AniKatrina Fageol

'For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.' It's a classic tale, one that has been told hundreds of thousands of times and one that theatre kids everywhere know well. But you likely have not seen Romeo and Juliet quite like this. The costumes are vibrant, the choreography is exhilirating, the voices are powerful, and the story... there is quite the twist in the story. 

If you are a fan of Nicholas Sparks's novel The Notebook or the 2004 film of the same title (starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, you do not want to miss this production. It is a beautiful love story of endurance and hope even amidst the constant trials.

'I suppose it's like the ticking crocodile, isn't it? Time is chasing after all of us.' One of my favorite quotes from Peter Pan and it fits so well with this particular story. Kimberly Akimbo teaches a unique lesson about time and aging. 

What did our critic think of SOME LIKE IT HOT at Orpheum Theatre Memphis? Some Like It Hot brings fiery charcters, sultry jazz, powerful belts, and quite a few surprises. 

The 2025-2026 season begins with A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL – the uplifting true story of how a kid from Brooklyn became a chart-busting, show-stopping American rock icon. Based on the bestselling novel that inspired the iconic film, THE NOTEBOOK: THE MUSICAL tells the love story of Allie and Noah featuring music and lyrics by multi-platinum singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson.

These are some of the first lyrics that made me fall in love with musical theatre. I have been a fan of Peter Pan as long as I can remember, and was always jumping around my room, trying to fly. When I worked at Walt Disney World, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell were my favorite characters to work with, and before I left Disney, I got a tattoo of Peter's shadow, to always remind me to embrace my inner child.

Truth. Beauty. Freedom. Love. The Bohemian ideals combined with a spectacular medley of tunes, some incredible choreography, and a love story for the ages. 

Let me start off by saying, never have I left the theatre feeling so confused. That, apparently, is to be expected from 'Girl from the North Country', the latest Orpheum Memphis feature. My companion turned to me and said, 'do you understanding anything that just happened?' And as we walked to our cars, the women in front of us were going back and forth about how very lost they were and how 'it felt like being in Anatevka all night'.

Mamma Mia... here we go again! The hit musical has returned to Memphis and is a fantastic ending of the 2023-2024 season. It's a smash hit but what makes it so popular? It might be the iconic tunes, featuring the music of pop sensations ABBA, or the themes of female empowerment, or the bright and fun costumes, or toe-tapping choreography.

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 my hopes for a beautiful production for my 10th viewing were not dashed in the slightest-- Olivia Valli and Celia Hottenstein bewitch the audience from their first moments on stage. 

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

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 Miserables is a crowd favorite and is the second-longest running musical in the world. 

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. 

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 the concept and the story that drew me to Six the musical. When I first learned about it, I was obsessed before I even heard the songs.

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 cast! 

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 she can to ignore the opinions of thousands who say 'if a girl isn't pretty', they can't make it in show business. 

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 ;) 

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, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse, is the 2nd longest running Broadway musical (thanks to the 1996 revival), behind fan favorite Phantom of the Opera.

In case you didn't know, today is National Theatre Day! What a perfect day to announce the 2023-2024 Orpheum Theatre Broadway Season! An what an announcement it was!

What did our critic think of AIN'T TOO PROUD- THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS at The Orpheum Theatre Memphis?