‘Little Women’, Big Feels at Greater Boston Stage

December 1, 2022 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Cast of ‘Little Women’ at Greater Boston Stage Company – L to R Sarah Coombs, Liza Giangrande, Amy Barker, Abriel Coleman, Katie Shults

‘Little Women: The Broadway Musical’ – Book by Allan Knee based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott. Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and Music by Jason Howland. Directed and Choreographed by Ilyse Robbins. Music Directed by Matthew Stern. Scenic Design by Shelley Barish. Lighting Design by Katie Whittemore. Costume Design by Gail Astrid Buckley. Sound Design by John Stone. Presented by the Greater Boston Stage Company, Stoneham through December 23^rd.

Once again this holiday season, Greater Boston Stage Company director and choreographer Ilyse Robbins and music director Matt Stern bring families – on stage and in the audience – together with the shared experience of musical theater. While presenting a special holiday production has been a decades-long GBSC tradition, its offerings are not always “traditional” holiday shows.

Melendy Rockets into Comedy Stratosphere with ‘Legend of Sleepy Hollow’ at GBSC

October 23, 2022October 24, 2022 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Paul Melendy in ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’ at Greater Boston Sage Company, Photos: Nile Scott Studio

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – Adapted from the story by Washington Irving by John Minigan. Directed by Producing Artistic Director Weylin Symes. Scenic Design by Kathy Monthei. Lighting Design by Corey Whittemore. Costume Design by Deirdre McCabe Gerrard. Sound Design by David Remedios. Presented by the Greater Boston Stage Company through November 6, 2022.

by Tom Boudrot

The Greater Boston Stage Company bills “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” as a ‘One-Man Show’ but the incredibly funny and talented Paul Melendy summons more characters than most shows put on stage for a large-scale production. I’m not just talking about Washington Irving’s Connecticut townsfolk – Ichabod Crane, Katrina Von Tassel, Brom Bones and others. But just imagine a cast that includes the likes of Jim Carrey, Mr. Bean, Don Knotts, Martin Short, Patrick McKenna and Sponge Bob SquarePants telling Washington Irving’s classic New England ghost story, and you’ll get a better picture of the night you have ahead of you when you visit the Greater Boston Stage Company in Stoneham.

Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Popcorn Falls’ is Feel-Good Fare

September 22, 2022 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Christopher Chew and Sarah Elizabeth Bedard in Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘*Popcorn Falls’*

‘Popcorn Falls’ – Written by James Hindman. Directed by Lisa Rafferty. Scenic Design by Kristin Loeffler, Lighting Design by Elmer Martinez, Costume Design by Deirdre Gerrard, Sound Design by Caroline Eng, Properties Design by Sarajane Mullins. Presented by Greater Boston Stage Company, 395 Main St., Stoneham, through October 2.

by Linda Chin

Like eating popcorn on the couch with an old friend, Greater Boston Stage Company’s production of Popcorn Falls fills that craving for comfort food that many people have had since the pandemic began – for the feelings of nostalgia, or belonging, that a familiar family recipe evokes. The play’s title Popcorn Falls refers to both the name of a small town where the story takes place, and its namesake waterfall which provides a source of drinking water and an income stream from tourism. At the top of the show we are introduced to the town’s newest resident, Mayor Trundle (Christopher Chew) and long-term resident/town clerk, Joe (Sarah Elizabeth Bedard) who are anxiously preparing for a community meeting to discuss a most urgent situation: the town is nearly bankrupt.

GBSC’s ‘Miss Holmes Returns’ Is Not Just for Sherlock Fans

May 10, 2022 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Marge Dunn, Alexander Platt, and Shonna Cirone in GBSC’s ‘Miss Holmes Returns’

by Shelley A. Sackett

“Miss Holmes Returns” — Based on the characters by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Written by Christopher M. Walsh. Directed by Weylin Symes. Set Design by Katy Monthel; Lighting Design by Corey Whittemore; Sound Design by David Remedios; Costume Design by Deirdre McCable Gerrand. Produced by Greater Boston Stage Company, 395 Main St, Stoneham, MA. (Run has ended)

In this world premiere, the all-male main characters of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous mysteries are recast as women. Miss Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Dorothy Watson are called upon to get to the bottom of a murder (or two) for which an Indian nurse is framed. Along the way, they encounter the effects of racism, sexism, classism and the Contagious Disease Act, laws enacted by men to “tell women what they can and cannot do with their own bodies.”

The Victorian era never seemed so far away, and yet so close.

GBSC’s ‘Incident’ Is a Pleasant Trip Down Memory Lane

March 6, 2022March 9, 2022 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Cast of ‘Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help’ at Greater Boston Stage

“Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help.” Written by Katie Forgette. Directed by Weylin Symes. Set Design by Shelley Barish; Lighting Design by Chris Fournier; Costume Design by Deirdre Gerrard; Sound Design by Dewey Dellay. Produced by Greater Boston Stage Company, 395 Main St, Stoneham, MA through March 20.

By Shelley A. Sackett

‘Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help’ will strike a particular chord among those of us whose wallets now hold Medicare and AARP cards. Written by Seattle-based playwright, Katie Forgette, it is a loving trip down her personal memory lane. She was raised Catholic and attended parochial school for 12 years. Her father was a hard working cab driver; her mother had many jobs, in addition to birthing ten children and caring for her own disabled mother. The family wasn’t poor, but only because her parents sacrificed personal goals and worked as hard as they could to be financially comfortable.

Greater Boston Stage’s ‘All Is Calm’ Strikes the Perfect Chord

November 30, 2021November 30, 2021 michaelhobanLeave a comment

*Cast of ‘All* *is Calm’ at Greater Boston Stage Company* – *Photos by Nile Scott Studios*

by Shelley A. Sackett

‘All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914’ – Written by Peter Rothstein; Vocal Arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach; Directed by Ilyse Robbins; Music Direction by Matthew Stern; Set Design by Erik D. Diaz; Lighting Design by Jeff Adelberg; Sound Design by Dewey Dellay; Costume Design by Bethany Mullins. Presented by Greater Boston Stage Company at 395 Main St., Stoneham through December 23, 2021.

From the first note of the first song in the remarkably affecting ‘All Is Calm,’ the choreography chops of its director, Ilyse Robbins, are indisputably evident. Two lines of uniformed men, distinguishable by their country’s military dress, slowly march to the front of the stage as they sing the Scottish folk song, “Will Ye Go to Flanders?” They briefly merge, forming a united single line, before those in the back row return to their original and separate positions. This powerful prologue literally sets the stage and tone for the next intermission-less 70 minutes. We have entered a holy place of unity where a folksong can become a hymnal and where men have the power and ability to come together as one, even if it is merely for a fleeting moment.

*Caleb Chew, David Jiles, Jr., Christopher Chew, and Zachary McConnel*

GBSC Jazzes up Tchaikovsky with Spirited ‘Swan Lake in Blue’

February 21, 2020March 9, 2020 michaelhobanLeave a comment

*Sarah Coombs in* *‘Swan Lake in Blue’* at *Greater Boston Stage Company* – *Maggie Hall Photography*

by Mike Hoban

‘Swan Lake in Blue’ – Created and composed by Steve Bass. Staged and choreographed by Ilyse Robbins. Set Design by Tori Oakes; Lighting Design by Chris Fournier; Costumes by Kevin Hutchins. Presented by Greater Boston Stage Company, 395 Main St, Stoneham through March 1^st.

If you’re looking for a little risk taking in your theatrical experience, suburban Boston is not typically where you’re headed to find it. Many of the venues rely on a steady diet of classic musicals and New York-tested comic and dramatic offerings to appeal to their subscriber base, and with the exception of the seemingly obligatory dose of gender-bending of late, there’s generally not a lot in terms of innovation going on outside of the city. Which is what makes Swan Lake in Blue, an adrenaline rush of a new work receiving its world premiere at the Greater Boston Stage Company, such a thrill.

GBSC’s ‘Swan Lake’ a Musical, Dance Extravaganza

February 16, 2020 michaelhobanLeave a comment

Andy McLeavey, Sara Coombs in GSBC’s ‘Swan Lake in Blue’

Reviewed by Tony Annicone

Greater Boston Stage Company travels back in time for their latest production, a world premiere of “Swan Lake in Blue.” Swan Lake originally premiered in 1877 and was written by Tchaikovsky. Its incredible choreography, beautiful music and compelling tale brings audiences back to see it year after year. Each production of Swan Lake reinvents itself from the classic take ala the Bolshoi Ballet. However, Greater Boston Stage Company takes us into a new “jazzed up” version with their production of “Swan Lake in Blue: A Jazz Ballet.” The work was created by Steve Bass, a Boston based composer and musician, and choreographed by GBSC’s Associate Artistic Director and multiple IRNE and Elliot Norton Award winner, Ilyse Robbins. The music for the show is all original by Bass. This version is set in 1940’s New York City with the main characters tied up with the mob. Odette is a burlesque dancer who dances nightly at the Swan Club where Broadway Producer Siegfried falls in love with her and tries to help her escape the clutches of Von Rothbart, a corrupt mob boss. Will the lovers escape the evil boss or will their love be unrequited? There is absolutely no dialogue in this show, so the dancing conveys what all the characters are feeling and doing with each other. It is nearly two hours of a 16 piece jazz big band with intricately choreographed tap, jazz and lyrical dancing by a group of 13 dancers that captivate you from start to finish.

Greater Boston Stage Company’s ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ Adds Hearty Dose of Humor to Holiday Classic

December 12, 2019December 12, 2019 michaelhobanLeave a comment

The Cast of “Miracle on 34th Street” – Photo Credit: Nile Scott Studios.

by Mike Hoban

‘Miracle on 34th Street’- Adapted by Mountain Community Theater from the novel by Valentine Davies. Based upon the Twentieth Century Fox motion picture Miracle on 34th Street. Directed by Ilyse Robbins; Scenic Design by Jon Savage; Lighting Design by Andrew Andrews; Sound Design by David Wilson. Presented by Greater Boston Stage Company, 395 Main Street, Stoneham through December 22

The holiday season is upon us, and theatergoers looking for a worthwhile Christmas-themed production (other than whatever version of A Christmas Carol is playing at your local theater) should take a trip to Stoneham to check out Miracle on 34th Street at Greater Boston Stage. Director Ilyse Robbins has crafted a buoyant version of the 1947 film of the same name, employing a light comedic touch rather than an overly sentimental tone. The comic flavor is enhanced by a brilliantly colored set by Jon Savage that looks like the backdrop of a 1960’s cartoon, and the hilariously over-the-top performances by the play’s secondary characters produce unexpected laughs throughout.

Addison McWayne, Michael Jennings Mahoney, Sara Coombs, and William Gardiner

GBSC’s Marie and Rosetta Shines light on Two Unsung (S)Heroes of American Music History

October 22, 2019October 22, 2019 michaelhobanLeave a comment

(Pier Lamia Porter as Marie and Lovely Hoffman as Sister Rosetta in Greater Boston Stage Company’s *‘Marie and Rosetta’*. Photos by Nile Scott Studios)

By Julie-Anne Whitney

‘Marie and Rosetta’ – Written by George Brant, Directed by Pascale Florestal; Music Direction by Erica Telisnor; Scenic Design by Baron E. Pugh; Lighting Design by Kathleen Zhou; Sound Design by John Stone; Costume Design by Michelle Villada. Co-Produced by Greater Boston Stage Company and The Front Porch Arts Collective at 395 Main Street Stoneham, MA through November 10, 2019.

In collaboration with The Front Porch Arts Collective, Greater Boston Stage Company (GBSC) continues their 20th Anniversary Season with the New England premiere of George Brant’s Marie and Rosetta. This 90-minute biographical play with music follows the revolutionary American gospel rock musician, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and her protégée, gospel singer Marie Knight, on the eve of their first rehearsal before embarking on a concert tour that would change their lives forever.