Columbus Theater Reviews Page 3

Feature: INTO THE WOODS at Short North Stage
by Paul Batterson - March 09, 2023

After reciting the 'The Witch's Entrance' for 19 shows in Short North Stage's production of INTO THE WOODS, Diana DeGarmo may never look at a salad the same way again....

Review: SLAVE PLAY at Short North Stage
by Paul Batterson - February 05, 2023

What did our critic think of SLAVE PLAY at Short North Stage? People always ask critics two questions: “did you like it?” and “is it worth seeing?” When it comes time to discuss SLAVE PLAY, these two questions are going to be tough to answer. Did I like it? From a theatrical rubric, it checks off th...

Review: SIX: THE MUSICAL at Ohio Theatre
by Paul Batterson - January 26, 2023

What did our critic think of SIX: THE MUSICAL at Ohio Theatre?...

Review: THE PRICE OF POWER at Abbey Theater Of Dublin
by Paul Batterson - January 17, 2023

What did our critic think of THE PRICE OF POWER at Abbey Theater Of Dublin? As the director of THE PRICE OF POWER, Abbey Theater of Dublin director Joe Bishara is up against an interesting challenge. How does one present a show about John F. Kennedy, one of the most famous faces in the history of Am...

Interview: THE PRICE OF POWER at Abbey Theater
by Paul Batterson - January 06, 2023

What did our critic think of THE PRICE OF POWER at Abbey Theater?...

Feature: 2022 HOLIDAY SHOWS In Columbus
by Paul Batterson - December 19, 2022

I will proudly admit it. I don't like Christmas shows. I once videotaped HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS and purposely stopped taping right about the time the Grinch was about to dump the presents off the edge of Mount Crumpet. I empathize with Miles Finch and Mr. Potter more than I do with Buddy the...

Interview: ELF: THE MUSICAL at Palace Theater
by Paul Batterson - December 07, 2022

Most Christmas shows seem to follow a simple pattern: Someone doesn't have that festive spirit meets someone who does, a miracle happens, and the bah humbuger sees the joy in the holidays....

Review: VETSAID at Nationwide Arena
by Paul Batterson - November 16, 2022

What did our critic think of VETSAID at Nationwide Arena? When the Eagles appeared in Columbus for the 'The History of the Eagles' tour, the members of the band appeared in nearly identical black suits. One of the first questions readers always ask is: 'Joe Walsh has a suit?'...

Review: ASSASSINS at Columbus Performing Arts Center
by Paul Batterson - November 14, 2022

What did our critic think of ASSASSINS at Columbus Performing Arts Center? Stephen Sondheim issued a not-so-subtle warning to critics attending his musical ASSASSINS. In the song, 'the Ballad of Booth,' the balladeer questions the Abraham Lincoln killer for his motives: 'Some say you killed a countr...

BWW Review: HAIRSPRAY at Ohio Theatre - An Inspiring Musical with Blazing Energy
by Christina Mancuso - November 09, 2022

The audience was thrilled to welcome home Columbus’s own sextuple superstar, Andrew Levitt aka Nina West, who has successfully conquered the entertainment genres of TV, film, theatre, music, web series, and most recently as an author of children’s book, “The You Kind of Kind.”  His role as Edna Turn...

Review: INDECENT at Riffe Center
by Paul Batterson - November 07, 2022

What did our critic think of INDECENT at Riffe Center? Read the review here!...

Review: Jonathan Larson's RENT Rocks at Garden Theater
by Paul Batterson - October 17, 2022

What did our critic think of RENT at Garden Theater?...

Review: THE WHO at Schottenstein Center
by Paul Batterson - October 12, 2022

What did our critic think of THE WHO at Schottenstein Cente? When the Who, a 1990 inductee to the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame, announced their current 'The Who Hits Back' tour, the response of many 'fans' on one website was a hard pass....

Review: HAMILTON at Ohio Theatre
by Paul Batterson - October 10, 2022

What did our critic think of HAMILTON at Ohio Theatre? Before the lights fade and the curtain parts on HAMILTON at the Ohio Theatre, the audience receives a message from King George (Peter Matthew Smith) reminding them to shut off their cell phones and to enjoy 'MY show.'...

Review: REVIEW: DISNEY'S NEWSIES at Southern Theatre
by Paul Batterson - September 26, 2022

What did our critic think of REVIEW: DISNEY’S NEWSIES at Southern Theatre? Aristotle is credited with coming up with the phrase, 'the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.' Had he witnessed the Columbus Children Theatre's production of DISNEY'S NEWSIES, the philosopher may have reversed the qu...

Review: TICK, TICK … BOOM at Garden Theater
by Paul Batterson - September 12, 2022

What did our critic think of TICK, TICK … BOOM at Garden Theater? Rarely can one sum up the message of an entire musical in three words. However, composer and lyricist Jonathan Larson sums up the message of TICK, TICK ... BOOM! in three words found in the middle of the song, 'Johnny Can't Decide:' c...

Review: ERIC CLAPTON at Schottenstein Center
by Paul Batterson - September 09, 2022

What did our critic think of ERIC CLAPTON R at Schottenstein Cente? In Rolling Stone's countdown of the top 100 guitarists, the late Eddie Van Halen described Eric Clapton as 'basically the only guitar player who influenced me - even though I don't sound like him. There was a basic simplicity to his...

Feature: TICK, TICK … BOOM at Garden Theater
by Paul Batterson - September 06, 2022

What did our critic think of TICK, TICK … BOOM at Garden Theater? No actors will be waiting in the wings when the curtain goes up on the Short North Stage's production of TICK, TICK ... BOOM Sept. 9, 10, and 11 at the Garden Theater (1187 North High Street in downtown Columbus)....

Review: ROGER WATERS' THIS IS NOT A DRILL at Nationwide Arena
by Paul Batterson - August 15, 2022

What did our critic think of ROGER WATERS' THIS IS NOT A DRILL at Nationwide Arena? A little mini drama took place at the will call window moments before Roger Waters was scheduled to take the stage for his 'This is not a drill' concert on Aug. 10 at Nationwide Arena (200 West Nationwide Boulevard i...

Review: Hilliard Arts Council is K-ra-zy for CRAZY FOR YOU
by Dylan Shaffer - July 18, 2022

What did our critic think of CRAZY FOR YOU at Hilliard Arts Council?A celebration of arts and community for the Hilliard community; who could ask for anything more?...

Review: OTTERBEIN'S PIRATES OF PENZANCE at Cowen Hall
by Paul Batterson - July 14, 2022

What did our critic think of BWW REVIEWS: OTTERBEIN’S PIRATES OF PENZANCE at Cowen Hall? Otterbein University offers a much-needed refresher course in Gilbert and Sullivan with its presentation of THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE for its final production of the summer season. The two-act comedic musical clo...

BWW Review: WICKED Flies High at the Ohio Theatre
by Christina Mancuso - May 20, 2022

Winning more than 100 international awards including three Tony Awards and a Grammy Award, WICKED has managed to cast its spell on more than 60 million people across the globe for nearly two decades, and is still going strong today. Read our critic's review....

BWW Review: SPRING AWAKENING at Garden Theater
by Paul Batterson - May 19, 2022

It has been over 130 years since German playwright Frank Wedekind first published SPRING AWAKENING. In 2006, the play was reinvented when Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater turned it into a musical....

BWW Review: AJR at Value City Arena
by Paul Batterson - May 16, 2022

At AJR's May 13 concert at Value City Arena, Jack Met estimated he and his brothers Ryan and Adam Brett have played Columbus the second most out of any city behind their native home, New York City....

BWW Interview: It's Not Easy Being Green for WICKED's Deguzman at Ohio Theater
by Paul Batterson - May 12, 2022

Some nights Lissa deGuzman (who plays Elphaba in the national tour of WICKED) and Jennafer Newberry (who plays Glinda) walk out of a theater together and run into a throng of fans of the 2003 musical....