Kelly Thompson - Page 2

I've seen Wicked multiple times (a few more times and I will be in double digits) and every single time, I enjoy myself. That proves how powerful this musical has become and how its themes will always be relevant. But what can make or break any performance, no matter how many times you see it, are the performers. If they are having a bad day or aren't as strong as they are suppose to be, the audience can leave disappointed. In the case of this tour of Wicked Alison Luff, who plays Elphaba, made this show.

4000 Miles by Amy Herzog tells a complicated story that involves a young man and his grandmother. Leo arrives at his grandmother's (Vera) New York apartment in the middle of the night after riding across the country on his bicycle. He ultimately stays with her for months and their relationship takes on many levels during this time. Leo is grieving and recovering from the loss of a friend and Vera has to get use to someone else in her apartment after the death of her husband. This production was able to find a balance between emotional and funny, which can be a hard thing when the scene never changes and only has 4 actors.

The Ensemble Theater took on the daunting task of performing Tribes by Nina Raine. Tribes tells the story of Billy, a deaf young adult, who moves back in with his hearing family. That plot already seems somewhat complicated but there are some surprising developments into Billy's life and then add the fact that he gets his first ever girlfriend and this play spirals completely out of control in the best way possible.

Megan Hilty sang with the Cincinnati Pops, conducted by John Morris Russell, over the weekend. The Pops did what they always do which is play outstanding music. They didn't miss a note in any number and if their rendition of "He Lives in You" from the Lion King doesn't spark a Disney Night with the Pops idea, I will be shocked (I'll also be first in line for that show).

Megan Hilty will perform with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra January 24-26, 2014. Hilty made her debut with the Cincinnati Pops back in 2009 when she stepped in at a moments notice for an ailing Kristin Chenoweth. Audiences were blown away and her return has been eagerly anticipated ever since.

The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company put on their production of Hamlet recently. Overall, it was a solid show and the acting was pretty good but I have to admit that there were elements that I didn't understand. Hamlet is a very long play yet there was only about a 20-30 minute period where I felt the time dragged by and that is an accomplishment in itself.

The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company (CSC) opened their annual showing of Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some) over the weekend. To put it simply, it was very funny and with just a 4 person cast, they really managed to abridge almost every BHC (Beloved Holiday Classic).

The Ensemble Theater Company (ETC) took on a daunting task with their production of Around the World in 80 Days. This production of Around the World in 80 Days was pretty good for all it had to accomplish. Did ETC accomplish everything, of course not but no production could unless it was a national tour or something.

Flashdance the Musical is a fun night at the theater. Am I going to remember some inspirational message or an overarching theme, probably not but what I will remember is that I had a great night at the theater. Isn't that ultimately what musical theater is about? Flashdance had upbeat music, emotional moments and great choreography, basically everything that I hoped I would see.

Cabaret is one of the most commonly known musicals in the world which means audiences are going to come in with expectations. Now, what does that mean for a new production of it? It means the crew and cast want to try new things to make it feel fresh. That is exactly what Playhouse in the Park's production did, they tried new things and some things worked and others did not.

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company teamed up with Xavier University to put on a great production of The Crucible. Overall, the cast worked seamlessly together with the professional actors from the Shakespeare Company and the XU students. Obviously, there is going to be a difference in ability but the students held their own against the strong cast provided by the Shakespeare Company.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck tells a great story of hope for something more while also knowing that one's lot in life is difficult to overcome. Reviewing Steinbeck's script and/or story is a ridiculous idea so I will not even touch it other than to say that obviously it was great. And this cast and crew did a great job interpreting the script and leaving all their emotions on the stage.

Rapture, Blister, Burn tells an interesting story of 4 women from multiple generations all engrossed in feminist theory. Most of the dialogue in this play involves theories and is very intellectual but not so much that it's hard to follow.

I had the privilege of seeing Seven Spots on the Sun and I need to get this out of the way immediately: it was fantastic. The show was truly one of the best productions I have ever seen. Seven Spots on the Sun is a World Premiere play written by Martin Zimmerman and directed by KJ Sanchez

I recently had the opportunity to talk with the Assistant Stage Manager of the National touring cast of Ghost, Andrew D. Bacigalupo. We talked a lot about his experience in theater and with Ghost but also discussed what it is like to be part of a touring cast.

Ghost was one of the most advanced productions I have ever seen because of the lighting design, magic tricks and the use of digital images. This production showed what I believe is going to be Broadway within the next 10 years. Technology is in every aspect of our lives now so it's no surprise that a musical production is fully embracing what it can do.

The adaptation of Oliver Twist performed by the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company was lacking in many ways. What needs to be said first is that the acting, lead by Sara Clark and Kelly Mengelkoch, was great but the overall production had some issues that hindered my ability to fully enjoy the show.

I recently had the pleasure of talking to Leslie Jo Bissett-Hood, who is the director and choreographer of Ring of Fire. Ring of Fire is running at the Covedale Center for the Performing Arts (part of the Cincinnati Landmark Productions) until September 29, 2013.

Other Desert Cities is about a stereotypical upper-class, "waspy" family and what turns out to be their very tragic past. The entire production team embodies the same unraveling imagery that the set design lays out. This can be seen in hair, costume and acting. When the family starts to unravel so does their hair, clothing and ultimately their identity.