Perry Tannenbaum - Page 5

Who is or isn't prejudiced or racist is part of the cargo in Branden Jacob-Jenkins' APPROPRIATE, but the playwright also dissects what makes families tick and malfunction.

It takes decades for tragic losses and separations to turn around to bliss in Steve Martin's BRIGHT STAR, but there's plenty of sparkling bluegrass music along that rocky mountain road.

Trotting out its third different opening scene, GREASE still doesn't have its artistic act together, but it still delivers mindless, guilty, and politically incorrect pleasures in abundance - with double scoops of sock hop nostalgia.

With THE STRANGE UNDOING OF PRUDENCIA HART and BORDERS, Spoleto Festival USA took advantage of the funky and guerilla potentials of the Woolfe Street Playhouse, but the best theatre this year was THE FLYING LOVERS OF VITEBSK, which brought a little cabaret ambiance to storied Dock Street Theatre.

Hamstrung by a libretto that sidesteps Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' and 'Mountaintop' speeches, Douglas Tappin's I DREAM sustains audience enthusiasm with a powerhouse Opera Carolina cast.

Charlotte's Off-Broadway takes a homespun approach to Matt Lyle's BARBECUE APOCALYPSE that makes it seem more real than it did in 2015. So does the absence of a rational adult in the White House.

Whether you love 'em or hate 'em, the more you know about Shakespeare and Broadway musicals, the more SOMETHING ROTTEN will have you laughing out loud.

While the crises of THE MERMAID HOUR seem more overblown than they did two years ago at Actor's Theatre, director Laley Lippard and her design team have brought fresh beauty and transcendence to the non-binary protagonist's aspirations.

Pennsylvania rubes visiting the Big Apple supply old-timey laughs to THE HUMANS, but the Twin Towers and Hurricane Sandy also lurk in Stephen Karam's drama.

Charlotte Symphony continues to shine in modern repertoire, but RITE OF SPRING: REINVNENTED was extra special as Charlotte Ballet also put its best foot forward.

Only slightly rushed, Katori Hall's THE MOUNTAINTOP arrives in style at its divine and visionary destinations in Actor's Theatre of Charlotte's production, directed by April Jones.

With her country-rich voice, Desi Oakley keeps the Southern heart of WAITRESS beating despite the silly lagniappe of the script and the tour's overmiked production.

CPCC Theatre's EVITA sports spectacular sets and costumes along with a regal, enigmatic leading lady who can belt, but they need to fix the audio for the leading men.

Chameleonic sports agent Liz Rico has the game to land top NBA prospect Freddie Luna straight out of high school, but KING LIZ will need fresh moves keep her phenom from self-destructing

A father and son have plenty to sort out in the wake of Mom's death in Meridith Friedman's THE LUCKIEST PEOPLE, while the son's gay lover wonders which of the two is behaving more childishly.

Sasha Janes strays too far from his comfort zone in his new piece, but CharBallet's INNOVATIVE WORKS features stunners by Robyn Mineko Williams and Myles Thatcher

Somewhat muted and diluted at cavernous Ovens Auditorium, the touring company of SCHOOL OF ROCK is as talented and high-energy as their Broadway counterparts - reminding us that Andrew Lloyd Webber can truly rock.

Reaching full bacchante mode, punk redhead violinist Aisslinn Nosky torched the Red Priest.

Meticulously directed by Paige Johnston Thomas, the Charlotte's Off-Broadway restores THREE DAYS OF RAIN to its original bearings, leaving us unexpectedly with a touch of bittersweet romantic comedy.

An autumn of BEETHOVEN presented by Christopher Warren-Green and the Charlotte Symphony ends triumphantly with his great VIOLIN CONCERTO, played with sensitivity and virtuosity by Benjamin Beilman.