Mark Andrew Lawrence - Page 2

Withe their latest production, The Winslow Boy, Stage Centre Productions - with a new Artistic Director at the helm - maintains the same high standards that has made the g4oup one of Toronto's finest repertory theatre companies. * * * * * (out of 5)

Stage West Dinner Theatre brings The Marvelous Wonderettes to Toronto audiences. The nearly endless parade of pop standards, novelty tunes and early rock'n'roll songs gives the show a built-in nostalgia factor that proves popular with Stage West audiences.

This new production of The Secret Garden comes to us from The Festival Theatre in Edinburgh. A tighter, more effective first act is a decided improvement, and though the show remains somewhat problematic, it will entertain and delight your inner child. * * * 1/2 (out of 5)

Encore Entertainment is opening their production of Leonard Gershe's Butterflies Are Free this week. Reviewed at a dress rehearsal performance, I am happy to report the show is so good there's no need to wait until opening night to spread the word. You won't want to miss it! * * * * * (out of 5)

A top-notch cast coupled with crisp direction makes Theatre Unlimited's revival of the Broadway musical Cabaret a powerful performance. * * * * 1/2 (out of 5)

A thoroughly enjoyable production of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS from Hart House Theatre. Show has a clever book and a delightful score, and the cast makes the most of both. * * * * 1/2 (out of 5)

The Civic Light Opera Company Anything Goes AUDITIONS Feb. 15 and 22 - 5:00 to 8:00 by appointment RSVP by e-mail - CivicLightOpera@aol.com

Encore Entertainment's production of the off=beat Broadway hit THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is a crowd-pleaser. Enriched by both crisp direction and fine performances, the musical seems a perfect fit for the cozy confines of the Studio theatre at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. * * * * (OUT OF 5)

After two weeks of previews, PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT had its official opening in Toronto on Tuesday October 26. The production is in terrific shape and delivers both spectacle and spectacular entertainment. Even when it falters, as it does on occasion, the musical is lively and tremendous fun.

Wicked is a fun , entertaining show and the touring production on view at the Canon Theatre has enough magic to make one forgive some of the inadequacies, but it isn't as sharp a production as was previously seen here. * * * 1/2 (OUT OF 5)

Angelwalk Theatre presents the Toronto premiere of [title of show] at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. Though the production values are minimal, the dynamite cast take hold of the material and milk it for all it's worth! * * * * 1/2 (OUT OF 5)

Loretta Swit has played the title role in Willy Russell's Shirley Valentine everywhere from Chicago to Guam. Now she brings Shirley and her friends Wall and Rock to Mississauga's Stage West Dinner Theatre.

This is one not to miss - a first rate touring edition of a much lauded Broadway revival of one of Rodgers & Hammerstein's most challanging and rewarding musical plays. Jason Howard, Carmen Cusack, Jodi Kimura and Anderson Davis head a settlar cast. * * * * * (out of 5)

The Civic Light Opera Company wraps up their 2009-10 season with an enjoyable staging of the musical Funny Girl, anchored by a performer more than up to the task of the role of Fanny Brice. * * * * 1/2 (out of 5)

A terrific cast and a score made up of 80's evergreens makes Rock Of Ages an energizing night out. The cliche-ridden plot serves solely as an excuse for the two dozen period songs, but the in the end it's the music that delivers the high-octane entertainment. * * * * (OUT OF 5)

Almost ten years to the day, Mamma Mia returns to the city where the show had its North American premiere. It isn't the happiest of homecomings, due to an annoying tendency for the cast to overplay the material. Still the songs are as effervescent as ever and the book cleverly weaves them into a slender story. * * * (out of 5)

A revival of GREASE offers a watered down version of the original stage script, needlessly interpolates four songs from the motion picture version, and pointlessly brings in Taylor Hicks to play Teen Angel. Some lively choreography fails to compensate. * (out of 5)

The Gene Wilder screenplay becomes the unsatisfactory basis for a failed Broadway musical. The star performance of Roger Bart goes a long way to making the performance endurable, but the show is far cry from being any kind of musical theatre classic. * * (out of 5)

Curtain Call Players manage to successfully make the epic musical TITANIC work on a smaller stage. A huge ensemble of 50 ensures the choral aspects of the score are excitingly presented, and although the director cannot completely solve some of the show's more obstinate problems, the production generated an enthusiastic response from the opening night audience. * * * * (out of 5)

Rex has a reputation as a big Broadway disaster. It is well known that the show had many problems on the rocky road to Broadway in 1976, but The Civic Light Opera Company's new production shows off the show's strengths. Sheldon Harnick attended the opening night performance and pronounced this production to be everything he had always hoped the show to be. * * * * 1/2 (OUT OF 5)