Paul Batterson

Straight No Chaser has been a holiday tradition with many repeat attenders because their show doesn’t easily fit into a preset gift box. They are either a comedy group that harmonizes extremely well or an a cappella group that thrives because it doesn’t take itself too seriously. If you take away either skill, SNC would ferment quicker than eight day old eggnog.

What did our critic think of THE WIZ at Short North Stage?

At first glance, SOME LIKE IT HOT might seem to fall into the “If it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it” category of entertainment. The traveling musical production runs Nov. 18-23 at the Ohio Theatre (39 E. State Street in downtown Columbus).

In a kinder, gentler world, Ben Folds’ name would be mentioned in the same breath as piano greats Billy Joel and Elton John. Like the other two, Folds is a brilliant lyricist, a fantastic pianist, and an amazing storyteller.

Steve Morgan combined his head for mathematics and his heart for performing, majoring in both mathematics and music at Indiana University.

Playwright Jen Silverman’s script, expertly crafted by Jeanine Thompson and Michelle Schroeder-Lowrey, takes a pedestrian premise to places no one expected it to go.

From his perch on the stage, McCartney had a lot to take in from the sold-out audience. You might expect the crowd would come from the same template of older fans trying to surf on a wave of 1960s nostalgia. And there were some of those. However, there were also teens, college students, and members of Generation X, Y, and Z soaking in the show.

While it is a visual stroke of genius, THE WITCH OF NOVEMBER would have been lost at sea without standout performances of the six person cast.

Hackett didn’t fall below any standards; he set new ones. He delighted the crowd with electrifying solos and spread the spotlight around equally to the rest of the band.

What did our critic think of COLIN HAY'S MAN @ WORK VOLUME 2' INTERNATIONAL SOLO TOUR at Southern Theatre?

In the end, the choir’s music prevailed over any language barrier. The cavalcade of different voices kept the mostly full theatre dancing, raising their arms in agreement, and being moved by the power of things they couldn’t understand.

It’s been over 30 years since the Shadowbox Live! theatre has had a hometown audition for its theatrical troupe in Columbus.

Vidas Barzdukas has a sign bearing a one-word message that hangs over his writing desk: Courage. Its message is simple. Finding it and following it, according to Barzdukas, is the hard part.

What did our critic think of MUMFORD & SONS' RUSHMERE TOUR at Nationwide Arena? Judging by its reception on Oct. 12, their music still speaks to their audience.

Costello came up with an intriguing mix of crowd favorites, snarling his way through his harder edged material like “The Beat,” “(I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea,” and “High Fidelity” and displaying his softer side with ballads like “Almost Blue” and “Poisoned Rose.”

In HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD, Albus Potter (Adam Grant Morrison) and Scorpius Malfoy (David Fine) use a Time-Turner to go back in time to try to prevent a tragedy from occurring. If Morrison could travel back to his first role, he might try to convince his younger self to stick with acting because it was going to take him to places he could never imagine. The show, which is the most expensive Broadway touring production at a cost of $23.5 million, will be performed from Oct. 12-26 at the Ohio Theatre (39 E. State Street in downtown Columbus).

What did our critic think of ORIGINAL PRODUCTION THEATRE'S BACK TALK at Abbey Theater Of Dublin? OPT found a small but powerful quartet of actors to bring Ackerman’s script to life.

“You have to prepare your soul and clear your mind as you’re getting ready to go on. I ask myself, ‘why are you sending this message?’ and ‘what does the message mean to you today?’ every day before I go out on stage.” Mary Mulovhedzi

Jimmy Mak, the head writer for the Shadowbox Live! theater troupe, isn’t one to throw an idea away. The Mak-penned “Cereal Killers” is one of eight new sketches in Shadowbox Live’s Halloween-themed FREAK SHOW, performed 7:30 p.m.

What makes this show click is its attention to detail. DelMonte said he wanted to make IN THE LAND OF OZ “theatre beyond four walls.” Project coordinator Maya Eberhardt, experience coordinator Bessie D. Smith, and project manager Brian Altiere make sure the audience’s journey is crammed with visual elements on every corner and keeps the audience moving in a steady pace.