Nancy Grossman - Page 18

SpeakEasy Stage Company's New England premiere production of SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE is a meaty, fast-paced comic romp with lots of sizzle to go with that steak. Jennifer Ellis and new leading man in town, George Olesky, are a match made in heaven, surrounded by a talented ensemble that includes Nancy E. Carroll, Remo Airaldi, Eddie Shields, and Lewis D. Wheeler. Director Scott Edmiston wrangles a cast of 18 into a cohesive bundle of joy

BEDLAM'S SENSE & SENSIBILITY is Kate Hamill's adaptation of Jane Austen's classic woman-centered novel, a free-wheeling offering for the holiday season that is the right story at the right time. The ensemble cast embraces the spirit of play that is Bedlam's stock in trade, while conveying the power and beauty of Austen's language.

HOLD THESE TRUTHS blends historical fact with fiction to tell Gordon Hirabayashi's compelling story of standing up for his constitutional rights when he was ordered to report to an internment camp only months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The events of the past echo loudly today and there is much to be learned about resistance and persistence from the actions of this patriot.

New Repertory Theatre's 2017-2018 season is labeled Resilience, and it doubles down on the theme with its current production of MAN OF LA MANCHA. The 1965 Tony Award-winning Best Musical, which was based on the play I, DON QUIXOTE, ran for 2,328 performances, has been revived on Broadway four times, and was subsequently adapted for a film. This enduring piece of musical theater is also the story of one man's resilience as he maintains his idealistic quest despite the odds against him.

Merrimack Repertory Theatre's production of Tony Brown's adaptation of A CHRISTMAS CAROL has Joel Colodner as the author performing his own work in front of an audience. Directed by Megan Sandberg-Zakian, this inventive version is enhanced and enriched by the musical accompaniment of Rebecca White and Nathan Leigh.

As sure as Christmas rolls around every December 25th, Ryan Landry and the Gold Dust Orphans return to the stage at the Ramrod Center for the Performing Arts at Machine Night Club with a Christmas-themed musical mystery, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JESUS? The inventive mash-up is unlike any other holiday show in town and will send you out fa-la-la-ing into the night.

ELF THE MUSICAL is a fun family favorite for all ages. Based on the 2003 film which starred Will Ferrell, the show debuted on Broadway in 2010 with George Wendt as Santa Claus. He reprises the role in the touring production at the Wang Theatre, leading an ensemble of singing and dancing elves, and a big, childlike Erik Gratton as Buddy the Elf.

Ilyse Robbins leads a team of champions in Greater Boston Stage Company's SHE LOVES ME, a delightful musical for the holiday season - or any season, for that matter. Music Director Matthew Stern brings out the best in the Jerry Bock/Sheldon Harnick score with the voices of Jennifer Ellis, Sam Simahk, Aimee Doherty, and Jared Troilo at the front and center of a talented ensemble.

Moonbox Productions requires you to use your imagination, but you will be duly rewarded thanks to the talents of Director Allison Olivia Choat, her crew, and the four-person cast of THE 39 STEPS. Kevin Cirone, Sarah Gazdowicz, Bob Mussett, and Matthew Zahnzinger are all top-notch, and the designers pull out all the stops to take you on a wild ride.

Moli re's TARTUFFE, as translated by Ranjit Bolt, is directed by Huntington Theatre Company's Artistic Director Peter DuBois and features an accomplished cast, led by Frank Wood and Brett Gelman. The story of a charlatan getting the better of a fool, despite the misgivings and warnings of his family, the dialogue is delivered in rhyming couplets, or what I refer to as satiric verses.

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company Artistic Director Steven Maler directed an accomplished cast in Bertolt Brecht's FEAR AND MISERY IN THE THIRD REICH, in a staged reading at Babson College, headlined by notable stage and screen actors Tony Shalhoub and Brooke Adams.

In celebration of its seventh anniversary, Israeli Stage presents the American premiere of Renana Raz's theatrical event. The staged reading by Nael Nacer, Maureen Keiller, Melinda Lopez, and Lonnie Farmer explores the basic question of freedom of speech as it pertains to an educational setting. Co-translated by Natalie Fainstein and Guy Ben-Aharon, THE HEARING is both thought-provoking and timely.

Boston Playwrights' Theatre presents the Boston premiere of Molly Smith Metzler's own revision of her charming, funny 2011 play ELEMENO PEA. Set at the end of the summer on Martha's Vineyard, a couple of blue collar siblings from Buffalo try to reconnect with each other while caught up in the world of pink pants and new money. Metzler also writes for film and television (ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, SHAMELESS), and this production is ready for prime time.

ArtsEmerson: The World on Stage presents Chilean-born playwright Guillermo Calder n's KISS, a play-within-a-play that delivers a message about cultural ignorance, the danger of living within a comfortable remove, and the potential of artists to change the world. Directed by Co-Artistic Director David Dower and featuring a talented ensemble of protagonists played by Emerson College undergrads, KISS is an unusual and discomfiting piece of theater that is part Syrian soap opera, part improv, and totally worth your time.

The Nora Theatre Company presents Lauren Gunderson's THE REVOLUTIONISTS, a play which loudly and proudly shows the contribution of four badass women to the story of the French Revolution. The play is set in 1793, but these themes echo too loudly in 2017, reminding us that women must persist to resist, to claim their due.

What matters most is the music you hear in your head, according to Florence Foster Jenkins, a passionate music lover who never met a tune she could actually carry. Lyric Stage Company Producing Artistic Director Spiro Veloudos celebrates his 20th season in his post by revisiting one of his favorite productions from a decade ago. Leigh Barrett and Will McGarrahan reprise their roles as the diva and her accompanist, bringing warmth and intimacy to their relationship, while capturing all of the humor and joyful noise as written by playwright Stephen Temperley.

Playwright Ken Urban was commissioned by Epic Theatre Ensemble to write a play about international aid workers, and his interviews with volunteers for Doctors Without Borders inform his new thought-provoking drama, A GUIDE FOR THE HOMESICK, now receiving its world premiere by the Huntington Theatre Company at the Boston Center for the Arts. Flawlessly directed by Colman Domingo, the two-hander features a pair of remarkable, synchronized performances by McKinley Belcher III and Samuel H. Levine.

Twenty-five years after first being produced, David Mamet's OLEANNA remains controversial as an intense drama driven by themes of political correctness, sexual harassment, power, and perception. Johnny Lee Davenport and Obehi Janice, two of Boston's finest actors, give fiery performances in this timely and searing enactment at New Repertory Theatre in Watertown.

Greater Boston Stage Company has a commitment to produce a world premiere play each year, a mission now underwritten by the largesse of a long-time audience member and supporter. The 18th season at the Stoneham theater continues with ALLIGATOR ROAD, the inaugural offering of the Don Fulton New Play Project, by Maine playwright Callie Kimball. Producing Artistic Director Weylin Symes is at the helm of this quirky, slice-of-life-you-don't-see-everyday comedy. Scenic designer Katheryn Monthei steals the spotlight and, thanks to props master Sarah Elizabeth Bedard, there's lots of eye candy to draw your attention throughout the play.

Gloucester Stage Company concludes its 38th season with a thoughtful and thought-provoking production of Harper Lee's American classic, adapted for the stage by Christopher Sergel. Directed by Judy Braha, this affecting production is buoyed by guileless child actors and strong performances from a bevy of adult stage veterans.