Nicole Ackman

From the moment that the cast of Girl from the North Country enters through the aisles of the theater, it’s clear that this show is not your usual jukebox musical despite its usage of Bob Dylan’s catalog of songs.

It doesn’t get much more classic Christmas story than Dr. Seuss’s The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, whether you’re reading the book or watching one of the several film adaptations. So seeing the story brought to life onstage is the perfect night out this holiday season for the whole family.

What did our critic think of WICKED at DPAC?

What did our critic think of THEATRE RALEIGH’S THE PROM?

The cast of the musical Moulin Rouge! has a difficult task. The beloved 2001 movie directed by Baz Luhrmann has achieved near-cult status. Its cast included Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman, and Jim Broadbent, all at the top of their game. A musical based on a film so iconic has a lot to live up to.

Whether you've read Alice Walker's novel or seen Spielberg's film adaptation, it's fair to assume that you might already know the main beats of this modern American classic. But seeing North Carolina Theatre's production of the musical adaptation will make you feel like you're experiencing the story for the first time.

The issues that LES MISÉRABLES touches on are unfortunately as relevant today as they were in 1862 when Victor Hugo’s novel was first published and in 1985 when the musical adaptation first opened in London.

The problem with jukebox musicals is that the music they use often takes away from the story that they're telling. It's not an issue with a show like MAMMA MIA, in which the plot is so light that the music complements it. However, when trying to tell a serious story, the songs can feel limiting and distracting from everything else happening.

Elf, which was released in 2003, has undoubtedly achieved that status with its endlessly quotable lines and endearingly funny performance by Will Ferrell as Buddy. Many of these beloved holiday films have been adapted for the stage, like White Christmas and A Christmas Story, so it’s natural that Elf has received the same treatment.

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG might just be one of the funniest concepts to grace the stage of a theater in the past fifty years. The play, by Henry Lewis, Henry Shields, and Jonathan Sayer, depicts a theater group putting on a performance of “The Murder at Haversham Manor” that goes disastrously wrong from its first minutes.

You could still smell the new paint in the newly refurbished theater during the opening night of Theatre Raleigh’s CITY OF ANGELS. It’s fitting that director and choreographer Lauren Kennedy Brady was fulfilling a dream of bringing this production to life while also debuting the company’s new theater.

Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s classic 1960 novel TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD opened on Broadway in 2018. (Yes, that Aaron Sorkin). Directed by Bartlett Sher, the play transports the audience to Alabama in 1934, where Atticus Finch is representing a Black man falsely accused of sexual assault.

When JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR first premiered in 1972, it was banned by the BBC for being “sacrilegious.” The musical, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice, imagines the last week in the life of Jesus Christ in the form of a sung-through rock opera. The tour currently at DPAC plays into the rock side of the musical. 

Raleigh Little Theatre’s production of IN THE HEIGHTS was initially announced in February 2020, just before the Coronavirus pandemic shut down theaters across the country. So it’s a joy to finally see it make its way to the stage in June 2022. Directed by Patrick Torres, the story of Washington Heights is brought to life by talented local Latinx community members.

Read our critic's review. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical remains every bit as engaging and innovative today as it was seven years ago. Under Thomas Kail’s direction, the show is one of the most unique to have made it big on Broadway.

On Wednesday night, I got to attend the Triangle Rising Star Awards at DPAC. They are part of the National High School Musical Theater Awards, also known as the Jimmy Awards, which celebrate achievement in high school musical theatre. After the ceremony, I got to chat with the Best Actor and Best Actress winners Joshua Thompson and Symoné Spencer.

From the moment that the ceremony started with an upbeat rendition of “You Can’t Stop the Beat” from HAIRSPRAY by the twenty finalists, it was clear that the 2022 Triangle Rising Star Awards was going to be something special.

Read our critic's review: When the film “Pretty Woman” first came out, its narrative didn’t feel as tired. The Cinderella story of sorts follows prostitute Vivian Ward who wealthy businessman Edward Lewis hires to be his escort to business functions for a week. In 2022, with a modern audience, it’s harder to sell that romance, and the gender politics are harder to stomach.

This is not your grandparents’ OKLAHOMA. During intermission, I heard one woman ask another, “Is this the Oklahoma you remember?” and it’s certainly not. If you’ve ever found the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic musical boring or problematic, then this is the revival for you.

When a musical makes as much of an impact on Broadway as HADESTOWN did when it first premiered, the first national tour cast has a lot to live up to. Luckily, the tour of HADESTOWN manages to recapture all of the magic that the show had on Broadway, with a stellar cast stepping into the roles.