Memphis Theater Reviews

Review: MASTER CLASS at Theatre Memphis
by Kevin Shaw - April 12, 2024

For opera lovers around the world, Maria Callas was a gigantic figure well known for her unusual and daring performances. She was a singer who ruled the classical musical world for a large part of the 20th century and left an indelible mark with her talent and her larger-than-life personality....

Review: WICKED at Orpheum Theatre Memphis
by AniKatrina Fageol - April 05, 2024

I'll start my review by saying Wicked is my favorite musical of all time. I have seen it 10 times now, all in different cities, and each time left the theatre with tears in my eyes and my heart feeling a little lighter. This is the greatest example of how magical theatre can be, in my opinion. And m...

Review: POTUS at Circuit Playhouse
by Kevin Shaw - March 29, 2024

What did our critic think of POTUS at Circuit Playhouse? As with any comedy, and farce particularly, timing is everything and it takes about half of Act I before the cast finds their rhythm and ensures the audience is keeping up with them. It’s a lot all at once. ...

Review: YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN at Circuit Playhouse
by Kevin Shaw - March 22, 2024

What did our critic think of YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN at Circuit Playhouse? On its surface, it’s difficult to articulate just how such simply drawn characters with simply framed personalities have endured for so long. Perhaps that’s the secret to Schulz’s “Peanuts Sauce”-simplicity....

Review: MRS. DOUBTFIRE at Orpheum Theatre Memphis
by AniKatrina Fageol - March 14, 2024

What did our critic think of MRS. DOUBTFIRE at Orpheum Theatre Memphis?...

Review: BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL at Theatre Memphis
by Kevin Shaw - March 14, 2024

What did our critic think of BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL at Theatre Memphis? According to Executive Producer Debbie Litch, Theatre Memphis is in the midst of its most successful season since being founded in 1920! Can you even fathom what that means? It means more people are lining up to see ...

Review: LES MISERABLES at Orpheum Theatre Memphis
by AniKatrina Fageol - February 08, 2024

What did our critic think of LES MISERABLES at Orpheum Theatre Memphis? This will be the 10th time Les Miserables captivates Memphis audiences at the Orpheum Theatre and it is no less stunning than the previous performances. Based on the 1862 French novel of the same name by Victor Hugo, Les Miserab...

Review: A RAISIN IN THE SUN at Theatre Memphis
by Kevin Shaw - January 30, 2024

What did our critic think of A RAISIN IN THE SUN at Theatre Memphis? The fuel for the human spirit seems to be propelled by two things: Dreams and Faith. They sound like the same thing, but there’s a distinct difference. One is about seeing, and the other is about believing. Some people have faith w...

Review: CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY at Playhouse On The Square
by Kevin Shaw - January 28, 2024

What did our critic think of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY at Playhouse On The Square?...

Review: THE LEHMAN TRILOGY at Circuit Playhouse
by Kevin Shaw - January 27, 2024

What did our critic think of THE LEHMAN TRILOGY at Circuit Playhouse?...

Review: COMPANY at Orpheum Theatre Memphis
by AniKatrina Fageol - January 04, 2024

Company returns to the Orpheum stage but it's likely not the show you remember! A 1970 muscial with music and lyrics by the late great Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, Company has been transformed since its revival, which is what Memphis audiences are witnessing this week. ...

Review: BRIGHTSTONE HOLIDAY CONCERT At Liberty Hall The Factory At Franklin
by Carolan Trbovich - December 11, 2023

What did our critic think of BRIGHTSTONE HOLIDAY CONCERT at Liberty Hall The Factory At Franklin?...

Review: SIX at Orpheum Theatre Memphis
by AniKatrina Fageol - November 22, 2023

You likely learned the rhyme in history in school. Divorced-Beheaded-Died-Divorced-Beheaded-Survived. Everyone knows who King Henry VIII is because of his six wives. Most of us can name each of his wives but have no idea who was wife to King Henry VII. For me, a prominent Tudor history geek, it was ...

Review: SILENT SKY at Theatre Memphis
by Kevin Shaw - November 09, 2023

What did our critic think of SILENT SKY at Theatre Memphis? Can anything make a person feel more insignificant than to look up to the heavens to try and count the stars? How many are up there? What makes them shine? Just how far away are they anyway? So many questions. Perhaps the only feeling more ...

Review: BEETLEJUICE at Orpheum Theatre Memphis
by AniKatrina Fageol - November 13, 2023

What better way to celebrate Halloween than sitting in the audience of BEETLEJUICE The Musical?! The hilarious new musical opened in Memphis on Halloween, and runs until November the 5th! In other words, you don't have many more chances to catch this creepy old guy... and the rest of this phenomenal...

Review: BLITHE SPIRIT at Theatre Memphis
by Kevin Shaw - October 18, 2023

What did our critic think of BLITHE SPIRIT at Theatre Memphis? Perhaps it’s self-evident, but the ability to communicate with the dead would appear to be, in a word, “challenging.” Having never personally attended a séance, the ingredients necessary to summon a ghost would seem to require enormous s...

Review: FUNNY GIRL at Orpheum Theatre
by AniKatrina Fageol - October 12, 2023

Whenever we prepare to see an older musical, there is a fear that it will be outdated and difficult to watch.  Funny Girl has no such problems, as the message of self acceptance still stands up well today. It is the story of a Jewish girl's rise to fame, despite her homely looks, doing everything sh...

Review: FAT HAM at Circuit Playhouse
by Kevin Shaw - September 23, 2023

What did our critic think of FAT HAM at Circuit Playhouse?...

Review: THE CRUCIBLE At Theatre Memphis
by Kevin Shaw - September 22, 2023

The word crucible is not a term often used in everyday language. In fact, it seems to only be used when referencing Arthur Miller’s classic 1953 play, THE CRUCIBLE. But, for those not familiar with the story itself, the term means “a severe test.”...

Review: THE PROM at Playhouse On The Square
by Kevin Shaw - August 29, 2023

What did our critic think of THE PROM at Playhouse On The Square? Trying to find a vehicle to infuse comic relief into a story about bigotry and homophobia is no small task, so the creators chose to bring in the least self-aware thespians to save the day for the most self-aware lesbian....

Review: SISTER ACT at Theatre Memphis
by Kevin Shaw - August 24, 2023

What did our critic think of SISTER ACT at Theatre Memphis? For those of an older generation, did you ever look back at sitcoms from the 1970’s and wish they were set to music? Did you ever wish Fred Sanford (from “Sanford and Son”) or Squiggy (from “Laverne and Shirley) broke out into song to bette...

Review: FROZEN at The Orpheum Theatre Memphis
by AniKatrina Fageol - June 23, 2023

There's a chill in the air in Memphis, and it's coming from the Orpheum Theatre. Disney's Frozen, based on the 2013 hit film, opened last night and I have never seen so many blue dresses in one place before ;) ...

Review: MARY POPPINS at Theatre Memphis
by Kevin Shaw - June 14, 2023

What did our critic think of MARY POPPINS at Theatre Memphis? MARY POPPINS didn’t open this past weekend at Theatre Memphis. In fact, DISNEY’S MARY POPPINS didn’t open this past weekend. Nope. What opened to cheers and much hoopla was DISNEY AND CAMERON MACKINTOSH’S MARY POPPINS. Yep. ...

Review: CHICAGO at The Orpheum Theatre Memphis
by AniKatrina Fageol - April 05, 2023

What did our critic think of CHICAGO at The Orpheum Theatre Memphis? Chicago is celebrating 25 dazzling years and it has returned to Memphis! It is certainly a fan favorite, with exhilirating dancing and an iconic story that is known around the world. The 1975 musical with music by John Kander, lyri...

Review: THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG at Theatre Memphis
by Kevin Shaw - March 15, 2023

What did our critic think of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG at Theatre Memphis?...