‘TARZAN” Stadium Theatre, Woonsocket, RI

August 12, 2017August 12, 2018 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Stadium Theatre’s current musical is “Tarzan” which is based on the 1999 Disney film and the classic story by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It features music and lyrics by Phil Collins and book by David Henry Hwang. The classic tale unfolds in the early 1900’s as a shipwreck leaves an infant orphaned on the West African shore. The helpless baby is taken under the protection of a Gorilla tribe and becomes part of their family. The helpless baby is adopted by the mate of the leader of this tribe who is mourning the loss of her own baby gorilla. As he grows and matures, the boy yearns for acceptance from his ape father and the reason for his uniqueness. When he eventually encounters his first human, Jane Porter, their worlds collide and transform forever. Director Rebecca Donald casts topnotch performers for these roles while music director Alex Tirrell taught the cast Phil Collins’ music and choreographer Jennifer Webb creates some athletic choreography. This heart warming musical also teaches us to accept others even thought their appearance is different from us. This high energy musical receives a well deserved resounding and thunderous standing ovation from the appreciative audience.

“42ND STREET”

August 7, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Reagle Music Theatre’s third show of their 49th summer season is the Tony Award winning musical “42nd Street.” It is loosely based on the movie with the same name. The stage musical version opened on Broadway on August 25, 1980 and ran until January 8, 1989 and starred Jerry Orbach as Julian Marsh and Tammy Grimes as Dorothy Brock.

THE PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE (Renaissance City Theatre, Westerly, RI)

August 5, 2017August 5, 2018 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

The Renaissance City Theatre the producing entity at the Granite Theatre’s current show is “The Prisoner of Second Avenue” by Neil Simon. This dark comedy tells the story of Mel, a New York-based advertising executive, whose life takes a dramatic turn when he loses his job. As he attempts to cope with his new unemployment status, he becomes particularly depressed over the fact he must now depend on the income of his wife, Edna, who, out of necessity, has now taken on a job. When his apartment is burglarized and his psychiatrist dies with $23,000 of his money, Mel has a nervous breakdown. As the couple recovers together, the audience witnesses their resilience, and determination to survive. A Jewish family meeting with his brother, Harry and sisters, Pauline, Pearl and Jessie add lightness to the show. Although having a nervous break down is a serious matter, Neil Simon reminds us even in the face of desperation and despair, there can be laughter. Director Jude Pescatello chooses the best cast for this show and blocks it splendidly on the beautiful set built and designed by David Jepson. He keeps the pace of the show in constant motion.

SHREK, THE MUSICAL (Swansea Footlights Junior Division)

August 4, 2017August 4, 2018 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Footlights Junior Division’s current show is “Shrek, the Musical” based on the Oscar winning Dreamworks animation movie of the same name from 2001. The music is by Jeanine Tesori with book and lyrics by David Lindsey-Abaire and the original source material came from the 1990 book “Shrek” by William Steig. The story opens when Shrek is thrown out of the house by his parents when he’s seven to go earn a living. They warn him because of his looks everyone will hate him and he’ll come to a bad end. The audience follows Shrek and his loyal steed, Donkey on a quest to rescue the beautiful but temperamental Princess Fiona from a tower guarded by a love-sick fire breathing Dragon. Throw in the diminutive Lord Farquaad who is in love with Fiona, a gang of fairytale misfits, and a Gingerbread cookie with attitude to the list of wild and crazy characters the audience meets. Shrek is an outsider who goes on a journey to discover where he belongs in this world. This is an important lesson we can learn to accept everybody no matter how they look and everyone can relate to it. Add splendid singing and dancing by this 100 member cast with excellent direction by Neil Jeronimo and Tricia Rodrigues, choreography by Brian Pereira and musical direction by Kasey Jeronimo. This high energy is rewarded with a thunderous ovation at the curtain call with the whole audience singing “I’m a Believer” with Shrek and his cast mates.

“American Moor” a Catalyst for Change

August 2, 2017August 2, 2017 michaelhoban1 Comment

By Michele Markarian

“American Moor”. Written by Keith Hamilton Cobb. Directed by Kim Weild. Presented by O.W.I. (Bureau of Theatre) and Phoenix Theatre Ensemble. At Plaza Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts, through Aug. 12.

At the end of this deeply personal, soul-mining dialogue, with an invisible but audible white Director, the Actor, played by the magnetic Keith Hamilton Cobb, asks him to tell him what scares him, what makes him feel deeply. And it’s an appropriate question, because experiencing Cobb perform and being privy to his inner thoughts and emotions somehow makes us privy to our own. Read more ““American Moor” a Catalyst for Change”

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (Ivoryton Playhouse)

August 1, 2017August 13, 2017 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Ivoryton Playhouse’s summer musical is “Saturday Night Fever” based on Nik Cohn’s 1975 New York Magazine article

“Tribal Rituals for the New Saturday Night” and Norman Wexler’s 1977 screenplay it inspired. The stage version premiered in the West End back in 1998 at the London Palladium and then at the Minskoff Theatre October 21, 1999, playing 27 previews and 501 performances before closing on December 30, 2000. Put on your “Boogie Shoes” as we go back in time to 1979 that will leave you with “Night Fever!”