Beautiful: The Music of Carole King – Book by Douglas McGrath. Words and Music by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Weil. Directed and Choreographed by Marcos Santana. Music Direction by Camille Villalpando Rolla. Scenic and Lighting Design by Jack Mehler. Costume Design by Travis M. Grant. Co-Sound Design by Alex Berg and Don Hanna. Hair and Wig Design by Rachel Padula-Shufelt. At North Shore Music Theatre, Beverly, through June 18, 2023.

by Linda Chin

North Shore Music Theatre’s season opener, Beautiful: the Music of Carole King, is not a stop that is part of a national tour/Broadway in Beverly – but a regional production that has been created and cast de novo with a blend of professional and emerging theater-makers. NSMT Producer Bill Hanney and Producing Artistic Director Kevin Hill, in concert with show director/choreographer Marcos Santana (Jersey Boys, 2022), have imbued Beautiful with their signature stamp of artistic excellence. On a similar note, Elena Ricardo, who played the titular role in NSMT’s Peter Pan at NSMT and understudied the lead role in Broadway’s Beautiful, does not attempt to clone Ms. King (née Carol Klein) nor actor Jessie Mueller, who won the 2014 Tony for her portrayal, but makes the role her own. Other actors, such as Jean McCormick as Genie Klein, play down the stereotype of an overbearing Jewish mother.

Strange and Beautiful “Preludes” Enchants at the Lyric

January 11, 2023January 11, 2023 Theater MirrorLeave a comment

by Michele Markarian

‘Preludes – Music, Lyrics, Book and Orchestrations by David Malloy. Directed by Courtney O’Connor. Music Direction by Dan Rodriguez. Presented by The Lyric Stage Company of Boston, 140 Clarendon Street, Boston through February 5.

Where does creative inspiration come from? The heart? The mind? Are artists the instruments, or merely vessels for what can only be called divine? A blocked Rachmaninoff (the excellent and brooding Dan Prior) is told, “Virtuosity has its moments, but if you want to be truly great, use more…silence.” Silence and its space create room and stillness for ideas to flow through the subconscious. If you’ve ever wondered about the nature of creativity and the role of the artist, this is the play for you.