Central New York Theater Reviews

Review: LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE at JCC Centerstage Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - December 01, 2023

The power of memory is a fascinating thing. We all have that one song that transports us back to our wedding day, or that TV commercial that immediately makes us think of our Dad, or a smell that evokes the comfort of Christmas morning. Nora and Delia Ephron’s play “Love, Loss and What I Wore” explo...

Review: MOULIN ROUGE at Rochester Broadway Theatre League
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - November 10, 2023

If Rochester’s gloomy late-autumn weather has got you down, prepare to be whisked away to the bright lights and teeming intrigue of Paris’ underground nightlife, and explore the Bohemian ideals of truth, beauty, freedom, and love; “Moulin Rouge” has landed at the Rochester Broadway Theatre League....

Review: LOBBY HERO at Penfield Players
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - October 29, 2023

What did our critic think of LOBBY HERO at Penfield Players?...

Review: FRIDA...A SELF PORTRAIT at Geva Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - October 28, 2023

What did our critic think of FRIDA...A SELF PORTRAIT at Geva Theatre?...

Review: LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR AND GRILL at Syracuse Stage
by Dan and Julie Izzo - October 23, 2023

What did our critic think of LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR AND GRILL at Syracuse Stage? Syracuse Stage follows its one woman tour de force, What the Constitution Means to Me, with Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, an equally challenging one woman production that is similarly structured and almost beg...

Review: ROMEO & JULIET at The Company Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - October 20, 2023

What did our critic think of ROMEO & JULIET at The Company Theatre? One of Rochester’s newest performing arts organizations, The Company Theatre, launches its 2023-2024 season with a well-known stalwart, “Romeo and Juliet”, playing until the end of October in Rochester’s Temple Theatre....

Review: ROCKY HORROR SHOW at OFC Creations
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - October 16, 2023

What did our critic think of ROCKY HORROR SHOW at OFC Creations? I’ve reviewed a deluge of “Rocky Horror” productions in my years covering the Upstate NY theatre scene, so when it comes to this iconic intergalactic cult classic I feel confident saying that I’ve seen it all: spaceships, dildos, laser...

Review: ZOOMAN AND THE SIGN at Avenue Blackbox Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - September 18, 2023

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Review: WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME at Syracuse Stage
by Dan and Julie Izzo - September 18, 2023

Syracuse Stage kicks off its 50th anniversary season with Heidi Schreck’s 'What the Constitution Means to Me', a clever, poignant, multifaceted gem of a play. Literally framed like an old photograph that stirs memory, the play begins as the middle-aged Heidi Schreck (Mel House) steps into a picture ...

Review: CLUE at Blackfriars Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - September 11, 2023

What did our critic think of CLUE at Blackfriars Theatre? For Blackfriars Theatre’s opening production of the 2023-2024 season, Rochester theatregoers are being treated to the classic pop culture whodunit, “Clue”, whose adaptations have spanned board game, film, musical and play. While the murder-my...

Review: THE WIZARD OF OZ at Geva Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - September 06, 2023

What did our critic think of THE WIZARD OF OZ at Geva Theatre? Fall is here (kinda? It’s 90 degrees today), which means the return of theatre season and the coming-to-life once again of Rochester’s premiere regional theatre, Geva. And what better way to kick-off the season than with a timeless class...

Review: Blackfriars Theatre Delivers A Spirited Take On GODSPELL
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - August 01, 2023

What did our critic think of GODSPELL at Blackfriars Theatre?...

Review: ROCKY HORROR SHOW at Pendragon Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - July 01, 2023

What did our critic think of ROCKY HORROR SHOW at Pendragon Theatre?...

Review: A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM at Blackfriars Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - June 19, 2023

What did our critic think of A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM at Blackfriars Theatre?...

Review: CLUE at Syracuse Stage
by Dan and Julie Izzo - June 16, 2023

Syracuse Stage closes its 2022-23 season with the madcap farce, Clue. Based on the iconic 1950’s board game of the same name, Clue spoofs whodunit mysteries, film noir, 1950’s pop culture and gothic horror films. The play is adapted for stage from the 1985 film that was a critical flop but has since...

Review: TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD at Rochester Broadway Theatre League
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - June 14, 2023

What did our critic think of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD at Rochester Broadway Theatre League? The relevance of “To Kill a Mockingbird” is bewilderingly on the nose. How is it that a 60+-year-old story about racism and the brokenness of the American criminal justice system feels as topical and fresh in 20...

Review: AIN'T TOO PROUD: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS at Proctors Theatre
by Peyton VanDerheyden - May 24, 2023

What did our critic think of AIN'T TOO PROUD: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS at Proctors Theatre?...

Review: CINDERELLA at Geva Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - May 21, 2023

What did our critic think of CINDERELLA at Geva Theatre?...

Review: SIX at Rochester Broadway Theatre League
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - May 18, 2023

What did our critic think of SIX at Rochester Broadway Theatre League?...

Review: TENDER RAIN at Syracuse Stage
by Dan and Julie Izzo - May 08, 2023

Syracuse Stage is currently offering a world premiere play by resident playwright Kyle Bass. Tender Rain is an intriguing play and certainly stimulated hours of discussion on our drive home. It took time to unravel the events of the play's past and untangle the complex character relationships, like ...

Review: RAGTIME at JCC Centerstage Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - May 08, 2023

JCC Centerstage Theatre's Ragtime is a powerful and moving production, featuring unforgettable performances and intricate choreography. Don't miss this epic tale of worlds colliding in early 20th century New York City, playing until May 21st....

Review: AND SO WE WALKED: AN ARTIST'S JOURNEY ALONG THE TRAIL OF TEARS at Geva Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - April 18, 2023

What did our critic think of AND SO WE WALKED: AN ARTIST'S JOURNEY ALONG THE TRAIL OF TEARS at Geva Theatre?...

Review: ALADDIN at Rochester Broadway Theatre League
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - April 13, 2023

What did our critic think of ALADDIN at Rochester Broadway Theatre League?...

Review: OUR TOWN at Syracuse Stage
by Dan and Julie Izzo - April 04, 2023

What did our critic think of OUR TOWN at Syracuse Stage? The Syracuse Stage production of Our Town celebrates the 125th anniversary of the birth of Thornton Wilder. One might think a play written in 1938 would be irrelevant for an audience in the 21st century. But it is important to remember that th...

Review: THE NIGHT ALIVE at Rochester Community Players
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - April 03, 2023

What did our critic think of THE NIGHT ALIVE at Rochester Community Players? Ireland has a long and rich history of producing playwrights with unique voices, exploring intricate themes through complex characters. Everyone from Eugene O'Neill to Samuel Beckett to Martin McDonagh fits this bill, and t...