Broadway Show Reviews & Critics' Ratings - Page 2

I’ve seen a lot of extraordinary theatre at Shaking the Tree. This spine-tingling production just might be the best so far.

'A Better Planet, a Better World”,  held last Saturday April 6th, at St. Jean Theater, showcased a unique fusion of visual and performing arts, paying homage to nature, love, and the power of female energy. The Gala performance offered a captivating blend of dance and art inspired by the work of director, choreographer and dancer Analia Farfan,   inspired by, and featuring art from “A Better Planet, A Better World”, an art exhibit at the UN Headquarters by multimedia artist Alessandra Mattanza, now showing partly at the Permanent SDGs Mission of Italy to the United Nations.

Just because you saw ROUND OF APPLAUSE in 2023 does not mean that you’re exempted from seeing Round 2.0. On the contrary, the follow-up to Marianne Thamm’s performative journalism is an absolute must – especially for those who attended last year’s show. It’s one of those rare occasions when the sequel is somehow even better than the original.

There was a considerable buzz of excitement at the West Coast premiere of Michael R. Jackson’s A Strange Loop. Could the musical live up to the hype generated by its eleven Tony nominations and wins for Best Musical and Best Book? That would be a hell yes! Right from the opening number “Intermission Song,” A Strange Loop bursts with a kinetic energy and excitement not felt since Hamilton blew my mind.

As many students of history know, 1929 was the beginning of a chaotic, and often tragic, decade for the United States. Seven months after a small stock market crash and recovery on March 25, the bottom fell out.

“This way, you win, no matter what.” The Women’s Cricket World Cup Final in the present day, and eighteenth century Calcutta – on the face of it there’s the barest of connections, but when you drill down a bit deeper you can see how the relationship between England and India was first forged. Or, perhaps more accurately, forced.

Through April 27, Aimée and a six-piece band bring jazz flavors and smiles (theirs and the audience's) to Birdland with energy galore. Celebrating a new recording, and adding in some other material, Cyrille Aimée and band take command in a grand way this week at midtown Manhattan's home for jazz.

Following its sold out run in 2023, Boys from the Blackstuff has returned to Liverpool’s Royal Court, before the show transfers to the National Theatre in London and Garrick Theatre in the West End.

I was doubtful of Doubtfire. Musicals fashioned out of nonmusical comedy films are seldom stellar, and unlike so many of the patrons inside Dr. Phillips Center on opening night, I hadn’t grown up on 1993’s Mrs. Doubtfire movie, so I couldn’t count on nostalgia to pull me through. I figured I was in for a Tootsie Part Two.

Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages, The Illusionists brings the fun of magic and the magic of fun at a time when a little voluntary, recreational misdirection sounds like a great idea. Indeed, through the magic of a big screen and a little camera, The Illusionists have solved the problem of how to do card tricks for an audience of 2500--the smallest moves of The Manipulator (Hyunjoon Kim) can be seen from every seat--just don't expect to see how he does it.

Twelfth Night is a glorious example of how to do Shakespeare right.  This production is full-bodied, fresh, cheeky, lighthearted, inventive, imaginative, and flat-out hilarious.

Musical theater performers must do it all and make it look easy. The actors appearing in Godspell at Players Circle Theater more than meet the challenge with exuberance. They act, sing, and dance and then add pantomime, funny accents, and playing musical instruments to the mix.  And get up close and personal with the audience, making eye contact without missing a beat.

Is there anything similar to The Sleeping Beauty overture? With Tchaikovsky filling the theatre with full-blown fairy tale drama - it's quite the opener.

Ghost Stories of Antiquary, a “seated site-specific show with immersive elements” directed by Nicholas Benjamin and co-devised by Benjamin, Niamh Handley-Vaughan, Nadia Lamin and Miles Blanch, takes place in Longfield Hall, a building that survived the bombings of World War II, the very rads that the characters in the show are taking shelter from.

What did our critic think of WILLY WONKA at Seacoast Repertory Theatre?

The energy was high on opening night as the sold-out crowd cheered loudly from the house from the very first beat and light shift. With a newly refreshed cast, the current touring production of Six exudes extravagance, dedication, and plenty of impressive notes within each catchy tune.

The iconic character hasn’t grown out of perfect family entertainment.

Back in December, I saw the chamber version of John Adams’s EL NINO—dubbed EL NINO: NATIVITY RECONSIDERED—at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Pared down to its essence, it was wonderful, starred two of the singers who made their debuts in the premiere at the Met, soprano Julia Bullock and bass-baritone Davone Tines plus countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, who were at their best. It was a somber evening in a dramatic setting—a far cry from the oratorio/opera’s over-the-top welcome to Lincoln Center last night, in Lileana Blain-Cruz’s production that made me wonder what Franco Zeffirelli might have done with it. Think the Parisian throngs in Act II of the Met’s LA BOHEME (which, of course, is one of the Met’s most popular productions with audiences).

Portland’s 2024 Fertile Ground Festival of New Works is officially over. What a great festival it was! I enjoyed everything I saw, and there are several that I believe merit full productions.

Overall, this is a well-paced, charming show with both heartwarming and heartbreaking moments, and a whole lot of love for the Carpenters.